LEARNING DESK
How to Play Craps: A Beginner Guide
Craps uses two six-sided dice. This beginner guide follows a standard pass-line round and explains how a come-out roll establishes the result or a point.
Start with the come-out roll
On a standard pass-line bet, a come-out total of 7 or 11 wins. A total of 2, 3 or 12 loses. A total of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 establishes that number as the point. The same round continues until the point is rolled again or a 7 appears. Rolling the point first wins; rolling 7 first loses.
Do not apply those rules to every area of the table. Proposition bets, place bets and the don’t-pass bet have separate settlement rules. A table can also set different maximum odds and side-bet paytables. Read the rule sheet for the exact bet.
There are 36 ordered outcomes
With fair independent dice, each die has six possible faces. There are 6 × 6 = 36 equally likely ordered pairs. A total of 2 has one combination, 1 plus 1. A total of 7 has six combinations: 1+6, 2+5, 3+4, 4+3, 5+2 and 6+1. Totals are therefore not equally likely.
The dice probability calculator lists the number of combinations for each total. It is a transparent mathematical model of fair dice, not a test of a real table’s equipment.
Once a point exists, compare it with seven
If the point is 4, three pairs make 4 and six pairs make 7. Other totals do not settle the pass-line bet. Considering only those settling outcomes, the chance of making 4 first is 3/(3+6), or one third. For point 6, five pairs make 6, so the chance is 5/(5+6), or about 45.45%.
This comparison explains why a standard odds bet associated with different points has different true-odds payouts. It does not mean a pass-line bet with a point of 6 has no house edge; the complete pass-line round includes the come-out outcomes too.
Payout conventions and limits matter
A pass-line win normally pays a net amount equal to the stake under the standard model. Additional odds bets have separate payouts and require an established point. A zero-edge odds component does not erase the edge of another component. Increasing stakes to chase a loss also increases exposure.
Watch a demonstration before interacting with a physical table. Ask the dealer which area accepts the intended bet and when it can be placed. Keep a preset limit and do not assume familiarity with one table settles the rules at another.
Sources and scope
Source check: October 11, 2026. Rules are jurisdiction-specific. Provider policies are attributed statements, not firsthand tests.
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