The Rules of Craps
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The Rules of Craps

Craps is a popular dice game in both land-based and online casinos. The aim of the game is to anticipate the score that the player will achieve by rolling the two dice.

The betting options are varied, and you can decide whether to play against the other players or against the bank.

If you're looking to play craps, you can find this game, alongside many others, at Playfina online casino. 

How a game of craps is played

A game of craps consists of two stages: The initial roll of the dice, known as the "come out roll" or OFF, and the second roll (based on the score of the first roll), known as the "point" or ON. Here's how a craps game is played. 

Off phase of the game  

First, you'll play the OFF phase, which represents the first roll. Depending on the result you obtain, you can move on to the second phase of the game. 

All players around the table place their bets, and the shooter (one of the players at the table) rolls the dice once for the come-out roll. There are 3 possible outcomes: 

If the result is "natural" (7 or 11), Pass Line bets win and Don't Pass Bar bets lose. The round is over, and a new round begins with the same shooter.  

If the result is craps (2, 3 or 12), Pass Line bets lose and Don't Pass Bar bets win. The round is over, and a new round begins with the next shooter. If the shooter rolled a 12, he keeps his hand and is the shooter for the new round.  

If the result is another score (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10), the "point" is established, and the game continues with new throws. 

On phase of the game 

The ON phase of the game takes place only if the situation described above allows it. This is the second roll of the game, but also the last. 

If the "point" is established, the player re-rolls the dice in an attempt to re-establish the point, in 3 possible cases: 

  • If the player manages to make his "point" (the same score as on the first throw) before the 7 falls, the Pass Line bets win and the Don't Pass Bar bets lose. A new game can then be started with the same shooter. 

  • If the player makes the "natural" (7) before having made the "point", Don't Pass Bar bets win and Pass Line bets lose. A new game can then be started with the next shooter. 

  • If the player doesn't make either the "point" or the "natural" (7), the shooter starts again, rolling the dice until either the "natural" (7) or the "point" is made. 

The different types of craps bets 

In the previous section, we looked at the classic bets available in craps, but there are plenty of others. It's even possible to place a bet after the first roll. 

  • Pass: - A bet placed before the first roll ("OFF" phase) on the "PASS LINE" area. You can't bet on "Pass Line" if you've already bet on "Don't Pass Bar". You win if the shooter makes a "natural" (7) or a "pass" (11) in the "OFF" phase, or the "point" in the "ON" phase. You lose if the shooter rolls a craps (2, 3 or 12) in the OFF phase or a natural (7) in the ON phase. 

  • Don't Pass: - Bet placed before the first throw (OFF phase) on the "DON'T PASS BAR" area. You cannot bet on "Don't Pass" if you have already bet on "Pass". You win if the shooter craps (2, 3 or 12) in the "OFF" phase or natural (7) in the "ON" phase. You lose if the shooter makes a "natural" (7) or a "pass" (11) in the OFF phase or the "point" in the ON phase. When you win, the winnings are one time your bet. 

  • Come: - Bet placed before each additional throw ("ON" phase) on the "COME" zone - You win if the shooter makes a "natural" (7) or a "pass" (11) - You lose if the shooter makes a "craps" (2, 3 or 12) - When you win , If the shooter makes a "point" (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10), the bet in the "COME" area is moved to the "BUY BET" area of the "point" that fell. This bet can no longer be withdrawn. 

  • Don't Come: - Bet placed before each additional throw ("ON" phase) on the "DON'T COME BAR" area - You win if the shooter makes a "craps" (2, 3, or 12) - You lose if the shooter makes a "natural" (7) or a "pass" (11) - When you win, if the shooter makes a "point" (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10), the bet on the "DON'T COME BAR" area is moved to the "LAY BET" area of the "point" that fell. This bet can no longer be withdrawn. 

  • Buy Bet: - Bet placed in the center of the square of one of the "points" (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) at any time during the game - The bet can be withdrawn whenever the player wishes, unless this bet has been transferred from the "COME" zone - You win if the chosen "point" comes out before the "natural" (7) - You lose if the "natural" (7) comes out before the chosen "point" - When you win, the winnings are calculated according to the chosen point minus 5% commission for the casino (varies according to the casino). 

  • Lay Bet: - Lay bet placed on top of the square of one of the "points" (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) at any time during the game - The bet can be withdrawn whenever the player wishes, unless this bet has been transferred from the "DON'T COME BAR" area - You win if the "natural" (7) comes out before the chosen "point" - You lose if the chosen "point" comes out before the "natural" (7) - When you win, winnings are calculated according to the chosen point minus 5% commission for the casino (varies according to the casino). 

  • Place Win: - Bet placed on the lower band of the square of one of the "points" at any time during the game - Bet can be withdrawn whenever the player wishes - You win if the chosen "point" comes out before the "natural" (7) - You lose if the "natural" (7) comes out before the chosen "point" - When you win, winnings are calculated according to the point chosen (varies according to the casino). 

  • Place Lose: - Place a bet on the top strip of one of the "points" at any time during the game - The bet can be withdrawn whenever the player wishes - You win if the "natural" (7) comes out before the chosen "point" - You lose if the chosen "point" comes out before the "natural" (7) - When you win, the winnings are calculated according to the point chosen (varies according to the casino). 

  • Hardway 4 (2+2): - Bet placed on the double 2 (2+2) square at any time during the game - This bet is valid only for the next throw - You win if the double 2 (2+2) comes out - You lose if the double 2 (2+2) does not come out - When you win, the winnings are 7 times your bet. 

  • Hardway 6 (3+3): - Bet placed on the double 3 (3+3) square at any time during the game - This bet is valid only for the next throw - You win if the double 3 (3+3) comes out - You lose if the double 3 (3+3) does not come out - When you win, the winnings are 9 times your bet 

  • Hardway 8 (4+4): - Bet placed on the double 4 (4+4) square at any time during the game - This bet is valid only for the next throw - You win if the double 4 (4+4) comes out - You lose if the double 4 (4+4) doesn't come out - When you win, the winnings are 9 times your bet. 

  • Hardway 10 (5+5) : - Bet placed on the double 5 (5+5) box at any time during the game - This bet is valid only for the next throw - You win if the double 5 (5+5) comes out - You lose if the double 5 (5+5) does not come out - When you win, the winnings are 7 times your bet. 

  • Field: - Bet placed on the "FIELD" area at any time during the game - You win if the shooter shoots 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12 - You lose if the shooter shoots 5, 6, 7 or 8 - When you win, winnings are one time your bet except when the shooter shoots 2 or 12, when winnings are 2 times your bet. 

  • Big 6: - Bet placed on the 6 to the left of the "BIG" sign at any time during the game - Bet can be withdrawn whenever the player wishes - You win if the 6 comes out before the "natural" (7) - You lose if the "natural" (7) comes out before the 6 - When you win, winnings are one time your bet. 

  • Big 8: - Bet placed on the 8 to the right of the "BIG" sign at any time during the game - Bet can be withdrawn at any time - You win if the 8 comes out before the "natural" (7) - You lose if the "natural" (7) comes out before the 8 - When you win, winnings are one time your bet. 

  • Any seven: - Bet placed on the "SEVEN" square at any time during the game - You win if the "natural" (7) comes out - You lose if the "natural" (7) doesn't come out - When you win, the winnings are 4 times your bet. 

  • Horn 2: - Bet placed on the "HORN 2" (1+1) square at any time during the game - You win if the "HORN 2" (1+1) comes out - You lose if the "HORN 2" (1+1) doesn't come out - When you win, the winnings are 30 times your bet. 

  • Horn 3: - Bet placed on the "HORN 3" (2+1) square at any time during the game - You win if the "HORN 3" (2+1) comes out - You lose if the "HORN 3" (2+1) doesn't come out - When you win, the winnings are 15 times your bet. 

  • Horn 11: - Bet placed on the "HORN 11" (6+5) square at any time during the game - You win if the "HORN 11" (6+5) comes out - You lose if the "HORN 11" (6+5) doesn't come out - When you win, the winnings are 15 times your bet. 

  • Horn 12: - Bet placed on the "HORN 12" (6+6) square at any time during the game - You win if the "HORN 12" (6+6) comes up - You lose if the "HORN 12" (6+6) doesn't come up - When you win, the payout is 30 times your bet. 

  • Any Craps: - Place your bet on the "ANY CRAPS" square at any time during the game - You win if any craps come up (2, 3 or 12) - You lose if no craps come up (2, 3 or 12) - When you win, the payout is 7 times your bet. 

Don't hesitate to try out these types of craps bets on Wild Fortune Casino

Why learn the rules before playing craps? 

In principle, a game of craps is fairly easy to follow. But as you've probably noticed, you need to understand all the tricks of the trade if you want to get the most out of the game.  

In fact, there are a number of different bets that can give you a much larger advantage over the casino than others.  

Some of them are easy to understand, but others are quite subtle and require a little study before they can be assimilated. What's more, the latter are often the bets that will enable you to reduce the casino's advantage to a non-negligible degree.  

We therefore advise you not to abandon the study of the most complicated bets (Pass Line, Don't Pass Bar, Come, Don't Come Bar, etc.). 

Play Craps at Millionz Casino, an exceptional gaming platform with plenty of high-quality craps games to choose from! In addition to this, registering your account at this online casino allows you to benefit from an exclusive welcome bonus:  

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About the authorMelanie Cazenave
63 articles
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A specialist in online casinos, she also loves proofreading. With her, it's impossible for mistakes to slip through the cracks. A true lover of letters, she binds articles and retouches them to make them as perfect as possible.

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