Basic Rules of Play The dice are tossed from one end of the craps table to the other making sure that both dice bounce off of the back wall of the table. Moving in a clockwise direction, players take turns rolling the dice. The Shooter's first role is called the "Come Out" role. This Shooter continues to role as long as he or she makes winning roles. The "Come Out" role is very important in craps in that it establishes the Shooter's "Point." "The Point" is the number that the Shooter must role again before he or she roles a 7. A 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 establishes the point. Rolling a 7, 11, 2, 3 or 12 on the "Come Out" role results in the dice being passed to the next Shooter. The Puck - This two-sided disc indicates whether or not a game is in progress and if a "Point" has been established. The puck displays "OFF" and remains on the "Don't Come Bar" until a "Point" has been established by the shooter. The dealer then turns the puck to the "ON" side and moves it to the numbered location on the craps table to denote the "Point" number for this shooter. Betting On Craps Pass Line Bet - A simple and basic even money bet. You are betting that the first role of the dice will add up to 7 or 11. On this bet, a 2, 3, or 12 loses the bet. Any other number establishes the "Point." The "Point" number has to be rolled again before a 7 comes up to win, otherwise, the bet is lost.

Odds bets are a very good option for the player as the house advantage is small. Odds bets are additional bets made after the shooter has established point. Pass Line Odds Bets are made after you make a wager on the Pass Line. Then if a Point is rolled, you can back up your bet by taking the odds on the Point. To make this bet you place your additional chips an inch or two behind your original Pass-Line bet. Come Bet Odds Bets are made after you make a wager on the Pass Line. Then if a Point is rolled, you can back up your bet by taking the odds on the Point. For this wager you drop your chips in front of the dealer and say "Odds on my Come Point". The dealer will then place your bet. Don't Pass Odds Bets are made after you make a wager on a Don't Pass. Then if a Point is rolled, you can back up your bet by laying the odds on the Point. To make this bet you place your additional chips next to your Don't Pass bet. Don't Come Odds Bets are made after you make a wager on a Don't Pass. Then if a Point is rolled, you can back up your bet by layingthe odds on the Point. - For this wager you drop your chips in front of the dealer and say "Odds on my Don't Come". The dealer will then place your bet. Place Bets are made on the numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 and have nothing to do with the Point number. Once made a Place bet is always on except for the Come-out roll when they are always off, unless you tell the dealer differently. If a 7 is rolled before your Place number - you lose. If your Place number is rolled before a 7 - you win. To make this bet lay your chips down in front of the dealer and say, "Place the Six (or other number), please". Buy Bets are made on the numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 similar to Place bets. Again you are betting that the shooter will roll your number before he/she rolls a 7. A Buy bet is determined in the following manner. If a 7 is rolled before your Buy number - you lose. If your Buy number is rolled before a 7 - you win. To make this bet lay your chips down in front of the dealer and say "Buy the 6 (or other number), please". Lay Bets are the opposite of Buy bets. If your Lay number is rolled before a 7 - you lose. If a 7 is rolled before your Lay number - you win. To make this bet pass the dealer your chips and say "Lay the odds on the Six (or other number)". Big Six or Big Eight Bets If a 7 is rolled before a 6 or an 8 - you lose. If a 6 or an 8 is rolled before a 7 - you win. You can make this bet yourself by placing you wager in the Big Six or Big Eight section of the table layout. Hard Four Bets or Hard Ten Bets Hard Four can be rolled only one way (2, 2), and Hard Ten only rolled one way (5, 5) You are betting that the shooter will roll a Hard Four or a Hard Ten (whichever you have chosen) before seven, and before any other combination of four (for Hard Four) or ten (for Hard Ten) To make these bets you pass your chips to the stickman.

To bet with the shooter, you must place your bet in an area marked ""Pass Line", before the new shooter rolls the dice. The so-called "Pass Line" is a strip on the table layout marked by two lines roughly two inches wide and it rims the entire table layout across from the Box Man. To bet against the shooter, you must place your bet in an area marked "Don’t Pass". This area is a strip on the table layout and it rims the table directly above the "Pass Line".No matter what stage the game is in, whether on the "Come Out" roll, or in progress, you can jump in immediately and place any bets. The only exception to this is the bet called the "Pass Line" bet with odds", which can be made only on the "Come Out" roll. You can, however, bet with the shooter even while the game is in progress by placing a "Pass Line" bet without odds. Placing your chips halfway over one of the two lines framing the "Pass Line" area does this.

Basic craps terminology: Shooter: the current dice thrower. Come-out roll: The shooter's first roll. Pass: If the shooter wins his game, by any means, he is said to "Pass". Don't Pass: The term used if the shooter loses. The following illustration depicts the left half of a craps table. The bets to the bottom right, therefore, are referred to as the center bets, as they are actually in the center of a full sized table.