In Craps, winning or losing depends on a variety of different possible outcomes on any roll of the two dice. The two dice can produce many different number combinations; some can be made several ways, others only one way. For example, two dice can roll the number 6 as follows: 5/1, 4/2, 3/3, 2/4 and 1/5. But the number 2 can only be rolled one way: 1/1.

The player who's current go it is, is called the shooter. The shooter wins if he rolls a 7 or 11 and this is entitled 'Natural' and he loses if he rolls a 2, 3 or a 12. This is known as 'craps' and it is where the name gets its name from. Rolling any of the remaining numbers (4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10) is known as the 'point'. If the shooter achieves point on his first roll, he must roll again, if he achieves point again, then rolls again and rolls a 7 then he wins. If a 7 is rolled after the first point then the shooter loses and the dice are passed on to the next person. The next person will then become the shooter.