Craps Rules Explained

What this guide covers

This guide serves as the complete reference rulebook for craps — every rule governing the dice, the roll sequence, bet resolution, and table procedure, organized so you can look up a specific rule quickly rather than reading a beginner narrative walkthrough. For that walkthrough, see how to play craps online; for full detail on any individual bet type, see craps betting guide.

The dice themselves

Craps is played with two standard six-sided dice, each numbered 1 through 6, rolled simultaneously by the shooter on every turn. Casino-grade dice are precision-manufactured to extremely tight tolerances specifically to eliminate any physical bias, and are replaced regularly in physical casinos to prevent wear-related bias from developing over time. See craps dice explained for the full detail on how these dice are built and regulated.

The core roll-sequence rule

Every round of craps consists of two phases governed by one overarching rule: the come-out roll determines whether the round resolves immediately or establishes a point, and if a point is established, the round continues until either that point number repeats or a 7 appears. This two-phase structure is the single rule everything else in the game is built around.

Come-out roll resolution rules

On the come-out roll specifically: a roll of 7 or 11 is called a "natural" and immediately resolves pass line bets as winners (and don't pass bets as losers). A roll of 2, 3, or 12 is called "craps" and immediately resolves pass line bets as losers — don't pass bets win on 2 or 3, but push (neither win nor lose) specifically on 12, a rule called "barring the 12" (some tables bar the 3 instead; the barred number is always marked on the table). Any other total — 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 — becomes "the point," and the round moves into its second phase.

Point-phase resolution rules

Once a point is established, only two outcomes matter for pass line and don't pass bets: the point number repeating (pass line wins, don't pass loses) or a 7 appearing (pass line loses, don't pass wins — commonly called "sevening out"). Every other number rolled during this phase has no direct effect on pass line or don't pass bets, though it may affect other active bets like place bets or come bets tracking their own separate points.

The puck and its two states

Every craps table displays a physical or digital marker called the puck, showing white (or marked "OFF") during the come-out phase and black (marked "ON") during the point phase, placed directly on the point number once one is established. This marker exists specifically so every player at the table — not just those who watched the come-out roll — can immediately see whether the table is in come-out or point phase and what the current point number is.

Rules for placing and removing bets

Pass line and don't pass bets can only be placed before the come-out roll and cannot be removed, reduced, or increased once a point is established — this is a firm rule, not a house policy that varies by table. Other bets, including place bets, come bets (once resolved past their own come-out), and don't come bets, follow different rules for adjustment covered in their individual guides — see place bets explained and come bet vs don't come bet.

Odds bet rules

Once a point is established, players may add an odds bet behind their pass line or don't pass wager, paying true mathematical odds rather than the even-money or adjusted payouts used elsewhere at the table. Odds bets can typically be added at any point during the point phase (not just immediately after the point is set), and — unlike the pass line bet they're attached to — can usually be removed or reduced at the player's discretion before the round resolves. See how craps odds bets work for the complete payout structure and typical maximum odds multiples.

Come and don't come bet rules

A come bet, placed any time after a point is established, uses the very next roll as its own personal come-out roll: 7 or 11 wins immediately, 2, 3, or 12 loses immediately (with the same 12-barring rule as don't pass applying to don't come), and any other number becomes that specific come bet's own point, tracked separately from the table's main point on its own labeled position on the layout. Don't come mirrors don't pass in reverse, exactly as don't pass mirrors pass line. Multiple come bets can be active simultaneously, each tracking its own independent point.

Place bet rules

Place bets are wagers on a specific number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) repeating before a 7, placeable and removable at any time regardless of whether the table is in come-out or point phase, which is a meaningful rule difference from pass line bets. Place bets on the point number itself are typically not permitted while that number is already the established point, since a pass line bet already covers that exact outcome. See place bets explained for full payout rules.

Buy and lay bet rules

A buy bet functions like a place bet but pays true odds instead of the adjusted place-bet payout, in exchange for a commission (typically 5%) charged on the bet — usually collected upfront regardless of outcome, though some tables charge it only on wins. A lay bet is the inverse, betting that a 7 comes before a specific number, also paying true odds minus a commission. See buy bets explained and lay bets explained for the full commission and payout rules.

Proposition bet rules

Proposition bets, located in the center of the table, are typically one-roll bets resolved on the very next roll regardless of come-out or point phase — betting on a specific total (any craps, any seven, a specific hardway) appearing on that single upcoming roll. Because they resolve every single roll rather than persisting across a round, they can be placed fresh before any roll, including during an active point phase. See proposition bets explained for the individual rules and odds governing each specific prop.

Hardway rules specifically

A hardways bet wins if a specific pair total (4, 6, 8, or 10) is rolled as two matching dice — a "hard" 8 is two 4s, for example — before that same total is rolled any other way (an "easy" way) or before a 7 appears, whichever comes first. This is a persisting bet (not resolved in a single roll like other proposition bets) that stays active until one of those two outcomes occurs.

Table roles and their functions

A physical craps table is staffed by up to four casino employees: the boxman, who supervises the game and oversees the table's chip bank while seated at the table's center; the stickman, who retrieves the dice after each roll using a hooked stick, calls out results, and manages proposition bets in the center of the table; and typically two base dealers, who handle bets and payouts on their respective sides of the table. Online formats replace this staffing with software (RNG) or a smaller live-dealer crew handling equivalent functions.

Shooter rules

The shooter is the player rolling the dice, and in physical casinos, the role rotates around the table — typically moving to the next willing player after the current shooter sevens out (rolls a 7 during the point phase). Casino rules generally require the shooter to roll the dice in a way that ensures a fair, random result — commonly requiring both dice to hit the opposite wall of the table, a rule aimed at preventing intentional, controlled placement of the dice. Not every player is required to shoot; anyone can pass on the opportunity and simply continue betting.

Rules specific to physical dice handling

In live casino craps, dice must generally be rolled with at least one hand, can't be deliberately "set" and gently placed rather than actually thrown, and typically must be visible to the boxman and stickman at all times — rules that exist specifically to prevent manipulation or dice-switching. RNG online craps has no equivalent physical handling rules, since there's no physical dice to manage, while live dealer online craps replicates these physical handling standards through the dealer's actions.

Table limit rules

Every craps table posts a minimum and maximum bet, typically applying per pass line or don't pass wager rather than to your total action across every bet type at the table — meaning your total wagered per round, once odds and other bets are included, can substantially exceed the posted table minimum. Maximum odds multiples (how large an odds bet you're permitted relative to your pass line bet) are also typically posted and vary by table and by the specific point number.

Payout rounding rules

Certain bets — particularly place bets on 6 and 8, which pay 7:6 — can produce payouts that don't divide evenly depending on bet size, and casinos have standard rounding conventions (typically rounding down) for these cases. This is why experienced players often size place bets on 6 and 8 in multiples of $6 specifically, to avoid this rounding loss entirely — see place bets explained for the full detail.

Rules around new shooters and "come out" resets

After any shooter sevens out, a new shooter takes over and the round resets to a fresh come-out roll — any pass line bets from the previous round have already been resolved by that point, and new pass line bets are open for the new come-out. Come bets and place bets from before a seven-out are also resolved (as losses) at that point, since a 7 ends the point phase entirely for the whole table, not just the pass line.

Rule variations across casinos

While the core rules described above are close to universal, specific details vary by casino and jurisdiction: which number is barred on don't pass/don't come (12 at most tables, though some bar the 3 instead), maximum odds multiples, whether "fire bets" or other side bets are offered, and specific proposition bet payout tables can all differ. Reading the specific table's posted rules before playing seriously is worth doing, particularly for odds multiples and any bet with a payout that seems unusually generous or stingy compared to standard figures.

Crapless craps rule differences

Crapless craps (also called "never ease craps") changes the core come-out rule so that 2, 3, 11, and 12 also become point numbers rather than resolving immediately, removing the traditional craps-numbers-lose rule from the come-out roll entirely. This significantly changes the game's math and available bets — see crapless craps explained for the complete rule differences from standard craps.

Bubble craps rule differences

Bubble craps (sometimes called "bubble ball" or shown as a "electronic" craps machine) uses a mechanically randomized ball-and-air system enclosed in a bubble, rather than physical dice thrown by a shooter, to generate results — the underlying pass line, point, and betting rules remain identical to standard craps, but there's no shooter role, no physical dice handling rules, and typically a considerably faster pace. See bubble craps guide for the full format-specific detail.

How online rules differ from physical casino rules

The fundamental rules of craps — come-out resolution, point-phase resolution, individual bet payout structures — are identical between physical casinos and licensed online platforms, RNG or live. What differs is procedural: no physical dice-handling rules apply to RNG play, bet placement happens through software rather than physically positioning chips, and payout rounding is typically handled automatically and precisely by software rather than by a dealer's manual calculation. See online craps vs live craps for the fuller comparison.

Betting rules for multiple simultaneous wagers

There's no rule limiting how many different bet types you can have active simultaneously (pass line, multiple come bets, several place bets, and proposition bets can all coexist), constrained only by table maximums on individual bet types and your own bankroll. Managing several active bets at once is where craps' reputation for complexity comes from, even though no individual bet's rules are complicated in isolation.

Rules around bet resolution timing

Bets resolve according to their own specific triggering conditions, not necessarily all at the same moment — a proposition bet resolves after the very next roll regardless of what else is happening, while a place bet persists across many rolls until its number or a 7 appears. Understanding that different bets on the table are operating on different resolution timelines simultaneously is genuinely useful for following a fast-moving round, whether live or online.

What happens if a die leaves the table (live formats)

In physical casinos, if a die leaves the table entirely during a roll, standard rules typically require both dice to be re-rolled for the result to count, since only having one visible, verified die undermines the game's fairness guarantees. This specific scenario doesn't arise in RNG or bubble craps formats, where there's no physical die to leave the table in the first place.

Rules for choosing the next shooter

When a shooter sevens out, the dice typically pass to the next player clockwise around the table who wishes to shoot, and any player is permitted to decline the offer, simply passing the dice along to the following player. There's no rule requiring you to have money in action to become the shooter, though most tables expect the shooter to have at least a pass line or don't pass bet active for that round, since shooting with no bet at all is considered unusual table etiquette even if not strictly prohibited.

Rules around handling the dice before a roll

A shooter is typically required to select their dice from a larger set offered by the stickman (commonly five or more dice, from which the shooter picks two), and once selected, the unused dice are removed from play for that shooter's turn. Between rolls, the shooter isn't permitted to hand the dice to another player or set them down off the table surface — the dice remain either in the shooter's hand or in the stickman's control at all times during an active turn.

"No-call bets" and jurisdictional rule differences

Some jurisdictions (parts of California, for instance, in the context of historical card-room-based craps variants, and certain other regional rule sets) have historically restricted or prohibited verbal "call bets" — bets announced verbally without chips physically placed in the corresponding area — requiring all bets to be physically represented by chips before a roll. Standard casino craps in most major gambling jurisdictions permits call bets from established players, though dealers may decline call bets from unfamiliar players as a practical safeguard against disputes. Online craps, RNG or live, sidesteps this issue entirely, since every bet is explicitly selected through the interface rather than verbally announced.

Rules on late bets

A bet is considered "late" if it's placed or attempted after the dice have already left the shooter's hand, and standard rules don't honor late bets — if the dice are in the air, the betting window for that specific roll has effectively closed. Live dealer online formats enforce this the same way a physical casino would, typically closing the digital betting interface at the same moment; RNG formats simply don't allow a bet submission once the roll sequence has been triggered.

Regional and historical odds-multiple variations

Standard odds multiples (how large an odds bet can be relative to your pass line wager) have varied historically and regionally — single odds (1x) was standard for decades in many jurisdictions, while Atlantic City casinos became known for popularizing higher multiples (3x-4x-5x odds, where the permitted multiple varies by which point number is established) as a competitive draw for players seeking better value. Modern casinos, physical and online, commonly offer anywhere from 2x to 10x or higher, and checking a specific table's posted odds multiple before playing seriously affects how much value you can extract from this best-value bet on the table.

Rules governing chip denominations and buy-ins

Craps tables use standard casino chip denominations, and buying in typically happens at the table itself (in physical casinos) by placing cash on the layout for the dealer to convert to chips, a process the boxman must witness and approve. Online play sidesteps this physical process entirely — your account balance functions as your chip stack, and bet sizing happens directly through the software's chip selector without any physical exchange step.

Standard casino floor rules that apply at the craps table

Beyond craps-specific rules, standard casino floor rules apply at any physical table — minimum gambling age requirements (typically 21 in the United States, 18 in many other jurisdictions), prohibitions on photography without permission, and standard responsible-gambling protections like the ability to request self-exclusion. See self-exclusion explained for how this specific protection works and how it applies whether you're playing craps or any other casino game.

Rules on increasing or decreasing come and place bets

Unlike pass line and don't pass, come bets that have already established their own point, and place bets generally, can typically be increased, decreased, or removed by the player at will during the point phase — a meaningful flexibility difference from the firm pass line rule. Exact house policy on exactly when these adjustments are permitted (for instance, whether you can adjust mid-roll-sequence or only between rolls) can vary slightly by casino, so checking the specific table's posted rules or the online platform's help documentation is worth doing if you plan to actively manage several simultaneous bets.

Rules on dealer payout procedure

In physical casinos, base dealers pay winning bets and collect losing ones according to a specific, practiced sequence designed to minimize errors on a fast-moving table with many simultaneous bets — winning payouts are typically made before losing bets are collected, reducing the chance of a dealer shorting a payout due to a miscount. Online software resolves every bet simultaneously and automatically according to the game's programmed payout table, which is one practical advantage of digital play: no dealer-error risk, though it relies entirely on the software being properly certified and audited in the first place. See RNG certification and casino audits explained for how that certification is verified independently.

A brief note on the game's origins

Craps evolved from an older European dice game called Hazard, itself with roots tracing back centuries, and was significantly simplified and popularized in its modern American form in the early 20th century, eventually standardizing into the pass-line-and-point structure described throughout this guide. This history is worth knowing mainly as context for why the game's terminology (many French-derived betting terms remain, similar to roulette's French terminology) feels distinct from more purely American casino games.

Rules glossary

Boxman: the casino employee seated at the table's center who supervises the game and the chip bank. Stickman: the employee who retrieves the dice and manages proposition bets. Base dealer: an employee handling bets and payouts on their side of the table. On/Off: shorthand for whether a standing bet is currently active (on) or inactive (off) during a specific roll. Come-out roll: the first roll of a new round, before a point is established. Point: the number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) that must repeat before a 7 for pass line bets to win. Natural: a come-out roll of 7 or 11. Craps: a come-out roll of 2, 3, or 12. Seven out: rolling a 7 during the point phase, ending the round and the shooter's turn. Puck: the marker indicating come-out (OFF) or point (ON) phase. Hardway: a specific pair-matched roll of 4, 6, 8, or 10. Barred number: the craps-roll number (typically 12) that causes don't pass/don't come to push rather than win.

Rules on maximum odds by point number

Many casinos apply different maximum odds multiples depending on which specific number is the point, rather than a single flat multiple across all points — a common Atlantic City-style structure, for example, permits 3x odds on points of 4 and 10, 4x odds on points of 5 and 9, and 5x odds on points of 6 and 8, deliberately calibrated so the dollar amount at risk on the odds bet stays roughly similar across different points despite the differing multiples. This detail matters directly to your odds-bet sizing — see how craps odds bets work for the full payout mechanics this rule interacts with.

Rules on standing bets between shooters

Place bets, buy bets, and lay bets generally remain active across a change of shooter unless specifically removed by the player — a new shooter starting a fresh come-out roll doesn't automatically clear these standing bets the way it clears the resolved pass line bet from the previous round. This is worth knowing specifically because it means you can maintain ongoing place bets across many rounds and multiple shooters without needing to re-place them each time, provided the numbers you're betting on haven't already resolved.

Rules on "working" versus "not working" bets during come-out rolls

Place, buy, and lay bets are, by default, generally considered "not working" (inactive) during a come-out roll unless the player specifically requests otherwise, meaning these bets aren't at risk if the come-out roll happens to land on their number. This default protects players from losing a place bet on, say, the number 6 simply because a come-out roll happened to total 6 (which has no bearing on pass line outcomes but would otherwise resolve a standing place bet). Players can call a bet "working" on the come-out if they specifically want it active during that phase.

Rules distinguishing casino policy from mathematical game rules

It's worth separating two categories of "rules" discussed throughout this guide: mathematical game rules (how come-out and point-phase resolution works, which numbers are naturals versus craps) are effectively universal and unchangeable, while procedural and limit-related rules (odds multiples, which number is barred, minimum bets, commission rates on buy/lay bets) are house policies that genuinely vary by casino and are worth checking on the specific rules card or information screen before playing seriously at a new table.

Why understanding the full rulebook matters even if you only bet pass line

Even if your entire strategy is pass line plus odds, understanding the broader rulebook — how come bets track separate points, how place bets can be added and removed freely, why proposition bets resolve every single roll — makes following a live table (physical or streamed) considerably easier, since you'll understand what's happening with other players' bets even when it doesn't directly affect your own. This comprehension gap is often what makes craps feel intimidating to newcomers watching an experienced table in action.

Rules on splitting odds bets across come bets

When you have multiple come bets active, each with its own established point, odds can typically be added to each individually, following the same point-specific maximum multiples that apply to your main pass line odds bet. This means a player running several simultaneous come bets with full odds behind each can have considerably more total money in action than the table's posted pass line minimum might suggest, which is an important consideration when budgeting a session that plans to use this more active betting style. See craps bankroll management guide for planning around this.

Frequently asked questions

What number is barred on don't pass bets? Most commonly 12, meaning a come-out roll of 12 causes don't pass to push rather than win, though some tables bar the 3 instead — always check the specific table's posted rule.

Can I remove my pass line bet after a point is established? No — this is a firm rule across all standard craps formats, not a house policy that varies; pass line and don't pass bets stay in action until the round resolves.

Do come bets and pass line bets follow the same rules? Very similarly — a come bet uses the next roll as its own personal come-out roll, establishing its own point tracked separately from the table's main point, but otherwise resolves using the same natural/craps/point logic as pass line.

What happens to place bets when a shooter sevens out? They resolve as losses, since a 7 during the point phase ends the round entirely for the table, not just for pass line bets specifically.

Are the core rules different between online and physical casino craps? No — the fundamental come-out and point-phase rules are identical; only physical dice-handling procedures and bet-placement mechanics differ by format.

Why do some place bet payouts round down? Certain payout ratios (like 7:6 on place bets on 6 and 8) don't divide evenly for every possible bet size, and casinos round down by standard convention — sizing these bets in multiples of $6 avoids the rounding loss.

Does crapless craps follow the same come-out rules as standard craps? No — crapless craps removes the traditional craps-numbers-lose rule entirely, making 2, 3, 11, and 12 additional point numbers instead of immediate come-out losses.

Who decides which player shoots next? The role typically rotates to the next willing player after the current shooter sevens out; any player can decline the opportunity and continue simply betting instead.

Can I add an odds bet at any time during the point phase, or only immediately after the point is set? Typically at any time during the point phase, not just immediately — check your specific table's rules, though this flexibility is standard at most casinos.

Do proposition bets follow the same come-out/point rules as pass line bets? No — proposition bets are typically one-roll bets resolving on the very next roll regardless of whether the table is in come-out or point phase.

Are place bets automatically active during a come-out roll? No, by default they're considered "not working" during come-out rolls unless you specifically ask the dealer (or toggle the setting online) to make them working during that phase.

Do standing bets like place bets carry over to a new shooter? Yes, generally — a change of shooter doesn't automatically clear place, buy, or lay bets; they remain active until they resolve or you remove them.

Is the maximum odds multiple the same for every point number? Not always — many casinos use a tiered structure (for example, higher multiples on 6 and 8 than on 4 and 10) calibrated so the dollar risk stays roughly consistent across different points.