Craps Explained: Rules, Bets, and Strategies
Craps has a reputation for being complicated, and walking past a table doesn’t help. The crowd around it, the noise, chips moving in every direction – it all looks like something you’d need years to understand. It is not. Once you understand what is happening on the table, it is one of the more straightforward games to play – and one of the better ones for the player when you stick to the right bets.
Where to play craps in Michigan
Craps shows up at retail casinos across the state. Every Michigan online casino with a full table games section also carries digital versions of this game. A lot of players find it easier to start there. The pace is slower, nobody’s watching, and you can sit with the layout for as long as you need without feeling rushed.
How the game works
Craps is played with two dice. One player, the shooter, rolls them, and everyone at the table bets on the outcome. The game runs in rounds, each starting with a come-out roll.
A come-out of 7 or 11 is a natural – pass line bets win. A 2, 3, or 12 is craps – pass line bets lose. Any other number becomes the point. The shooter keeps rolling until they hit that number again or roll a 7. Hit the point first and pass line bets win. Roll a 7 first, and they lose.
The pass line bet
The pass line is where most players start. It has a house edge of 1.41%, which is low by casino standards. You place the bet before the come-out. Win on a natural, lose on craps, and win again if the point is hit before a 7. The don’t pass bet works the opposite way – you win when the shooter fails to repeat the point. The house edge is slightly lower at 1.36%, but betting against the table at a live game tends to make you unpopular.
The odds bet
Once a point is established, you can place an odds bet behind your pass line chip. It is the only bet in the casino with no house edge – it pays true odds based on the point number. A point of 6 or 8 pays 6 to 5. A point of 5 or 9 pays 3 to 2. A point of 4 or 10 pays 2 to 1. Most casinos allow odds of 2x or 3x on top of the original wager. Taking full odds is one of the better moves in the game.
Come bets and proposition bets
Come bets work the same as pass line bets but are placed after the point is established. The next roll becomes a personal come-out, and you can add odds once a come point is set. They let you have multiple numbers working at once during a long hand.
Proposition bets sit in the middle of the table – one-roll wagers on specific outcomes with payouts that look attractive. Any 7 pays 4 to 1. Hardways pay more. The luck factor in craps shows up everywhere, but proposition bets carry a house edge that runs between 9% and 16%, which is far worse than anything on the line bets. Most experienced players leave them alone.
Place bets
Place bets let you bet directly on a number – 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. You win if that number comes before a 7. The 6 and 8 carry a house edge of 1.52% and are the most efficient place bets on the table. The 4 and 10 sit at 6.67% and are not worth the cost.
How to approach the game as a beginner
If you’re new to it, stay on the pass line, take full odds when the table lets you, and save your money by leaving the proposition bets alone. That’s it. That one setup gives you one of the better house edges in the casino and keeps things simple enough to follow what’s happening. Come bets and place bets on 6 and 8 are reasonable additions as you get more comfortable.
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