Basic Craps Rules

Basic craps rules are fairly simple to learn. Craps is very popular, both in casinos and on the street, because it only takes a pair of dice and a few dollars to start playing. Players roll the dice and make bets on the outcome of the roll. In casinos, players typically bet against the house, while on the street players are more likely to bet against each other. Learning how to make the wisest bet requires that you first learn some basic craps rules.

1. The shooter is the person rolling the dice.  The shooter makes a first throw which is called the "come out."
2. If the result is a seven or an eleven, the shooter wins the round automatically.
3. If the result is a two, three or twelve, the shooter loses the round automatically.  This is called "craps" or "crapping out".
4. If any other number is rolled, that number becomes the point.  The shooter continues rolling the dice, attempting to roll the point again to win. If a seven is rolled before the point comes up, the shooter loses.
5. Bets are made on the "Pass" and "Don't Pass" lines.
6. A "Pass" bet is betting that the shooter will succeed. A bet laid on the Pass Line will win if the if the shooter makes a winning roll on either the come out roll, or by making the point roll. 
   
7. A "Don't Pass bet" is betting that the shooter will lose. In other words, if the shooter rolls craps on the come out roll, a "Don't Pass" bet will win. Likewise, if the shooter is rolling for her point and rolls a seven, a "Don't Pass" bet will win.
8. "Come" and "Don't Come" are bets that allow new arrivals to join in the game, and function the same as "Pass" and "Don't Pass," except that they start with the next roll of the dice. They follow the same rules of winning and losing.

These basic craps rules are enough to get you into a game and enable you to follow the action. There are other more advanced bets that can be made, but it's better to get your feet wet with basic craps and have an understanding of the odds before you move on to those.