One player, the shooter, throws two dice. Everyone at the table bets on the result, so you win or lose on the same rolls whether or not you are the one throwing. A round runs in two phases, and the white puck tells you which phase you are in.
The come-out roll. Every round starts here, with the puck flipped to its black OFF side. The shooter throws. A 7 or 11 is a natural and the pass line wins right away. A 2, 3, or 12 is craps and the pass line loses. Any other number, that is 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, becomes the point. The dealer flips the puck to ON and sets it on that number.
Rolling for the point. Now the shooter keeps throwing. The only two numbers that matter are the point and the 7. If the point repeats before a 7, the pass line wins and a new round begins. If a 7 comes first, that is the seven-out: the pass line loses, the round ends, and the dice pass to the next shooter. This is why a 7 is good for you on the come-out and bad for you once a point is set.
That is the whole game. Place a bet, roll the come-out, take your free odds once a point is set, and roll until the point or the seven. The guided mode on the Play tab walks you through that exact sequence one step at a time.
Two dice make 36 equally likely combinations. The 7 has the most ways to roll, six of them, which is why it appears more than any other total and why the whole layout is priced around it. The closer a number sits to 7, the more often it rolls.
| Total | Ways | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| 2 or 12 | 1 | 2.8% |
| 3 or 11 | 2 | 5.6% |
| 4 or 10 | 3 | 8.3% |
| 5 or 9 | 4 | 11.1% |
| 6 or 8 | 5 | 13.9% |
| 7 | 6 | 16.7% |
This single table explains the payouts. The 4 and 10 are the hardest points to make, so their odds pay the most, 2 to 1. The 6 and 8 are the easiest, so they pay the least, 6 to 5. The pay always matches the true chance, which is what makes the free odds a fair bet.
Almost every craps bet has a house edge fixed by its pay table. You cannot out-think the dice. The whole skill is bet selection: put your money on the lowest-edge bets and ignore the rest. The best bet on the table is the pass line backed with free odds.
You bet the pass line before the come-out roll. A 7 or 11 wins, a 2, 3, or 12 loses, and any other number becomes the point. Once a point is set, the shooter rolls until the point repeats (pass wins) or a 7 shows (pass loses). The pass line edge is 1.41%.
After a point is set you can put an extra bet behind the line called the odds. It pays true odds and has zero house edge, the only bet in the casino that does. It pays 2 to 1 on the 4 and 10, 3 to 2 on the 5 and 9, and 6 to 5 on the 6 and 8. Because the odds are free of edge, adding them drags your combined edge down. With common 3-4-5x odds the pass line plus odds runs about 0.37%. In this trainer your odds stay working on the come-out, so you never have to call them on or off.
The come bet works exactly like a pass line bet but you make it after the point is set. It gets its own point and its own odds. The don't pass and don't come are the mirror image: you bet with the house against the shooter, win on the 7, and carry a slightly lower 1.36% edge. Either approach is correct. Back every line and come bet with full odds and stop there.
Pass line. The main bet. Win the come-out 7 or 11, lose 2, 3, 12, then win if the point repeats before a 7. Made only on the come-out.
Don't pass. The opposite side. Lose the come-out 7 or 11, win 2 or 3, push on 12, then win if a 7 comes before the point. Made only on the come-out.
Come and don't come. The same two bets, made after a point is set. Each gets its own point and its own odds, so they let you put more money in play at the same low edge.
Free odds. An extra wager behind a pass, don't, come, or don't-come bet once it has a point. Pays the true ratio, zero edge. Always take it.
Place bets. Bet that a chosen number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) rolls before a 7. The 6 and 8 are fine at a 1.52% edge; the rest run higher. Off on the come-out.
Field. A one-roll bet on 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. It looks like it covers seven numbers, but the four that lose, the 5, 6, 7, and 8, are the most common. A 2.78% edge.
Hardways. Bet a 4, 6, 8, or 10 rolls as a pair before it rolls any other way or a 7 shows. High edge, 9 to 11%. Off on the come-out. The trainer marks these red.
Proposition bets. The one-roll bets in the center: any 7, any craps, the 2, 3, 11, and 12. They pay big and cost the most, up to a 16.7% edge. Skip them.
| Bet | Pays | Edge |
|---|---|---|
| Free odds | true odds | 0.00% |
| Don't pass / don't come | 1:1 | 1.36% |
| Pass line / come | 1:1 | 1.41% |
| Place 6 or 8 | 7:6 | 1.52% |
| Field (12 pays 3:1) | 1:1 / 2:1 / 3:1 | 2.78% |
| Place 5 or 9 | 7:5 | 4.00% |
| Field (12 pays 2:1) | 1:1 / 2:1 | 5.56% |
| Place 4 or 10 | 9:5 | 6.67% |
| Hard 6 or 8 | 9:1 | 9.09% |
| Any craps / 3 / 11 | 7:1 / 15:1 | 11.1% |
| Hard 4 or 10 | 7:1 | 11.1% |
| 2 or 12 | 30:1 | 13.9% |
| Any seven | 4:1 | 16.7% |
Skipping the odds. Many players bet the pass line and never put anything behind it. The odds are the only edge-free bet on the floor. Take the maximum you can afford.
Betting the field, hardways, and props. They sit in the middle of the layout and pay big, which is exactly why the edge is high. The field looks like it covers seven numbers, but the four numbers that lose (5, 6, 7, 8) are the most common rolls. The trainer marks these bets in red.
Chasing more action. Adding a place 4 or buying numbers does not lower your edge. If you want more money in play, make another come bet and back it with odds. The house edge is the same no matter how many come bets you carry, as long as every one is backed with full odds.
Craps looks intimidating because of the busy layout, but the table only does a few things, and you only need a few bets. This free craps trainer teaches the flow first. Guided mode walks you through every action one step at a time: place a pass line bet, roll the come-out, set a point, take your free odds, and roll until the point or a seven. Free practice then opens the whole layout so you can bet the pass line, come, don't pass, don't come, place numbers, the field, and the proposition bets, with real dice probabilities and the correct payout on every bet. The trainer tracks your bankroll, your net, and how often you followed the recommended play.
Is the craps trainer free?
Yes. It runs in your browser with nothing to download, and it is free to use. Guided mode walks you through each action, and free practice opens the full table.
What is the best bet in craps?
The pass line backed with free odds. The pass line has a 1.41 percent edge and the odds behind it have zero edge, so the combined edge with 3-4-5x odds is about 0.37 percent.
What are free odds?
An extra bet you place behind your pass or come bet after a point is set. It pays true odds with no house edge: 2 to 1 on the 4 and 10, 3 to 2 on the 5 and 9, and 6 to 5 on the 6 and 8.
Should I bet the field or hardways?
No. The field runs 2.78 to 5.56 percent and the hardways run 9 to 11 percent. The line bets with odds are far cheaper. The trainer flags these bets in red.
The math here is not a matter of opinion. A 7 is the most common roll at six ways out of thirty-six, which is why bets that win on the point numbers before a 7 carry an edge for the house, and why the free odds, paid at the true ratio, are the one fair bet. The pass and come bets win on the come-out 7 and 11, lose on craps, and otherwise grind at a 1.41 percent edge, the lowest flat bet on the table next to the don't side at 1.36 percent. Learn the line bets, always take the odds, and skip everything in the middle of the layout.
For practice and training only. No real-money wagering. 21+. Gamble responsibly. Call 1-800-GAMBLER.