There is one sure way to determine if a session has started already, or if it's currently on the come out roll. Look carefully on the table for a small black 'puck' (similar to an ice hockey puck). This puck has the word 'OFF' written on one side, and the word 'ON' on the other. If the session has not yet started and the game is on the come out roll, the puck will be off to the side of the table (not on the playing surface) and the 'OFF' side will be facing up.
The major premise of a craps game revolves around the two states that a game can be in - (a) with a session started (the puck is on the board and set to ON), or (b) with a session not started (the puck off to the side of the table and set to OFF). During a come out roll, the session is not started, thus it is the time to place a 'pass line' bet.
With the pass line bet in place, the come out roll is thrown. If the total of the two dice adds up to any of 2, 3, or 12 on this the come out roll, the session resets and all pass line bets lose. However, if the total on the come out roll is a 7 or an 11, the session resets and all pass line bets win. If any other number is thrown, the game session has started and the dice total becomes known as the 'point number' for the remainder of the session.
To help visualize things and make it a bit easier for you to learn to play craps, please take a look at our craps session flow diagram below:
The bets in detail:
Pass Line Bets
The pass line bet is placed on the pass line before the come out roll. If you roll a 7 or 11, you win and the round is done. If you roll a 2, 3, or 12, it is craps and you lose. Any other number (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10) becomes the point. You win the pass line bet if the point is rolled before a 7. You lose the pass line bet, if a 7 is rolled before the point. A winning pass line bet pays even money (1 to 1).
Don't Pass Line Bets
A don't pass line bet is the opposite of a pass line bet, and is placed on the craps table in the "Don't Pass Bar" before the come out roll. In a don't pass line bet, you are betting that the shooter will roll 7 before rolling the point. You win on the come out roll if you roll craps (2 or 3), and on any other roll if it is 7. If the come out roll is 12, a don't pass line bet is returned to the player in a push. You lose on the come out roll if it is either 7 or 11, and on any other roll if it is the point. A winning don't pass line bet pays even money (1 to 1).
Come Bets
To place a come bet, put your chips in the box labeled Come. You win even money if the next roll is either a 7 or 11. You lose if the next roll is craps (2, 3, or 12). If the shooter rolls a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, then that number becomes the come point, and the come bet is moved from the "COME" bar to the box corresponding to the come point. If the shooter rolls the come point again before rolling a 7, you win the bet. If a 7 is rolled first, you lose the bet. The come bet pays even money (1 to 1).
Don't Come Bets
A don't come bet is the opposite of a come bet. It is placed after the come out roll in the "Don't Come Bar" on the craps table. If the shooter rolls a 3 or 2, the don't come bet wins. If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11, the don't come bet loses. If the shooter rolls a 12, the bet will be returned to the player in a push. If the roll is a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, that number becomes the "don't come point," and the don't come bet is moved from the "Don't Come Bar" to the bar in the upper left corner of the box corresponding to the don't come point. Once the don't come point is established, don't come bets win even money (1 to 1) if a 7 is rolled, and lose if the don't come point is rolled.
Odds Bets
An odds bet is a backup bet on a pass, don't pass, come, and don't come bet. Your maximum bet is three times your original bet. Pass odds and come odds pay 2 to 1 on a roll of 4 or 10, 3 to 2 on a roll of 5 and 9, and 6 to 5 on a roll of 6 and 8. Don't pass odds pay 1 to 2 on a roll of 4 or 10, 2 to 3 on a roll of 5 and 9, 5 to 6 on a roll of 6 and 8. Unlike original pass, don't pass, come, don't come bets, and unresolved odds bets can be removed from the table during play.
Pass Line Odds Bets
Place a pass line odds bet by clicking on the craps table outside of the "PASS LINE" bar, under your original pass line bet. A winning pass line odds bet pays true odds: 2 to 1 on a roll of 4 or 10, 3 to 2 on a roll of 5 or 9, and 6 to 5 on a roll of 6 or 8.
Don't Pass Line Odds Bets
Place a don't pass line odds bet by clicking on the right side of your original bet in the "Don't Pass Bar", exactly on the 6x6 dice image. A winning don't pass line odds bet pays true odds: 1 to 2 on a roll of 4 or 10, 2 to 3 on a roll of 5 or 9, and 5 to 6 on a roll of 6 or 8.
Come and Don't Come Odds Bets
Come and don't come odds bets are placed beneath the Come and Don't come bets, after they have been moved to the point's box. A winning come bet odds pays: 2 to 1 on a roll of 4 or 10, 3 to 2 on a roll of 5 or 9, and 6 to 5 on a roll of 6 or 8. A winning don't come bet odds pays: 1 to 2 on a roll of 4 or 10, 2 to 3 on a roll of 5 or 9, and 5 to 6 on a roll of 6 or 8.
Field Bets
A field bet bets that the next roll of the dice will be a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. To place a field bet, place your chips in the Field bar. If the shooter rolls a 2 or 12, you get paid double your initial bet (2 to 1). If a 3, 4, 9, 10, or 11 comes up, you get paid even money (1 to 1). You lose the bet if a 5, 6, 7, or 8 is rolled.
Big 6 and Big 8 Bets
Place your chips in the box marked Big 6 or Big 8. If the number you select is rolled before a 7, you win even money (1 to 1).
Place Win Bets
Place bets are made on: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. Place your chips in the box underneath these numbers. You are allowed to make place bets at any time. You win if the shooter rolls your number before a seven. The payouts depend on the number you bet on:
Number & Payout:
6 & 8 payout at 7 to 6
5 & 9 payout at 7 to 5
4 & 10 payout at 9 to 5
Place Lose Bets
Place Lose bets are just like Place Win bets, except you are paid if the shooter rolls a seven before the number you bet on. Place your chips in the box above these numbers. The payouts depend on the number you bet on:
Number & Payout:
6 and 8 payout at 4 to 5
5 and 9 payout at 5 to 8
4 and 10 payout at 5 to 11
Buy Bets
A buy bet is the same as a place bet with the exception being the payout. To distinguish the buy bet from a come bet, the buy bet is labeled with a "BUY" marker. When winning a Buy bet, a 5% commission (vigorish) is charged. Your winnings are paid at true odds: 6 to 5 on numbers 6 and 8, 3 to 2 on numbers 5 and 9, and 2 to 1 on numbers 4 and 10.
Lay Bets
A lay bet is the opposite of a buy bet. A lay bet is labeled with a "LAY" marker. It bets that a 7 will be rolled before a 4, 6, 8, 9, or 10. It is a bet against the dice, which means you win if a 7 is rolled before the number you selected. When winning the Lay bet, a 5% commission (vigorish) is charged. Lay bet winnings are paid at true odds: 5 to 6 on numbers 6 and 8, 2 to 3 on numbers 5 and 9, and 1 to 2 on numbers 4 and 10.
Any 7 Bets
Place your chips in the area "Seven". You win this bet if a 7 is rolled on the next toss of the dice. This bet pays 4 to 1.
Any 11 Bets
Place your chips in the box with the two dice that add up to 11. You win this bet if an 11 is rolled in the next toss of the dice. If 11 is rolled, you win 15 times your bet.
Any Craps Bets
In any craps bet, you win if one of the craps numbers (2, 3, or 12) is rolled in the next toss of the dice. The any craps bet is placed in the "Any Craps" box. This bet pays 7 to 1.
C & E Bets
The letters C and E represent two different bets:
C bet: This is the same as placing a bet on the "Any Craps" betting area. Click on the letter C to place your chips in the "Any Craps" betting area.
E bet: This is the same as placing a bet on the Any 11 bet. Click on the letter E to place your chips in the "Any 11" betting area.
Horn Bets
Place your chips in the box where the two dice add up to 2, 3, 11, or 12. The horn bet wins if the shooter rolls a 2, 3, 11 or 12 on the next toss of the dice. A winning horn bet pays 15 to 1 on the numbers 3 and 11 and 30 to 1 on numbers 2 and 12.
Hardway Bets
A Hardway bet bets that the shooter will roll a 4, 6, 8, or 10 as doubles (2+2, 3+3, 4+4, or 5+5) before rolling a 7. The Hardway bet is placed in the box on the craps table that contains the two dice that correspond to the number the doubles. Rolling a number by doubles is said to be rolling the number "the hard way." An example is rolling a 4 with a 2 and a 2. An example of an easy way is rolling a 4 with a 3 and a 1. A winning Hardway bet pays 7 to 1 on numbers 4 and 10 and 9 to 1 on numbers 6 and 8.



