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Craps

Craps is a dice game played with two six-sided dice, usually in casinos, in which players bet on the outcomes of rolls made by a designated shooter.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Craps is a dice game played with two six-sided dice, usually in casinos, in which players bet on the outcomes of rolls made by a designated shooter. The game is commonly associated with the come-out roll, point phase, and bets such as pass line and don't pass. In Canada, craps is a casino table game found in gambling venues and is part of broader gambling regulation and gaming culture.

Gameplay

Craps is played with two dice, and the shooter rolls them in a sequence of rounds. A round begins with a come-out roll, which can end the round immediately or establish a point. On the come-out roll, a roll of 7 or 11 is a win for pass line bets, while 2, 3, or 12 is a loss. If another number appears, that number becomes the point and must be rolled again before a 7 for pass line bets to win. The player throwing the dice is called the shooter, and other players may bet on the outcome.

Betting

Common wagers include Pass Line, Don't Pass Line, Come bets, and Don't Come bets. These bets are tied to whether the shooter rolls 7, 11, 2, 3, 12, or a point number before a 7. Don't Pass and Don't Come bets are the opposite of Pass and Come bets.

Table terms

Craps uses specialised terms such as shooter (the player who throws the dice), come-out roll (the first roll in a round), point (a number that must be rolled again before a 7 for a pass line bet to win), and seven-out (when a 7 is rolled after a point is established, ending the round). Other outcome terms include natural (7 or 11 on come-out) and craps (2, 3, or 12 on come-out).

Cultural role

Craps is a major casino table game and is often described as social and fast-paced. It is also known outside casinos as a dice game. In Canada, craps is found in gambling venues and is part of broader gambling regulation and gaming culture. Craps is one of several casino table games, alongside Poker Hand, Keno, Baccarat (card game), and Three Card Poker.

Key facts

  • Craps is a dice game where players bet on the outcome of rolls by a designated shooter.
  • The come-out roll can result in an immediate win or loss for pass line bets, or establish a point.
  • If a point is established, the shooter must roll that number again before a 7 for pass line bets to win.
  • Don't Pass and Don't Come bets are the opposite of Pass and Come bets.
  • Craps is commonly played in casinos but also informally.
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Canadian context

Craps is relevant to Canadian readers as a casino table game found in Canadian gambling venues and as part of broader gambling regulation and gaming culture in Canada.

Frequently asked questions

What is craps?
Craps is a dice gambling game played with two six-sided dice, usually on a casino table.
What is a shooter in craps?
The shooter is the player who throws the dice during a craps round.
What is the come-out roll?
The come-out roll is the first roll in a craps round; it can end the round immediately or establish a point.
What happens if the shooter rolls 7 or 11 on the come-out roll?
Pass line bets win on 7 or 11 on the come-out roll.
What does it mean when a point is established?
A point is a number that must be rolled again before a 7 appears for a pass line bet to win.
Is craps only played in casinos?
No. It is commonly played in casinos, but it is also a general dice game that can be played informally.

References

  1. The Venetian Las Vegashttps://www.venetianlasvegas.com/resort/casino/table-games/craps-basic-rules.html
    Supports: Basic rules, shooter role, pass line, don't pass, come and don't come bets.
  2. Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craps
    Supports: Definitions of come-out roll, natural, craps, and pass line outcomes.
  3. Encyclopaedia Britannicahttps://www.britannica.com/topic/craps
    Supports: Craps as a dice game and its broad gambling-game significance.
  4. WinStar World Casino and Resorthttps://www.winstar.com/blog/how-do-you-play-craps-at-a-casino/
    Supports: Come-out roll, point establishment, shooter role, and basic table procedure.
  5. Official Game Ruleshttps://officialgamerules.org/game-rules/craps/
    Supports: Table layout terms, shooter, come-out roll, point phase, and seven-out.
  6. Island Resort & Casinohttps://www.islandresortandcasino.com/gaming/how-to-play/craps
    Supports: Basic gameplay, come-out roll, point, and pass line outcomes.