Craps Rules for Beginners

While craps rules can certainly seem complicated, there are a few that beginning players tend to struggle with more than others. These involve the overall gist of the game, understanding the shooter's role and placing obscure side bets.

Online Craps

Online craps in free game rooms serves to provide players with a great opportunity for learning the game and playing for fun. Most new players find that they are able to understand the basics of the game after a few rounds of playing online, whether or not they have read any information about it. Simply put, the shooter throws the dice and the rest of the players are charged with the task of making predictions about the outcome.

The Shooter

The shooter is the person who is responsible for throwing the dice on any given round. The ultimate goal is to roll a seven or 11 on the first roll, which is also known as the come-out roll. A roll of two, three or 12 is a 'craps', or an automatic loss. Pass Line and Don't Pass bets predict which way this come-out roll will end. When any other number is rolled, this becomes the point and players are required to place odds bets on whether or not the shooter will successfully throw the point again before rolling a seven.

Understanding Side Bets

There are enough side bets associated with craps to make anyone nervous, but these are easily learned after several rounds of gameplay. Beginners should remember that the payouts associated with side bets directly correspond with the overall difficulty of the shooter achieving different combinations. In fact, it is generally recommended that new craps players avoid side bets until they are familiar and comfortable with the rest of the game's rules.

Craps is a fun game to play, but it is often avoided because it seems complicated and risky. Players who stick to the basics and do their best to place even bets often end up ahead at the end of their gaming sessions.