You're at the table, chips in hand, and the layout looks like a city map
Craps is the loudest game on the floor, and the bonus version adds a few more boxes to an already busy felt. The good news is that the core game does not change. Bonus craps is standard craps with one or more extra wagers bolted on, and those extra wagers are optional. You can ignore them entirely and play a normal game. Understanding what the bonus boxes do is the difference between making a deliberate choice and paying for a bet you never meant to place.
The game runs on two six-sided dice, which produce 36 equally likely combinations. Every number the dice can show, and every bet on the table, is priced against those 36 outcomes. The objective is not complicated: you are betting on what the dice will do, either on the next roll or across a sequence of rolls. The table rules, printed on the layout, define which bets are available and what each one pays.
The table layout and where the bonus bets live
A craps table is symmetrical, with identical betting areas on both ends so players can stand on either side. The centre section holds the proposition bets, and the ends hold the line bets, place bets, and field. Bonus bets are usually printed in the centre section or in a dedicated box near the stickman, because they are handled by the dealer staff rather than self-served by players.
The bonus wagers found on a bonus craps table vary by operator, because no single bonus bet is universal. What they share is a simple structure: you put chips on the bonus box, the dealer books the bet, and the bet either wins, loses, or carries over to the next roll depending on the outcome. Some bonus bets pay on a single roll, such as all three dice showing a particular total or combination. Others are multi-roll bets that stay in action until a losing condition appears. The printed layout states the exact condition and payout, and that printed condition is the only version of the rules that matters at that table.
From buy-in to first roll
You buy in by placing cash on the table, never into a dealer's hand. The dealer passes the cash to the boxperson, who counts it and gives the dealer chips to slide to you. Chips stay on the table; you do not pocket them mid-session. When you want to leave, you ask the dealer to colour you up, and larger denomination chips come back to you for the cage.
A round begins when the stickman pushes a set of dice to the shooter. The shooter selects two dice from the set. The first roll of a round is the come-out roll. If the come-out roll is a 7 or 11, pass line bets win. If it is a 2, 3, or 12, pass line bets lose. Any other number, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, becomes the point. The dealer places a puck on that number, white side up, and the shooter keeps rolling until the point repeats or a 7 appears. The point repeating wins pass line bets; a 7 before the point loses them.
Bonus bets run alongside this sequence, not instead of it. A single-roll bonus bet is settled on the next roll and then the box is open for a new bet. A multi-roll bonus bet may stay on the layout through several rolls until its own win or loss condition is met. The dealer tracks this; you do not need to remember anything beyond what you put down.
Main bet types and how their edges differ
Craps is unusual because the same table offers bets with very different mathematical expectations. The difference between the best and worst bets on the layout is larger than in almost any other table game. The comparison below covers the core bets you will see on a bonus craps table, with the edge expressed as the share of each wager the house expects to keep over the long run.
| Bet | What it does | How the edge behaves |
|---|---|---|
| Pass line | Wins on a come-out 7 or 11, loses on 2, 3, or 12, otherwise sets a point that must repeat before a 7. | The lowest-edge bet on the table; the edge is built into the come-out and point structure. |
| Don't pass | The reverse of the pass line, except a come-out 12 is usually a push rather than a win. | Carries an edge slightly lower than the pass line on most layouts, but wins when the rest of the table loses. |
| Come | Functions like a pass line bet placed after the point is established. | Same edge as the pass line; it is a second chance to enter the point cycle. |
| Place bets | Bet that a specific number, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, rolls before a 7. | Edge varies by number; the 6 and 8 carry a lower edge than the outside numbers. |
| Field | One-roll bet that the next roll is 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. | Higher edge than the line bets; some layouts pay double or triple on 2 or 12, which changes the edge. |
| Hardways | Bet that a 4, 6, 8, or 10 appears as a pair before a 7 or an easy version of the same number. | High edge; the bet loses on more outcomes than it wins. |
| Any 7 | One-roll bet that the next roll is a 7. | Among the highest edges on the table; wins rarely and pays less than the true odds. |
| Bonus bets | Varies by table; typically a one-roll or multi-roll wager on a specific combination or sequence. | Edge is printed nowhere on the layout, but bonus bets are generally priced at a higher edge than the line bets; the exact figure is in the operator's published rules or a game information panel. |
The pass line and come bets are the structural backbone of the game. Everything else is a side bet, including the bonus wagers. That does not make side bets wrong; it makes them more expensive, and the cost is the edge.
What the bonus bets are
Because bonus craps is not one standardised game, the bonus section of the layout is the only reliable source for what a given table offers. Some layouts carry a bonus that pays when all three dice in a set show a particular face, or when the shooter rolls a specific total on the come-out. Others carry a bonus tied to the point cycle, such as a payout when the point is made with a hard way. Still others run a progressive meter that grows from a share of qualifying bonus wagers and resets after a win.
Progressive bonus bets deserve a closer look. A progressive jackpot grows from a share of qualifying wagers and resets after a win. The contribution to the jackpot is typically taken out of the game's return, which means the base payout is lower than it would be without the progressive. Some progressives also require a maximum-stake bet to qualify for the top tier. If you are not betting the qualifying amount, you are funding a jackpot you cannot win. The table signage states the qualifying stake and the reset amount.
Single-roll bonus bets are simpler to read. The condition is printed on the layout, the payout is printed next to it, and the bet is resolved on the next roll. If the condition does not appear, the dealer sweeps the bet. There is no carryover and no memory: each roll is a fresh event, and the dice do not know what happened last time.
Decision points during a round
The main decisions in craps happen before the dice move, not while they are in the air. On the come-out roll, you decide whether to bet the pass line, the don't pass, or neither, and whether to add a bonus bet. After a point is established, you decide whether to take odds behind your pass line bet, place additional numbers, or stand pat.
Taking odds is the quiet exception in a game full of high edges. An odds bet pays at the true mathematical odds of the point repeating, which means the house holds no edge on that portion of the wager. The catch is that you must have a pass line or come bet in place first, and the odds bet is capped at a multiple of that original bet. The multiple is printed on the table, usually as a small sign. This is the only bet on the layout where the payout matches the probability.
The shooter has no strategic choices. The dice are thrown, and the outcome is what it is. The decisions belong to the bettors, and they happen between rolls.
Procedural mistakes new players make
The first mistake is buying in at the wrong moment. Cash must go on the table between rolls, never during a roll in progress. Dropping cash while the dice are out can disturb the layout and will get you a sharp correction from the boxperson. Wait for the dice to come back to the centre, then put your money down and call out the denomination you want.
The second mistake is reaching across the layout to place a bet in the centre section. Centre bets are handled by the stickman. You toss your chips gently toward the centre, call the bet, and the stickman places it. Reaching past the pass line is how chips get knocked over and how players get their hands in the way of a throw. On the end sections, you place your own bets, but only in the marked areas.
The third mistake is assuming the bonus bet is part of the main game. It is not. Bonus bets are separate wagers with their own edge, their own payout, and their own resolution. A player who puts chips on the pass line and also on the bonus box has made two independent bets, and the bonus bet does not improve the pass line or protect it. The pass line is already resolved by the dice; the bonus bet is resolved by its own condition.
How to read the table before you bet
Every craps table carries the same information in the same places. The minimum and maximum bets are posted on a small sign at the table, typically near the dealer. The odds multiple is posted the same way. The payout for each bet is printed directly on the layout next to the bet's name. The bonus bet's condition, payout, and any progressive meter are printed or displayed in the centre section.
Before you put chips down, read the bonus box. If the condition is not clear, ask the dealer to explain it. Dealers are not giving you strategy advice when they explain a bet; they are telling you what the bet does, which is their job. The edge is not printed on the felt, so treat the bonus bet as a higher-cost wager unless you have found the operator's published rules that state otherwise.
What changes between bonus craps tables
| Element | What stays fixed | What varies |
|---|---|---|
| Core game | Pass line, don't pass, come, place bets, field, hardways, and the point cycle. | Nothing; the base game is standard craps. |
| Bonus bet type | Always a separate wager with its own condition. | Single-roll, multi-roll, or progressive; the condition and payout are table-specific. |
| Odds multiple | Always paid at true odds. | The cap on how much you can take, printed at the table. |
| Minimums | Always posted. | The number changes by table, time of day, and operator. |
| Payouts | Line bets pay even money. | Place bet and bonus bet payouts vary by number and by table. |
The base game is the same wherever you sit down. The bonus layer is the variable, and it is the part you should read before you commit chips.
FAQ
Is bonus craps a different game from regular craps?
No. Bonus craps is regular craps with one or more optional side bets added to the layout. The pass line, don't pass, come, place, field, and hardway bets all work exactly as they do on any craps table. The bonus wagers are separate and do not change the base game.
Can I play bonus craps without placing the bonus bet?
Yes. The bonus bets are optional. You can play the pass line, take odds, and place numbers without ever touching the bonus boxes. The bonus wagers are additional bets with their own conditions and their own edges, not a required part of the round.
How do I know what the bonus bet pays before I place it?
The payout is printed on the table layout next to the bonus bet's name. If the bonus is a progressive, the current jackpot amount is shown on a meter. The qualifying stake, if one is required, is stated on the table signage. If any of that is unclear, ask the dealer to explain the bet before you put chips on it.
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