The Game Where You Throw Dice Is Craps
The casino game where a player physically throws dice onto a felt table is craps. The person throwing is called the shooter, and the whole table revolves around the outcome of that throw.
Craps is played on a large, sunken table with high walls so the dice stay in play. A round moves through distinct phases, and the dice pass from player to player around the table, not to a dealer.
How a Round Is Structured
A round of craps begins with the come-out roll. The shooter throws two dice, and the combined total determines what happens next.
If the come-out roll is a 7 or 11, the pass line bet wins. If it is a 2, 3, or 12, the pass line bet loses. Any other total becomes the point.
Once a point is set, the shooter keeps throwing until either the point number appears again or a 7 appears. That is the entire mechanical structure of the game.
The Shooter's Role
The shooter is the player currently holding the dice. The dice move clockwise around the table after each round ends, and any player at the table may decline to shoot.
The shooter must throw the dice with one hand, and the dice must hit the far wall of the table. This rule exists so the dice tumble unpredictably rather than being slid or placed.
The shooter does not play against the other players. Everyone at the table bets on the same outcomes, and the shooter's throw determines those outcomes for everyone.
Table Layout and the Main Betting Areas
The craps table has a mirrored layout so players can stand on either side. The central area holds proposition bets, while the outer edges hold the pass line, don't pass line, come, and field areas.
Most of the table is staffed by four casino employees: a boxperson, two dealers, and a stickperson. The stickperson moves the dice with a long stick and calls the results.
| Table Area | What It Holds | Who Handles It |
|---|---|---|
| Pass line | The main bet that a round will resolve in the shooter's favor | Dealer on that side |
| Don't pass | The opposite of the pass line, betting against the shooter | Dealer on that side |
| Come | A bet that works like the pass line but starts after the point is set | Dealer on that side |
| Field | A one-roll bet on 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12 | Dealer on that side |
| Proposition area | One-roll and high-payout bets in the table center | Stickperson |
Outcomes Are Fixed by the Dice, Not by Skill
Craps is a game of pure chance. The shooter has no control over the result beyond throwing the dice hard enough to reach the back wall, and the house edge is built into the payout odds for each bet.
No throwing technique changes the probability of any total. The dice are standard six-sided cubes, and every face has an equal chance of landing up on any throw.
A player who throws the dice well is not more likely to win. The game is designed so that the long-run outcome stays with the house on every bet on the layout.
What to Confirm Before You Sit Down
Table minimums and maximums are not fixed across casinos or even across tables in the same building. The minimum bet for the pass line is printed on a sign at each table and changes by day, time, and how busy the floor is.
Some casinos offer a simplified version called craps with fewer proposition bets, and some tables run at different speeds. The only reliable source for what is offered at a specific venue is that venue's own table games page or the pit staff at the table itself.
Before you buy in, confirm the minimum on the pass line, whether the table uses standard dice, and whether the casino pays odds on the point at the rate printed on the layout. Each table shows its own rules, and they are not universal.
FAQ
Is craps the only casino game where you throw dice?
Craps is the main casino table game built entirely around throwing dice. Some casinos also offer sic bo, a game where three dice are shaken in a cage, but the player does not throw them. If a player physically throws two dice onto a felt table, that game is craps.
Do you have to throw the dice to play craps?
No. The shooter throws the dice, but every other player at the table bets on the same throws. You can stand at a craps table for an entire session and never touch the dice. The dice pass clockwise, and any player may decline the offer to shoot.
What does the shooter win or lose on each throw?
The shooter's outcome depends on the bet placed, not on the throw itself. On the come-out roll, a 7 or 11 wins the pass line and a 2, 3, or 12 loses it. After a point is set, the point number wins the pass line and a 7 loses it.
Play responsibly
Gambling should be treated as paid entertainment, never as a way to earn income or recover losses. 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738)
18+ or 21+ depending on where you are; follow the minimum age that applies to you.
This article is general information about how these mechanics work. It is not legal advice and not a recommendation to gamble or to use any particular operator. Availability and legality differ by jurisdiction — check the rules that apply where you are.