Read the table before placing a craps bet

Updated October 2026

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A guide to the come-out and point phases, bet choices, house edge, dice control, game formats and New Zealand online rules.

How a Craps Round Moves from Come-Out to Point

A craps round has two stages: the come-out roll, which determines whether the pass-line bet is settled immediately or a point is set, and the point phase, in which the shooter tries to repeat that number before rolling a seven. Knowing which stage is underway makes the table’s calls and bet outcomes easier to follow.

The person rolling the dice is called the shooter. To take that role, the player must have a bet on either the pass line or the don’t-pass line. These are opposing ways to bet on the round’s opening and, if a point is set, its later outcome. Other players can bet without being the shooter, but a player cannot shoot without choosing one of these lines.

The opening roll

The first roll of a new round is the come-out roll. On a pass-line bet, a total of seven or eleven wins immediately. On a don’t-pass bet, either total loses. No point is set in either case, so the round ends and a new one can begin.

A come-out total of two, three or twelve has the reverse result for the two lines: pass-line bets lose, while don’t-pass bets win. There is a ruleset difference to watch for with twelve. Some New Zealand online casino rules treat that result as a tie for a don’t-pass bet rather than a win. The game’s displayed rules therefore matter; the same roll can be settled differently depending on the version being played.

The remaining possible come-out totals are four, five, six, eight, nine and ten. When one of these appears, that number becomes the point. The shooter has not won or lost the pass-line bet at this stage. Instead, the round continues with the point as its target.

The point phase

Once a point is established, the shooter keeps rolling. For a pass-line bet to win, the shooter must roll the point number again before rolling a seven. If the point is repeated first, the pass bet wins. If seven appears first, the pass bet does not win. This is why the sequence matters: the point phase is resolved by which of those two outcomes comes first, not simply by whether the shooter rolls a high or low total.

For instance, if the come-out roll establishes six as the point, another six before a seven completes the pass-line win. A seven before that repeat ends the opportunity to win the pass bet. The same pattern applies when the point is any of the other listed numbers. The example illustrates the order of events, not a special rule for six.

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A don’t-pass bet takes the opposing position on the opening roll, as its name suggests. The come-out outcomes described above show that contrast clearly. Once a point is on, read the table’s rules for the don’t-pass result and any special treatment; do not assume that every electronic or casino ruleset presents each outcome identically. In particular, the stated tie treatment for twelve applies to some come-out rulesets, not to every roll in the point phase.

Why the sequence matters

The labels “come-out” and “point” are not decorative table language. They tell you which part of the round is in progress and which outcomes can settle a pass-line bet. Before a point exists, the opening totals decide whether that bet wins, loses or moves into the next stage. After a point is set, the pass-line result depends on whether the point returns before seven.

That sequence is a more useful starting point than trying to memorise a supposed best craps strategy or system before understanding what a roll can do. Rules knowledge does not predict the dice; it lets you identify what your bet means at each stage and check whether the game is applying the rules you expected.

Which Bets Belong on the Table—and Which Deserve Caution

There is no single best craps bet for every player. The choice depends on what you want from a wager and how much complexity you are willing to manage. If you are learning the table, the pass-line bet and the come bet are useful starting points: they connect your wager to the main flow of play rather than to a separate proposition.

A pass-line bet is the basic way to back the shooter. Its result follows the central sequence of a round, so you can see how the wager relates to the game instead of tracking a separate condition. That makes it easier to understand what you are backing, though it does not make a win certain or remove the casino’s advantage.

A come bet is available only after a point has been established. It then wins if its number is rolled before a seven. This lets you place another wager within the ongoing round, but it also asks you to follow an additional result. If you are still getting used to the table, adding bets simply because they are available can make it harder to keep track of your choices.

The case for keeping your approach simple is practical, not magical. With fewer active wagers, you can more easily identify what each bet depends on and notice whether you are adding a new condition or repeating a choice you already made. A crowded layout of wagers can obscure that distinction. Simplicity does not improve a bet by itself; it makes your decisions easier to assess.

Why some bets deserve more caution

Proposition bets are wagers on specific outcomes rather than the broader pass-line or come-bet structure. Side bets and bonus bets can also be presented as ways to add variety or create a separate chance to win. Their labels and presentation do not tell you whether they are favourable. Side bets and bonus bets typically have a higher house edge than regular bets, so treat them as choices that call for particular care, not as automatic upgrades to a basic wager.

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That distinction matters when a table or game highlights an extra bet. A prominent label, an appealing payout description, or a bonus feature is not evidence that the wager is better for you. Before placing it, find out exactly what event triggers a win, whether the wager stands alone or depends on another bet, and what the rules say happens on other outcomes. If those terms are unclear, leaving the wager alone is a reasonable decision.

The same caution applies when several wagers are offered together. Each one can have its own conditions, and an additional wager may expose you to a different kind of risk rather than strengthen your original choice. There is no need to add side or bonus bets merely to take part in a round. You can choose a core wager and follow its result.

Choosing what to play

When people ask what the best bet on a craps table is, they may mean different things: the wager that is easiest to follow, the one that fits a particular style of play, or the one with a more favourable mathematical profile. Those are not interchangeable goals. A bet that is simple to understand is not necessarily the one a player would choose for every reason, and a more elaborate bet is not automatically more rewarding in the long run.

For a straightforward session, begin by understanding the pass-line bet before considering extra wagers. Once you are comfortable following the round, decide whether a come bet adds something you actually want to track. That sequence keeps the number of conditions in view and reduces the chance of treating every available option as part of a single strategy.

If you are comparing bets, read the rules for the specific table rather than relying on a familiar name alone. The same label can sit beside different presentation or terms across games. Pay attention to what must happen for the wager to win, when it can be placed, and whether it is a regular bet, side bet, or bonus bet. Those details are more useful than a claim that one choice is universally the best.

The best bets in craps are therefore not a fixed menu that suits every player. A restrained selection of core wagers can make the game easier to follow, while side and bonus bets warrant closer scrutiny because they typically carry a higher house edge than regular bets. Choose only wagers whose conditions you understand; leaving the rest untouched is part of making a deliberate choice.

Craps Odds: What the House Edge Tells You

The house edge is the casino’s mathematical advantage on a bet over repeated play. It describes a long-run average, not what must happen in a particular round or session. A bet with a low house edge can still lose, and a bet with a higher edge can still win. The figure helps compare the underlying terms of bets; it does not predict your next result.

For the Pass Line in craps, the stated house edge is 1.41%. Bank Craps gives the same approximate figure for its Pass Line bet. These numbers indicate a relatively small mathematical advantage for the casino on that bet over time. They do not mean that the casino takes 1.41% from each individual wager, or that a player will lose that share in a short spell. Results vary, and the edge becomes meaningful as a statistical measure across repeated betting.

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The distinction between a percentage and a prediction matters. If you finish a session ahead, the house edge has not failed; it was never a forecast for one player’s outcome. Likewise, a losing session does not show that the actual cost of playing matched the stated edge. The number describes the game’s mathematical structure, not a guaranteed return for either side.

Bank Craps also offers a clear contrast: the Any 7 bet has an approximate house edge of 16.67%. Compared with the Pass Line’s approximate 1.41%, that is a substantially larger casino advantage. Both percentages concern the mathematical terms of their respective bets, but they should not be treated as equivalent choices merely because they appear on the same table.

This comparison can help answer what people mean by looking for the best odds on craps. They may be asking which wager gives the casino the smaller mathematical advantage, rather than which bet is most likely to win on the next roll. Those are different questions. A high chance of a particular outcome does not by itself mean that a bet has favourable terms; the payout and the probabilities both matter. The house edge brings those elements together in a single long-run measure.

The figures here support a limited conclusion: the Pass Line has a much lower stated house edge than the Any 7 bet in Bank Craps. They do not establish that craps has the best odds of every casino game. That broader ranking would require comparable figures for other games and their individual bets. Nor does one figure describe every wager available in craps. The edge is tied to the specific bet and rules being assessed, so a number for the Pass Line should not be applied to the whole table.

When comparing published edges, check that the figure is attached to the bet you are considering and to the game rules in use. A familiar name for a bet does not make every ruleset identical. The distinction is especially important when a page gives one headline figure for a game but does not say which wager it measures. A clear comparison identifies the bet and keeps its percentage separate from figures for other bets.

In practical terms, the Pass Line figure offers a better mathematical comparison than the Any 7 figure, but it is not a promise of profit or a complete verdict on whether craps is the best-odds casino game. House edge is useful because it gives you a disciplined way to read the numbers: as long-run measures of casino advantage, specific to a bet, and not as a forecast of what will happen when you play.

A Strategy Built Around the Rules, Not a Guaranteed System

A useful craps strategy is less about finding a sequence that can force a win and more about knowing when a decision is available. That matters particularly for come bets and odds bets: their timing is tied to earlier events at the table, so they are not choices you can make at any moment.

A come bet becomes available only after the shooter has established a point. If you place one, it wins when its point is rolled before a seven. That gives you a clear condition to follow, but it does not make the result predictable. You can decide whether to add a come bet when the rules allow it; you cannot decide which total the dice will produce.

Odds bets are also conditional. A specialist review describes them as available only after a pass-line or come bet, with the amount capped at a multiple of the original wager. Treat that as a description of the ruleset covered by that review, not as a universal table rule: the conditions can depend on the game you are playing. Check the displayed rules before relying on the option or planning a stake around it.

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This timing can help you keep a plan simple. You might decide in advance that you will consider a come bet only after a point is established, and that you will take an odds option only if the game’s rules clearly state when it is permitted and how its cap works. A written or mental plan can limit impulsive decisions, but it cannot improve a roll or guarantee that a bet will win.

When people ask what the best bets in craps are, “best” needs a definition. It might mean a bet whose conditions you understand, one that fits your chosen stake, or one that keeps decisions manageable. The answer is not a system that removes uncertainty. A bet may be available and still lose; a sequence of bets does not turn a random outcome into a dependable result.

It also helps to separate a rule-based choice from chasing. If a bet loses, placing another wager simply to recover that loss changes the plan without changing the dice. Decide what you are prepared to risk before play, and stop when you reach that boundary rather than treating a later bet as a way to repair the earlier one.

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Keep the table’s rules in view as you play. If the point has not been established, a come bet is not yet an option. If you are considering odds, confirm the qualifying bet and the stated cap in that particular game. Those checks can prevent a misunderstanding about what you have wagered. They do not promise a favourable result, and no betting system can make that promise honestly.

Dice Sets, Rolls, and What You Can Actually Control

In Bank Craps, one player throws two dice. The result is the total shown, and the game’s central test is whether a point number appears before a seven. The dice determine that result; a player’s chosen arrangement before the throw does not change the rules.

A “dice set” refers to how the dice are positioned in the hand before they are released. Some players use a particular grip or line up certain faces, believing that a consistent throw may influence which totals appear. That is a claim about control, not a different way of playing Bank Craps. The game still judges the faces that land, not the starting arrangement.

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There is no reliable basis for treating one arrangement as the best dice set for craps or as a way to produce a preferred result. A player can choose how to hold and release the dice, but that does not establish control over the outcome. A deliberate routine may make a throw look more repeatable; appearance and influence are not the same thing.

The same distinction helps with talk of the best dice roll in craps. A roll can be favourable for a player’s aim in a particular moment, but no single result is inherently the best in every situation. In Bank Craps, what matters is whether the point comes up before seven. The dice do not remember earlier throws, and a previous result does not make a chosen set a reliable way to predict the next one.

If you want a consistent routine, keep it as a personal preference rather than a system for controlling results. You might use the same grip and release each time, but judge the game by what actually lands. Claims that a particular dice set guarantees, or reliably steers, a result go beyond what the mechanics support.

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It is also worth separating a clean-looking throw from a controlled outcome. A player may aim for a smooth release and a consistent motion. Those are actions the player can attempt; they do not prove that the dice will land on particular faces. In a casino-style game, the result is the outcome of the throw, not a reward for using a named set.

The practical limit is simple: you can decide how to hold and throw the dice, but you cannot make a specific total follow from that choice. Treat dice-setting advice as ritual or preference, not as evidence that the odds have changed.

Playing Craps: Shooter, Table, and Street Versions

In a casino-style craps game, the shooter is the player who rolls the dice. Taking that role comes with a requirement: you must have a Pass Line or Don’t Pass Line bet. The role is therefore more than handling the dice; it is tied to a particular position in the betting.

You can still take part without being the shooter. The distinction is about who rolls, not who is entitled to join the game. If you prefer to watch a round before taking on the shooter’s role, you can observe how the table works and decide whether you want to bet. The relevant question is not which player looks most confident, but whether you understand the role and the bet attached to it.

Street Craps has a different social arrangement. Players bet against one another rather than against a casino. That changes who stands on the other side of a wager: the contest is between participants, not between a player and the house. It does not make Street Craps simply a casino table without a dealer; the opposing party is different, so the format and expectations should not be assumed to match.

There is no useful universal answer to who is the best craps player in the world based on these roles alone. A player’s visibility, confidence or willingness to shoot does not establish that they are better at craps. Nor does being the shooter mean you control the result. The role tells you who rolls; it is not a measure of skill.

For someone deciding how to play, a sensible starting point is to choose the setting you understand. In a casino-style game, know that shooting requires a Pass Line or Don’t Pass Line bet. In Street Craps, be clear that you are wagering against other players. Those are different arrangements, and the best fit depends on which one you are comfortable with—not on a claim that one role guarantees better results.

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Craps Apps on iPhone and iPad: Check the Rules Before You Play

A craps app can use the familiar name while presenting a simplified version of the game. Before you start, read the rules shown inside the app rather than assuming its label tells you how a round works. This matters whether you are choosing a craps game for an iPhone or an iPad: the useful comparison is what the game says happens, not how prominently it presents itself.

One simplified version has a direct outcome rule: a roll of 7 or 11 wins, while 2, 3, or 12 loses. Those results do not describe every craps format. If an app uses this rule, treat it as the rules of that particular game, not as a complete account of casino-style craps.

Read the outcome rules first

Look for a clear explanation of what counts as a win and what counts as a loss. The simplified rule is easy to recognise because it names the winning and losing results directly. Check that the instructions in the game match the rules presented before play; if the two descriptions differ, the in-game explanation is the one you need to understand before continuing.

Do not assume that results not listed in a short summary are automatically a win, a loss, or a push. A push means a bet is returned without a win or loss. The app’s own rules should explain how it handles outcomes beyond those named in the summary, and what happens next in a round. If those details are hard to find, it may be difficult to tell what the game is asking you to do.

The same care applies to the word “craps” itself. An app that uses a simplified outcome rule may not follow the same structure as a casino-style game. Its instructions should make the distinction understandable before you play, rather than leaving you to work it out from a result screen.

Use the small screen as a reason to slow down

On an iPhone or iPad, instructions and game controls may be presented alongside the main play screen. Take time to locate the rules and read them before tapping through. A polished interface cannot tell you whether the version follows simplified rules; only the stated mechanics can.

It can help to check whether the app explains its terms in plain language and keeps the outcome rules available during play. You should be able to distinguish the game’s instructions from promotional wording or general descriptions. If the rules are unclear, choosing another presentation is more sensible than relying on an assumption about how craps works.

A “best craps app for iPad” or iPhone is not necessarily the one with the most elaborate screen. For a first look, clarity about the version and its outcomes is a more useful standard. The simplified rule—7 or 11 wins, while 2, 3, or 12 loses—gives you a specific point to verify. It does not, by itself, explain every part of a game.

That distinction is useful whether you are practising or simply trying to understand a digital version. Read the rules the app provides, identify whether they describe simplified craps, and avoid treating that format as interchangeable with every other craps game.

Free Craps Games and the Rules They May Simplify

A free craps game can be useful for learning how a particular version presents its rules, but “free” does not mean that every version follows the same format. Some games use simplified mechanics. Before treating a result as representative of craps more broadly, check which outcomes the game defines and what happens after each roll.

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In the Simplified Craps version described here, a roll of 7 or 11 is a win. A roll of 2, 3 or 12 is a loss. Those rules make the listed outcomes easy to recognise, but they do not describe every craps variant. If a free game does not explain what happens on other totals, do not assume that its rules match a casino-style version.

Read the rules, not just the result

A clear rules panel should tell you how the game resolves a roll and whether play continues after it. Look for wording that distinguishes a win from a loss and explains any outcomes not covered by the simplified set. A result screen alone may show what happened without making the underlying rules clear.

This matters when you are comparing free craps games. A title or table that looks familiar is not proof that its rules are identical to another version. Focus on the game’s own instructions: which totals count as wins or losses, and whether the round ends or continues. If those details are absent, the game may be difficult to use as a rules reference.

Free play can help you become familiar with a particular interface and its stated outcomes. It cannot, by itself, establish that the same mechanics apply elsewhere. Treat the simplified rule set as just that: a version with defined outcomes, not a complete description of every way craps can be played.

When choosing a free game for practice, favour one that explains its rules plainly over one that merely looks polished. The useful question is not whether it is the best free craps game in general, but whether its instructions make clear what each result means. That keeps a simplified game from being mistaken for the whole game.

Craps Sites and Online Casinos in New Zealand: Rules in Transition

The rules for online casino gambling in New Zealand are changing, so the legal position depends on when a provider began operating and whether it takes part in the new licensing process. That context matters more than any claim about the best place to play craps: the law sets conditions for providers, but it does not establish a ranking of sites or guarantee that a particular game will remain available.

The Online Casino Gambling Act 2026 took effect on 1 May 2026, creating New Zealand’s first domestic licensing regime for online casino gaming. The Gambling Act 2003 does not permit online casinos to be based in New Zealand, and domestic online casinos remain prohibited. The new framework instead governs which providers may offer online casino services to people in New Zealand.

What the transition permits

The transition began on 1 May 2026 and runs until 1 December 2026. During this period, only providers that were already serving people in New Zealand before the start of the transition may continue operating, and they must meet the Act’s transitional provisions. This is a temporary arrangement, not a general invitation for new providers to enter the market.

A provider that has not applied for a licence must stop conducting online casino gambling in New Zealand by 1 December 2026. If a licence application is declined, the provider must cease its online casino operations in the country and leave the market. The full licensed regime is not expected to be operational until 2027, while unlicensed operation is expected to become an offence around the middle of that year.

Those dates describe provider obligations, not a promise that any particular site will be available throughout the transition. Nor do they make an operator’s advertising a reliable guide to its legal status. Advertising by licensed providers is permitted only under tight rules, and sponsorships are prohibited. Providers without a licence may face enforcement action and fines of up to NZ$5 million. Licensed operators must also introduce stricter age and identity checks.

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Who oversees the framework

The Department of Internal Affairs is New Zealand’s primary gambling regulator and oversees regulation of the online casino licensing framework. The Gambling Commission handles casino licensing applications: it hears them, determines their outcome, issues online casino licences, and approves changes to licence conditions. These are distinct responsibilities within the regulatory structure.

Before the 2026 Act, online casino gambling offered from outside New Zealand was not licensed or supervised by a New Zealand regulator. A customer who wagered with an offshore website during that period had no domestic government recourse. The new framework changes the position for providers that enter its licensing system; it does not turn every overseas website into a locally licensed service.

Offshore websites can be accessible to New Zealand residents, and a player does not face a fine or criminal prosecution simply for using an offshore casino without a New Zealand licence. That does not amount to domestic supervision or protection. Access and regulatory status are separate questions, and a site being reachable does not show that it has a New Zealand licence or will be allowed to continue operating.

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What a search for a site can establish

A claim that a particular casino is the best place to play online therefore cannot be treated as an official assessment of its licensing position, game availability or consumer protections. The phrase “best craps for New Zealanders” may describe what someone hopes to find; it is not a legal category.

For a site you are considering, distinguish between evidence of its place in the transition and general claims about its games. A provider’s eligibility to continue depends on its prior activity in New Zealand and its compliance with transitional requirements; its future position depends on the licensing process. Until the full regime is operating, those distinctions matter. A familiar name or an accessible webpage cannot answer them on its own.

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