Craps variants change the bank, the rules of the first roll and the price of every bet, even though the game itself is built around one shooter and a handful of simple rolls. These craps variations are easy to mix up, so below we compare bank craps, street craps, crapless craps, the older game of hazard and the RNG and live dealer tables found online, using craps house edge figures you can verify with a pencil and the 36 dice combinations. We also cover the side bets and odds multiples that make one table look very different from the next, then close with a short guide to choosing a format that suits your budget.
New to casino dice? The beginner’s guide and the casino glossary explain terms such as come-out roll, point and shooter, which appear throughout. Every house edge quoted here is a long-run average for a single bet, not a forecast for one evening at the table.
How do craps variants differ from each other?
Craps variants differ in three ways: who holds the bank, what the come-out roll decides and which extra bets sit on the layout. Every version keeps the same core loop. The shooter rolls two dice, the first roll of a round is the come-out, and any total that is not an instant winner or loser becomes the point, which must repeat before a seven appears. Seven is the likeliest total, with six of the 36 dice combinations, so it ends most rounds.
The table compares the three formats you will meet most often. House rules differ in informal games, so the street craps row shows the common convention rather than a fixed standard.
| Variant | Who holds the bank | Come-out winners | Come-out losers | Pass line house edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank craps | The casino | 7, 11 | 2, 3, 12 | 1.41% |
| Crapless craps | The casino | 7 | None | 5.38% |
| Street craps | No bank, players bet each other | 7, 11 | 2, 3, 12 | — |
The sections below take each variant in turn, then cover side bets, cost comparisons and how to choose between the formats.
Bank craps is the standard casino version of the game
Bank craps is the casino version, where the house takes every bet and pays winners at fixed odds, so the cost of each wager is set by the payout table. A pass line bet wins on a come-out 7 or 11 and loses on 2, 3 or 12. Any other total, which means 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, becomes the point. From then on the bet wins if the point repeats before a 7 and loses if a 7 comes first, which players call sevening out. This is the format behind almost every land-based craps table and most online games.
Pass line, don’t pass and free odds
The pass line and don’t pass bets are the cheapest wagers in bank craps, at 1.41% and 1.36% respectively. Don’t pass reverses the pass line: it wins when a seven arrives before the point and, at most tables, treats a come-out 12 as a tie rather than a win, which is how the house keeps its small edge. Come and don’t come bets work the same way on later rolls and carry the same two percentages.
Once a point is set you can back a flat bet with free odds, an extra wager paid at true odds. The payouts are 2 to 1 on a point of 4 or 10, 3 to 2 on 5 or 9, and 6 to 5 on 6 or 8. The odds portion has a house edge of 0%, so every pound placed in odds pulls the combined cost of the bet down.
Place bets, field and proposition bets
Place, field and proposition bets cost more than the pass line, and the gap widens quickly for bets that resolve on a single roll. The table lists the most common wagers with their usual payouts and house edges.
| Bet | What wins | Usual payout | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pass line | 7 or 11, then the point before a 7 | 1 to 1 | 1.41% |
| Don’t pass (12 barred) | 2 or 3, then a 7 before the point | 1 to 1 | 1.36% |
| Free odds | The point repeats before a 7 | True odds | 0% |
| Place 6 or 8 | The number before a 7 | 7 to 6 | 1.52% |
| Place 5 or 9 | The number before a 7 | 7 to 5 | 4.00% |
| Place 4 or 10 | The number before a 7 | 9 to 5 | 6.67% |
| Field | 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12 on the next roll | 1 to 1, more on 2 and 12 | 2.78% |
| Hard 6 or 8 | The pair before a 7 or an easy 6 or 8 | 9 to 1 | 9.09% |
| Hard 4 or 10 | The pair before a 7 or an easy 4 or 10 | 7 to 1 | 11.11% |
| Any seven | A 7 on the next roll | 4 to 1 | 16.67% |
The field figure assumes a 2 pays double and a 12 pays triple. Tables that pay only double on both ends lift the field house edge to 5.56%, so read the layout before you bet. Place bets on the 6 and 8 are the only everyday extra that stays close to the pass line.
Odds multiples and table limits
Odds multiples such as 3-4-5x tell you how much free odds you may take behind a point compared with your flat bet. At a 3-4-5x table the limit is three times the flat bet on 4 and 10, four times on 5 and 9, and five times on 6 and 8. Some tables offer larger multiples, which cut the overall cost of a pass line bet further because more of your money sits in the zero-edge odds portion. Minimum and maximum flat bets also vary, and compact mini-craps tables run with a single dealer and a smaller layout.
Street craps is the informal player-versus-player version
Street craps is a dice game played without a bank, in which participants bet against one another rather than against a casino. It needs only two dice and a flat surface, and the dice are often thrown against a wall. The shooter announces a stake, other players cover it and the round follows the familiar come-out and point sequence. Because the group sets the conventions, rules differ from game to game and should be agreed before the first roll.
The mathematics still apply. If the shooter loses on 2, 3 and 12, the shooter wins 49.29% of rounds and the player betting against wins 50.71%. That 1.41% gap is the same edge the casino enjoys on the pass line, only here it belongs to whoever fades the shooter. Nobody takes a commission, but nobody guarantees fair dice, a payout or a dispute process either.
Licensed casino sites cannot offer this format, because the operator acts as the bank. Street craps is therefore best treated as a way to understand the rhythm of the game before you try a banked table.
Crapless craps removes the losing numbers from the come-out roll
Crapless craps is a casino variant where only a seven wins on the come-out and every other total becomes a point. The pass line therefore cannot lose immediately, and the game is also known as bastard craps. That sounds generous, but it lifts the pass line house edge to 5.38%, almost four times the 1.41% of standard bank craps.
The reason is the new points. Totals of 2 and 12 are rare, so they rarely repeat before a seven, and the pass line pays only even money when they do. The table shows each possible point in crapless craps.
| Point | Ways to roll out of 36 | Chance of repeating before a 7 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 or 12 | 1 | 14.3% |
| 3 or 11 | 2 | 25.0% |
| 4 or 10 | 3 | 33.3% |
| 5 or 9 | 4 | 40.0% |
| 6 or 8 | 5 | 45.5% |
Add the 16.7% chance of a winning seven on the come-out to the weighted chance of making each point, and the pass line wins 47.31% of rounds. Free odds on the new points are paid at true odds, 6 to 1 on 2 and 12 and 3 to 1 on 3 and 11, which dilutes the edge for players who take large odds. Bet menus vary between casinos, so check the layout before you play.
Hazard is the older English dice game behind craps
Hazard is a dice game played in England for centuries and widely regarded as the ancestor of modern craps. In hazard, the caster called a main number and then rolled. Some totals won at once, others lost at once, and the rest became a chance number that had to repeat before the main came up. That chance number is the idea you see today in the craps point.
The name craps is often linked to the French word crapaud, meaning toad, and to French settlers who brought the game to New Orleans, although the etymology is debated. Hazard itself is rarely offered at modern casinos, so it matters mainly as history.
Craps variants online split into RNG tables and live dealer streams
Online, craps comes in two formats: RNG tables, where software generates every roll, and live dealer tables streamed from a studio with real dice. RNG tables run at your own pace, so a round takes seconds and you can slow down between rolls. Live dealer tables follow the dealer’s rhythm and add a shared atmosphere, with betting windows between rolls. Both can run the same paytable, which means the house edge on a given bet is identical.
What differs between software is the layout, the side bets and the field payout, so check the rules screen before you stake real money. Our live casino section covers studio tables in general, live dice games points to neighbouring dice formats, and the game providers page lists the studios behind them. For the wider table game family, see table games.
Craps side bets and bonus versions add cost for extra excitement
Side bets such as the Fire Bet and Bonus Craps pay large prizes for rare outcomes but carry high house edges. The Fire Bet is placed before the come-out and pays when the shooter makes several different points before sevening out. A repeated point does not count, and payouts usually start at four unique points, rising with each new one.
Bonus Craps packages three bets. All Small needs the totals 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 all rolled before a 7. All Tall needs 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 in the same way, and Make ‘Em All needs both sets. A horn bet is a one-roll wager split across 2, 3, 11 and 12. These bets are fun in small doses, but they should never replace the low-cost core bets.
Which craps variant has the lowest house edge?
Standard bank craps has the lowest house edge of the variants covered here, with don’t pass at 1.36% and pass line at 1.41%. Free odds then add a zero-edge portion, so a player using high odds multiples faces the lowest overall cost of any craps format.
A simple example shows the gap. Over 100 pass line bets of £10, the average expected loss is about £14.14 in bank craps and about £53.82 in crapless craps. Hard ways and the any seven bet cost more per roll again, and the field sits between the two groups.
Craps is not the only low-cost table game. The blackjack and baccarat pages show how those games compare for players who want a similar balance of cost and pace.
Which craps variant suits beginners?
Bank craps with only pass line and odds bets suits beginners best, because it keeps the cost low and the decisions simple. Start with a pass line bet at a low minimum, learn how the point cycle works, then add free odds once you are comfortable. An RNG table or a demo version lets you slow the pace and watch several rounds before committing money.
Leave place bets, field bets and propositions until the basic flow feels natural. Crapless craps tempts new players because the opening roll cannot lose, yet it costs much more in the long run. The guides hub lists our other explainers.
Which craps bets and variants should cautious players avoid?
Cautious players should avoid proposition bets such as the any seven, which cost far more per roll than the pass line. Crapless craps deserves the same caution, since its pass line costs almost four times as much as the standard version. The any seven bet carries a 16.67% house edge, and the hard ways sit between 9.09% and 11.11%. Fire Bet and Bonus Craps wagers also cost far more than the pass line and pay out rarely.
Even the field can mislead. It wins on seven of the eleven possible totals, but the four losing totals, 5, 6, 7 and 8, cover 20 of the 36 dice combinations.
How should you choose a craps format and stay in control?
Choose the variant whose house edge, pace and table limits fit your budget, and set a loss limit before the first roll. Check the odds multiple, the minimum bet and the field payout on the rules screen, and decide how much a session may cost before you sit down.
Craps rounds move quickly, and every roll can settle several bets at once, so spending can rise faster than it feels. Use deposit limits and time reminders, and read the responsible gambling page if play stops being fun. When you want to compare other games before choosing, casino games is a good starting point.
Frequently asked questions
What is crapless craps?
Crapless craps is a casino variant where only a 7 wins on the come-out roll and every other total becomes a point. The pass line cannot lose immediately, but the house edge rises to about 5.38%, compared with 1.41% in standard bank craps. The game is sometimes called bastard craps, and it is worth checking the layout because bet menus differ between casinos.
How does street craps differ from casino craps?
Street craps has no bank, so players bet against each other instead of against a casino. The dice are often thrown against a wall, the shooter names a stake and other players cover it, and the rules vary from group to group. Casino craps uses a fixed layout, a dealer crew and set payouts, which is why online versions are banked games.
Which craps game has the lowest house edge?
Standard bank craps has the lowest house edge among the common variants, at 1.36% on the don’t pass and 1.41% on the pass line. Free odds behind a point carry no edge at all, so taking them lowers the overall cost per pound wagered. Crapless craps costs about 5.38% on the pass line, and proposition bets cost far more.
What is the Fire Bet in craps?
The Fire Bet is a side bet that pays when the shooter makes several different points before sevening out, with payouts usually starting at four unique points. A repeated point does not add to the count, and the bet loses when the shooter sevens out. Its house edge is far above the pass line, so treat it as entertainment spending.
What does 3-4-5x odds mean in craps?
3-4-5x odds is a table limit that lets you back a point with up to three times your flat bet on 4 and 10, four times on 5 and 9, and five times on 6 and 8. Odds bets are paid at true odds with no house edge, so higher multiples reduce the overall cost of a pass line bet.
What is hazard and how is it linked to craps?
Hazard is an old English dice game widely regarded as the ancestor of craps. The caster called a main number and then rolled, with some totals winning outright, others losing and the rest becoming a chance number that had to repeat. That chance number is the idea behind the point in craps. Hazard is rarely offered at modern casinos.
What are the Bonus Craps side bets?
Bonus Craps is a side bet package with three wagers: All Small, All Tall and Make ‘Em All. All Small needs the totals 2 to 6 rolled before a 7, All Tall needs 8 to 12, and Make ‘Em All needs both sets. They pay large prizes for rare runs, and the house edge is well above the pass line.