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Quick facts
TopicHow to play craps
AudienceCanadian casino players
Last reviewed2026-06-19
Use caseLearn the come-out roll, line bets, free odds, and house edge of craps
Casino Games Guide · Canada

How to Play Craps in Canada

A plain-language guide to the craps table: the come-out roll and the point, the pass line and come bets, how free odds work, and the house edge behind each wager so you can read the felt with confidence.

Updated June 2026 · 18+/19+ · Play responsibly

How to play craps, in short

Craps is a dice game played in rounds. The shooter makes a come-out roll: a 7 or 11 wins the pass line, a 2, 3, or 12 loses, and any other number becomes the “point.” The shooter then keeps rolling until the point repeats (pass line wins) or a 7 appears (pass line loses). Start with the pass line, optionally back it with a free odds bet, and stick to the low-edge line and come bets — the flashy centre proposition bets carry much higher house edges. It is entertainment, not income.

How to Play Craps — Step by Step

1

Learn the Round — Come-Out Roll and the Point

A craps round starts with the come-out roll, made by the shooter with two dice. On the come-out, a 7 or 11 wins for pass line bettors, while 2, 3, or 12 (craps) loses. Any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) becomes the "point." Once a point is set, the shooter keeps rolling until they either repeat the point (pass line wins) or roll a 7 (pass line loses).

The come-out roll sets the point; after that, the shooter rolls until the point repeats or a 7 appears.
2

Place the Pass Line — the Core Bet

The pass line is the simplest and most common starting bet. You wager before the come-out roll that the shooter will "pass" — win on a come-out 7 or 11, or make the point before rolling a 7. The pass line pays even money (1:1) and carries a house edge of about 1.41%, one of the lower edges on the floor.

Pass line pays 1:1 with roughly a 1.41% house edge — among the better-value bets in the game.
3

Add Free Odds Behind the Line

After a point is established, you can back your pass line wager with a separate "free odds" bet. Free odds are paid at the true mathematical odds of the point — meaning the house edge on that portion is 0%. They are not marked on the table felt, so you place them by stacking chips behind your pass line bet. Casinos cap how much odds you may take (e.g. "3x–4x–5x").

Free odds carry a 0% house edge, but only the original line bet still does the heavy lifting.
4

Use Come Bets to Keep Playing

A come bet works just like the pass line but can be placed after the point is set. Your come bet treats the next roll as its own come-out: 7 or 11 wins, 2/3/12 loses, and any other number becomes that bet’s own point. Come bets share the pass line’s favourable ~1.41% house edge, which is why experienced players lean on them instead of the higher-edge proposition bets.

Come bets mirror the pass line (~1.41% edge) and let you build positions during a roll.

Craps Bets, Payouts & House Edge

Craps offers dozens of bets, but they fall into a clear value order. Line bets (pass, don’t pass, come, don’t come) carry the lowest house edge; free odds carry none; and the centre proposition and hardway bets carry the highest. The figures below are approximate and vary slightly by table rules.

BetTypePayout
Pass LineLine1 : 1
Don't PassLine1 : 1
ComeLine1 : 1
Don't ComeLine1 : 1
Free Odds (behind line)OddsTrue odds
Place 6 or Place 8Place7 : 6
Field (one roll)Proposition1 : 1 (2:1 on 2/12)
Any 7 (one roll)Proposition4 : 1
Hardways (e.g. hard 8)Proposition9 : 1

House-edge figures are approximate and depend on table rules and odds limits. No bet eliminates the house edge — even a 0% free odds bet only works alongside a line bet that still carries one.

Common Craps Myths

"A shooter on a hot streak changes the odds"

Truth: False — each roll of fair dice is independent. Past rolls do not influence the next one, and no streak shifts the house edge.

"Proposition bets in the centre are the way to win big"

Truth: Misleading — centre prop and hardway bets have some of the highest house edges in the casino (up to ~16.67%). They pay more because they win far less often.

"You can control the dice with the right throw"

Truth: Unproven — on a regulated live table the dice must hit the back wall, and online craps uses a certified RNG. There is no reliable way to influence the outcome.

"Don’t pass is a guaranteed win because the house edge is lower"

Truth: False — the don’t pass edge (~1.36%) is only marginally lower than pass line, and it still loses over the long run. Lower edge is not the same as an advantage.

How to Play Craps — FAQ

What is the easiest craps bet for beginners?+
The pass line is the standard starting bet. You wager before the come-out roll that the shooter will pass — winning on a come-out 7 or 11, or by making the point before a 7. It pays even money (1:1) and has a house edge of about 1.41%, which is among the lower edges in the game.
What does the house edge mean in craps?+
The house edge is the casino’s built-in long-run advantage, expressed as a percentage of each wager. Pass line and come bets sit at about 1.41%, while centre proposition and hardway bets can exceed 9–16%. A free odds bet placed behind the line carries a 0% edge, but you can only take odds once you already have a line or come bet working.
Is online craps legal in Canada?+
In Ontario, online craps is offered by operators registered with iGaming Ontario (iGO) and licensed by the AGCO. In Alberta, regulated online gambling is overseen by the AGLC. Players in other provinces should check their own provincial regulator. The legal gambling age is 19 in most provinces and 18 in Alberta and Quebec.
Can a craps strategy beat the house edge?+
No. Sticking to the lower-edge bets (pass/come plus free odds) reduces how fast the house edge erodes your bankroll, but it does not remove it. Betting progressions change your stake size, not the underlying dice odds. Treat craps as entertainment, not a way to make money.
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Related Resources

Safety Protocol

Set limits early.
Keep play under control.

Gambling should stay optional, affordable, and time-bounded. Use the technical tools below to define your parameters before engagement.

Practical Engagement Rules

  • 01Establish a strict capital allocation before initialization.
  • 02Terminate session immediately upon reaching pre-set thresholds.
  • 03Avoid engagement during periods of high stress or cognitive load.
  • 04Utilize cooling-off protocols if interaction frequency exceeds targets.

Time Limits

Set session duration alerts to manage your play time.

Deposit Limits

Control your spending by setting daily or weekly caps.

Self-Exclusion

Take a permanent break from all gaming activities.

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