Craps has a reputation for being complicated, mostly because of the crowded table layout — but the bets worth actually making are a short list, and the rest of the table exists mainly to tempt you into worse odds.

Start with Pass Line The Pass Line bet is the simplest bet at the table and one of the best odds in the entire casino, with a house edge of about 1.41%. You're betting that the shooter will win, either by rolling a 7 or 11 on the first roll (the 'come-out roll'), or by rolling a 'point' number and then rolling it again before a 7 shows up.

Don't Pass is the mirror image Don't Pass bets against the shooter and carries an even slightly lower house edge, around 1.36%. It's mathematically sound but socially unusual — most players at a craps table are rooting for the shooter, so betting Don't Pass means betting against the table's mood, even though the math is fine.

Odds bets: the best wager in the casino Once a point is established, most tables let you place an 'odds' bet behind your Pass or Don't Pass wager. This side bet pays out at true odds with zero house edge — it's one of the only bets anywhere in a casino with no built-in edge for the house. The catch is you can only place it after a point is set, and it doesn't exist as a standalone bet.

The bets to skip 'Proposition' bets in the middle of the table — Any 7, Hardways, one-roll bets — look tempting because of their high payouts, but carry house edges that can exceed 11%, some of the worst odds in the building. They're placed by dealers on your behalf, which makes them feel like part of the natural flow of the game, but they're a separate, much worse wager.

A simple rule for your first session Stick to Pass Line (or Don't Pass) plus odds bets until you're comfortable with the table's rhythm. Everything in the middle of the layout is a worse bet dressed up as an exciting one — the boring bets at a craps table are, mathematically, the good ones.

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