Craps has a reputation for complexity, but the core rules fit on a single page. Once you understand the come-out roll, the point, and where the main betting areas sit, everything else — including the come bet — falls into place.
What Is the Come-Out Roll?
Every craps round begins with a come-out roll. The shooter throws the dice before any point is established. Three outcomes are possible on that opening throw:
- Natural (7 or 11): Pass line bets win immediately. The round ends and a new come-out follows.
- Craps (2, 3, or 12): Pass line bets lose. Another come-out roll follows.
- Box number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10): That number becomes the point. The round moves into its second phase.
The dealer flips the puck to its white ON side and places it on the point number. That white disc is your signal: a point is live, and come bets may now be placed.
How Does the Pass Line Work?
The pass line is the most common starting bet. You place chips on it before the come-out roll. It wins on a natural, loses on craps, and rides until the point is either repeated (win) or a 7 is rolled (lose). It is the foundation bet most beginners learn first. For a deeper look at how the come bet compares, see our guide on come bet vs pass line timing and house edge.
Where Does the COME Area Fit on the Layout?
The craps table layout can look busy. The large COME area runs across the center of the felt, directly below the box numbers. Once a point is established, chips placed there start their own independent resolution sequence — almost like a personal pass line bet launched mid-round. Our dedicated page on the craps table layout and where the COME area sits walks through each zone in detail.
What Exactly Is a Come Bet?
A come bet is placed in the COME area after the point is established. The very next roll acts as its own mini come-out: a 7 or 11 wins it, a 2, 3, or 12 loses it, and any box number sends it traveling to that number. For the full definition, read what a come bet is and how it differs from other wagers.
How Does a Come Bet Resolve?
Resolution takes at minimum two rolls. The first roll either ends the bet immediately (natural or craps) or moves it to a box number. From there, the come point must repeat before a 7 to pay out at even money. The house edge on the flat come bet is 1.41% — identical to the pass line and one of the lowest on the table. The full two-phase process is covered in how the come bet works across two rolls.
What Trips Up Beginners Most?
The single biggest source of confusion: a 7 during a new come-out roll wipes out come bets that are already traveling on box numbers. That feels unfair the first time it happens. It is not a mistake — it is the rule. We break it down fully in our page on seven-out and what it means for come bets.
Another common gap: players forget to ask the dealer for odds behind a traveling come bet. Unlike pass line odds, you must verbally request them. Missing that step means playing at a higher effective edge than necessary.
Where Do I Go From Here?
These rules pages are the foundation. Once you are comfortable with the layout and the come-out sequence, the come bet craps strategy and odds hub is the natural next stop. You can also explore online craps options in legal US states — real-money online craps is available in New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, and Connecticut, with a minimum age of 21 in most jurisdictions. Must be 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
For a broader overview of how craps rules are structured, casino.org's craps come bet guide is a reliable reference alongside this site.