Crapless Craps: Rules, Odds and House Edge
Craps variation · 5.38% flat Pass edge · Ten possible points
Crapless craps removes the immediate Pass losses on 2, 3, and 12—but it also removes the come-out win on 11. Every total except 7 becomes a point. The result is a flat Pass house edge of about 5.38%, versus 1.41% in standard craps.
Sam’s verdict
“You cannot crap out on the come-out” sounds safer than it is. Turning 2 or 12 into a point means trying to roll a one-combination number before the six-combination 7. I prefer standard Pass when both games are available.
Crapless Pass Line rules
| Come-out result | Crapless Pass result |
|---|---|
| 7 | Wins immediately |
| 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 | Becomes the point |
After a point is established, the shooter must repeat it before 7. The shooter normally keeps the dice through made points and new come-outs until a seven-out. Don’t Pass and Don’t Come are generally not offered because every non-7 come-out establishes a point.
Why rare points are expensive
| Point | Ways to roll it | Chance point wins before 7 | True Odds payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 or 12 | 1 | 1/7 = 14.29% | 6 to 1 |
| 3 or 11 | 2 | 2/8 = 25.00% | 3 to 1 |
| 4 or 10 | 3 | 3/9 = 33.33% | 2 to 1 |
| 5 or 9 | 4 | 4/10 = 40.00% | 3 to 2 |
| 6 or 8 | 5 | 5/11 = 45.45% | 6 to 5 |
The extra point boxes are not equal. A point of 2 has one winning combination versus six for 7; a point of 6 has five versus six. The rare-point Odds payout is larger because winning is less likely.
Worked rare-point Odds example
You bet $10 Pass and the come-out is 3. Three becomes the point. You add $12 in Odds. If 3 repeats before 7, the flat bet wins $10 and the Odds win $36 at 3 to 1, for $46 total profit. If both stakes are taken down, the $22 originally risked is returned too, so $68 comes back in total. If 7 appears first, the full $22 is lost.
The Odds portion has zero house edge when paid at true odds, but it does not repair the 5.38% edge on the required flat bet. It adds variance and dollars exposed.
Why 6 to 1 Odds does not erase the flat-bet cost
At a crapless point of 2, the next decisive roll is 2 once for every six 7 combinations. A $10 Odds wager paid 6 to 1 wins $60 when 2 repeats and loses $10 when 7 arrives. Across seven equally weighted decisive outcomes, the Odds calculation is one $60 win minus six $10 losses: zero before rounding or table limits. The $10 flat Pass wager alongside it still wins only $10 on the rare 2 and loses $10 on 7.
Adding more Odds increases the possible payout and the total dollars exposed, but it cannot change the flat Pass wager’s unfavorable point-2 race. Write both stakes and both possible profits separately when comparing a crapless layout with a standard Pass Line bet.
Crapless Place and Buy bets
Many crapless tables allow Place or Buy bets on 2, 3, 11, and 12. Paytables vary materially. Two examples seen in approved or casino rules include 11 to 2 versus 5 to 1 on 2/12, and 11 to 4 versus 13 to 5 on 3/11. Those prices do not have the same house edge.
| Number | Example payoff | Clean unit | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 or 12 | 11 to 2 | Multiple of $2 | 7.14% |
| 2 or 12 | 5 to 1 | Any accepted whole unit | 14.29% |
| 3 or 11 | 11 to 4 | Multiple of $4 | 6.25% |
| 3 or 11 | 13 to 5 | Multiple of $5 | 10.00% |
Do not transfer a paytable from another property. Read the printed payout and ask whether Buy commission is charged when placed or only when won.
Standard versus crapless Pass
| Feature | Standard craps | Crapless craps |
|---|---|---|
| Come-out Pass winners | 7 or 11 | 7 only |
| Come-out Pass losers | 2, 3, or 12 | None |
| Possible points | 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 | Every total except 7 |
| Flat Pass edge | 1.414% | About 5.382% |
| Don’t side | Normally offered | Normally absent |
Crapless is simpler emotionally, not mathematically cheaper. It removes the visible come-out losses but converts them into difficult point races.
Compare the standard Pass Line, learn taking Odds, or return to the variations hub.
Rules source
Rules and available paytable variations were checked against the Washington State Gambling Commission’s approved Craps, Crapless Craps, and Easy Craps game description.
