The craps layout looks overwhelming until you understand it follows a logic. Almost everything on the felt is either duplicated on both sides (left half and right half, each mirrored for the two base dealers), or it sits in the center where the stickman works. Once you see those three zones, the rest of the table falls into place quickly.

The Three Zones

Left and right side sections — the outer thirds of the layout, one mirror of the other. These are where you'll find the pass line, don't pass, come, don't come, field, place bets, and Big 6/Big 8. Each side is managed by one base dealer. If you're standing at the left side of the table, the left dealer handles your bets; same on the right.

Center section — the middle strip of the table, managed entirely by the stickman. This is where all proposition bets live: hardways, any seven, yo, any craps, horn, hop bets, and the rest of the one-roll and standing center bets. Players call out proposition bets to the stickman and toss chips to the center. You don't place these yourself.

The boxman sits between the two base dealers, behind the chip rack, and supervises the game — overseeing payouts, handling cash buy-ins, and settling disputes. There's no betting area in front of the boxman. That space is for the casino's chip inventory.

The Pass Line

The wide strip that runs along the outer edge of each side section, closest to the players. This is where you place a pass line bet before the come-out roll. It's the most-used bet at the table — most players are standing right next to it. After a point is established, the dealer moves the puck (a black-and-white disk) to the corresponding point number box, flipping it to show the white "ON" side. When the puck is off and showing the black "OFF" side, no point is set and a new come-out roll is due.

Don't Pass Bar

Just inside the pass line, a narrower strip with the label "DON'T PASS BAR." The "bar" in the name refers to the number that's barred — almost always 12 — which means a 12 on the come-out is a push (no win, no loss) rather than a loss for don't pass bettors. This is how the casino maintains its edge on the don't side. Some tables bar the 2 instead; it makes no mathematical difference, but check the felt to confirm before betting.

The Come Area

The large box in the center of the side section, labeled "COME." You place a come bet here after a point has been established. Come bets work exactly like a new pass line bet from that point forward — a 7 or 11 wins immediately, craps numbers lose, and any other number moves your bet to that number box where it needs to repeat before a 7. The come area is often busy once a shooter is mid-roll and players are loading up on numbers.

Don't Come

A smaller box above the come area, labeled "DON'T COME." The mirror version of don't pass, but placed during the point phase. Like don't pass, it bars the 12 on the equivalent of its come-out roll.

The Point Number Boxes

The six numbered boxes across the top of the side section: 4, 5, Six, 8, Nine, 10. ("Six" and "Nine" are spelled out on most layouts to prevent confusion when the dice have been rolling and the numbers look similar upside down.) These boxes serve two purposes: the puck sits on the established point, and dealers move come bets here once they've acquired a number. When you make a place bet, the dealer places your chips directly in the corresponding box, positioned to indicate they're your bet and not an active come bet.

The Field

A wide, one-roll bet area that sits below the point number boxes, clearly labeled "FIELD" with the winning numbers printed inside it: 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and 12. Most of the numbers in the field pay even money. The 2 and the 12 pay 2:1 or 3:1 depending on the table — look for the printed notation on the felt. This is a self-service bet: you place your chips in the field box yourself, and you're responsible for picking them up if they win. Leave them there and they'll ride for the next roll.

Big 6 and Big 8

Located in the corners where the side section meets the center, usually near the player's end of the table. These are bets that the 6 or 8 will roll before a 7, paying even money. They're the worst-priced bet for what they do — placing the 6 or 8 directly pays 7:6 for the same wager and same math. The Big 6 and Big 8 exist primarily as leftover relics, and many modern casino layouts are dropping them. If you see them, don't use them.

The Center: Proposition Bets

The middle strip of the table is divided into labeled sections for every proposition bet. You'll typically see:

You don't place proposition bets yourself. You call out the bet to the stickman and toss your chips to the center. The stickman positions them in the correct spot and confirms the amount. For hardways and other standing bets, the stickman will also take them down or call them off at your request.

The Chip Rail

Not technically a betting area, but the grooved rail that runs along the top edge of the table in front of players. This is where you keep your chips during play. Each player's section of the rail is loosely their space — don't reach across someone else's rail to retrieve chips or lean over it during a roll.

Reading the Layout on Any Table

Every casino prints its own layout, and the specific text, colors, and positions vary. A few things that are always true: the pass line is always on the outer edge closest to you; the point boxes are always across the top in the same order (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10); the center is always the stickman's territory. When you sit at an unfamiliar table, spend thirty seconds reading the field payout (2:1 or 3:1 on the 12), checking if Big 6/Big 8 is present, and scanning the odds multiplier placard on the dealer's end of the table. Those three checks tell you almost everything you need to know about how that specific table prices its game.

For the complete rules and payouts on each bet area, see Every Bet Explained. To see how the math stacks up across every section, see Odds & Math.

Related pages
How to Play CrapsA full walkthrough of a craps round from the come-out roll to the seven-out.Every Bet ExplainedEvery bet on the layout with true odds, payouts, and house edge.Craps EtiquetteWhen to join, what not to touch, what not to say, and how to tip.