The shooter is the player who throws the dice in craps. Every bet at the table, whether on Pass, Don't Pass or a proposition bet, rides on the shooter's rolls. The shooter starts with a come-out roll and keeps the dice until rolling a 7 after a point is set, known as a seven-out, when the dice pass to the next player.
The shooter throws both dice; everyone at the table bets on the result.
On the come-out roll, a 7 or 11 (8 of 36 combinations, 22.2%) wins for Pass bets.
A shooter makes a point of 6 or 8 five times in 11 (45.5%), but a 4 or 10 only once in 3.
No shooter is 'hot': each roll is independent, and the Pass bet keeps its 1.41% edge.
Meaning
The player who rolls the dice
Come-out natural (7 or 11)
8/36 = 22.2%
Come-out craps (2, 3, 12)
4/36 = 11.1%
Point set
24/36 = 66.7%
Pass bet house edge
1.41%
Turn ends
On a seven-out
What the shooter does in craps
In craps, players take turns to throw a pair of dice. Whoever holds the dice is the shooter. The other players bet on the same rolls, so the shooter isn't playing against the table; everyone is betting on the dice, against the house. At a land-based table the turn moves around the table after each seven-out, and players can usually decline to shoot. House rules commonly ask the shooter to throw with one hand and hit the far wall, so the roll is random.
This glossary entry walks through a shooter's turn, the probabilities behind each stage and how the role works in online craps.
A shooter's turn: come-out roll to seven-out
The shooter makes the come-out roll. A 7 or 11 wins for Pass bets; a 2, 3 or 12 ('craps') loses for Pass. Either way the shooter keeps the dice and rolls another come-out.
Any other total (4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10) becomes the point.
The shooter keeps rolling. If the point comes up before a 7, Pass bets win and the shooter starts a new come-out roll.
If a 7 comes up first, that's a seven-out: Pass bets lose, Don't Pass bets win, and the dice move to the next shooter.
Two dice give 36 equally likely combinations, six of which total 7. Every number below comes from counting those combinations; our dice odds page lists them all.
Chance the shooter makes each point before a 7
Point
Ways to roll it
Ways to roll 7
Chance of making the point
True odds of the free odds bet
4 or 10
3
6
3/9 = 33.3%
2 to 1
5 or 9
4
6
4/10 = 40.0%
3 to 2
6 or 8
5
6
5/11 = 45.5%
6 to 5
Putting the come-out roll and the points together, a Pass bet wins 244 times in 495, or 49.29%, and loses 50.71%. The gap of 1.41% is the house edge, which matches Wizard of Odds' craps house edge table (opens in a new tab). The same table shows a Pass decision takes 3.38 rolls on average. The odds bet, which pays the true odds above, has no house edge at all.
Shooter example with £10 on the Pass line
You put £10 on the Pass line. The shooter's come-out roll is a 9, so 9 is the point. You add £10 in odds behind your bet. The shooter has a 40% chance of rolling another 9 before a 7. If that happens, your Pass bet pays £10 at even money and your odds bet pays £15 at 3 to 2: £25 profit. If the shooter sevens out, you lose £20. Over many bets the odds part costs nothing on average, and the Pass part costs 1.41%, about 14p per £10 bet.
Hot shooters and other craps myths
Craps tables are full of stories about hot shooters and players who can 'set' the dice. The maths doesn't support them. Each roll is independent, so a shooter who has made three points is no more likely to make a fourth. That belief is the hot hand fallacy, and its opposite, expecting a cold shooter to turn, is the gambler's fallacy. Betting more on a 'hot' shooter only increases how much you put through a 1.41% game.
Who is the shooter in online craps?
In RNG craps there is no shooter: a random number generator produces each roll. In live craps, Evolution's live craps and dice page (opens in a new tab) describes a two-dice game with a come-out roll and a point roll, plus an 'Easy Mode' with the simpler bets, but it doesn't say who throws. Check the game's help screen. Our pages on live craps and playing craps online in the UK cover what's available.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a shooter in craps?
The shooter is the player who throws the dice. Everyone at the table bets on the shooter's rolls, including the shooter, and the dice move to the next player after a seven-out. In online RNG craps there is no shooter, because software produces each roll. Our craps hub explains the full game.
Does the shooter have to bet?
At land-based tables, house rules usually require the shooter to have a bet on the line, normally Pass or Don't Pass. Rules vary between casinos, so ask the dealer. Online, there is no shooter role to take. Whatever you bet, the Pass line carries a 1.41% edge and Don't Pass 1.36%. See our Pass line guide.
When does the shooter lose the dice?
The shooter keeps the dice until a seven-out: rolling a 7 after a point has been set. Rolling craps (2, 3 or 12) on the come-out loses Pass bets but doesn't end the turn, and neither does making a point. After a seven-out, the dice pass to the next player. Read what seven-out means.
What are the odds of the shooter making the point?
It depends on the point. A 6 or 8 is made before a 7 five times in 11 (45.5%), a 5 or 9 four times in 10 (40%), and a 4 or 10 three times in 9 (33.3%). These come from counting dice combinations against the six ways to roll 7. Our dice odds page lists every total.
Is there such a thing as a hot shooter?
No. Each roll of the dice is independent of the last, so a shooter's run of wins says nothing about the next roll. Streaks happen by chance and are easy to remember. Raising your bets on a 'hot' shooter just increases the amount you stake at the same house edge. See the hot hand fallacy.
Can the shooter control the dice?
There is no reliable evidence that anyone can control a fair throw. Casinos typically ask the shooter to throw with one hand and bounce the dice off the far wall, which makes the result random. Online, RNG craps uses tested software, and live games follow the studio's procedures. Our craps strategy page covers what really affects your costs.
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