Craps is indeed a fast-paced and exciting dice game typically played in casinos (and an array of Hollywood movies where the dice are thrown amid whoops and shouts), but it can also be played informally. The game of craps, at its core, revolves around the roll of two six-sided dice, and players place bets on the outcomes of those rolls.
How Craps Is Played: Come-Out Roll & Point
Craps is usually played on a large, specially-designed table with many betting options. One player, known as the shooter, rolls the dice, and everyone at the table can bet on the results of the roll. The game starts with a "come-out roll." If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11 on this first roll, it's called a natural, and Pass Line bets win. If the shooter rolls a 2, 3, or 12, it’s called craps, and Pass Line bets lose.
If the come-out roll is any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10), that number becomes the "point." The shooter then continues to roll the dice in an attempt to roll the point number again before rolling a 7. If they succeed, Pass Line bets win again. If a 7 comes first (called seven-out), those bets lose.
If you’re new to the table, you might also want to brush up on common craps terminology before placing your bets.
Most Popular Craps Bets Explained
- Pass line: Bet that the shooter will win (either by rolling a natural or hitting the point).
- Don't pass: The opposite of the Pass Line; you’re betting that the shooter will lose.
- Come and don't come: Similar to Pass/Don't Pass, but these are made after the come-out roll.
- Place bets: Bets on specific numbers (like 6 or 8) to be rolled before a 7.
- Proposition bets: One-roll bets on specific outcomes (for example, rolling a 12 or 2 on the next roll).
Why Celebrities Love Craps
So why is the game of craps one of the most popular – and enduring – games on the casino floor? First of all, craps is known for its high energy, especially in live settings where groups of players cheer together. But craps also offer some of the best odds in the casino when you stick to smart bets like the Pass Line with odds.
In short, craps is a game of chance, community, and strategy - simple to get into, but with plenty of layers for more experienced players.
Your exclusive list of celebrities who are associated with craps
By and large, craps has gained its fair share of enthusiasts over the years – and the list includes celebrities of every genre and industry, from award-winning actors like Ben Affleck to music industry legends like Frank Sinatra. Take a closer look:
1. Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck is widely known for his blackjack card-counting skills - as a matter of fact, the casino industry has kept a wary eye on his card counting. But in addition, he has won a major tournament in poker (another obvious expertise) – the California State Poker Championship, which qualified him for the World Poker Tour final tournament. In fact, he was one of the celebrities, including Tobey Maguire and Leonardo Di Caprio, who were implicated in the high-stakes poker games hosted by Molly Bloom during the 2000s. But he’s also been seen shooting dice at Vegas tables. It is obvious that he enjoys high-stakes gambling in general, and craps is part of that thrill.
Claim to fame: Oscar-winning actor and director of films like Good Will Hunting. He also starred in blockbusters like Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, The Sum of All Fears, and more recently, Argo and Gone Girl.
Craps connection: While better known for his blackjack skills (as mentioned, he was reportedly banned for card counting), Affleck has also been seen at craps tables in Vegas casinos, often making large bets and enjoying long playing sessions.
2. Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley, the long-time NBA legend and sports commentator and analyst, is a regular in Vegas and has spoken openly about his love for gambling – along with his struggles with it. He’s been seen at the craps table, often gambling for large sums of money many times and has admitted to both huge wins and major losses.
Claim to fame: An NBA Hall of Famer, member of the NBA All Star team, and the NBA Most Valuable Player in 1993; he is also an outspoken sports analyst
Craps connection: Barkley is a notorious high-roller known for his massive losses - and wins - at casino games, including craps. He once admitted to losing around $10 million gambling, with craps being one of his games of choice. He also admitted to making a pro-golfer cry following a ‘highly-stressful’ craps game.
3. Allen Iverson
Another NBA star with a strong gambling streak, Iverson (also nicknamed The Answer) is known to be a fan of craps. He's reportedly lost significant amounts at the tables, and several casino incidents tied to his gambling habits have been documented over the years. The former NBA star has a known love for casino games, and craps has been one of his go-to pastimes.
Claim to fame: NBA Rookie of the Year in 1997, an 11-time NBA All Star, and The Most Valuable Player for the NBA in 2001
Craps connection: An avid craps (and other gambling games) player, he has been well-known for participating in craps games, sometimes losing big on the casino floor. And another claim to infamy: he once urinated into a trash can at a Bally’s Casino in Atlantic City, was subsequently thrown out, and told never to return.
4. Tiger Woods
While mostly known for his golf, Tiger Woods has been linked to high-roller gambling sessions in Vegas, where craps is one of the games he has reportedly played, although he is most known for playing blackjack. He’s said to have played with large amounts at the dice tables and likes playing high-stakes games.
Claim to fame: World-famous professional golfer and an inductee in the World Golf Hall of Fame. He is also first in PGA Golf wins and second in men’s major championships
Craps connection: Woods has been seen playing high-stakes craps in Las Vegas. Reports have emerged of him betting tens of thousands per roll, and some insiders say he has a ritual around his casino sessions.
5. Gladys Knight
The “Empress of Soul” once shared in interviews that she struggled with a serious addiction to craps and was only able to overcome it with the help of Gamblers Anonymous. She was very candid about her past, even detailing how the game had a negative impact on her personal life.
Claim to fame: Legendary singer known as the “Empress of Soul.” She is the front for Gladys Knight & the Pips. Her songs, like Midnight Train to Georgia, I Heard It Through the Grapevine, and That’s What Friends Are For, were certified hits and cemented her place in music history.
Craps connection: Gladys Knight once publicly admitted to having a gambling addiction, particularly with craps, where she could spend long hours trying to ride a streak. In fact, she once lost $60,000 in a single night at the baccarat table.
6. Frank Sinatra & The Rat Pack
The legendary crooner and his Rat Pack buddies (namely Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., etc.) were Vegas staples - and were often spotted at craps tables in casinos, particularly at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas. Needless to say, their connection to the glamor of old-school Vegas helped elevate the game’s image.
Claim to fame: A music career that spans decades, he was a legendary singer, actor, and member of the Rat Pack. He was nicknamed Ol’ Blue Eyes and Chairman of the Board, and is one of the world’s best-selling artists, with record sales (until now) of around 150 million a year.
Craps connection: Sinatra was a regular at Las Vegas casinos and known to roll the dice at the craps table. His reputation as a high-stakes gambler, along with friends like Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr., helped glamorize craps in the '60s. The Rat Pack also popularized a song titled The Oldest Established (Permanent Floating Crap Game in New York), and were known to play craps at the Sands Hotel in Vegas.
7. Norm Macdonald
The late comedian and writer was a big fan of gambling, including craps and blackjack. He often referenced it in his stand-up routines and interviews, and he once said he considered it one of the most exciting table games.
Claim to fame: Macdonald, who died in 2021, lives on in his comedy, writing prowess, and his acting. He starred in many films and was a frequent guest at late-night talk shows, and was a writer for Saturday Night Live.
Craps connection: His gambling addiction started with a game of craps in Atlantic City. He claimed he lost over $400,000 and went bankrupt due to gambling twice. He was also very much into poker and held 20th place out of more than 800 contestants in the World Series of Poker tournament in 2007.
8. Lamar Odom
The former NBA player has had well-publicized struggles with gambling, and craps was reportedly one of his games of choice during his time in Las Vegas. In fact, he mentioned craps specifically when talking about his gambling addiction. He has also acquired a significant amount of gambling debt but says the late Kobe Bryant helped him deal with his gambling problem.
Claim to fame: NBA player for the Los Angeles Lakers and he has won two championships. He was also named the Sixth Man of the Year for the NBA.
Craps connection: He reportedly became addicted to casino table games and struggled with gambling debt, and he allegedly mentioned craps as a game of choice.
9. Tobey Maguire
Better known for poker, Spider-man actor and now producer Tobey Maguire has also been spotted around the craps tables in elite Hollywood gambling circles.
Claim to fame: He rose to fame for his role as Spider-man, but he was also famous for starring in other films such as The Good German, Seabiscuit, and The Great Gatsby.
Craps connection: Although he was more famous for playing poker, he was also seen hanging around craps games and may have even engaged in a game or two. For poker, he was known for being involved in invite-only, high-stakes games, such as the ones hosted by one-time poker madam Molly Bloom.
10. Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
Boxing champion Floyd "Money" Mayweather is frequently seen in Las Vegas betting big - especially on dice games. He is also famous – or infamous – for flaunting his wildly extravagant lifestyle, and he is well-known on the Strip for millions of dollars wagered on boxing matches and sports bets.
Claim to fame: He first achieved fame in the world of boxing, holding an undefeated streak for the longest time. He was a professional boxer from 1997 to 2017, and retired with an excellent winning record of 15 major world championships.
Craps connection: He has been known to bet big on many different kinds of sporting events, and he has gambled in many casino games, which include craps. He has spent millions of dollars wagering on sports, and he is not afraid of displaying his vast wins and riches. His wins are often displayed on social media as stacks of cash as well.
Legendary Craps Pros and High-Rollers
Aside from the big celebrity names, there are those pro players who have also managed to make their mark in the fascinating world of craps. These famous names have become celebrities by their own merit, as their expertise in craps and other gambling games is unrivalled to this day. Let’s take a look at some experts in craps, from Archie Karas to The Captain.
1. Archie Karas
Archie Karas, whose real name was Anargyros Nicholas Karabourniotis, was a legendary gambler in his own right. He was famous for being a world-class pool shark and poker player, but he dabbled in craps every once in a while as well.
Claim to fame: Known for the largest – and most famous - winning streak in Las Vegas history, aptly called “The Run.” He reportedly drove to Vegas with just $50 in his pocket in 1992 and came out with over $40 million in early 1995.
Craps connection: While Karas made millions playing poker and pool, he also turned to craps during his streak, turning $50 into more than $40 million and playing $100,000 per roll. He often shook up many casinos with his aggressive craps play. He once famously said that he could make $3 million quickly on dice, while with poker, it could take weeks. But he also lost $11 million on craps.
2. Dominic LoRiggio (The Dominator)
Dominic LoRiggio, otherwise known as The Dominator, has made his mark as a casino craps gambler extraordinaire. He now teaches classes and holds seminars in dice control, and has authored several books on the subject, such as Cutting Edge Craps and Casino Craps: Shoot to Win!
Claim to fame: He is one of the leading names in “controlled shooting” or “dice control.”
Craps connection: He claims to have perfected a technique to influence the outcome of a roll by mastering the grip, throw, and landing of the dice - though casinos and mathematicians debate its legitimacy. He’s featured in the book The Craps Underground, has been in a special on the History Channel, and has worked with Frank Scoblete, another craps legend.
3. William Bergstrom (The Suitcase Man)
William Bergstrom, the so-called Suitcase Man, was a fascinating figure in the casino craps world, although his story had a tragic ending. He was allegedly the very first man to have placed a $1 million wager on craps.
Claim to fame: He used a real estate loan for gambling money, and took two suitcases to Binion’s Gambling Hall – one containing the actual money ($777,000) and another one for his prospective winnings. Because of this, he earned the moniker ‘The Suitcase Man.’
Craps connection: In the 80s, he began winning at craps in Las Vegas casinos, betting hundreds of thousands of dollars on the game. He famously wagered $1 million in 1984 on the pass line – and lost it all. He was known for betting all or nothing – and this is perhaps one of the reasons why he took his own life after a devastating loss at craps in 1985.
4. Frank Scoblete
Frank Scoblete, one-time buddy of The Dominator, as mentioned, has taken the craps world by storm, especially as he’s worked in collaboration with Dominic LoRiggio and other bonafide craps experts and strategists. He is also a well-known author with plenty of books on craps under his name.
Claim to fame: He penned famous works such as Golden Touch Blackjack Revolution, Beat the One-Armed Bandits, and Beat the Craps Out of the Casinos.
Craps connection: He has reportedly developed techniques for dice control and betting strategy, including a technique referred to as ‘controlled shooting’. His influence in craps strategy is huge among serious dice influencers, especially in dice control. He has reportedly performed some legendary feats, including a streak of 89 rolls before rolling a 7.
While the game of craps doesn’t have the same "skill edge" plot as poker or blackjack, we all know that it has still drawn in massive personalities, both legendary players who aim to beat the odds and celebrities who love the thrill. Whether it’s through superstition, winning streaks, or big-money bets, these figures have made craps a part of their legend.
Craps: A game fit for legends, celebrities, and high-stakes thrill seekers
From the endlessly bright and colorful, neon-lit casino floors of Las Vegas to old-school Hollywood lounges, the game of craps has attracted its own constellation of stars. Though it may not command the same spotlight as blackjack or poker, craps has nonetheless managed to carve out a thrilling niche among celebrities and high-rollers. And why ever not? It’s fast-paced, communal, and electrifying – and it offers a heady mix of luck and excitement that continues to pull in everyone from Oscar winners to NBA icons. What unites them all, from Ben Affleck and Charles Barkley to Gladys Knight and Frank Sinatra, is the unmistakable allure of the dice - those tiny cubes that can bring instant glory or devastating defeat to anyone who dares to roll them.
Some even take their passion further by joining craps tournaments, where the stakes and adrenaline run even higher.
Their stories reveal just how gripping the world of craps can be. Even legendary pros like Archie Karas and The Dominator have staked their reputations on the roll. Ultimately, craps isn’t just a casino game - it’s a classic gambit, a high-stakes passion, and a symbol of risk and the biggest rewards. For the daring souls bold enough to roll the dice, it promises a shot at the kind of legendary status that only a game as thrilling as craps can offer.
