A Basic Guide To Playing Craps Online
You’ve probably seen people playing craps at a casino in the movies. Maybe you’ve even dabbled a bit yourself. But, have you ever tried to play craps online? It’s a great way to enjoy the popular casino game from the comfort of your own home. And, if you’re new to it, playing online is the perfect way to learn the ins and outs of craps.
Where To Play Craps Online
In this guide, we’ll teach you:
- The best sites for playing online craps
- Different types of bets and strategies
- What constitutes a win
- The benefits of playing craps online
How To Play Craps Online
In its most basic form, craps players bet on what they think the outcome of a dice roll will be.
Craps is a table game involving a set of dice. It’s generally the rowdiest game in the casino and has a betting system that partially resembles that of roulette. For those of you who have played roulette, the betting systems will be slightly familiar:
- The first roll of the dice is referred to as the come out roll, and the player rolling the dice is known as the shooter
- Before the roll, bettors make a bet: either a Pass bet, or a Don’t Pass bet (more on bet types below)
- Bettors who have wagered on Pass win if a 7 or 11 is rolled, and lose if a 2, 3 or 12 is rolled.
- A Don’t Pass bet means the opposite – you win on 2, 3 or 12, and lose on 7 or 11.
- If any other number than the above is rolled, players enter the Point Phase and the shooter rolls repeatedly until they either hit the same number again or roll a 7.
- In the Point Phase, if the shooter rolls the same number before they roll a 7, Pass bets win. If they roll a 7 before they roll the same number again, Don’t Pass bets win.
As you’ll see below, craps can be far more complicated, but we recommend new players stick to the above bet types until they are more familiar with the rules.
Best Bet Types in Craps
Craps is an exciting game with a low house edge and great opportunities to make some real money if you are making smart bets. Too many folks playing craps get caught up in the excitement and energy of the craps table.
If you want to keep the house edge low while you play craps online or offline, you want to focus on the following key bets. Not only do they improve your chance of winning real money, but they also keep you in the game longer.
Pass Line & Don’t Pass Wagers
The pass line and don’t pass wagers are the most popular bets in both traditional land-based casinos and online. A shooter normally will have to place one of them before the come out roll. These bets both pay out at even money when they cash.
Come & Don’t Come Bets
These wagers are very similar to the pass line and don’t pass bets, just placed after the come out roll. A Come bet is essentially the same as wagering on Pass and a Don’t Come bet is essentially the same as wagering on Don’t Pass. These bets both pay out at even money.
Odds Bets
These are a bit like side bets that can be made after a point is established, placed on a specific outcome of a roll.
They are essentially extensions of each of the pass line odds, don’t pass odds, come odds, and don’t come odds. A player would place this bet to complement a main bet in the point phase.
Proposition Bets
There are several different proposition bets available when you play craps online. The great thing about props is their payouts are huge; the downside is the house edge is a lot higher. If you’re willing to accept the risk, you could make a lot of real money with minimal investment.
| Bet Type | Result |
|---|---|
| Any Seven (Pays 4:1) | Wins if 7 is rolled |
| The Horn (Pays 5:1) | Wins if 2, 3, 11 or 12 is rolled |
| Any Craps (Pays 7:1) | Wins if any of 2, 3 or 12 is rolled |
| The Ace-Deuce (Pays 15:1) | Wins if 3 is rolled |
| The Yo or Yo-leven (Pays 16:1) | Wins if 11 is rolled |
| Boxcars (Pays 30:1) | Wins if 12 is rolled |
| Snake-eyes or Aces (Pays 30:1) | Wins if 2 is rolled |
Online Craps vs Casino Craps
There are a couple of benefits if you play craps online, as opposed to in a bricks-and-mortar casino. First and foremost, there is the added convenience of being able to play a game from anywhere. There are no lineups or travel time, simply pick up your mobile device and start shooting dice. You’re never waiting for a table or a new game to start. And if you want to mix things up and play a different casino game like roulette, baccarat or blackjack, you’re a couple of taps on your screen away.
There’s also the free money. Most online casinos will give bonus money to new players that can very easily turn into thousands of dollars of real money in your pocket. When was the last time you walked into a real casino with $100 and they gave you another $200 to play with? This is commonplace with online casinos. And, if you want to play a few free craps games to try out a new betting strategy, you can easily do that.
The main drawback to playing craps at an online casino is you don’t get the same atmosphere. As we pointed out above, the craps table is a rowdy place and for some people that is part of the appeal. However, for others, especially inexperienced craps players, that can be intimidating as people not involved in the game are shouting and telling you what to do.
Craps Glossary
| Craps Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Pass / Don’t Pass Line | the most basic bet, you bet on the shooter (or person tossing the dice). If on their initial roll, a 7 or 11 occurs, you win the pass bet and double money. If a 4,5,6,8,9 or 10 is rolled, this creates a “point” which you want to be rolled again before a 7 is rolled again. If a 2,3,12 is rolled on the initial dice toss, you lose, but some people wager on this and it’s called don’t pass. |
| Hard (Insert Number) | an example of a hard 8 would be a dice roll of two fours, a hard six, a dice roll of two threes |
| Come Out Roll | the first dice roll to start a new round |
| Point | when a shooter rolls a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 on the come out, the point is set |
| Seven Out | when the point has been set, but a seven is rolled before the point |
| To Roll Craps | Rolling 2, 3 or 12 on the come out toss |
| Natural | When shooter rolls a seven or 11 on the come out, pass line bets win, don’t pass line bets lose |
| House Edge | the advantage the casino has over the player |
| Shooter | The person throwing the dice |
| Bankroll | Your stack of chips used for betting |