But wait, what is craps?
Craps is a luck-based game with a very simple objective: all players place bets on the table and play against the house. With just two six-sided dice, the game welcomes players to wager on the outcome of a roll, or a series of rolls, which makes it one of the most player-friendly games at an online casino.
It’s only because of the diverse number of bets available that the craps table can seem intimidating to new players. We’ll dive deeper into the types of craps bets and the odds attached to each a bit later, but just know that online craps is far more simple than it seems.
Some rules before diving deeper
When we say craps isn’t a difficult game to understand, trust us. But there are a few terms and basic rules you need to know before anything else.
- The betting round starts with a first roll of the dice, also known as the come-out roll.
- Everyone takes turns to become the shooter, which is the role you get for being the player who throws the dice. This position only passes on when the original shooter has rolled a 7.
- There are three possible outcomes depending on the result of the dice:
7: Rolling a 7 is considered a “natural” and is a winning outcome for Pass Line bets. We’ll talk more about bet types later. It results in an instant win during the come-out roll. However, if you roll a 7 during the point phase, it becomes a losing outcome for Pass Line bets.
11: Rolling an 11 is also considered a “natural” and results in an instant win for Pass Line bets during the come-out roll. Similar to rolling a 7 during the point phase, it has no effect during the point phase of the game.
2: Rolling a 2 is known as “snake eyes” or “aces.” It results in an instant loss for Pass Line bets during the come-out roll. However, it is a winning outcome for Don’t Pass Line bets during the come-out roll.
3: Rolling a 3 is called “ace-deuce.” Like rolling a 2, it leads to an instant loss for Pass Line bets during the come-out roll and a win for Don’t Pass Line bets during the come-out roll.
12: Rolling a 12 is known as “boxcars” or “midnight.” It results in a push (tie) for Pass Line bets during the come-out roll, neither winning nor losing. For Don’t Pass Line bets, it usually results in a push, but some variants may consider it a loss.
If you roll any other number during the come-out roll (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10), it establishes a “point.” The point becomes the target number for subsequent rolls in the point phase.
During the point phase, your objective is to roll the established point number before rolling a 7. If you roll the point number, it’s a winning outcome for Pass Line bets. If you roll a 7, it’s a losing outcome for Pass Line bets.