Staff Writer
Craps is a game that has been around for centuries. There have been many different rules and variations of the game, but one thing remains constant, and that's lots of wagering opportunities.
You can play online craps for free or for real money. For the most part, online craps follow the same rules and bets as the version of the game found at land-based casinos.
If you are new to the game at first glance, the craps table may look intimidating with the myriad of different bets you can place. However, it's not as difficult as first seems, and if you know the basics of how to play craps, you can just as easily win knowing just a handful of bets, to begin with.
This article will give you an overview of the types of wagers you can place at craps to help you decide which bets are worth making.
If you've ever spent any time at a land-based casino, you've probably noticed the craps table; this is usually the liveliest table at the casino with players cheering and groaning with every roll of the dice. There are also lots of casino staff involved in coordinating the action, which makes it a busy and exciting place to be at.
But for new players, this level of excitement can be off-putting, and it's easy to get overwhelmed. The good news for new players is that the craps table isn't really any different in an online casino. You just don't get all the noise and confusion of real people playing at a live game. At online casinos, things are a little different with no staff or other players around. You won't be able to hear any of the jubilation or disappointment from the table, making it a much more subdued affair. However, this isn't necessarily a bad thing because you can concentrate on learning how to play craps without any distractions.
When you play at an online casino, all the bets will be listed on the screen in front of you. It may not look as stylish as the real table, but it is straightforward to follow, and you will be able to find any bets that you want quickly. In many online craps games, you can also hover your mouse over the different bet boxes and get a description of what the wager is and how it works. This can be a great help to new players as it reinforces the game’s rules and helps you place bets without any confusion.
We will assume that you are already signed up to an online casino; if not, ensure that you sign-up to one that is licensed and reputable. If you are unsure where to find the best craps casinos, you can check out our recommended casinos here. Most online casinos offer free play and real money games. You'll probably want to play the free game of craps while you are learning the ropes. You won't win any real money this way, but it allows new players to place bets in craps correctly.
When playing craps, you bet on the outcome of each roll of the die. As there are two dice, there are a total of 36 unique possible outcomes. At a brick-and-mortar casino, the shooter rolls a die under the supervision of a dealer, but at an online casino, the outcome is randomized through software. Playing online simplifies the game; all the player needs to do is place bets on the virtual table layout and click or tap the 'roll' button.
So let's explore how to play the basic craps game, you'll only need to learn how to place one bet, but it's the most important on the craps table. This wager is called the pass line and is the only wager that you are required to make. You will place your chips directly on the layout on your screen in the area that reads 'pass line' to make this bet. Many players stick with just placing the pass line bet, but there's no harm in trying out some alternatives if you want to mix things up a little bit. We will explore all the other options shortly.
The game begins with the come-out roll; when it commences, you will see a small puck-like black counter with the words 'OFF' written on it at the top of the table. The shooter rolls the dice or, in our case, clicks the roll button.
The pass line bet you made is a wager that a 7 or 11 will be the outcome of the first roll. If either of these numbers shows up, your pass line wager wins, and you get paid even money (1:1). If, instead of rolling a 7 or 11 on your first throw, you shoot craps 2, 3, or 12, then your pass line bet loses.
Should you roll a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 on your first roll, this is known as a point number, and the game changes once the point is established. The small puck-like black counter will now turn white and read 'ON'; this indicates that you have made the point and your pass bet is still active and signifies the end of the come-out roll. The game's objective now shifts; you don't want a 7 rolled as this would lose your bet. Instead, you need the point number to be made; 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. If by chance a 7 is rolled before the point number, then your pass line bet loses. You win and get paid even money if the point number is rolled again before a 7 comes up.
So as an example, let us assume that a 5 and 4 were rolled on the come out, making a point of 9; the dice would then carry on being rolled until either another 9 was rolled in which you would win, or a 7 and you'd lose.
As far as gameplay is concerned, this is all you need to know to begin playing craps; however, there are lots of other wagers that you can make to increase your chances of winning and make the game more interesting. All the bets in craps are based around what you think will happen with the next roll of the die, and they all have different odds attached to them. Let's take a look at these different wager options.
Craps has more betting options than any other online casino game, and the only one that comes close is the popular table game roulette. Once a craps player understands how each bet works, they can then combine them in any way they choose.
So you don't get overwhelmed with all the different wagers, we suggest sticking with just the pass line bet for your first few games. Later on, you can start experimenting with other bets, but it's best to master one thing at a time. Once you understand how all the different types of bets in craps work, you'll be ready to play like a pro.
Line bets are one of the many bets you can make at a craps table. These line bets typically show up on the outside edges of the craps table; they include pass line and come bets.
This is the most common craps bet and probably the easiest for first-time players to understand. We've already discussed this wager in the previous section, but for a quick recap, If you place a bet on the pass line, it means that you are betting on your dice roll to total a 7 or 11. If you roll a 2, 3, or 12 called craps, then your bet loses. Any other total means that your pass bet becomes the point number that needs to be rolled before a 7 to win. This wager has a low house edge at 1.41% house edge and pays out at even money. For instance, if you wagered $5, you would win $5.
This is the direct opposite of the pass line wager. In this instance, when a player makes a don't pass wager, it means that they are betting against the shooter in craps. To make this bet, place your chips on the 'Don't Pass Line. The wager works exactly as the pass bet except for one key difference. Instead of betting on rolling a 7 or 11 total, you're betting against it and expect to roll a 2, 3, or 12. The house edge for this wager is slightly better at 1.36%, and the payout is also at even money like the pass line.
Some new players get a little confused with this bet and don't understand how it is different from the pass bet. The only difference is that you can only place the come bet after a point has already been established. Once you have bet the pass line and the point is made, you can place a come bet that acts exactly like a pass line bet, except it can be removed at any time. So the same applies; you win if you roll a 7 or 11, and if 2, 3, or 12 are rolled, you lose. The house edge on this wager is 1.41% for this wager and pays out at 1:1.
This is almost identical to the don't pass line wager, except you can only make a bet after the point is established. Roll a 2, 3, or 12, and the bet wins 7 or 11, and you lose. The don't come bet is one of the best craps bets with a low house edge of 1.36%. As with the come bet, you can place or remove this wager at any time.
These wagers can be placed on the pass line, come, line, don't come line, and don't pass line. Odds bets give players a chance to get an extra payout for their bet, and they can be made any time after the come-out roll. Players can wager on the odds bets in multiples of their initial pass or come bet stake; usually, this will be no more than 5x. These bets are very popular with experienced craps players, and for a good reason - they have a zero house edge; you won't find that on any other bet at the casino. The only table game that comes close to these sorts of odds is online Blackjack playing perfect strategy, but the house edge is still in the casinos' favor.
Also known as 'taking the odds,' the pass odds bet goes hand in hand with the pass or come bet to maximize your winnings. It works as follows, you make a pass line or come bet, and the point is established. You can now place a free odds bet by placing additional chips behind the pass line or come bet on the layout. If you've played Blackjack, it is similar to doubling down.
If you roll the dice and win the pass bet before a 7 is rolled, you get your initial stake back, and the winnings from your odds bet. The explanation of why there is zero house edge on the odds bets is that you are paid your winning at true odds. Typically a casino profits on all other bets you play by giving less than true odds. How much you receive back on winnings depends on the point; 4 and 10 payout 2:1, 5 and 9 pays out 3:2, and 6 and 8 payout 6:5.
Even though this is one of the best bets in the casino, do watch your bankroll. Let's assume you put a $5 bet on the pass line and then 5x pass odds at $25, it would be a great win with a $130 return, but if a 7 is rolled you will lose both wagers. If you hit a bad streak and it happens again on your next roll, your bankroll could soon be depleted.
If you bet against the pass line or come bet and place an odds bet, it is called laying the odds. This combination is the best possible craps betting wager you can place. You are wagering that a 7 will be rolled before the point number. As we have mentioned already, don't come/pass bets have a low house edge of 1.35%; combining it with the don't pass odds will reduce it even more.
Proposition bets are single rolls wagers on a specific outcome on the next roll of the dice. This contrasts with multi-roll bets, where several dice rolls might be needed before an outcome is determined. Single roll wagers have both advantages and disadvantages. On the plus side, they are simple to place and payout more money than other types of bets in craps. The downside is that the house edge is very high on these bets reducing the chances of winning. These craps bets are for the big risk-takers or for those who are feeling particularly lucky!
A bet that requires a player to roll a two, also known as Aces and 'snake eyes' because the dice look like a pair of open eyes. As this bet is a single roll wager, it needs to appear on the next roll; otherwise, you lose. Even though it has a good payout of 30:1, you'd need a good reason to play this craps bet as the house edge is 13.89%.
The player must roll an ace (one) and a deuce (two) before the shooter rolls a 7. The payout for this bet is 15:1; this proposition craps bet has one of the worst house edges in the game at 11.11%.
They say fortune favors the brave, but you would need to be very fortunate and very brave to place this single roll craps bet! This is the worst of all the craps bets, with a diabolical house edge of 16.67%. If you are crazy enough to play it, you'll get a return of 4:1. The bet is won by rolling a seven on the next roll; you lose if there is any other outcome.
The name of this bet is due to the croupier frequently exclaiming "yo eleven" at the craps table to avoid confusion between the number 11 and the number 7, which can sound similar in a noisy casino environment. Essentially you are betting on a 6 and 5 being the following numbers rolled. As with most of these single roll bets, the payout is good at 15:1, but the house edge is a bitter 11.11%.
Another one of those craps bets with a strange name, this time named after how the black dots on the dice resemble a boxcar. This bet wins if two sixes are thrown, any other number appearing on the dice you've lost. If lady luck is looking down on you, then the 30:1 payout will put a smile on your face. However, with a house edge of 13.89%, it's more likely to be good news for the casino.
The player must predict whether the next roll will be a 2, 3, or 12. If correct, they win and are paid out at 7:1 odds. As with the other proposition bets, it has an extremely high house edge of 11.11%.
The field bets are a group of single rolls wagers on the numbers 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, or 11 appearing before any other number is rolled. A field bet pays even money plus your initial stake for a win and loses if a seven is rolled. The House edge is 5.56%.
The opposite to the single-roll bets where winning or losing is determined by one roll of the dice are multi-roll bets. As you've probably guessed by the name, these bets are based on the outcome of multiple rolls.
With these craps bets, you are betting on pairs of numbers. This is how the bet gets its name, as it is hard to throw a double. You can wager on a Hard 4, which will be 2 two's, Hard 6, 2 three's, Hard 8, 2 four's, and Hard 10, 2 fives. If you bet on any of these combinations and they are rolled before a 7, you win. These bets pay 7:1 with a house edge of 11.11% for Hard 4 and 10 and 9:1 and a house edge of 9.09% for Hard 6 and 8.
With this bet, you place your wager on either the Big 6 or Big 8 square on the layout and hope your chosen number is rolled before the 7. Don't be fooled by this so-called 'big' bet; it’s got to be one of the worst craps bets to play. It pays out at 1:1 and has a house edge of 9%. In contrast, if you wager place bets on the 6 and 8, the house edge is much more player-friendly at 1.57%.
With a place bet, you can wager on any of the point numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 being rolled before a 7. You can wager on an individual number or multiple numbers. Roll a 4 or 10, and the payout is 9:5, the house edge is 6.67%, place 5 or 9 is 7:5, and 4.00%, the best of them all is 7:6 and 1.57% for Place 6 and 8.
We hope this article has helped to demystify some of the most common bets in craps and leave you feeling confident when playing at an online casino. The pass line and don't pass line and come bets are the wagers with the best odds for craps players, especially when played in conjunction with the odds bets. The other bets on the craps table can be profitable, but the house advantage is very much in the casino's favor, so be aware of this when playing for real money.
If you want to know even more about online casino games, we’ve got a wealth of information on our website that will help guide your next gaming decision.
