Craps is generally considered a gambler’s game: deep, complex but definitely worth sticking with.
Casino craps can be a daunting prospect for newcomers. If played badly, you could be looking at a massive house edge, however, when played well, Craps is a great game with lots of potential for betting optimisation. RightCasino’s craps guide has been tailored to take you through the rules of craps from square one.
Below are our recommendations for playing craps online – rock & roll today!
It’s always easy to locate the craps table at a bricks-and-mortar casino. While blackjack players play in near silence, and roulette players are allowed the odd whoop of joy if their number comes up, the craps table is surrounded by a group of players making more noise than school children at a Christmas party.
Craps is unique as a casino game as all the main action is performed by the players – namely the throwing of the dice. A craps table can look daunting to a newbie, but it is fundamentally a simple game. All you need really to do is to concentrate on the ‘pass line bet‘.
Each ‘round‘ begins by betting on the pass line, or the don’t pass line. If you bet on the don’t pass line you’ll be betting against the shooter, which will not be appreciated.
The shooter will then roll the dice. Everyone will get a turn at being the shooter as play passes clockwise around the table. If the shooter rolls 7 or 11 the bet pays even money. If the shooter rolls 2, 3 or 12, then you lose. If the shooter rolls any other number, then this number is now the ‘box point’. Your bet wins if the shooter manages to roll that number again before they roll a 7.
There are plenty of side bets and other bets you can make while playing craps, and these will be explored in the lessons.
Not all online casinos offer craps, but the major casino software providers like Microgaming, NetEnt and Playtech all have versions of the game. As part of craps is the dice shooting and the excitement of your fellow players, playing online is a much less exciting proposition.
Online casino craps is simply a programmed version of the game, where the dice are thrown at random once you have made your bet.
Because of the ‘shooter’ element, craps is infrequently offered as a ‘ live casino ‘ game.
Craps is a dice game played on a specialised table, labelled with different bet types. Two dice are used. Online craps is played much the same way, except the physical table and dice are replaced with virtual equivalents. Also, there are no dealers and the outcome of dice rolls is determined by Random Number Generation (RNG).
In live games, play starts when one punter (the ‘shooter’) bets on the ‘pass line’ or the ‘don’t pass line’ – also known as ‘win/right’ bets or ‘don’t win/wrong’ bets (there will be more information about betting in lesson two).
The shooter selects two of five dice presented by the ‘stickman’ (dealer). He/she then throws the dice, using one hand, making sure to hit the wall at the opposite end of the table.
Games are played in rounds, which each contain two phases: ‘come out’ and ‘point.’ A come out roll totalling 2, 3 or 12 will cause all pass line bets to lose. These numbers are called ‘craps’ and hitting them is described as ‘crapping out.’ Conversely, a come out roll of 7 or 11 (also called ‘natural’) pays bets on the pass line.
The shooter will continue to make come on rolls until he/she hits a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10. This number then becomes the ‘point.’ The dealer places an ‘on’ button to the point number on the table, signifying the next phase has begun.
After this, the shooter rolls until they land a 7 (seven-out), which means pass line bets lose, or the point number, in which case pass line bets pay. Following a 7, the round ends and a new shooter takes over.
The round begins after players have placed their bets and the shooter prepares to roll.
The first, ‘come on’ phase of play pays pass line bets on 7 or 11 and collects on 2, 3 or 12. All other numbers end the phase and initiate the ‘point phase’ with the ‘point’ being the last number rolled.
The dealer places the point counter on the number that ended the ‘come on’ phase (4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10) and the shooter rolls. Rolling the point number pays pass line bets, while rolling a 7 collects for the house.
If the shooter rolls their point number, they continue being the shooter. If not, the dice are passed clockwise to the next player. Either way, a 7 or a point number triggers the beginning of a new round.
Get online craps on your mobile device. The magic of modern technology has made it possible to bring high-fidelity live and virtual gaming to mobile and tablet devices. This means that you can now enjoy online craps from the palm of your hand!
It is estimated that $10 billion is wagered through mobile platforms every year. As a highly popular casino game, a fair chunk of that money passes through online craps tables.
In essence, the game is exactly the same as you’d expect from a desktop or even a land-based casino. Bets are placed, the dice is thrown and you hold your breath, hoping for the best. The only real difference is the virtual interface is controlled using your touch screen.
Finding a casino where you can play craps via your smart-phone or tablet is a little bit of an online struggle. Most casino software providers are still catching up with the idea of online mobile casinos, and a significant percentage of them concentrate on the real casino-money makers, namely online online slots and to a lesser extent, blackjack and roulette.
Additionally, as craps is quintessentially seen as both an American game and a social game, it has failed to capture the imagination of the gambling public outside of the likes of Las Vegas and Atlantic City. The real fun with craps is when it comes to your turn as the shooter, and you are cheered on as you toss the dice down the table, trying to score the point before you score a seven.
Some software providers such as Microgaming and Playtech do carry versions of craps that can be played on a mobile device, although not all mobile-friendly online casinos that carry software from Microgaming and Playtech will offer mobile craps, purely down to the lack of players who desire such an option.
Perhaps as relations between the US and online gambling slowly thaw, more casinos will offer mobile craps as an option.
Once you do manage to locate a mobile casino that’s happy to provide you with some craps-tastic excitement, playing online craps via your mobile is a relatively straightforward process.
First up, don’t expect to be surrounded by your fellow craps enthusiasts who will whoop and yell as you kiss the dice and then toss them across your tablet screen. Online craps is almost wholly a one-player affair.
Once you’ve sat down at a virtual craps table, you’ll be presented with a layout containing all the various side bets that are available, including the all-important ‘pass line’. If you’re not familiar with craps, make sure you understand what each possible side bet entails and what you stand to win if the dice roll in your favour. If you bet blindly you’ll just be throw chips away. The craps table is daunting to a newbie, so it will really pay you if you know what you’re doing.
Select your chips and carefully place them on the table via the interface on your smart-phone or tablet. When you’ve made your pass line bet (or don’t pass if you’re a little unsporting) click the ‘roll’ button and send the dice bouncing down the table. Play will then continue as if you are playing at a real-world craps table, and you winnings (or sadly, losses) will be announced once each round is over.
If you are looking for mobile ‘live dealer’ craps then you are going to come up disappointed. Very few casino software houses and online casinos offer live dealer craps, and hardly any offer live dealer craps that can be played via a smart-phone or tablet.
>Minimise the house edge and maximise your chances at craps with our expert advice!
While the rules of craps can be intimidating to newcomers, betting optimisation is pretty straightforward. Following our betting advice and you’ll be looking at a house edge pretty close to zero percent – a rare scenario in casino games.
Mathematically, you should always bet against the grain. In short, stick with don’t pass and don’t come bets, while laying the maximum odds wherever possible.
A quick reminder …
Head back to lesson two if you need a refresher on craps betting.
Betting this way is described as ‘playing the dark side,’ because it is the exact opposite to the way most players gamble on casino craps. However, it also produces the best odds:
House edge per: Bet: 0.00021% | Resolution: 0.00021% | Roll: 0.00006%
Some of the betting options in craps carve out an absurdly large edge for the house. The following bets should never, EVER be attempted if you want to stay in the game:
Learn how betting decisions affect the house edge in craps. Determining odds in craps is more complicated than most casino games. In craps, there are lots of betting types which all have different associated odds and it sometimes takes many rolls to resolve wagers.
Casino mathematician, Michael ‘The Wizard of Odds’ Shackleford, therefore recommends defining the house edge in craps in three ways:
This page will list the different betting options available to players in casino craps, with these three definitions of the house edge, along with the pay-out odds.
As with other table games, craps bets are made by placing chips in sectors which are labelled according to betting options.
The simplest craps bet and one that novices should stick with. Chips are placed on the pass line during a come on roll and receive even money on rolls of 7 or 11. When it comes to the point round, pass bets pay even money on the point roll.
| House edge per: | Bet: 1.41% | Resolution: 1.41% | Roll: 0.42% |
| Pays: | 1/1 |
Also known as ‘taking the odds’, this is a side bet made after a point roll is thrown and pays if the point appears before a 7. Chips are placed just behind the pass line, closest to the player. As the house has no discernible edge on odds bets, there are limits to how much can be wagered on them.
| House edge per: | Bet: 0.00% | Resolution: 0.00% | Roll: 0.00% |
| Pays: | 3-4-5 x odds (3x pass bet after a point of 4 or 10, 4 x after 5 or 9 and 5x after 6 or 8). |
Almost the exact opposite of the pass line bet. Chips are placed on the ‘don’t pass bar’ during the come on phase. Pays even money on a 2 and 3 during the come on phase and during the point phase if a 7 comes before the point.
| House edge per: | Bet: 1.36% | Resolution: 1.40% | Roll: 0.40% |
| Pays: | 1/1. |
Players bet against a point before 7 during the point phase after placing a don’t pass bet during the come on phase. Chips are laid just outside of the don’t pass bar to indicate laying the odds. As with odds bets, the 0% edge means the amount of cash you can hazard on this side bet is limited by the casino.
| House edge per: | Bet: 0.00% | Resolution: 0.00% | Roll: 0.00% |
| Pays: | 3-4-5 x odds (3x pass bet after a point of 4 or 10, 4 x after 5 or 9 and 5x after 6 or 8). |
Exactly the same as a pass/don’t pass bets, except they are made at any time other than a come on roll. Accordingly, you can take or lay the odds during the point phase. Chips are placed in the come/don’t come segments of the table.
| House edge per: | Bet: 1.41%/1.36% | Resolution: 1.41%/1.40% | Roll: 0.42%/0.40% |
| Pays: | 1/1 |
In craps, 4,5,6,8,9 and 10 are known as ‘place numbers’. Place bets pay if the number appears before 7. Chips are placed on numbered segments of the table.
| House edge per: | Bet: 0.46% | Resolution: 1.52% | Roll: 0.46% |
| Pays: | 7/6 |
| House edge per: | Bet: 1.11% | Resolution: 4.00% | Roll: 1.11% |
| Pays: | 7/5 |
| House edge per: | Bet: 1.67% | Resolution: 6.67% | Roll: 1.67% |
| Pays: | 9/5 |
The literal opposite of place bets. Place to lose bets pay out on a 7 and lose on the number bet against. This betting type is only available in land-based Australian and British casinos, but can be found in many online casinos. Chips are placed in the empty space outside the numbered square on the table, closest to the player.
| House edge per: | Bet: 0.56% | Resolution: 1.82% | Roll: 0.56% |
| Pays: | 4/5 |
| House edge per: | Bet: 0.69% | Resolution: 2.50% | Roll: 0.69% |
| Pays: | 5/8 |
| House edge per: | Bet: 0.76% | Resolution: 3.03% | Roll: 0.76% |
| Pays: | 5/11 |
Similar place bets, but with different odds. To make a buy bet you also have to pay a 5% commission (although in some casinos, the commission on the 4 and 10 is only charged on wins). Chips go in the same segment a place bet, with commission settled between the player and dealer. The odds listed below factor in the commission except where noted.
| House edge per: | Bet: 1.46% | Resolution: 4.87% | Roll: 1.47% |
| Pays: | 4/5 |
| House edge per: | Bet: 1.32% | Resolution: 4.76% | Roll: 1.32% |
| Pays: | 5/8 |
| House edge per: | Bet: 1.32% | Resolution: 4.76% | Roll: 1.32% |
| Pays: | 5/11 |
| House edge per: | Bet: 0.42% | Resolution: 1.67% | Roll: 0.42% |
| Pays: | 5/11 |
Lay bets are the same as place to lose bets, but with different odds. As with a buy bet, you must pay a 5% commission on lay bets, although this might only be charged on wins for 4 and 10 bets, depending on the casino. Also as with a place to lose bet, chips go in the empty segment behind the numbered squares on the table. The odds listed below factor in the commission except where noted.
| House edge per: | Bet: 1.22% | Resolution: 4.00% | Roll: 1.22% |
| Pays: | 4/5 |
| House edge per: | Bet: 0.90% | Resolution: 3.23% | Roll: 0.90% |
| Pays: | 5/8 |
| House edge per: | Bet: 0.61% | Resolution: 2.44% | Roll: 0.61% |
| Pays: | 5/11 |
| House edge per: | Bet: 0.42% | Resolution: 1.67% | Roll: 0.42% |
| Pays: | 5/11 |
Big 6 and 8 are the same as place bets on 6 and 8, but pay even money. However, the odds are much longer. Chips are placed on the large 6 and 8 segments at the corner of the pass line.
| House edge per: | Bet: 2.78% | Resolution: 9.09% | Roll: 2.78% |
| Pays: | 1/1 |
Rolling an even number with the same value on both dice is known as the ‘hard way’, versus the ‘easy way’ of rolling an even number with two different values. Thus, a hard eight would be 4-4 and an easy eight could be 5-3.
There are four hard way bets (on 4, 6, 8 and 10) which win by rolling the elected number the ‘hard way’, losing on any other outcome. Hard way bets are placed on a side table in segments illustrated with dice displaying ‘hard way’ rolls.
| House edge per: | Bet: 2.78% | Resolution: 9.09% | Roll: 2.78% |
| Pays: | 9/1 |
| House edge per: | Bet: 2.78% | Resolution: 11.11% | Roll: 2.78% |
| Pays: | 7/1 |
A pass or come bet that skips the come on roll is known as a ‘put bet’. These pay-out identically to odds and lays: 3-4-5x. However, the house edge on put bets is MASSIVE, so we would advise against them.
| House edge: | 9.09% |
| House edge: | 20.00% |
| House edge: | 33.33% |
All Pays: 3-4-5 x odds (3x pass bet after a point of 4 or 10, 4 x after 5 or 9 and 5x after 6 or 8).
Proposition (‘prop’) bets are all resolved in one throw, meaning the house edge is fixed (and rather steep).
For prop bets, chips should be placed on the side table within segments illustrated with dice corresponding to your bet (usually this part of the table will be labelled ‘PROPOSITION BETS’).
You can make combinations of prop bets, including a ‘horn’ bet, which is divided equally between 2, 3, 11, and 12 (this can be doubled with a ‘horn high’ bet) and five ‘world’ bets divided across the same four numbers.
Prop bets really are a punt, have very unfavourable odds and cannot be optimised. Therefore, you would be wise to give them a miss.
| Type of Bet | Pay-out | Ways to win | Ways to lose | Probability % to win | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2, 12 & all “hard” hop bets | 29 to 1 | 1 | 35 | 2.78% | 16.67% |
| 3, 11 & all “easy” hop bets | 14 to 1 | 2 | 34 | 5.56% | 16.67% |
| Any craps (2, 3 or 12) | 7.5 to 1 | 4 | 32 | 11.11% | 5.56% |
| Any seven | 4 to 1 | 6 | 30 | 16.67% | 16.67% |
The final type of bet is is also fixed-odds, but presents far better prospects for the player. A field bet is a one-time wager that the next roll will be a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12. All winning field bets pay even cash, except 2 (which pays 2/1) and 12 (which pay 3/1). Chips should be placed in the field segment of the table, behind the ‘don’t pass’ bar. The house edge for field bets is 2.78%.
Like all good things, craps originated in England. A game called ‘Hazard’ using two dice had been played in England since before the 14th century. In the game, a player would choose a number between 5 and 9 and then throw the dice. The basic object of the game was to throw the number nominated, however throwing anything from 4 to 10, or 11 or 12 (the latter two only under certain circumstances) meant the player had a ‘chance’ and would win if he threw the same number again.
The game eventually moved to France where it became known as ‘Crapaud’. Crapaud is French for toad, and referred to the ‘toad like’ posture adopted by players as he game was usually played in the street, with the dice being bounced off a suitably-positioned wall.
When it moved to America it was re-christened ‘Craps’ and a few rules were altered and added. This is the version that has been played in casinos ever since.
