Craps Guide

Learn How To Play Craps Online – The Rules Of The Game

Craps is an easy-enough game to understand, but it does take some time to get your head around the different bets one can place. Before we start on that, however, let’s look at the basic rules of craps online.

To sum the whole game up in one sentence, the whole point of craps is that the player or players make bets on the outcome of two dice which are rolled. That is basically it.

But, of course, that wouldn’t be as much fun as craps actually is.

When playing craps, there is the main person, who throws the two dice across the craps table. This is usually the dealer in live craps online or the random number generator (RNG) in craps online. This person (or entity) does not need to make any bets, but the other players at the table do.

The first roll is known as the ‘come-out roll’ and it sets the scene for the remainder of the game. If the dots on the upper side of the dice total 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 when rolled for the come-out roll, then that number is set as the ‘point’ and the game begins. Bets can now be placed on the potential outcome of the dice every time they are rolled. The dice will continue to be rolled until the combination of dots on the two dice adds up to either the same number that was set as the point at the start, or a total of seven is achieved. Once this happens, the round ends and a new one can begin.

If, however, the original result of the come-out roll is 2, 3, 7, 11 or 12, then the game has to restart.

Possible Dice Number Combinations

As we explained above, once the come-out roll determines the point, players can start placing bets on the outcome of the roll of a pair of dice. Since a die has six sides with either 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 dots on each of those sides, the lowest total number you can get is 2 (1 to 1), while the highest total number is 12 (6 to 6). Yet the odds of getting a total of 2 or 12 are different from those of getting 6, 7 or 8.

Types Of Bets Used In Craps

Before you decide to play craps online, the only thing you really need to wrap your head around are the different types of bets that can be made in the game. Below, we take a close look at each of these.

Pass Line Bet & Don’t Pass Bet

As the most common types of wagers in craps, these two types of bets are placed before the come-out roll. Indeed, a player must always make one of these two bets at the beginning of the game.

The Pass Line Bet wins money when the combination from the come-out roll is 7 or 11, but loses if the combination is 2, 3 or 12 (numbers known as ‘craps’). Should any other number be rolled, that number is set as the point and the bet remains on the craps table. If the point is rolled again during the game, the bet wins. If the 7 gets rolled first instead, the bet loses. The house edge for this bet is around 1.41%.

The Don’t Pass Bet is considered to be the opposite of the above. Through this bet, the player wins if a combination of 2 or 3 comes out of the come-out roll, but loses if the combination is 7 or 11. If the combination is 12, however, the bet stays on the table and wins if 7 is rolled first, but loses if the point is rolled out before. The house edge for this bet is around 1.36% and it tends to pay more money than the Pass Line Bet.

Come Bet & Don’t Come Bet

These two bets are very similar to the Pass Line and Don’t Pass Bets, yet there are some differences which need to be understood, with none being more important than the fact that they are placed after the point has been established.

The Come Bet is placed in the ‘COME’ box and given that the first combination of dice after it’s been wagered is either 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, then that number becomes the ‘Come Point’. If that number comes up again during the game, you win. But if the 7 comes out before your Come Point, you lose. You also lose if the first combination of dice after you place the bet is 2, 3 or 12.

The Don’t Come Bet is practically the opposite of the above bet. It’s placed in the ‘DON’T COME’ Bar and, should the first combination of the dice after the bet has been placed amount to 2 or 3, you win.

Both these bets pay even money (1:1) and the house edge for these wagers is very similar to those of the Pass Line Bet and the Don’t Pass Bet.

Odds Bets

an you imagine placing a bet on which the house edge is practically zero? Well, odds bets are pretty much that, which is why they are among the best bets you can make in any games of craps. There are two things you need to keep in mind, however: the first is that the payouts depend on what the point is, while the second is that these bets are follow-ups to the four bets mentioned above.

The Pass Line Odds Bet (also known as the Taking the Odds Bet) is a follow-up wager to a Pass Line Bet. This can be made after the point is set and wins if the point number is rolled before a 7 is. It obviously loses if the combination of dice makes up a 7 before the point number is rolled. Since a 7 is statistically the most likely number to get rolled, most casinos offer more than even payouts on this bet. For a point number of 8 or 6, the payout is 6:5. For a 5 or 9, the payout is 3:2. In case of a 4 or 10, the payout is 2:1. Because this wager has a house edge of practically zero, casinos tend to limit how much money you can wager on this bet.

The Don’t Pass Odds Bet (also known as the Laying the Odds Bet) can be used to follow up the Don’t Pass Bet. Through this bet, you win if the 7 is rolled out before the point number, and lose if the opposite happens. When the point is 4 or 10, the payout is 1:2. When the point is 5 or 9, the payout is 2:3. And when the point is 6 or 8, the payout is 5:6. The amount you can wager is limited here, too.

The Come Odds & The Don’t Come Odds Bets work in exactly the same way, with the only difference being that the point will have been determined before the first wager took place.

How To Win At Online Craps

Craps online is undoubtedly a game of chance and luck: there is no way you can determine or influence what the next roll of the dice will be. But, hey, there are some tips you can use to make your odds slightly better and avoid losing a fortune on the game.

Tip 1: If you are new to craps online, then stick to Pass Line Bets – since they are the most common type of bet, it pays to learn exactly how they work. Moreover, this type of bet give you a decent house edge.

Tip 2: Playing Craps without knowing the terminology can put you at a disadvantage so do be sure to master it before you start betting huge amounts of money. Reading this article and checking out our Craps Glossary further down this article will definitely help.

Tip 3: Don’t be afraid of trying out a smart betting system, such as the Three-Point Molly. Remember, though, that you should always stick to your budget.

Tip 4: Steer clear of proposition bets. Some craps sites may often try to lure you with proposition bets, however, the high house edge on this sort of bets gives you fewer chances of winning.

Tip 5: Don’t use the Big 6 and the Big 8 bets. The house edge for these is usually around 9%, making it very unlikely that you will win. The payout, which stands at 1:1, is also not really that good.

Tip 6: Printing a bet/instruction sheet is actually quite clever. While we wouldn’t recommend taking a craps instruction sheet with you to a brick-and-mortar casino, no one is going to see you with it when playing online. This way, you will have all the rules laid out to help you make the best decision in the moment.

Tip 7: Start by playing for free. Loads of casinos give you the chance to play craps online for free – i.e. without the need to place any real bets. This helps you learn the ropes and understand the terminology, the craps table, and the process better.

Tip 8: When you play craps online for money, you may be enticed to start making huge bets. But the problem with this is that you will either burn through your budget quickly or spend more than you should. So stick to small budgets and you’ll be able to play for longer!

Tip 9: It’s important to be in the right frame of mind when you play craps online for real money. Many people head to an online casino when intoxicated, angry or sad. Not being in the right mindset can cause you to lose more often, which will certainly not make you feel any better.

Tip 10: If you’re planning on playing craps on a regular basis, then find an online casino that rewards your loyalty. Many casinos now have loyalty/VIP schemes that give you things like cashbacks and so on!