Craps Guide Online – Learn The Basics Today
In land-based casinos, craps is usually the liveliest table. One might even wonder if online craps is necessarily a more subdued version of the game, as the live version is so social.
Luckily, like with other online table games, you’ll be able to connect with other craps players at the online casinos you choose.
There are sadly very few live dealer craps out there as of this article. But you can play online craps with friends and encourage each other through live-call services like Discord, to create that live atmosphere.
Along with being one of the most exhilarating table games out there, online craps allows the player to garner a whole lot of valuable experience. That’s not to mention money!
Indeed, craps has some of the best odds out there, as well as a couple of options that allow the player to eliminate the house edge.
In this guide, you’ll find a comprehensive list of craps betting rules, the basic strategy for beginners, and tips on how to find the best site to play online craps.
Let’s dive right into this craps guide online, so we can get you playing as soon as possible!
How to Play Online Craps: Rules & Strategy
The great thing about craps is that it can be played at the most basic level. But there is also plenty of opportunity for more advanced players to implement more complex strategies.
Craps Guide Online: Dice and Table
There’s a lot going on when you look at the craps table. All will become clearer as we take you through the betting system, but in the meantime, here’s a quick rundown of what all the sections mean.
What you should know first is that this is a dice game. The player will be rolling two die several times throughout their turn. The first person at the table shoots first, then the turn goes around the table clockwise.
Each “section” of the table corresponds to a type of bet the player can make on one of the twelve possible outcomes of the dice throw.
The pass line is where players will be making their initial bet. Afterwards, you have:
- The “Don’t Pass Bar”: the reverse of the pass line bet
- The “Field”: the player bets on all numbers apparent on the field (2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12)
- The “Come”: a sort of second pass line bet played mid-game
- Numbers at top of table: area for “place bets”
The numbers at the top of the table are also where your “point” will be designated by the on/off puck. This refers to the very first number you roll. We will look into this in the next section.
Online Craps: Order of Play
As part of this craps guide online, it’s essential to know that there are two parts to a craps game.
There is the “Come Out” or first roll that the player makes. And then the rest of the game will be when all the betting happens, which is referred to as the “Point Rolls”.
- Come out: first roll
The player who is rolling the dice is referred to as the “shooter”. The first rule of play is that if you’re the shooter, you have to make a bet on either the Pass Line or Don’t Pass Line to start the game.
The “Craps” numbers are the numbers you roll that will make you lose.
- Pass Line Bet: win if you roll 7 or 11. Craps numbers: 2, 3, 12.
- Don’t Pass Bet: win if you roll 2 or 3. Craps numbers: 7, 11.
Basically, you have a choice to play the game traditionally, or in reverse order.
Let’s say you went for a pass line bet. You’ll choose a betting chip onscreen, you click the pass line to place the betting chip there. Then you click the die to roll them.
If you roll a 7 or 11, a virtual dealer voice will tell you “Front line winner”! And you’ll get a 1:1 payout.
If you roll any of the numbers at top of the screen (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10), this establishes the “point number”. The puck will appear on the number in question, and the second part of the game will begin.
The goal of the second part is to roll the point number before you roll a 7. Roll the point number and win; roll a 7 and lose.
During the come-out roll, 7 is a winner; but after the come-out roll, 7 becomes a loss.
Now, if you’re making a don’t pass bet, the game will be in reverse order. After your come-out roll, the point number is what will make you lose, whereas rolling a 7 is how you win.
Pass line bet: you have the advantage at first. After the come-out, the casino has the advantage.
Don’t pass bet: you have a disadvantage for the come-out bet but then the advantage.
If you roll a craps number, you can immediately place another bet to roll again. Bets must begin at the craps table’s minimum amount.
You may also make a field or place bet before the point is established. We’ll go into what those are later.
- Point rolls
As you now know, the “point” is the number the puck is on, and the number you’re going for if you want to win (in the case of a traditional pass line bet).
Once the point has been established, you can place extra bets wherever you like on the craps table. If you’re a beginner, then you may want to simply play with your pass line bet.
Let’s say your first roll is a 10: after that first step, you only have 2 numbers to worry about. You must roll another 10 to win, and you mustn’t roll a 7 or you lose.
Rolling any other numbers doesn’t affect anything. You will simply be prompted to roll again until you hit one or the other.
If you roll a 10 in this scenario: you get paid 1:1, the puck comes off, you collect your money, and a new game begins.
Table bets & Odds in Online Craps
There are a lot of possible bets a player can make all over the craps table. Let’s check them out.
- Pass line bet
You should be familiar with that one by now. We should add that this is a contract bet. Once you place a bet on the pass line, you can’t remove it. (You may remove any other bets whenever you like.)
Also, you can’t add more to the pass line bet while you’re rolling.
- Odds bet
This is an “invisible” bet behind the pass line. There is no specific label for it on the table. But it’s a pretty good one to know about, as it’s the only bet in the whole casino with 0% house edge.
This means you won’t be paying the casino any commissions on your earnings. You’ll get paid fairly.
With this one, you’re basically adding an extra bet on top of your pass line bet. If you roll the point, you’ll get paid for both your pass line bet and your odds bet.
Winnings will depend on what you land on, but you’ll always get paid in “true odds”. If you roll:
- 6 or 8: get paid 6:5 (6 ways to get a 6, five ways to get an 8).
- 5 or 9: get paid 6:4 or 3:2
- 4 or 10: get paid 2:1 or 6:3
So for instance, if your point is a 6 and you manage to roll a 6, you get paid 1:1 for your pass line bet, and $6 for every $5 in your odds bet.
- Proposition bets
At the centre of the full craps table, there is a little grid full of bets with their payouts.
While the payouts amount may seem impressive, these bets actually have a much bigger house edge. Which means bigger commissions. And also, the odds are very low that you’ll roll them.
These can be good to scatter a few small chips across at the beginning of the game if you have a couple of dollars to lose.
Sometimes you’ll see letters next to the grid:
- C = bet on craps number
- E = bet on 11
Once again, you only have 1 shot at these. So only bet what you stand to lose – that’s the main takeaway of this craps guide online!
- Field bet
You can place a bet on the “Field” section of the game, and win your bet if you roll any number that is on the Field. The most common numbers are missing, however (5, 6, 7, 8), so this bet isn’t necessarily an “easy option” like with roulette.
The house edge is reasonable on this bet, which makes it popular. Some tables have the 2 and 12 pay double or even triple, so keep an eye out for that.
- Come bet
You can place this bet in the middle of the game. This bet has the same rules as the pass line bet, so it’s a bit like placing a second pass line bet mid-game. 7-11 are your winning numbers.
Once you make your Come bet, you roll the dice. The rolled number becomes the Come point. So if you roll 8, your Come bet chip is moved to the 8.
During the next dice rolls: if you roll the pass line point, you’ll win the pass line bet, but the Come bet chip will still remain on the Come point. The Come bet is like its own mini-game within the ongoing game. BUT if 7 rolls, you’ll lose both the Pass bet and the Come bet.
If you roll the Come point, you’ll be able to collect your Come winnings and continue with the game.
- Place bet
This involves picking two of the numbers at the top of the table to bet on. Betting on 6&8 is the most common place bet as they have the best odds. Beginners should, therefore, stick to 5, 6, 8, 9.
Here are how the payouts work for each of the place bets:
- 4&10 bet: get paid 9:5 ($9 for every $5). Player must bet in increments of 5.
- 5&9 bet: get paid 7:5 ($7 for every $5). Player must bet in increments of 5.
- 6&8: get paid 7:6 (7$ for every $6). Player must bet in increments of 6.
You can place these any time, on top of other bets you have going. So for instance, you can have place bets + come bet + pass line bet all in play at the same time.
So you stand to earn quite a bit. But if you roll a 7… you lose all of them!
- Big 6 and 8 on lower right
These are quite unpopular. They are basically the same as making place bets on the 6 and 8 numbers at the top of the table, but they pay even money. So they’re not really worth betting on.
Best Online Craps Strategy
You’ll find plenty of craps strategies all over the internet. Good craps strategies are always all about how to combine your bets in the most lucrative way.
If you’re a low-roller, you might want to look up the “3, 2, 1” strategy. Or if you’re more advanced, then the “Iron Cross” could be a good one to try.
In the meantime, here are the two most important expert tips that will help you develop your own playing style.
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Break up your original bet
This is a tip that all the experts agree on. If you’re playing with more than the minimum bet, then you should be scattering your money between at least the pass line and odds bet to get more earnings.
That way you stand to win more, while your expected loss is still the same.
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Find a table with the most favourable payout
This counts in real life as it does in online casinos. At some tables, the 2&12 in the Field section will pay double and have a 5,6% house edge. And at others, they’ll pay 3x and have a 2,8% house edge.
Where to Play Online Craps: What Are the Best Sites?
Like with any other online game, you should definitely research which online casinos have the best features before signing up.
Not all casinos offer online craps, and there are only a small handful of casinos that offer live dealer craps too. So your choices will be limited, but the best site to play online craps should feature:
- Free to Play/Demo Craps + Real Money Craps
- Great bonuses & promotions
- Licenses by reputed gambling authorities (Gibraltar, Malta, UKGC…)
- Multiple payment options: including pay by phone for mobile players
- Mobile-friendly craps
Always make sure to check out a casino’s terms and conditions concerning bonuses and gameplay before depositing any money or accepting any bonuses.
Currently, the only software providers we know of that provide live craps are Vivo Gaming, GGL, and Ezugi. So make sure you check whether your online casino is affiliated to those providers if live dealer craps is what you’re looking for.