Craps Rules – How to Master The Online Casino Game

online craps game guideCraps is one of those tricky games that was more difficult to translate into an online format that other classic table games.

At first glance, craps rules can seem daunting because of how covered in betting sections the craps table is. But really, once you take a closer look, it’s straightforward enough to get into.

Here’s what you need to know in very simple terms. Craps a dice game. You play by betting on what numbers you’ll get on your dice rolls.

Each section of the table corresponds to a type of bet you can make. If you’re a beginner, you can play a whole game of craps by only making the very first required bet. So you don’t have to know all of craps’ rules and complex strategies to enjoy the game.

Of course, table games are much more exciting if you up the stakes and take advantage of all possible betting strategies.

Let’s break down what all that writing on the daunting craps table means and then get to the craps rules themselves.

Craps Table: What Each Section Means

craps rulesAs we mentioned, the craps table is what you’ll be playing on and what will guide your decisions. Traditional craps rules forbid you from touching your chips – you ask the dealer to place your bets in relevant sections of the table.

In the online version, of course, traditional craps rules get bent a bit. You’ll be poking the table sections on your screen to place your bets there. So it can actually be a better way to get accustomed to the table than real-life craps.

Let’s get some vocabulary out of the way first:

  • Point: the number you’ll have to roll to win
  • Craps number: the number that will make you lose if you roll it

The rules for what the point and craps numbers depend on whether you make a “pass line” bet or a “don’t pass” bet as your first action.

Don’t worry – these are explained below.

The Pass Line

This is where you’ll start your game. At the beginning of the game, you decide on whether you want to place your first bet on the pass line or the “don’t pass” bar.

The pass line is a long rectangle at the bottom of the table with “Pass Line” indicated on it. Once you’ve placed your chips there, you roll your die for the first time. During this first roll, the craps numbers will be 2, 3, and 12.

If you roll a 7, you win your pass line bet instantly.

If you roll any other number than those, that number becomes the “point”. A puck with “ON” written on it will be placed on one of the numbers at the top of the table to remind you of your goal.

Starting from now, you will be trying to roll your point and avoiding 7, which will now make you lose instantly.

The “Don’t Pass Bar”

This is the section located above the pass line. At the beginning of the game, if you place your chips at the don’t pass bar instead of the pass line, you will be playing a sort of reverse game.

Indeed, once you’ve placed your bet, the winning numbers and craps numbers are the opposite of the pass line bet. Rolling 7 and 11 will make you lose, whereas 2 or 3 will be instant winners.

Again, rolling any other number than those will establish the point. You’ll then be trying to roll 7 while avoiding the point number at all costs, as it’ll make you lose.

The “Field”

field bet crapsYou’ll find this section just above those mentioned previously. Once the point has been established, you can scatter more bets across the table to multiply your winnings.

If you place your chips on the field section, you’re betting on all the numbers that are written there (2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12).

Bets are cumulative in craps, so if your point is 9 and you make a field bet, you’ll be getting double the winnings for rolling 9.

The “Come”

This section is usually quite easily noticeable as the big central rectangle on the table, usually with “Come” written on it in bold red lettering.

Placing a “come” bet acts a bit like a second pass line bet. Usually played mid-game, it allows the player to roll and establish a second point (or “come point”).

Starting from there, if you roll your come point, you’ll get winnings and continue playing your game. So the come bet is like a mini-game of craps within your wider game.

Numbers at the Top of the Table

craps place betsAs we’ve already explained, this is where your point is indicated, but it’s also an area where one can put down their “place bets”.

You can bet on however many of these numbers you like. And seeing their pay-outs, these can be pretty interesting compared to the 1:1 payouts of both pass line and field bets.

Craps Rules: Order of Play

In craps, there are basically two parts to a game. The first part is where you establish your pass/don’t pass bet and the point.

The second part, if you manage to establish the point, is basically the rest of the game. It’s where you do all your betting and dice-rolling (or “shooting” in craps jargon).

Here’s how a game of craps usually goes, following traditional craps rules:

  • Shooter places the pass/don’t pass bet
  • The shooter rolls the die
  • If the number is neither craps nor winning number, the point is established
  • Shooter makes as many bets he wants on the table
  • Shooter keeps rolling the die until he hits winning numbers, or craps numbers
  • When a winning number is hit, shooter collects the payout
  • When all bets are either won or lost, a new game begins

The great thing about craps is that, if you just want to start off slow and play with the pass line bet, you can literally keep rolling the die until either your point or 7 comes up.

It’s entirely a chance-based game. So you can play whether you’re skilled and have all sorts of complex strategies up your sleeve, or if you’re a complete beginner.