Craps – Play Craps Online

Craps is a dice game. The bets and payouts depend on the roll of the two cubes.

What was traditionally played on the streets made its way to casino tables through the years, and it is now available in online casinos. Some versions are more complicated than others, which scares some players away, but the intricacies of the game are the attraction for many who love the excitement.

Craps is also known as three-way, a bet in the game on which players hope the shooter will roll a 2, 3, or 12 – all somewhat rare rolls.

Historical Perspective

Evidence of craps games date all the way back to the Roman Empire, when it was called hazard and played by rolling pig knuckles, also known as “rolling the bones.”

Hazard was also played in the Middle Ages among Arabs and Europeans, even mentioned in novels like the Canterbury Tales. By the 1700s, the game became one played by everyone from the poor in the streets to the rich in gambling houses.

By the time the game trekked to America in the early 1800s, it was referred to as crabs, crebs, or creps, though some French called it pass. Both English and French settlers brought it to the new world, and it became popular from farm houses to saloons, gambling boats to back alleys. When people in Louisiana pronounced crabs as craps, the mispronunciation seemed to stick.

It was soon discovered that dice could be manipulated, so a dice maker created a layout for craps games that included “pass” and “don’t pass” bets. Casinos in Las Vegas and around the country began to use the new table felt. The game skyrocketed in popularity as the games became fairer and soldiers returned from the second World War with a newfound love for the game that kept them sane during conflict.

Game Basics

Playing craps online is easier than playing in a casino because the screen guides the players as to their options and next moves. In a casino, there are as many as four croupiers and many players around the table, with quite a bit of action happening that can be confusing for the beginning player.

The action moves faster online as well. Each player at the table takes a turn to roll the dice, at which point each player bets on the roll. The shooter continues to throw the dice until a seven is rolled, which is known as sevens out.

There are numerous bets a player can make, but the main ones are as follows:

Pass bet:

• If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11, the bet wins.
• If the shooter rolls a 2, 3, or 12, the bet loses.
• If the shooter rolls any other number, that number becomes the point.
• If the shooter rolls that point number before a 7, the bet wins.
• If the shooter rolls a 7 before the point, the bet loses.

Don’t pass bet:

• If the shooter rolls a 2 or 3, the bet wins.
• If the shooter rolls a 12, no bets win.
• If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11, the bet loses.
• If the shooter rolls any other number, that number becomes the point.
• If the shooter rolls a 7 before the point, the bet wins.
• If the shooter rolls the point before a 7, the bet loses.

Come bet:

• If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11, the bet wins.
• If the shooter rolls a 2, 3, or 12, the bet loses.
• If the shooter rolls any other number, that number becomes the point.
• If the shooter rolls the point before a 7, the bet wins.
• If the shooter rolls a 7 before the point, the bet loses.

Don’t come bet:

• If the shooter rolls a 2 or 3, the bet wins.
• If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11, the bet loses.
• If the shooter rolls a 12, no bets win.
• If the shooter rolls any other number, that number becomes the point.
• If the shooter rolls a 7 before the point, the bet wins.
• If the shooter rolls the point before a 7, the bet loses.

Place bet:

• If the shooter rolls the chosen number before a 7, the bet wins.
• Players can choose 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10.

Field bet:

• If the shooter rolls the chosen number on the next roll, the bet wins.
• Players can choose 3, 4, 9, 10, or 11 for even bets, 2 or 12 for higher payouts.

Beyond Basics

The house edge is lowest when players choose the pass or don’t pass, come or don’t come bets, though payouts for players are also the lowest. Pass line bets of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 increase the payouts but also the house advantage to nearly 5%. Don’t pass odds on those same bets are better for the player.

Field bets on single numbers present a 5.5% house edge. Place bets have a range, as the numbers 6 or 8 have the lowest house edge, 5 or 9 is at 4%, and 4 or 10 have nearly 7% for the house.

Single-roll bets can pay well but are obviously harder to hit. Betting on the 7 pays 4-to-1 but gives the house an astounding edge of almost 17% over the player. Betting 2 or 12 craps pays 30 to 1 (the top payout available) but gives the house a 14% advantage.

Strategy Considerations

Players who compete in craps online most often recommend never placing proposition bets and only playing at tables where players can take odds on the pass and come bets.

The six/eight strategy is often recommended for new players, wherein placing bets on 6 and 8 have the highest number of dice combinations and the best chance of winning.

The most popular strategy is the Martingale system, which requires players to choose bets carefully and then continue increasing those bets on every roll until the player wins. It can be an expensive strategy, but many players say it gives the best chance of winning money back in the long run with a bit of a profit.