Craps is a popular table game. In Las Vegas, the only table game more casinos deal is blackjack. Nothing matches the excitement of a craps game. The cheers from a hot roll can be heard throughout the casino floor.

The layout of a craps table can feel intimidating. Many bets across the table may seem confusing. However, the concept of craps is relatively simple. Most players understand it after watching for a few rolls.

Most online casinos deal craps. It is usually dealt in a video format. Live dealer craps is difficult to create since rolling the dice is not as simple as using cards or a roulette wheel.

Advantages of Playing Craps Online Over Live Casinos

There are several reasons why playing craps online is better than live casinos. Convenience has a lot to do with it. Online craps is available at your home or on the go on mobile devices. There is no need to drive to a casino to play.

The minimum bet at online casinos is usually $1. It is at least $5, usually $10, $15, or $25, at live casinos. The electronic versions at B&M casinos usually have a minimum bet of $2, $3, or $5.

Speed is another reason to choose casinos online for craps. Players may choose how slow or fast to play craps online. When the player is ready to roll, a click of the button shoots the virtual dice. The animation may be turned off to increase the speed or left on to slow it down. The rebet button is available to replace lost chips. A live craps game and some electronic ones in casinos take 30 to 60 seconds between rolls.

Five of the Best Online Craps Casinos

Many casino sites deal online craps. Most do not permit craps as part of the bonus wagering requirement. Here are our five favorite sites offering online craps. Professional Rakeback has a full review of each included site, which you can view by clicking “READ REVIEW” in any of the boxes below. You can find more reviews in this list of the best online USA casinos.

What is Craps?

Craps is a casino table game that utilizes two dice. A craps roll starts with the shooter coming out. At live casinos, the shooter must have a Pass Line or Don’t Pass bet to get the dice. That is not the case at online casinos or video versions at live gaming establishments.

History of Craps

The history of craps is not universally accepted. Some early versions related to rolling the bones of animals in ancient societies. The most popular belief is that Sir William of Tyre invented the game as played today around the year 1125. Centuries later, the game exploded in popularity in Western Europe. Under this possible origin, the name likely came from a mispronunciation of French words used to describe it.

Craps was first played in the United States in the 18th century. It started in New Orleans and made its way to riverboats along the Mississippi River to the north of Louisiana. Craps was one of the original games played in Nevada casinos when gambling was legalized in 1931.

How Do You Play Craps?

Once bets are made, the come out roll occurs. If the first roll is a 2, 3, 7, 11, or 12, the line bets are resolved and there is another come out roll. If it is a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, the number becomes a point. When a point is established, the roll continues until either that number comes or seven hits.

There are many side bets unrelated to the line bets. These include placing and buying numbers, the Field, and a variety of prop bets.

Pass Line Versus Don’t Pass

There are two main bets at a craps table. The most popular is the Pass Line. The other is Don’t Pass. These are bets on opposite outcomes. In a live craps game, the shooter must bet on one. Electronic and online craps games do not require a line bet for action.

How the Pass Line Works

The Pass Line is the most popular bet on the craps table. It is thought to be the way to cheer with the dice. The Pass Line wins if the come out roll is a 7 or 11. If the come out roll is a 2, 3, or 12, it loses. A 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, become the point. When the point is established, the shooter must make it before rolling a 7 to win the Pass Line.

True odds may be placed on the Pass Line once a point is established. The maximum at casino sites is usually double or triple. At live casinos, it can be as high as 100 times. Several Horseshoe casinos in the U.S. offer 100 times craps.

How the Don’t Pass Works

The Don’t Pass works in the opposite way as the Pass Line. It loses when the come out is a 7 or 11. It wins if the first roll is a 2 or 3. It pushes on a 12. If the come out roll is a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, that number becomes the point. The Don’t Pass player wants a 7 to hit before the point.

Some casinos push the 2 instead of the 12 on the Don’t Pass. Examples of this include casinos in Australia and Northern Nevada. It does not affect the odds as a 2 and 12 each happen every 36 rolls on average. Like the Pass Line, true odds are available on the Don’t Pass once the point is established up to the posted table maximum.

The Don’t Pass bet may be removed from the table after establishing a point. That is because the bet is a favorite when it survives the come out roll. The Pass Line bet must stay on the table until resolved because it becomes an underdog after a point is established.

How Craps Odds Work

Pass Line, Don’t Pass, Come, and Don’t Come odds bets offer true odds once a point is established. These return 100% to the player. It is the best table game bet in the casino. If the Pass Line, Don’t Pass, Come, and Don’t Come bet wins, the odds also win. If the main bet loses, so do the odds.

The odds match the same probability of the outcome. The payouts are listed below:

Pass Line and Come Odds Payouts

• 4 and 10: 2/1
• 5 and 9: 3/2
• 6 and 8: 6/5

Don’t Pass and Don’t Come Odds Payouts

Since the Don’t Pass and Don’t Come are favorites, the odds require laying money.

• 4 and 10: 1/2
• 5 and 9: 2/3
• 6 and 8: 5/6

Other Craps Bets

There are many other bets on a craps felt. Some are one-roll bets. Others require certain outcomes that may require multiple rolls to resolve.

One-Roll Craps Bets

The following bets are resolved after one roll. The bet must be replaced if it loses to remain in action. If it wins, the bet stays in action unless the dealer is told to remove it, or in the case of an electronic or online casino craps game, it is removed by the player.

Field

The Field is the most common one-roll craps bet. It wins on a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. It loses on a 5, 6, 7, or 8. That may seem like a lot of numbers that allow the Field to win.

However, The 5, 6, 7, and 8, add up to 20 of the 36 possible rolls. This is why the 2 and 12 pay double. Some live casinos in Las Vegas and Detroit pay triple on a Field 12. That cuts the house edge of the Field bet in half. All other Field wins pay even money.

The Field is the only one-roll bet where the player controls the action in a live game. Winning bets and the original one must be removed from the felt by the player or else it stays in action on the next roll.

Hop Bets

Hop Bets come in a variety of ways. They pay off on particular combinations of the two dice. The most common are on 2, 3, 11, and 12. At a live game, throw your chips to the stickman. At an online one, choose the denomination of chips you want to use and then click the proper hop bet box.

Some slang terms include aces for the 2, ace-deuce for the 3, and yo for the 11. Some live tables offer hops for any combination of dice. Rolls that are pairs pay 30/1. All other Hop Bets pay 15/1.

Any Craps

Any Craps wins on a 2, 3, and 12. It pays 8/1.

Big Red

Big Red is any 7. It pays 4/1. If you plan to bet three chips on Big Red, you decrease the house advantage by instead handing three chips to the dealer and asking to hop all the 7s. There is not a way to do this in most video or craps games online. At a 16.67% house advantage, Big Red is the worst bet on the craps table.

Multi-Roll Bets

There are many multi-roll bets on a craps table. These stay on the table until resolved. The player may remove some before resolution.

Come Bets

The Come works just like the Pass Line. It is only available when a point is established as the Pass Line is otherwise open. The Come is a side bet for a new number. It wins on a 7 or 11. It loses on a 2, 3, or 12. If the first roll after the Come is placed is a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, the Come wins if that number is rolled again before a 7.

Don’t Come

Like the Come, the Don’t Come is not available on the come out roll. It works just like the Don’t Pass. It wins on a 2 or 3 on the next roll. It loses on a 7 and 11. The 12 is a push, except in some markets that swap the bar with a 2. If the first roll is a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, the Don’t Come wins if a 7 comes first. It loses if the shooter makes the number before throwing a 7.

Hardways

There are four hardway bets at the center of the table. A hardway is doubles. The hardway bets win if the number comes as doubles before it comes another way or a 7. For example, if a player bets the hard 8, it wins if a pair of 4s come before an easy 8 like a 3 and 5 or 2 and 6. If an easy 8 or a 7 comes before the hard 8, the bet loses.

Hardway Payouts

• Hard 4: 7/1
• Hard 6: 9/1
• Hard 8: 9/1
• Hard 10: 7/1

Place Bets

Place Bets are side bets on numbers. These win if the number is rolled any way before a 7. If a 7 comes first, it loses. Here are the payouts:

• Place 4 and 10: 9/5
• Place 5 and 9: 7/5
• Place 6 and 8: 7/6

Buy Bets

At online casinos and electronic table games, buy bets are available on all numbers. It's a bet that the number selected will appear before a 7.

Buy bets pay true odds minus a 5% commission, which is removed from all wins. It is better to buy the 4, 5, 9, and 10, as opposed to placing them, when available. The payout is better on the place bet for the 6 and 8.

At live craps games, the only buy bet available is on the 4 and 10. Most casinos charge 5% of the bet, not the win. It rounds down. For example, a $25 Buy 4 pays $49. The true commission is $1.25. Since there are no quarter chips on craps tables these days, it rounds down to $1. Most casinos round winning $50 bets down to a $2 commission.

Lay Bets

Lay bets are basically the opposite of Buy bets. They're a wager on the 7 appearing before the chosen number.

Lay bets pay true odds minus a 5% commission. Unlike Buy bets, the commission is levied on the possible win amount, not the amount bet. Just as with Buy bets, the effective commission percentage may change depending on how fractions of a chip are rounded.

Big 6 and 8

The Big 6 and 8 tend to be fairly popular wagers for novice players due to their large size and prominence in the middle of the table. The problem, however, is that the Big Six and Eight only pay 1:1, and the odds of landing a six or eight is 6:5. Because of this, the Big 6 and 8 are known as bad bets.

Seasoned craps players will tell you to place a six or eight instead as you'll receive more money when a 6 or eight is landed and the house edge will be significantly reduced.

Live Craps Etiquette

A live craps game may be intimidating to new players. Getting the feel for the game at online casinos or on video versions at traditional casinos is one way to get started. Once you are ready to hit the live tables, there are some etiquette rules and superstitions to know.

Buy Chips Before Come Out Rolls

The speed of a craps game is important. While the casino will take your cash for chips at any time, it slows the game down when done in the middle of the roll. Some players may feel that it cools the dice down. It is better to have this delay when the dice are coming out when the roll does not matter as much.

Never Say the Number 7 During the Roll

Many casino players have superstitions. Craps has many. The biggest may be the number 7 when spoken during a roll. Most players bet the Pass Line, Come, and numbers. A 7 wipes out all those bets at once. If the point is established, don’t say that number. If it gets rolled, you may draw the ire of the table.

Get Bets in Early

Craps is the most fun when it moves quickly. Get your bets into the dealers as soon as possible. Once the dice are out, do not throw chips onto the table. Not only can it cause confusion, but the dice may hit your chips and cause them to roll the unlucky number that causes all bets to lose.

Keep Your Hands Above the Table

It may be tempting to rest on the padded rails of a craps table. If you do, make sure your hands stay above it. If your hands are near the rail on a roll, the dice could hit them and change course. You don’t want that 7 to be your fault.

Drink Behind the Rail

While casino social media accounts often show pictures of players at craps tables having a good time holding drinks above the table, that is poor etiquette. Dealers will ask you to stop. If you continue, they will ask you to leave. Spilling a drink on the craps felt is a major casino party foul. The same goes for cigarettes. There is a shelf on the edge of the craps table for drinks and ashtrays. Keep the smoke and drinks there and do not lean them over the table.

Blowing Smoke Across the Table

One way to get on the bad side of dealers and players is blowing smoke in their faces. If you smoke in casinos, keep the cigarette away from the table. Blow the smoke up as the casino’s ventilation will pull most of it away.

Nowadays, many casinos explicitly prohibit smoking at table games entirely. In this instance, if you wish to smoke, you'll need to step away from the table and take a smoke break.

Betting for the Dealers

Most dealers prefer to have something to cheer for at the craps table. You can place a bet for the dealers on line bets and the Field. Make sure to let them know. Dealer bets may be below the table minimum. You may also bet the dealers on any other bet. Place those chips within reach of the dealer and let them know that action is theirs. If you prefer to tip without putting it into action, tell the dealer it is a hand-in.

Another common way to bet for the dealers is to place what is called a "two-way" wager. This means you'll be placing one bet for yourself, and another on the dealer's behalf on the same outcome. If you wish to do this, simply tell your dealer you'd like to place a "two-way" bet and what you want to bet on.

Hit the Back Wall When Shooting

The dice go around the table clockwise. You may place a line bet or pass the dice on your turn. If you decide to shoot the dice, it is imperative that you hit the back wall. This allows the dice to be random and prevents sliding that may affect the outcome. If you repeatedly fail to hit the back wall, the pit supervisor may not allow you to shoot anymore.

Retrieving Lost Dice

Dice will inevitably take a bad bounce and go off the table. As long as it is not a common occurrence, it is not a big deal. The dealers may not go after dice that hit the floor. Players must retrieve those dice. If you help get a die, make sure it is visible to the camera at all times while only using one hand. The shooter may request the same dice when this happens. If they do not, the lost die goes into the holder and returns on the next roll.

Craps Slang

There are many terms used at the craps table that may be unfamiliar to new players. Here are the most common ones:

• Aces: This is a hop bet or roll on the number 2, which involves both dice rolling 1.
• Ace-deuce: Ace-deuce is a 3, consisting of a 1 and a 2.
• Big One on the End: Another name for a 10.
• Big Red: This is the prop bet on a 7.
• Box: Where the pit supervisor sits while watching the game.
• Boxcars: Another name for a 12.
• Color Up: When a player leaves the table and receives high denomination chips for smaller ones.
• Coming Out: A roll when no point is established.
• Dark Side: A bet or bettor on the Don’t Pass or Don’t Come.
• Fever: Another name for a 5.
• For the Boys: A bet for the dealers.
• High-Low: A bet on the 2 and 12.
• Horn: A bet on a 2, 3, 11, and 12.
• Little Joe: This is often the call when a 4 is rolled by the shooter.
• Midnight: Midnight is a 12 roll or hop bet.
• Pit Boss: The table game supervisor watching the game.
• Seven-Out: A 7 that is rolled after a point is established.
• Stickman: The dealer who runs the game and pushes the dice to the shooter.
• Toke: A tip for the dealers.
• Whirl: A bet on the 2, 3, 7, 11, and 12. If a 7 is rolled, the bet pushes and returns. It is also known as a World bet.
• World: A bet on the 2, 3, 7, 11, and 12. If a 7 is rolled, the bet pushes and returns. It is also known as a Whirl bet.
• Yo: A yo is an 11. This is used because 11 can sound too much like 7 at a busy game.

Types of Craps Games

There are many types of craps games, including live, electronic, and virtual. There are a few hybrid games in casinos that have real dice but bets are made on screens instead of with chips.

Live Craps

The most common form of craps is at a live table. Most have three dealers and a pit supervisor operating the game. Live dice and chips are used and there is a stickman who pushes the dice to the shooter. Dealers handle most bets.

Video Craps

Video craps is the most common version at online casinos. A random number generator determines the roll of both dice. This creates the same outcome as live dice. Bets are placed on a touchscreen with virtual chips. The minimum bet is usually $1.

Stadium Craps

Stadium craps allows banks of machines to bet on the same craps game. In some stadium games, two dice are rolled in a bubble. Some are hybrid games with live dice and a dealer. Players are called up to the felt to shoot the dice. Bets are made on touchscreens.

Roll to Win

Roll to Win Craps is a hybrid version of the game that is quickly replacing live tables in casinos. It has an electronic table with real dice. Only one dealer is needed in Roll to Win Craps. The minimum bet is usually lower than at live tables.

Bubble Craps

Bubble Craps comes in several forms. It may be a multiplayer game like the Shoot to Win version. There are also heads-up versions of the game that allow players to control the speed of the action. Bubble craps comes in traditional, easy, and crapless forms.

Crapless Craps

Crapless Craps was invented by Bob Stupak at Vegas World in Las Vegas. That casino is The Strat, once called Stratosphere, today. The game is dealt there to this day. It is dealt at more than 20 other Las Vegas casinos as well as some in regional markets. It is not dealt at online casino sites.

In Crapless Craps, there are no don’t bets. The Pass Line and Come bets cannot be lost on the first roll. If it is a 7, the Pass Line or Come wins. Any other number becomes the point. That means if the come out roll is an 11, it does not automatically win. The shooter must make the 11 before a 7 to win the Pass Line. The same is true of the 2, 3, and 12. This triples the house advantage of the Pass Line and Come bets when compared to the traditional game.

Crapless Craps games do not have lay bets. The 2, 3, 11, and 12 may be placed and bought. It is better to buy these numbers as opposed to placing them in terms of the house edge.

Easy Craps

Easy Craps is a simplified version of Crapless Craps. Easy Craps does not have Come bets. Buy bets are not available. Otherwise, it is the same as Crapless craps as there are no Don’t Pass or Don’t Come bets on the table. The 2, 3, 11, and 12, become points.

House Advantage of Craps Bets

There are many different types of craps bets. Each has a different house advantage. Here is a list of the most common ones and the theoretical percentage the house holds.

• Any Craps: 11.11%
• Hard hop bets, like 2 and 12: 13.89%
• Easy hop bets, like 3 and 11: 11.11%
• Big Red (any seven): 16.67%
• Big 6 and 8: 9.09%
• Pass Line and Come: 1.41%
• Don’t Pass and Don’t Come: 1.36%
• Field, 2 and 12 pay double: 5.56%
• Field when either 2 or 12 pays triple and the other pays double: 2.78%
• Place 6 or 8: 1.52%
• Place 5 or 9: 4%
• Place 4 or 10: 6.67%
• Buy (commission paid on bet size): 4.76%
• Buy 4 or 10 (commission paid on win only): 1.67%
• Buy 5 or 9 (commission paid on win only): 2%
• Buy 6 or 8 (commission paid on win only): 2.27%
• Hard 6 or 8: 9.09%
• Hard 4 or 10: 11.11%

Practice & Free Games

Online casinos are perfect for learning how to play craps. That is because free craps is available at them.

In most cases, players do not need to make an account to get started. The software opens with a seed bankroll that is usually 10,000 chips. This allows players to learn the rules of craps and get a feel for the software without making a deposit. Betting strategies like betting the Pass Line or Don’t Pass may also be tried here before playing real money craps.

Craps Strategies

There are several ways to bet at a craps table. Here are some of the most popular ones.

Pass Line and Come

The most popular way to bet at a craps table is on the Pass Line and Come. This allows players to bet with the dice. It is more fun to most and produces larger wins especially when taking maximum odds, placing numbers, and making hardway bets.

To bet this way, start a roll on the Pass Line. Once a point is established, take full odds. Making Come bets and placing numbers adds to the experience of this type of action. Don’t load up too much on the craps felt. A 7 will wipe out all these types of bets.

Don’t Pass and Don’t Come

The Don’t Pass and Don’t Come bets are the opposite of the Pass Line and Come. These bettors want the numbers to lose. While this is seen as betting with the casino, the house edge is lower from these types of bets. It is often called the dark side because it is betting against the shooter. This type of bettor gets crushed in hot rolls but wins all established bets on a seven-out.

Online Craps Promotions

Online casinos got burned on craps bonuses in the early days. That means the game is often excluded from bonuses and all promotions. If online craps is available under the terms and conditions of a bonus, the wagering requirement is usually 20 times more than the slot one. Odds don’t play into most wagering requirements.

This is similar to video craps at live casinos. Most machines do not award slot points. Free play typically cannot be used on these types of games.

If your favorite online casino permits craps under its bonus terms and conditions, do not play opposing bets at the same time, like the Pass Line and Don’t Pass. If you make these types of bets to clear a bonus, you risk breaking the rules, and your account and winnings may be locked.

Mobile Apps

Mobile apps are a popular way to play online craps. Most online casinos have iOS and Android apps for this and most other games. Those who prefer traditional computer play always have Windows and Mac platforms available.

Summary

Online craps is one of the best games to play. It is fast, has a low house edge, and is full of action. There are many different ways to place a craps online bet. The $1 minimum bet is lower than what is found at casinos.

Avoid the sucker bets like hardways and hops, and you can make your bankroll last longer while increasing your chances of winning. Don’t forget to take max odds on all your Pass Line, Come, Don’t Pass, and Don’t Come bets. If the Field does not pay triple on 12, you should probably skip it.

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Craps FAQs

Altthough we have done our best to cover all of the most important aspects regarding craps in this article, craps is complex, and you may have unanswered questions. If so, please feel free to review the frequently asked questions section below.