What comes to mind when you hear the word “craps”? Perhaps, the first thing to enter your mind isn’t a game played with dice. Nonetheless, it’s the name of the famous dice game played in casinos. It’s believed that the name is a spinoff of the French word “crapaud,” meaning " toad", about the original style of play by people crouched over a floor or sidewalk. The purpose of the game is to bet on the numbers that you think a pair of dice will roll. Sounds pretty easy, right?
The Rules of Craps
The reason behind the great popularity of the game of craps is that it’s so easy to play. There are very few rules you need to learn. Below, we’ve created a short list of the most basic Craps rules:
The player rolling the dice must make a Pass Line bet – either on the Pass or Don’t Pass Line (we’ll explain this in detail later.) The other players at the craps table will also place their bets.
The player rolling the dice will then roll the dice off the opposite wall of the table. The shooter’s first roll is called the “come-out roll.”
The house edge in craps will vary, depending on the type of bet you make. Single-roll bets have a house edge of 5.56% all the way up to 16.67%. In multi-roll bets, the house edge depends on the bets you’ve made.
How to Play Craps
The game of Craps makes use of a somewhat daunting-looking Craps table for betting. But fret not, after playing for a little while, you’ll find that it’s much easier than you initially thought. The clearest way to think of Craps is as having a main bet and numerous side bets. The main bet is called the Pass Line and runs around the edge of the betting tables layout.
Come-Out Roll and Pass Line Bet
Whenever a new game of Craps starts, it starts with what is known as a come-out roll. This is indicated by a black puck labelled OFF. During the come-out roll, the Pass Line bet wins if you roll a 7 or 11, and loses if you roll a 2, 3, or 12. Luckily, there are twice as many ways to win! If any other number is rolled (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10), then that number becomes the point.
Once a point has been established, then the come-out roll ends and the puck flips to ON instead of OFF. Now, the object of the game changes. You will win your Pass Line bet if you roll the point number before rolling a 7. In contrast, your Pass Line bet will lose if you roll a 7 before rolling the point number. Therefore, the only two numbers that affect the Pass Line are the point number and 7. Winning Pass Line bets are paid 1 to 1. When the Pass Line bet is settled, the puck flips back to OFF and we begin a new come-out roll.
Don’t Pass Line Bet
A Don’t Pass Line Bet means you’re betting against the player rolling the dice. You’ll want the player to “crap out” (roll a 2, 3, or 12) on the come-out roll. If, however, the player rolls a point number on the come-out roll, they’ll rethrow, at which point a Don’t Pass Bet will win, providing the shooter rolls a 7 before rolling the point number.
Side Bets
When playing craps, you have the opportunity to complement your Pass Line by making an Odds Bet. Your Odds Bet wins when your Pass Line bet wins — when the point number rolls before a 7. The Odds Bet is the best bet in the casino since there’s no house advantage attached!
Once a point number is established, a white circle will appear behind your Pass Line bet. This is where you make your Odds bet. You can wager an amount up to five times your Pass Line bet as Odds. The Odds Bet pays according to the point number:
Point NumberPays6 & 86 to 55 & 93 to 24 & 102 to 1
The most popular side bets are called Place Bets. A Place Bet will win when a number of your choice rolls before a 7 and loses if a 7 rolls first. After a point is established, you put your chips on the numbers of your choice:
A Place bet pays according to the number that it is on:
Point NumberPays6 & 87 to 65 & 97 to 54 & 109 to 5
Craps is an extremely fast-paced game that gives you the opportunity to place multiple bets. Sometimes, you can have a single bet that just keeps on winning. So, you most likely don’t want to keep dragging the same bet to the layout over and over again. Therefore, some online Craps games have created a unique feature that allows your winning bets to stay on the layout so you only have to focus on rolling the dice. Sounds nice and relaxing, right? It allows you to enjoy the game with no stress.
Craps Strategy and Tips
Since Craps is a game of chance, there is no guaranteed strategy that can help you win. However, we have four tips that can potentially help increase your chances of winning. Doesn’t that sound nice? If you’re interested in these tips, then keep on reading!
Tip 1: It’s important that you choose a trustworthy online casino. There are a lot of scammers and rogue casinos on the internet. Therefore, it’s important to carefully look into the different online casinos out there before choosing one.
Tip 2: Set a budget and stick to it. Craps can be a very addictive game. Therefore, it’s important that you set a budget and stick to it. There is a great rule saying that you should only bet what you can afford to lose. We urge you to gamble responsibly!
Tip 3: Take advantage of the opportunity to play games for free. It’s a great idea to try out the game for free before playing for real money. Most online casinos offer free versions of their games. Get familiar with the game before risking any of your own money.
Tip 4: Make sure to read the terms and conditions of bonuses before claiming them. Typically, bonuses tend to have wagering requirements attached. Furthermore, many bonuses also have expiration dates. Therefore, players need to use them before they expire. Typically, it’s always a good idea to read up on any relevant terms and conditions before playing an online casino game. It will help give you the best online gambling experience!
Of course, these tips will not guarantee winnings every time. But! Following these tips can help increase your chances of winning. Just remember that Craps is a game of chance and there is no guaranteed strategy for winning. Just lean back, relax, and enjoy the game.
The Pros and Cons of Craps Casinos
Craps is a popular game among many different age groups of players at online casinos. This is due to the fact that it’s extremely easy to play! And of course, lots of fun. But... Even though Craps is an extremely popular online casino game, there are also some downsides that you must be aware of. We’ve listed both the pros and cons of playing Craps at an online casino below.
You can practice for free using demo versions.
You only have to click a button to throw your dice.
It’s a fast-paced game, but you can set your own game speed.
It’s very easy to play and there are only a few rules.
Players can lose large sums of money in a single session due to how unpredictable the game can be. It’s a game of chance after all.
The game can be pretty repetitive, and players can potentially become bored after a while.
The game isn’t suitable for players who’re looking for any type of strategic gambling experience.
Now that we’ve gone through all of the relevant information about the game, and you have an overview of the game, why not try it out for yourself? Go and find your new favorite online casinos in Canada where to try out a game of Craps.
