This is a world-famous gambling club tabletop dual-dice game that is played utilizing a specially patterned table and chips for placing stakes. The most interesting part is that betting is also a crucial game mechanic. Though it takes several rounds to complete the match of craps, it is still rather dynamic and often overwhelms novice craps players.
An average ground-based gambling facility craps table fits a maximum of 22 gamblers who cast the dice in turns, whereas online craps gambling tables can possibly accommodate a bigger amount of gamblers. Simply put, in this game the gamblers need to get the required value by casting dice that are named “bones” or “ivories” on the slang of craps. All the stakes represent a premonition of the overall count of numbers on the bones. Similarly to other dice tabletop games, this one is absolutely random, thus the game results are decided by both sheer luck and strategic thinking.
Gameplay basics Craps
The initial throw of ivories, also named as “come out” part, opens the match. While the phase is on, participants have a choice between the two initial betting strategies. Thus, the first two available strategies are “Pass” on 7 or 11, and “Don’t Pass” on 2, 3, or 12. When the overall dice digits count equals the numerals that are required by the chosen wager variant to win, the comeout round is announced over. Just as many other modern gambling games, craps features a set of game-specific terms. For instance, the term “Shooter” denotes a gambler who is casting the bones.
When any other digit is cast, it becomes the “point”. The croupier places a special mark on this digit and goes around the players to accept further stakes. Afterwards the game proceeds to its next stage. The shooter then casts the ivories repeatedly, up until landing them on a point number or a 7, thus concluding the match.
| Terms for playing Craps | |
| Any craps | Bet on the following numbers: 2,3 or 12. Winning 7k1 |
| Any seven | Bet on the following numbers: 7 – Win 4 to 1 |
| Big 8 | A bet that 8 will fall out before 7 – Win 1 to 1. |
| Big 6 | A bet that 6 will fall out before 7 – Win 1 to 1. |
| Boxcars | Bet on two sixes coming up |
| Boxman | Casino worker, dealer. |
| Center bets | Single bets placed in the center of the table. |
| Craps | When the shooter rolls the numbers 2, 3 or 12 |
| Field | A bet on what will fall out 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12 – is paid 1 to 1. |
| Hardway | A bet on the fact that the same dice will fall out 22, 33, 44, etc. |
| Horn | A bet that 2, 3, 11 or 12 will fall out pays 15 to 1 or 30 to 1. |
| Inside numbers | A bet that the numbers 2, 6, 8 and 9 will come up. |
| Lay | A bet that the shooter will roll a 7 before the “point” pays 1 to 2, 2 to 3 or 5 to 6. |
| Natural | If a 7 or 11 rolls on kamout. |
| Outside numbers | Bets on 4, 5, 9 and 10. |
| Shooter | Dice thrower |
Craps table pattern
Since the craps table contains all the zones for putting chips, it is especially important for the ones new to this game to learn the layout of the board. Paying attention to the scheme also sheds light on each possible bet option’s meaning.
First of all, the basic game table consists of two sides with equal patterns. Such a layout is made specifically to accommodate more players. Besides, this also allows for two dealers to operate at the table. As for the side sections – they all correspond to the available wage variants:
- The Pass Line and Don’t Pass Bar. This zone is intended for making the most basic Pass wages.
- Big Six and Big Eight. This partition corresponds to what many players see as two of the most often placed wages. If bettors assume that the dice will result in a six or an eight, they put their wages in this corner.
- The Field. Wages placed on this box imply that the stake wins only when dice hit: 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12.
- Come / Don’t Come boxes. These correspond to two of the four most basic craps bet strategies. On a contrary to the “Pass”, the participants are only able to place chips on “Come” sections when the come out stage is over. The come box results in a victory when the dice toss results in a seven or an eleven. Alternatively, digits two or three make the Don’t Come wage trigger.
- The Place Section. This zone is located on the uppermost part of the layout. Here players make “Place” stakes. Those win by rolling: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10.
- Central Section. Located in the very middle of a table and is used by every gambler. This area is where the bettors do the single-roll wages.
Craps board schemes can differ according to the size of the board – some casinos have half-tables that fit half as many gamblers and thus have a single area for stakes. The betting variants never get altered in any way.
Main principles of craps
Beginners who play craps online for their first time can get overwhelmed, especially when they start selecting a bet. As a matter of fact, learning to play craps is far from complicated, since the rules never change and the gamblers are not obliged to employ complex betting strategies on their initial attempts. At some point, everyone can find their own best way to play craps. There are several craps rules that are rather important to memorize:
- The come out stage. The only valid betting options are the pass bets. The shooter tosses the bones only after all the other gamblers finish making their wages.
- The main game. After defining the point, craps-gamblers set their chips on various options of the landing bones value. Thus, some may decide to wage either on getting a number of their choice or the point. The shooter-player casts the ivories up until hitting a 7 or the point.
- Ending the game. By getting a point the shooter earns the opportunity to remain at this position in the next game. Landing a seven makes them “seven-out”, thus giving the shooter status to someone else.
These rules are actually easy to memorize and keep up to. Craps gets a bit more overwhelming when it comes to learning about the various available bets.
Craps betting variations
Wage making is the fundamental aspect of playing craps. It is not obligatory to memorize every single wager to understand how to play craps, but it is advised to try and use at least the most basic ones, thus making the gameplay much more comfortable. Though, pushing yourself to memorize them all will surely make the gameplay a lot less frustrating and more diverse. Craps features such bet opportunities:
- Pass Line. The bettor can be declared a winner, if ivories drop a 7 or an 11. But if they roll a 2, a 3 or a 12, then the stake is lost. Hitting any of the unmentioned numbers makes them the point. It means that this numeral must then land once again to win, but hitting 7 is an instant loss.
- Don’t Pass Line. Making this wage has somewhat opposite conditions. For the bettors to win, the required bones number is a 2, a 3 or a 12, but only during the come out stage. A 7 or an 11 will result in a loss. After the come out phase bettors lose, if bones land the point, and win by rolling a seven.
Note that after finishing the come out stage and establishing the point, players can make similar bets, called “Come” and “Don’t Come”. Though similar at the first glance, these have opposite conditions to the previous types.
- Come. The bet triggers only if a seven or an eleven is hit before rolling the point. This strategy has its own “come” point that appears by the same way the original one does, but it has to be landed again in order to win.
- Don’t Come. This wager hits when bones strike a point before a seven or an eleven. Similarly to the previous type, another digit will turn into the “come point”, but now repeating will result in a loss. A 7 is required for victory.
All the previously mentioned wagers have “even” payout odds (1:1).
- The Field. If bones land on 3, 4, 9, 10 or 11, this bet triggers with an even payout. Rolling 2 or 12 multiplies the bet by two. Any other numeral makes it a loss.
- Laying the Odds. This wager is only possible after a pass or a come bet and serves as an addition to those bets. Pass line odds win by striking a point before a seven. Don’t pass line odds work vice-versa – a seven for a win, a point for a loss.
- Place. These can be set anytime after the initial round. By betting on this strategy, the bettor chooses a number that must be landed before a 7.
- Big 6/8. Made at some round after the come out, this bet triggers only if the shooter throws a 6 or an 8 before a 7.
- Hardways. This wage is made on the “hard” numbers. Hard numbers are those resulting from both bones showing equal digits. To be exact, those include: 4,6,8 and 10. For instance, a hard 10 implies that both bones hit a 5. Numbers must drop before landing a seven, for the bettor to win.
There are also several more wagers called one rolls or “propositionals”. Those wagers are notable for their big payout odds and are extremely popular among high-rollers who want to accept the risk in exchange for greater rewards. Propositionals include:
- Any Craps. Hits by casting 2, 3 or 12.
- 2 or 12. Triggers if landed on 2 or 12.
- 3 or 11. Wins on tossing 3 or 11.
- Any 7. Hits if landed on 7.
Memorizing the wage types can help players to create their own gameplay strategies, or just diversify the gameplay for the sake of fun.
Reward Odds
Another important and helpful game aspect. Chances of landing a specific numeral are directly connected to the rewards one can expect to win whilst playing craps online for money. Simply put, the lower the chance for a number to roll – the bigger sum of the reward. Note, that the payout odds are subject to fluctuation in accordance to each strategy. Understanding this aspect is essential for placing chips more efficiently at the gameboard. The game’s wages have the following payout odds:
| Bet Type | Payout Odds |
| Pass Line / Come | 1 to 1 |
| Don’t Pass / Don’t Come | 1 to 1 |
| Laying Pass Line Odds | 1:2 on 4 or 10;2:3 on 5 or 9;5:6 on 6 or 8 |
| Laying Don’t Pass Line Odds | 2:1 on 4 or 10;3:2 on 5 or 9;5:6 on 6 or 8 |
| The Field | 1:1 for a 3, 4, 9, 10 or 11; 2:1 on 2 or 12 |
| Place | 9:5 on 4 or 10;7:5 on 5 or 9;7:6 on 6 or 8 |
| Big Six and Big Eight | 1 to 1 |
| Hardways | 9:1 on 6 or 87:1 on 4 or 10 |
| Propositional bets | |
| Any Craps | 7 to 1 |
| 2 or 12 | 30 to 1 |
| 3 or 11 | 15 to 1 |
| Any 7 | 4 to 1 |
Calculation of potential rewards gets much more simple when using this sheet. Breaking the odds into two parts is often used by the majority of players, since it is the easiest way of calculation. As an example, rolling a six on laying pass line odds has the payout of 5 to 6. It means that the croupier adds 5$ for every 6$ you win.
Miscellaneous rules
There is a set of principles that every craps-player should follow for the best game experience. Those mostly concern the game’s etiquette, yet keeping those in mind will help a beginning player to avoid conflicts with fellow gamblers and boxmen:
- Craps tables are not unlimited. Only a limited number of players can play the game at the same time, and avoiding crowdedness will make everyone feel much more comfortable and concentrated. Thus, having little to no crowd around the table makes the game much more enjoyable. Moreover, there is a limited set of special shelves for chips that are utilized by the croupier to keep track of wages. This rule is applicable only to the ground-based casinos.
- Mind the shooter etiquette. If the shooter-player closes the match by rolling the point, they remain in this position for the next match, up until landing a seven or quitting the game.
- No bets on an individual die. All the wager options of this game are made exclusively on the result of a pair of bones. Placing stake on a single die is a direct violation of rules.
- Mind the betting period. When the dealer announces that the chips are being accepted, the players are permitted to make their bets.
- Preliminary training advised. It is advisable for every beginner to try playing an online free craps version, in order to learn the basics of the game without risking the money.
Generally speaking, following those simple principles and learning at least a few of the most basic betting strategies will definitely make the gaming experience much more enjoyable and simple.
Why play Craps online?
Participating in an online variant of the game of craps is probably the best way to understand how enjoyable this game can be. Joining an online match of craps is a total guarantee of a fast-paced and comfortable gameplay experience. Besides, many modern gamblers consider playing at the best online craps casinos to be far more convenient than the land-based gambling facilities, because online casinos have much more beneficial features, such as the loyalty programs, bonuses and fast non-cash transactions.
Choosing to play craps at an online casino can be a guarantee of a secure and fraud-free gameplay. Online gambling websites use the Random Number Generator system for all the software. This system’s results are absolutely unpredictable and it is impossible to alter them by any means.
| Free Craps | Craps For real money |
| Free practice game craps | Opportunity to win money |
| The ability to play at any time | Lots of bonuses and promotions |
| Play without the risk of losing money | Variety of game options |
Most popular questions from Australian players about Craps
The essence of the game lies in the conclusion of certain bets on a special table and their calculation after throwing the dice.
A shooter is a person who rolls the dice.
The maximum payout in a classic dice game is 30 to 1 for bets on hard 2 (1 + 1) and 12 (6 + 6).
The return rate (RTP) in craps, depending on the rules and type of game, ranges from 95% to 99.5%.
Yes, this can be done directly on our website or on the website of one of the online casinos. Just start the game in demo mode for virtual money.
Live casino providers offer live dealer craps. In particular, Evolution Gaming and Vivo Gaming have tables with dice.
Depends on the casino and the rules of a particular game. Usually in online casinos the upper limit is set at $ 500-1000. There are higher limits in VIP dice.
The best dice strategy is to place mathematically profitable bets. At the initial stage – Don’t Pass Line (house edge 1.36%), then Pass Odds / Don’t Pass Odds, Come Odds / Don’t Come Odds with zero advantage. Martingale can be used as a financial strategy.
