Craps rules explained

Craps has to be the most exciting of all the table games at the casino. When the dice are flying across the table, as the excitement picks up, with everyone standing at the craps table waiting to see what the shooter will throw to determine whether they win or lose, it is all for the roll of those two little die as they bounce around and come down to make you a winner. Eager to get those dice rolling online? Visit Online Vegas Casino for an exhilarating experience of online craps now!

Most online casinos have a ‘free play’ option that enables new players to try out their skills with practice cash, familiarizing themselves better with craps rules, before taking the plunge into the exciting world of online craps with real cash outlays. Alternatively, you can practice your hand, playing free versions of the game that are readily available online, with or without download.

Online Craps – Rules of the game

Craps is fundamentally an easy game to learn, and our aim in writing this guide is to cut through the confusion surrounding the different bets and explain precisely the various combinations with the corresponding payouts.

Origins of Craps

Craps’ origins can be traced to an old 12^th century English game called “hazard”. It is believed that an early form of the game may have been developed as far back as the Crusades, which was then further influenced by French players. However the American version played today was first introduced in New Orleans. The modern name of the game originates from the French word crapaud, meaning “toad” and has seen its popularity grow ever since.

Playing Craps online

Craps is played by one or more players against a casino. The casino covers all player bets at a table and fixes the payout odds. It is played with two dice. The shooter throws the dice while players at the table place bets predicting the roll of the dice. Each first roll of a new round is called the "come-out roll". The second round is then resumed with the roll of a “point” or a seven.

First, the shooter makes a "come-out roll" in the aim of establishing a point. To place a Pass Line Bet, click on the section marked “Pass Line” with the mouse to deposit chips. If the shooter's come-out roll is a 2, 3 or 12, it is called "craps" (also called a "crap out") and the round ends with players losing their pass line bets.

A come-out roll of 7 or an 11 is called a "natural," resulting in a win for pass line bets.

In both cases, the come-out roll is played out by the shooter until a point number is thrown. If the point numbers 4/5/6/8/9 or 10 are rolled on the come-out, this number becomes the "point". This concludes the come-out roll. The dealer then places an "On" button identifying the point number to all players at the table. The shooter continues until he rolls either the point number or a seven. If the shooter is successful in rolling the point number, the result is a win for the pass line. If the shooter rolls a seven (called a "seven-out"), the pass line loses. A seven-out signals the end of the round. Once you are familiar with the pass line will allow you a better grasp of the rules of craps. The ‘Don't Pass Line’, which is the reverse of the ‘Pass Line’ except only for the fact that the 12 is considered a “tie” or a “push”.

Alternative wagering combinations

In the following table, we describe the variety of possible bets that may be placed in craps once you have mastered the basics.

Name of Bet	Description
Odds	When made with ‘Pass Line’ ‘Come’ bets, it predicts the point will be rolled prior to a 7. When played with Don’t Pass Line Bets and Don’t Come Bets, it predicts a 7 will be rolled before the shooter’s point.
Come	Similar to Pass Line Bets but placed after the come-out roll
Don’t Come	Similar to Don’t Pass Line Bets but placed after the come-out roll
Big 6	Predicting a 6 to roll prior to a 7
Big 8	Predicting an 8 to roll prior to a 7
Aces	Predicting a 2 on the next roll
Twelve	Predicting a 12 on the next roll
Any 7	Predicting a 7 on the next roll
Any 11	Predicting an 11 on the next roll
Any Craps	Predicting a 2, 3 or a 12 on the next roll
Place Win	Bet that the chosen number (4/5/6/8/9/10) will roll prior to a 7
Place Lose	Bet that a 7 will roll before the chosen number (4/5/6/8/9/10)
Buy	Similar to Place Win with alternative payout, but house charges 5%
Lay	Similar to Place Lose with alternative payout, but house charges 5%
Field	Predicting 2/3/4/9/10/11 or 12 on the next roll
Hardway	Predicting a double (ex. two 4’s) will roll prior to a 7
Horn	Predicting 2/3/11 or 12 on the next roll

One final table that may be useful to consider and keep in mind when you are placing your bets at the craps table, is an illustration of the probability of dice combinations that contribute to determine payout odds. The 2 and 12 are the most difficult to roll, while the 7 offers the greatest number of possible combinations, hence its pivotal role in the game – no pun intended!

Dice Roll	All Possible Combinations
2	1-1
3	1-2, 2-1
4	1-3, 2-2, 3-1
5	1-4, 2-3, 3-2, 4-1
6	1-5, 2-4, 3-3, 4-2, 5-1
7	1-6, 2-5, 3-4, 4-3, 5-2, 6-1
8	2-6, 3-5, 4-4, 5-3, 6-2
9	3-6, 4-5, 5-4, 6-3
10	4-6, 5-5, 6-4
11	5-6, 6-5
12	6-6

Playing strategy and tips

Given the fact that the house sets the paid odds to below the mathematical odds, the game is stacked in favour of the casino. Furthermore, since there is no correlation between individual die rolls, it is impossible to devise a long-term winning strategy in craps. Making the best use of the odds bet in connection with the line bet will reduce, but not eliminate the house edge. Keep in mind that many casinos place a limit on the amount a player can place on the odds bet in relation to the flat bet. Here are a few important principles to remember in the heat of the game:

• Play within your means (set a budget or “bankroll”)
• Set loss limits
• Set goals for the session, avoiding the urge to splurge winnings
• Choose a system per session or shooter, and stick to it
• Do not assume that certain numbers are due to come or not

Online Craps – The fun starts here!

Now that you have read craps rules and discovered the many intricacies of the game you can put your new found knowledge to the test and experience the sheer thrill and excitement of online craps, so dive in at the table and place some chips on the felt at the Online Vegas Casino.

Good luck!