How to Play Craps

Craps is played at a special table that has different betting areas. The player, who is known as the shooter, will throw a pair of dice onto this table and the outcome depends on which numbers show up.

Now Craps can be a pretty daunting table game, particularly when played at a land-based casino, because everything happens so fast that there is no time to ask questions. This is an advantage of online craps because you’ll feel less social and time pressure and will be able to figure out what’s happening on the table. It’s still always better to know the rules, understand the table betting areas and to learn how to play craps before you get started.

This is the process for playing online craps:

1. Click on different betting areas of the table to place chips. At this point you can only bet on the Pass bet line or Don’t Pass bet line.
2. Shoot the come-out roll.
3. If you roll a point, the puck will switch from off to on and the real game will begin.
4. Place additional bets.
5. Keep rolling until you reach your point or a 7, depending on your bet.

Craps Terms

• Pass bet – This bet should be placed before the first roll, the “come-out roll”, because this gives you the best odds. If you roll a 7 or 11 in the come-out roll, you’ll win even money. If you land a 2, 3 or 12, you’ll automatically lose the round. If you land any other number, this number will become your point number. Your aim is for the shooter to re-roll the point number, and he’ll keep on rolling until he gets this number. If he lands the point number before a 7, you’ll win even money.
• Don’t Pass bet – This is basically the opposite of the Pass bet. In the come-out roll, a 2 or 3 will pay you out even money, and a 7 or 11 will lose the round. Then after this, if you roll a 7 before your point number you’ll win even money; and if you roll your point number first, you’ll lose.
• Come bet – This bet is similar to the Pass bet, but it is placed after the come-out roll. Here, you will also win if your Come point number is rolled before a 7.
• Point – This is the number that is rolled in the come-out roll, and is any number except for 7, 11, 2, 3 or 12. This number will then be the point number for the round.
• Line bet – This is the Pass Line bet or Don’t Pass Line bet, which have opposite implications, as described above.
• Hard way – This is betting that both dice will show the same numbers, such as 22 or 44, which is then known as Hard 4 and Hard 8 respectively.
• Lay bet – In this bet you are betting on 7 showing up before the point number, just with different odds.
• Shooter– This is the player who is rolling the dice.

Craps strategy

Craps is a complicated table game with many bets to understand, so it’s important to have an optimal craps strategy. If you’re just starting out, don’t confuse yourself by trying to learn all the betting options. One of the most valuable tips we can share with you is that you should just stick with the Pass bet to start off with which is the most simple and straightforward betting option. Once you are comfortable with this bet and have a couple of rounds under your belt, then do some homework and move on to the other betting options. There are a number of other bets you can place in craps, including The Odds, Laying the Odds; Come, Don’t Come, Place, Place to Lose, Buy and Lay as some examples.

Even though craps online is less daunting than it is on the live casino floor, it is still recommended to play the craps simulator game for a while in practice mode like the one available at Casino.com, so that you can get confident and comfortable. Play a couple of craps no download rounds for free and once you have a working system in place you can move across to the real money mode.

Final Words on Craps

Once you’ve figured out how to play online craps, you’ll be able to participate in one of the most exciting table casino  games available. There are many different betting options for you to choose from. Work on coming up with the best craps strategy by learning the game and playing free craps in practice mode first.

We at South African Online Casino have put together a list of the best online casinos that offer craps . 

Pick your top craps casino, practice, and then start shooting at the real money craps table!