Whether playing online craps or a live game, craps is a game truly designed for the gambler that knows how to play the odds. The rules are somewhat complicated and require that you apply yourself to learning the game if you intend to be successful and actually make a profit. The payout odds range from some of the best available in any casino game to the absolute worst odds you can find. For example, the odds on a “craps” bet give the house no advantage. In other words, the playing field is even. On the other hand, the odds of the shooter rolling a 2 are 35 to 1, but the payout for winning this bet is only 30 to 1, ($30 for every $1 bet) which adds up to a house advantage of 13.9%. That’s worse than just about any slot machine you will ever play. If you are looking to play online craps, knowing the odds involved with the game is essential unless you don’t mind throwing your money away.
If you’re new to craps, the first thing you’ll notice when you sit at your first online craps table is the huge amount of betting options on the table. It can be a bit overwhelming with so many ways to bet until you manage to figure out the various nuances of the game. While craps can be a bit daunting and definitely complicated when it comes to understanding the odds involved, we can at least get you started. By the end of this article you will be able to get a start in the game and place some of the more basic bets on an online craps table.
Game Opener
There are two types of players on the craps table. The shooter – the person rolling the die, and the bettor – the other people at the table placing bets.
A craps round starts by placing bets on either the “pass line” or the “don’t pass line.” No other bets are allowed in the opening round of craps games.
If you place a bet on the pass line, you are betting that the shooter will roll a 7 or 11 on their first roll. If you place a bet on the don’t pass line you are betting that the shooter will roll a 2, 3, or 12. If you bet the pass line and win, you are paid the same amount as you bet, but if the shooter rolls a 2,3, or 12, you lose the bet. If you bet the don’t pass line and the shooter rolls a 2 or 3, you are again paid the same amount you bet, but if the shooter rolls a 12 it’s a push, (neither you or the house wins.) A roll of 7 or 11 loses to the don’t push bet.
Point Roll
If the first roll is 4,5,6,8, or 10 the dealer places the “ON” button on whichever of those numbers the shooter rolled (the “point”) and the next round of play begins. Now the shooter tries to roll the point number again. If the shooter hits the point number, they win their point bet and may continue rolling. However, if the shooter rolls a 7 before rolling the point number, they “crap out” and a new round is started with a new shooter.
It is important to note that 7 is the number that has the most possible combinations to roll, so keep that in mind when craps betting.
During this round of play a bettor may place a come or don’t come bet, which works pretty much the same way the pass/don’t pass bets do. The bettor is betting that the shooter will either hit his point bet, or that they will miss is and a new “come out roll” is established.
Like I said, it can be a bit daunting, and we’ve only scratched the surface, but this will at least get you started. Practice playing with free online craps tables until you get a feel for the game and at least a rudimentary understanding of the odds and bets involved.