Craps

Dice games historically

Games that employed dice have existed for thousands of years, dating back to a time well beyond their birth in ancient Egypt or Mesopotamia. The earliest forms of dice were made from various materials like ivory and bone, and they were astoundingly imperfect. Yet these early gaming pieces, which were undoubtedly far less uniform than the industrially created cubes we use today, were somehow endowed with an almost magical authority. Our historical cousins—from the ancient times of Egypt and Greece to those of the Romans and Persians—seem to have been utterly enamored with mixed-dice-and-board games, which often formed the centerpiece of public entertainment or elite pastimes. Even in ancient times, the divine authority of the mixed-dice-and-board kind of games was somehow guaranteed long before the Wright brothers took to the air.

"The dice are cast," Julius Caesar is purported to have said before crossing the Rubicon into Rome, and indeed, there is something about the random, yet so definitive character of dice.

Dice and dice games have played a central role in the Times of$is and$IG, when many sought solace in the power of dice to decide everything from games of small change to more important decisions. Even today, the die is perhaps the most practical tool you can use to let Chance rule. Even with the transition to online gaming, it is unthinkable to let randomized numbers appear on the screen without first assuring the viewer of the power of the little cubes.

Craps at the casino

Craps is one of the games most closely linked to DICE, but it isn't played at New Zealand's land-based casinos. This means Kiwis can only roll the DICE in an online casino (or in a private home game) if we want to experience one of the most famous gambling games in the world. And while craps hasn't quite come roaring back into the NZ gaming scene, the internet has allowed many other dice games that were once obscure to reach a level of play that they haven't seen since the mid-20th century.

The Craps game has its origins in 13th or 14th century England, where the popular Hazard game, bearing close resemblance to modern Craps, was played. Over the course of the following centuries, Hazard and its descendant games moved with players across Europe and eventually found a home in America. By the game's French incarnation in the 18th century, it had already been accepted by Aline, the hazard and craps experienced the needle of fortune, with Aline representing a poise between heads and tails (Watchers skin). On the Hey Hop table, the dice made from bones were rolled between sticks. The early versions of the game used a pair of dice with six faces. With these faces, the frontiers (theers) of French colonial New Orleans were conquered.

The game's rules went through constant refinement to eliminate cheating by both house and players, and with this simplification, the popularity of the game surged. Inescapably, it spread westward with the settlers, mostly to the mining towns (especially along the so-called 'Craps River'), and by 1860 it had crossed the Mississippi.

Craps table

The Craps table is laid out in a confusing manner, but don't let that intimidate you. The various areas on the table are different forms of wagers, many of which are quite direct. Here we cover some of the most frequently made main bets, and then we list some so-called "sucker bets" that seem to be paying off well but actually have terrible odds. For more info on this, you can check our article on craps odds.

The table's design is covered here to help you understand the game better. Each box simply represents a certain bet. You do not need to understand the whole table to play; in fact, most players could not. The first four bets mentioned below are the most common and are the best bets to make.

Placing bets in craps

As with any other game of chance, before you can start playing, you must place a bet. Your money in craps is represented by chips that are placed on the table in the desired position. In one online casino, you click the chips icon and select the value you want to use. You can choose anything from €0.50 to €100. When you are satisfied with your bet, you start the game by pressing the button to roll the dice. Once the dice have landed in the position they are meant to be in, losing bets are removed from the table, and winning bets are paid out according to the paytable.

Different variations of the game

This well-liked dice game comes in many shapes and sizes, even online. Several of the variants appear in stripped-down editions, made for those who are fresh to the craps scene. They ease novices into the gameplay, without burdening them with all the decisions and possible outcomes that a full emergence in the game and its odds would entail. This article covers the most popular versions of craps, along with their basic details and differences, so that you might more easily find a version to play and enjoy.

Varieties with House advantage

Bankcraps or Las Vegas Craps

You will most often encounter this game variant in both land and online casinos. The game offers a little over 100 different bet possibilities that include the main bets, suggestion bets, and points bets. This version is very popular among craps players, not least because of the low house advantage of around 1.4%.

High Point Craps

In this version, a roll that stops at 2 or 3 is called a 'push' and is ignored. The game restarts until a different amount is obtained. A roll of 11 or 12 automatically wins. Other sums become point numbers. The player must then throw a sum higher than the point number to win. The house advantage here is around 2.35%. That's slightly higher than for bankcraps but still relatively low.

Simplified craps

This is a variant of the game that is fairly straightforward, as there is only one bet. In this game, the player wins if he rolls 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, or 12. He loses if he rolls 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9. The house advantage in simplified craps is about 2.8%. The payouts look like the following:

• One-to-one payouts are made for both threes and fours.
• Ten or eleven pays 2:1.

More house advantages > 5%

New York Craps

This type of craps is very popular on the East Coast of the United States. The layout of the table and your betting options are slightly different from those of bank craps. The main difference is that the game does not use come bets, don't come bets, or place bets. The player has to place bets on the numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. The odds you have for payouts are identical to the actual odds, but the bank charges a commission of 5% instead. Thus, it is this percentage that constitutes the house advantage in New York craps.

Crapless Craps

This edition of the game is referred to as bastard craps. It is a basic version that is commonly found at many online casinos. The shooter designation is used for the thrower, and the first roll is called the come out roll. The shooter wins on 7, while 2, 3, 11, and 12 become point numbers. The shooter must throw the point number before 7 is thrown to win the game. This edition of craps is quite disadvantageous as the house edge is at 5.38%, and we recommend bankcraps instead.

Pengacraps

This variation of the game is known by other names, including open Craps, Fading Craps, and Die Rich Craps. Generally, the game is played in private settings and uses just one die. When wagers are placed, they are usually of a large magnitude. Players bet against the bank, which reaps the benefits of a 5-7% commission on all winnings.

Private Craps

This game, as its name suggests, is not played in casinos but instead in private contexts. Another name for the game is Gatecraps. It's about a more informal game with no table layout or banking. The player can choose between the two basic bets pass or don't pass.

Different bets in craps

In craps, you can place many different types of bets; we cover the most common ones here. They are the ones that give the least advantage to the House, which is what you want if you are betting. We mainly discuss the two bets that I think are best for beginners: 12 and Pass Line. We also present the basic mechanics of the game so that you can better understand the context these bets exist in.

Pass Line

This is the most important wager to know. The house edge is 1.41% on this wager, which is the lowest edge in craps. You simply position your chips on the section of the table with the words "Pass Line". If the first roll lands on 7 or 11, this wager wins, while it loses on 2, 3 or 12. If a different amount (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) comes up, that amount becomes the point number, and the game continues. After that, you lose if a sum of 7 is thrown before the point number has time to be thrown again. If the point number is thrown before a 7, you have instead won even money on your wager.

Don't pass the line

This wager is the opposite of the Pass Line wager. This wager wins if the come-out roll is 2 or 3 and loses if the die shows 7 or 11. If 12 shows, there's a draw, and the player gets the bet back. If more rolls occur after the come-out roll, this wager loses if the point number is rolled before a 7.

• Odds : Once a Pass Line Bet has been made and a point number has been established, you can place an additional bet that the point number will be rolled before a 7. this bet gives Different winnings depending on what the point number is:for 4 or 10, 2: 1, 5 or 9, 3:2 and 6 or 8, 6:5.
• Come: This bet is just like The Pass Line, with the difference that it is placed at any time after come out roll. The roll made after this bet then counts as this bet's come out roll.
• Don't come: This bet, in turn, is just like the Don't Pass Line, with the difference that it can only be made after come out roll.
• Place: This bet is just like the Odds bet, with the difference that you don't have to have bet on the Pass Line or Come first.
• Field: This bet wins if the sum of the dice is anything except 5, 6, 7 or 8. Gives even money for 3, 4, 9 or 10, and 2:1 if 2 or 12 is thrown.

Craps strategies

Craps offers an immense variety of possible wagers, and for many people this is a bit stressful. The bets follow all sorts of different rules, have all sorts of different odds, and yield all sorts of different payouts. However, from the perspective of a player, there is a reason to be grateful for this variety. Not only does it give us opportunities to make decisions that enhance our control over the game (or at least over our experience of it), but it also provides chances for some really interesting discussions among ourselves.

While largely a game of chance, craps does not have to be played on the basis of luck alone. The player can employ a number of strategies that make winning more likely. Betting at random is the worst method of wagering. It uses no brain power at all and is likely to lead to very huge losses. The good player uses his or her head and chooses between two basic strategies and a number of ways to carry them out. We'll first present these strategies. We might as well start with the easiest, which is also the one with the greatest probability of success.

Basic strategy

The Pass Line is the most fundamental and prevalent bet in craps. You can wager on the Pass Line at the start of the game. You win if the sum of the numbers on the dice is 7 or 11. If the total is 2, 3, or 12, you lose. If the total is any number between 4 and 10, inclusive, that number becomes the point, and the game proceeds. In this sense, the Pass Line is not just a bet. It is a wager with a unique storyline.

Winnings in craps come in a few different ways, but by far the most common is with the Pass Line bet. In this bet, the player wins if the first roll of the dice equals 7 or 11, and loses if it totals 2, 3, or 12. If the first roll shows a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, that number becomes a point. To win the Pass Line bet now$, that point number must appear again before the dice give a 7. The House Edge at the Pass Line is only 1.41%, which may be seen as really low for a casino game.

Winning strategies in craps

Before you even sit down to play, you've got to choose a number. That's what it really comes down to at the craps table: betting on the numbers. And in terms of increasing worry when things go south, there's no betting strategy better than figuring out the amount you're comfortable with. Set a number and stick to it. If you can't stick to it and break even, fine. But if you play and lose and feel in the back of your mind like you just lost a number you can't afford to lose, then you've not only lost those dollars, but you've also lost peace of mind.

Disadvantageous bets

In addition to those aforementioned, there are of course a variety of other wagers that one can make in craps. It can be tempting to experiment with the many available betting options, but every knowledgeable craps player will advise you to stick with the safer, more reliable betting choices. You can and should vary between these safer options, but you will definitely want to avoid most single-wager scenarios and, in particular, the Hard 4 and Hard 10. Again, the primary reason for this play suggestion is not because these same two wagers are the riskiest in terms of expected return, but because your limited bankroll is more than likely going to experience an increase in lifespan if these two specific wagers are not part of your 14-unit betting plan.

Advantageous bets

When it comes to bets in craps, the ones you should be betting on are the straightforward ones, such as Pass, Come, Don't Pass, and Don't Come. These bets pretty much define the game; bets other than these tend to be more complicated and are best avoided by the novice player. However, if you are looking to expand your Craps betting repertoire, you could place a bet on the Field, which carries a 2.78% house advantage. For advice on this and all other Craps bets, see our comprehensive article on Odds in Craps.

Odds of Craps

Because craps is a game of chance, it's wise to know which dice odds apply in different situations. This way, you are better equipped to make the kinds of decisions that increase your chances of coming out a winner. Knowledge of dice odds puts you in a position to tell good bets from bad bets, which is really the foundation of any strategic approach to the game.

This article presents several bets we consider wise based on the odds. We will also guide you through some bets that, in our opinion, are not that wise, so you will at least know about them. If terms used or Basic Rules of Betting are unfamiliar to you, we suggest you read up on them via the top menu.

Explanation of the odds of the game

Below are several different tables that together explain the bets one can make in craps. In the first two tables are actual odds and payouts for each bet. The actual odds are the same as the probability that a particular outcome will occur. These probabilities are always the same, no matter which online casino one plays at. Payout odds are what an online casino typically pays out in the event of a win. For example, if the payout odds are 1:1, it means that you win as much as you bet. If you bet $100 on or, you will win $100 on or.

The "House Edge" column is the most significant since it dictates your likelihood of winning. You should make wagers with as low a house edge as you can find. Some wagers seem to provide quite good returns, but when you scrutinize them, you see that the house advantage is quite high and that those wagers aren't worth making. If you're not confident yet, we suggest you initially keep to the Pass line, Come, Don't Pass line, and Don't Come. Those are, with very good reason, by far the most common bets and provide among the very best odds.

Multi roll bets

Below in the table, you will see bets requiring, even quite a few, dice rolls to be settled. As a rule, you will find all the bets worth making in this table. Bets with a high house edge, however, are worth being cautious about. An example of a bet with a high house edge is Hard 4 or 10, which gives the house an advantage of 11.11%. You should always pay attention to bets with a maximum of 5% house edge and preferably lower.

Bet	Actual odds	Paid odds	House advantage
Pass/Come	251:244	1:1	1.41 %
Don't pass/don't come	976:949	1:1	1.40 %
Pass odds/Come odds	2: 1 for 4, 10; 3: 2 for 5, 9; 6: 5 for 6: 8	2: 1 for 4.10; 3: 2 for 5.9; 6: 5 for 6.8	Less than 1 %
Don't pass odds/don't come odds	1: 2 against 4, 10; 2: 3 against 5, 9; 5:6 against 6.8	1: 2 against 4, 10; 2: 3 against 5, 9; 5:6 against 6.8	Less than 1 %
4 or 10 as a winning number	2:1	9:5	6.67 %
5 or 9 as a winning number	3:2	7:5	4.00 %
6 or 8 as a winning number	6:5	7:6	1.52 %
4 or 10 as a loser	2:1	5:11	3.03 %
5 or 9 as a loser	3:2	5:8	2.50 %
6 or 8 as losers	6:5	4:5	1.81 %
Buy 4 or 10	2:1	2:1 + commission	4.76 %
Buy 5 or 9	3:2	3:2 + commission	4.76 %
Buy 6 or 8	6:5	6: 5 + commission	4.76 %
Add 4 or 10	1:2	1:2 + commission	2.44 %
Add 5 or 9	2:3	2:3 + Commission	3.23 %
Add 6 or 8	5:6	5: 6 + commission	4.00 %
Hard way 4 or 10	8:1	7:1	11.11 %
Hard way 6 or 8	10:1	9:1	9.09 %
Big 6 or 8	6:5	1:1	9.09 %

Single roll bets

The following bets in the table are all single bets. That means each of them is settled by a single roll of the dice. Generally speaking, we advise against all of these bets with the exception of Field. The reason is that the house edge on these bets is very high. Individual roll bets can look attractive to inexperienced players because they have the potential to pay off in a big way. But any Craps player who's worth their salt knows that these are not good bets to make.

Bet	Actual odds	Paid odds	House advantage
Any seven	5:1	4:1	16.67 %
Any craps	8:1	7:1	11.11 %
Craps 3 or 11	17:1	15:1	11.11 %
Craps 2 or 12	35:1	30:1	13.89 %
Horn	5:1	27:4 for 2, 12; 3: 1 for 3, 11	12.50 %
Field 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12	5 to 4	1: 1 for 3,4,9,10,11; 2: 1 for 2; 3:1 for 12	2.78 %

Probability

What you see below is a table showing how likely it is to get each number, from 2 to 12, on a given roll. When you roll two dice, there are 36 possible outcomes, and some numbers (like 7) are more likely to come up than others. You can make a 7 with six different combinations of the two dice, which is why we are paying special attention to 7 in Craps.

Speech	Possible combinations	Actual odds
2	1-1	35:1
3	1-2, 2-1	17:1
4	1-3, 3-1, 2-2	11:1
5	1-4, 4-1, 2-3, 3-2	8:1
6	1-5, 5-1, 2-4, 4-2, 3-3	6,2:1
7	1-6, 6-1, 2-5, 5-2, 3-4, 4-3	5:1
8	2-6, 6-2, 3-5, 5-3, 4-4	6,2:1
9	3-6, 6-3, 4-5, 5-4	8:1
10	4-6, 6-4, 5-5	11:1
11	5-6, 6-5	17:1
12	6-6	35:1

Casino school-Crash Course in Craps for beginners

Craps can be a little daunting for people who have never before played this action-packed game of dice. There are so many different ways to bet and several intricate-looking rules that a new player might just throw up their hands and walk away. But if you break it down into simple components, craps becomes much less intimidating. And you never know—maybe you'll explore this game further after you understand just how simple and dynamic it is.

How to play craps

In craps, the come out roll is made with two dice, and it is sometimes the case that the result is already decided by this throw. If the come out roll shows 2, 3, 7, 11, or 12 on the dice, the round immediately ends. If the come out roll shows 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, the number becomes 'the point', which is announced by the dealer who then places a white tile on the table to show what the point is. If a point is rolled, the round continues and the dice are really rolled until either the same number as the point appears again or a 7 shows up.

Glossary and terminology

Here we list the words that can be useful to have with you for your next game of Craps.

• House edge
  This concept translates to house advantage, and is usually expressed in a percentage that shows how big the House's advantage is in terms of profits.
• Any crap
  This is a bet that the player will throw 2, 3 or 12. Should this happen, the dividend is 7:1.
• Buy bets
  This allows you to bet on 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10. You win if one of these numbers is rolled before a 7 is rolled.
• Come out roll
  This is simply the very first throw in a game of craps. If the sum of dice becomes 2, 3, 7, 11 or 12, the round is over. Whether you win or lose depends on whether you have bet on the Pass line or the Don't Pass Line. If the dice show any other sum, this number forms the point number, which you can read more about below.
• The point
  This is the number that is thrown at the come out roll, if the number not is either 2, 3, 7, 11 or 12. The Point number can be either 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10. In the post roll, you win or lose, depending on the bet you made, if the point number returns before a 7 is rolled.
• Big red
  This is a bet that a player will roll 7 on the next roll.
• Easy way
  This bet is placed on the numbers 4, 6, 8 or 10. You win if the number in question is rolled before a 7.
• Make a bet
  This bet works just like the buy bet, meaning you win if 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 are rolled. However, this must be done after a 7 has been thrown.
• Horn bet
  This is a bet that the next roll will show 2, 3, 11 or 12.
• Shooter
  This is simply the person who rolls the dice.
• Natural
  This is a come out roll that gives either a total of 7 or 11. The round then ends immediately, which is why it is called “natural”.