Craps Odds
Online craps is an exciting casino game enjoyed by many players, but looking at how it’s treated in many lobbies, you’d never guess.
Unlike other popular online casino games that you will see front and center, craps is usually relegated to the specialty games section.
Now, the fact that you’re here reading this article, means you know how good this game is, so you do not need any convincing. Let us jump straight to telling you what you can expect from this game.
There will be a learning curve, there’s no way to sugarcoat this. But if you are serious about learning the ins and outs of online craps, you’ll find that it won’t be difficult.
Our gambling experts at bestodds.com have prepared this article to give you the low down on this game to help you to play like a pro. Let’s dive right in.
Best Online Casinos With Real Money Craps
Online casino gaming can be a tricky affair, even when you are playing the more popular games in the lobby.
Now imagine that you are looking to play a lesser-known table game, there’s so much to consider. This can be a challenge, especially if you are new to online casino gaming.
Below, we’ve listed some of the aspects you need to take into account when looking for the right online craps casino site for you.
- Game selection: sure, you are looking for an online craps site. But are you going to be playing craps exclusively? Of course not. You need to find a site that offers much more than craps. A good variety of games in the lobby will ensure that you have an enjoyable, all-around gambling experience.
- Bonuses for craps players: let’s be honest, craps is not as popular as slots, blackjack, or roulette in the casino. So it’s not surprising at all to see that many bonuses are aligned with these other games. So if you find a casino that offers a good bonus for craps, that’s where you need to be.
- Apps / mobile casino craps: online casino sites have a range of platforms on which they run. The best online casino will have options for Android, iOS, and mobile web browser apps.
- Ongoing promotions: new player welcome bonuses are fantastic. They give you a chance to see what the online casino is really about. But this is nothing to get too carried away with. You need a casino that will offer ongoing promotions for existing players.
- Legal/regulated brands: make sure you stay within the confines of regulated sites. Offshore casino sites are unregulated and cannot be vouched for by anyone. The best online casinos for playing craps are those that are periodically audited and regulated by a known entity.
Craps Available At Legal US Casinos
Online casino gaming is legal in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia. Casino operators in these states allow players to enjoy a wide variety of games. One of these is online craps.
As we mentioned earlier, online craps is not the most dominant game in casino lobbies. That said, you have a handful of options you can enjoy.
To find these, you need to scroll through the online casino site and check out the specialty game section.
Free Craps Vs. Real Money Craps
The best online casinos hosting craps will allow you to play either for free or for real money. Since we are gamblers at heart, we would always go for the real money option.
But, you need to realize that each gaming option has benefits, it just depends on what you’re looking for at the time.
The free play mode is great if you are a new player and want to learn how craps works. You can also use the free or demo version if you are a seasoned player and curious how a new title pays out. Demo play requires no investment on your part.
You are using fake money and will not earn any real-world rewards from this game format. If you want to keep your earnings, you need to take part in a real game using real money.
Below, we highlight the advantages of both free and real online craps casinos:
Advantages Of Free Craps Casinos
- You play with no investment on your part
- You can try new titles and game strategies
- Fake money is also good when you want to see how a game pays out
- New players can play for free while figuring out if craps is for them
Advantages Of Real Money Craps Casinos
- It’s much more exciting when you play for real money
- Stand a chance to win sizeable amounts
- You can claim casino bonuses only when playing for real money
- Live dealer craps can only be played for real money
Online Craps Vs. Live Craps
The first thing everyone thinks about when we compare online and live craps is convenience. Yes, it’s more convenient and we dare say desirable, to play on your mobile when and wherever you want.
But they are also other key differences you find in these game formats.
If you have any experience with online casino games, you agree that more often than not, this is where you will find the lowest minimum bets. The live lobby does not have the time or the resources to accommodate low-stakes players.
When you play online, you can even find places where you can wager as little as 50 cents per game.
Craps is a highly social game. If you have been to a land-based casino where this game is available, we’re sure you agree.
Most of the bets you will find placed on the tables are on the pass line. Rarely would you find anyone wagering the ‘don’t pass’ bet. But, when you are playing online, you can easily do this and be happy that you have won when everyone else has lost.
Betting real money is enough pressure on its own without having a large group of people looking at you and commenting about how you play.
If you cannot stand this kind of attention, then online craps is probably the best for you. You can play in the privacy of your own home, or at the park enjoying the scenery.
There’s no pressure whatsoever from other players or people watching the game.
Craps Bonuses & Promotions
Bonuses are a key part of the overall online gaming experience. There is a range of bonuses available for players on the craps table.
These include the no deposit bonus, the deposit match, and a host of other new player offers.
But you need to realize that not all bonuses are the same. That’s why you must go through the terms and conditions of each bonus before you claim. This is more important when you are playing a game like craps.
You might find that some bonuses do not apply to this game, and even if they do, the game contribution may not be as attractive as you would want.
It’s not uncommon to find bonuses that exclude online craps altogether.
Bonus Terms & Conditions
At bestodds.com, we are also gamblers, so we understand how tricky it is to narrow down a bonus. There’s just so much to take into account. To give you a hand, we have created a checklist you can use.
Before you take advantage of any online casino bonus for craps games, make sure you understand the following:
- Is craps allowed?: Online craps is described as a specialty game, and this is where you’ll find it in the lobby. So it’s not uncommon to have bonuses that will not apply to this game. This should be your first port of call. When you see a bonus, check if you can use it on craps.
- Wagering/play-through required: bonuses usually come with wagering or playthrough requirements. Online casinos are a business after all, and operators are not going to allow you to just walk out with the cash you win. Go through the terms and conditions that apply to these wagering requirements and see if they are reasonable.
- Minimum / maximum: you need not worry about this one if you are claiming a no deposit bonus. But the deposit match always comes with a minimum amount you need to deposit upfront. Make sure you deposit this amount on your initial transaction or else you lose the bonus. More importantly, make sure the minimum deposit is within your wagering plan. It’s not worth blowing your gambling objectives just because you want to secure a bonus.
- Weightings for different casino games: the bonus weighting is also known as the game contribution. It stipulates how much a particular game contributes towards knocking off the bonus amount. If you are looking to use bonuses on craps, make sure this game is covered in the terms and conditions. If not, you can either select a different bonus, or look for another online casino entirely.
- Time to complete your wagering: at the end of the day, real money gambling is about collecting on earnings. So it makes no difference if you get a huge bonus but then do not have enough time to wager it successfully. Again, you’ll find this information in the bonus terms and conditions.
Craps Games Variations
Online craps is considered a niche game that only a few players understand. After reading this article, we are sure that you can be counted among the few lucky ones.
But online casino game manufacturers like to make titles enjoyed by as many players as possible. It’s understandable because this is a business after all.
But for online craps enthusiasts, this means there are only a few options for you to pick from. Even in the variants available, they are slight differences that you can point to.
An animation here, and a different dice design there, is all that you can say differs from one title to another.
While some may point this out as a negative, we choose to see it in a positive light. Fewer variants mean there is more focus on what’s available and less noise from the competition.
So you can master online craps and know everything about the game when you play.
Craps At Sweepstakes Casinos
Only a small number of states in the United States have legalized online casino gaming. The rest are at various levels of the legalization process.
Players in these states can enjoy casino-like games on sweepstakes sites for those states that aren’t yet legal with online casino services. The sweepstakes model, of using two currencies for a real prize and social gaming, allows gaming establishments in these jurisdictions to offer slots and other table games.
Sadly, at the time of writing, you cannot enjoy online craps at sweepstakes sites. This game is not yet available, and for now, players can only find the likes of slots, blackjack, and other popular table games.
How To Play Craps
Now, let’s get down to business. How do you play craps as a beginner? What are the types of bets you will find in this game? All this and more follow in the sections below.
Let’s start with the rules of the game.
This will probably be more relevant for land-based craps beginners. When you visit the craps table and see the off marker, it means you can join the table because the game hasn’t started yet.
To begin the game, you need to familiarize yourself with two types of bets. These are the “pass line” and the “don’t pass” bets.
The pass line bet wins when the shooter, or dice thrower, gets 7 or 11 on the first roll. If this roll results in a 2, 3, or 12, all pass line bets lose.
Another possible option in this game is for the throw to result in a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. These are known as point numbers. The pass line bet can still win if the shooter throws the same point number before a 7 is rolled.
The don’t pass bet is exactly the opposite. If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11 in the first instance, they lose. If the outcome is a 2 or 3, the don’t pass bet wins. If the result is a 12, then all bets are a push.
Craps Bets & Odds
You will encounter many other bets in online craps, other than the simple pass line and don’t pass. Here are some examples:
Come bet: you wager the come bet after the point number has been established. If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11 after you’ve placed this bet, it wins. There are two sides to this coin, and they don’t come bet is exactly the opposite.
Place bet: you can place a bet on any of the point numbers at any time. If this number is rolled before a 7, the bet wins.
The field bet: here, you’ll be placing a bet on 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and 12. If 2 and 12 are rolled you will receive double your wager, while all the other options pay even money.
Here are other bets you can take in craps:
- Hardway — Wins when you roll duplicate numbers 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, and 5-5
- Horn — Combination bets 1-1, 1-2, 5-6, and 6-6, or all of them
- Craps — Betting 2, 3, or 12 will be rolled next
- C and E — Betting on Craps (C) or 11 (E).
- Big 7 — Betting on 7
How To Win Playing Craps
Craps is a table game, yes. But unlike other popular table games like blackjack and poker, in which there are specific strategies you can employ to shift the odds slightly in your favor, there’s nothing like that here.
This is a pure game of chance in which skill, intellect, or experience comes for nothing.
The only strategy you can employ in craps, if we can even call it that, is to manage your bankroll. This is true for any casino game if you want to play correctly.
Sure, you can try placing specific bets and avoiding others. But even this is not a sure-fire strategy that will guarantee a return.
Manage the amount of money you are dishing out, and also the time you are committing to the game. That’s all you can do. Besides that, just have fun and hope for the best.