Craps is one of the one of the most iconic casino games in the world. It’s a game that you often see on Hollywood movies and TV shows, with that comes a certain amount of glamour with the game. But, it’s fair to say that these days the game takes a back seat somewhat, especially to the likes of roulette and blackjack. The romance of craps is still very much alive though and even though it’s not as popular it still is and likely will always be a permanent fixture in most online and even land-based casinos.
How to play craps
The name of the game is to the roll the number with two of the five dice on offer that you have wagered on. Due to the huge range of bets that you can bet in craps, this number can change for each bet. Take a look at our step-by-step guide below for more information.
Step 1 – Determine your table
The first thing you need to do is make sure you choose a table that you want to play at. This may see pretty obvious but if you are new to game hitting up a table that includes a lot of people can be very intimidating, especially if you are playing live. We’d recommend starting out quiet or even on your own if you can.
Step 2 – Stake your bet
The most common bet is situated with the Pass line. You need to place your bets behind the line and then you will be asked to roll two dice. If those dice land on 7 or 11 (cumulative) then you win. If the dice land on 2, 3 or 12 then you lose.
Step 3 – The point
If a number other than those stated in step 2 don’t appear then this number becomes the Point. At this point the game switches slightly in that the point number is now your winning roll and the 7 is your losing number.
Step 5 – True odds
At this point you are now able to place bets behind your original bet. This bet can be as large or as small as you like and does not have to match your original bet. You will get paid £$€6 for every £$€5 that you stake. It’s worth noting that this is in fact the best odds that you can get in the casino in terms of house edge!
Step 6 – Number bets
The board now opens to you a little more and you can place number bets if you so wish. These are bets where you can bet on a particular number from 4,5,6,8,9 and 10, with each number paying out at different odds.
Step 7 – The field
The next betting option is the field. This is a one-roll bet and with it you can bet on the dice to land on 3,4,9,10 or 11 with each number paying out at even money. If it lands on 2 and 12 then this bet pays out double.
Step 8 – Game resets
The dice lands on the Point number from step 2 then the field will win. The game will technically reset again with a new player then rolling the dice to find a new point number. Remember, at this point 7 and 11 will win, with 2, 3 and 12 losing.
Hints and tips
Go with flow or against
One of the most basic strategies in the game of craps comes from either going with the flow or against. The strongest bet you can make is by betting the don’t pass and/or the don’t come roll whilst laying the maximum odds. Now, this will go against probably most of the strategies that the players are playing at the table, so bear this in mind, especially when busy!
Alternatively, if you decide that you don’t want to be a victim of hate crime when at your craps table, you can reverse this bet by betting the pass line and the come line at maximum odds. You will get slightly higher house edge for this bet as opposed to the original bet, but it’s pretty marginal and means you are likely to walk out of the casino on your own two feet should you win.
Learn the game before diving in
Starting out playing craps for the first time can be a daunting thing. It’s probably likely that most people at the table will have at least a basic knowledge of the game. Try and be as ‘game ready’ as possible before sticking your chips in and having to ask the dealers a boatload of questions. There are plenty of live and online YouTube videos out there that should help you get a feel of how a game might progress before actually investing your own chips.
Tip – Try to find an online casino that has free to play game for craps and start there before playing for real money.