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Craps is a fast-paced dice game where players bet on the outcome of two dice rolls. In this craps guide, we’ll explain how to play craps, what your bet options are, and what strategies you can implement to have the best chance of beating the odds.
Craps (nucleus)
Craps (Betsoft)
Craps (Play'n Go)
Craps (Urgent Games)
Craps is a beginner-friendly casino game with three possible outcomes based on the sum of rolling two dice – natural (7 or 11), craps (2, 3, or 12), and point (any other number sum). To win at craps, you have to throw a natural. You lose if you throw craps, but when you get a point, you must throw the same number again to win.
To help you become more confident in the game of craps, we've outlined the key steps:
Select your bet size and place wagers with the click of the mouse.
The first throw called 'a come out roll' determines the outcome.
You win, lose, or roll again according to the dice total (2-12).
To master online casino craps in more depth, see our How to Play Craps guide.
There are 36 craps dice combinations, so subsequently, there are over dozen ways to bet in this game. Here's a quick rundown of bet types in craps.
Pass line & don't pass: Pass line bets win when the shooter rolls 7 or 11 and lose when 2, 3, or 12 is rolled. Any other number becomes 'a point' and the bet wins only if the point is rolled before 7. Don't pass bets are the opposite.
Come & don't come: Come bets win with a 7 or 11, and lose with 2, 3, or 12. Other numbers become 'a come point' and must be rolled again to win before 7 is rolled.
Odds bets: With odds bet, the player bets on a previously established point.
Place bets: This bet means the player is placing a bet on rolling a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 before rolling a 7. The player wins if they manage to get their chosen number before 7.
Buy bets: To place a buy bet, the player has to make an upfront bet payment. The bet is placed on a number from 4 to 10, with 7 being the exception. It's possible to buy a bet for the next roll until the shooter loses.
Lay bets: A lay bet is the opposite of a buy bet. In this case, the player will win a true odd payout when the shooter rolls 7 before the number.
Big 6 & big 8: When betting on the big 6 or 8, the player bets the shooter will roll a 6 or 8 before 7.
Hardways: In this bet, the player wagers the shooter, rolling a pair. The bet is lost if 7 is rolled.
Field: It's a one-time, one-roll bet on 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. This bet can placed at any time in the game.
Proposition bets: These are single-roll bets for the next roll. They carry a high risk.
Lemon Casino is a fast withdrawal casino featuring the classic RNG and live craps games. Not only is it among the best online casinos to play online craps for real money, but it also gives players a chance to play first person craps.
Go to Lemon CasinoOur expert-suggested beginner strategies are based on the types of bets in the game. However, do keep in mind that craps is a game of luck and no strategy can guarantee wins at real money craps. Learn our simple craps strategies below.
| Strategy | How it Works | House Edge | How to Win |
| The Pass Line Strategy | You are betting for the shooter to win | 1.41% | Win with a 7 or 11 and lose with a 2, 3, or 12 on the come-out roll |
| Come Bets Strategy | Similar to pass line strategy, except it occurs after a point is established | 4.76% | Roll the established point number before the next 7 comes out |
| Don't Come Bet Strategy | You are betting against the shooter after a point is established | 1.36% | Roll a 7 before the point number is rolled again |
| Don't Pass Line Strategy | You are betting against the shooter on the come-out roll | 1.36% | Win with a 2, 3, or 12 and lose with a 7 or 11 |
The house edge in craps is higher than in blackjack but lower than in roulette. You can play by making low-risk bets or risking more for a higher payout with proposition bets. The house edge on a single roll bet is between 2.78% and 16.67%, while on a multi-roll bet, it can be 0% with odd bets and up to 2.78% with, e.g., a big 6 and 8.
Ultimately, craps is a game of chance, and there is not much you can influence, so it is better to stick with low-risk bets to maximize your winning potential. Here's a cheat sheet so you know the odds of getting specific dice combinations.
| Dice roll probabilities | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dice roll | Combinations required | Probability |
| 2 |  |
2.78% |
| 3 |  |
5.56% |
| 4 |  |
8.33% |
| 5 |  |
11.11% |
| 6 |  |
13.89% |
| 7 |  |
16.66% |
| 8 | |
13.89% |
| 9 | |
11.11% |
| 10 | |
8.33% |
| 11 | |
5.56% |
| 12 | |
2.78% |
Online craps comes with a risk of losing money. There are no specific rules of thumb that can guarantee wins – however, we've summarized a few tips that will help players improve their chances of winning in the real money game.
Free odds bets come with a 0% house edge, so it’s worth taking them. Pass and come bets have a lower house edge, but playing by taking on more risks can lead to potentially more favourable outcomes.
Betting systems will generally not work in craps as it’s a game of chance. Systems in which you increase your bet after losses can make you run out of money quickly. Therefore, the best way to manage the bankroll is to set a game budget and loss and win limits.
There are some bets with higher odds of winning and some with less. Check out which bets have a relatively low house edge and stick to those. We've listed the dice roll odds and bet strategies above to help you navigate this online casino game.
Before you play real money online craps, test the specific game you intend to play for free. Every craps game is available in demo mode. Especially if you're still learning the bet types and game rules, find online sites where craps is available for free.
Many players find these two bets appealing because of the 1:1 payout. However, this craps bet comes with a relatively high house edge of 9.09% and with 6:5 odds of winning. There are other bets like pass line and come bets that have better chances of winning.
Did you know?
Craps is a game associated with many superstitions. One of those states that blowing on the dice will bring good luck. However, such a ritual may not bring a guaranteed positive outcome one would prefer, so we recommend sticking to the tips we've stated above.
The simple game of craps has various versions, so when at the casino, pay attention to whether it's the standard one. We've summarized the most popular craps variations and their main differences from the regular game, so you're aware of what types of game variants you might encounter.
It’s similar to the standard game but with some differences. Most significantly, 2, 3, 11, and 12 in Crapless Craps are points, so losing on the first throw, also known as come out roll, is impossible.
To win in High Point craps, the shooter must roll 11 or 12. If 2 and 3 are rolled, they are ignored, and the dice must be rolled again. Any other number rolled on the first throw is established as 'a point' and to win the shooter throws again aiming to throw a number higher than the point.
In this version, you bet on box numbers, which are 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. If the one you bet on is rolled, you win. Also, this version of craps doesn't have come and don't come bets. Because of that the house edge in New York craps is higher, around 5% depending on the game.
The rules are easy. In the simplified craps, the dice must be rolled only one time. A player wagers against the casino and wins when 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, or 12 are rolled. While 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are losing numbers.
To get included in our list of recommended casinos for craps, our criteria have to coincide with both – essential aspects that provide a safe and convenient online gambling experience and a diverse craps selection. Let's break down how we chose the best sites for playing craps featured on this page.
So you can play the game of craps with no worries, we chose online casinos with verified safety and security measures for payments and user data. We check if the casino has data encryption and safety certificates from organizations like eCOGRA, and most importantly, we verify the license number listed on the site.
Our featured casinos on this guide must feature a diverse selection of craps. It's not the most popular casino game, but multiple traditional craps titles must be available at our recommended sites for Canada. We also make sure the casino site has live craps variations for players looking for a live game experience.
It's crucial to make the most out of bonus offers when playing craps online for real money. Players in Canada can get sensible bonus offers with wagering requirements that don't exceed 40x. We check the bonus terms and conditions to ensure players can manage to play through their bonus money, and therefore, such casinos are eligible for inclusion in our top lists.
A casino that offers the most popular Canadian payment options is a must for us to recommend it for playing craps. We check if the site provides Interac, iDebit, instadebit, and paysafe as payment options.
As nearly half of online gamblers participate in casino games via their phones, online craps games must run smoothly on mobile. We prefer casinos with mobile apps as they are more optimized for online gaming than mobile browser sites. Our team tests craps games and all the main functions of the casino, like payments, to make sure the casino can handle mobile play.
Besides the game rules and strategy, there are a few more things to keep in mind before you head to the online craps casino to make bets with real money. If you're looking to play but don't know where to start, we have summarized the pros and cons below to consider before doing so.
Did you know?
Craps is one of the games with a relatively low house edge. For example, a pass line bet's house edge is approximately just 0.5%, which makes it especially appealing for players looking to win with the best odds in their favour.
Is it better to play craps online or in a physical casino?
Craps can be fun in a land-based casino as you will be playing alongside others. However, with the online game, you dictate the pace from the comfort of your home. Therefore, if you're looking for a more convenient game experience, then playings craps at an online casino is definitely better.
Does the craps game have a low house edge?
Craps has a lower house edge than roulette but a higher one than blackjack. Certain variants have higher house edges (and a lower RTP) than others. You can check our recommended craps games. We've listed their RTP, which ranges from 96-99%. Therefore, you can choose which craps game to play based on how well it pays.
Can I play craps with a live dealer online?
Yes, various casinos offer live dealer craps games. The best ones we've selected for playing craps all feature live games. The live dealer craps variations are based on a real-time video connection, providing an online stream of the game. In live craps, you can communicate with the dealer and other players in the chat.
Where to find the best online casino for craps?
Our top recommended online casino for playing craps is Lemon casino. It's a fast withdrawal casino with diverse online craps variations. You can trust us as our team reviews all the details at recommended casinos, such as reasonable bonuses, withdrawal limits, safety and security, etc. Not only do we check whether the casino features a game variety when it comes to craps, but also that the casino features all the aspects we look for in our top online casinos.
