Craps can seem a little complicated at first, but it’s actually quite a simple game. Read our guide to find out everything you need to know about playing online Craps at Lucky Nugget Casino, and then see if you’ve got what it takes to win.
The Game’s Origins
Craps was first played in France and then the rest of Europe, having developed from an older game called Hazard. When Frenchman Philippe de Marigny de Mandeville settled in Louisiana, he introduced the game to his farmhands as a way to pass the time.
The name could either be from the French “crapaud”, or toad, since the game was played in the streets and the crouching participants looked like toads, or from the Louisiana pronunciation of the word “crabs”. At the time “crabs” was slang for the dice numbers 2 and 3, which are very important in any round of land-based or online Craps.
Since the game is so easy to set up, requiring minimal equipment, American soldiers in World War II used it to keep themselves entertained in the waiting periods between battles. When they returned home they introduced it to Las Vegas, and it really took hold in modern gambling culture. Today, you can enjoy this dice game in casinos all around the world.
The Rules Explained
In games of Craps a pair of dice is thrown, and you place bets on what the dice will display when they land. In brick-and-mortar establishments, every player has a turn to be the Shooter, or the person throwing the dice.
In online Craps the results are generated with Random Number Generation software that is certified as fair, and the action is simulated with smooth animations. There are 2 stages in each round, known as the Come Out Phase and the Point Phase.
In both phases you can bet with or against the shooter. This means, respectively, that you’re betting the shooter will or will not win. In the Come Out Phase you place a Pass or Don’t Pass wager, with the Pass meaning the Shooter will win and the Don’t Pass meaning the opposite.
To win in the Come Out Phase, the Shooter must roll a 7 or 11. Landing a 2, 3 (remember “crabs” as the origin of the word Craps?) or 12, they lose. If any other total is thrown, that number is established as the Point and the Point Phase begins.
In the Point Phase, you place a Come Bet to bet with the Shooter, predicting that they will land the Point again before a 2, 3, 7, 11 or 12. The Don’t Come Bet, against the Shooter, predicts that one of those numbers will be rolled before the Point is seen again.
There are different probabilities for various dice totals, but the procedure for playing is the same no matter how you decide to bet with or against the shooter. The complexity in online Craps, and its land-based counterpart, comes into play in the other wagers that can be placed in each phase.
Online Craps Bets
Aside from the Pass/Don’t Pass and Come/Don’t Come wagers, there are several other bets that are possible in each round of online Craps:
- Place Win and Place Lose: These bets are laid after the Point has been established. Place Win wagers say any number from 4 to 10, except 7, will be thrown next. Place Lose says a 7 will land next.
- Buy and Lay Bets: Similar to Place Win and Place Lose, but with higher payouts along with a 5% commission. The Place Win and Lose, and Buy and Lay Bets, are collectively known as Odds Bets.
- Hardways: Any prediction that both dice will land displaying the same face before a total of 7 is seen again. For example, a Hard 10 will be a pair of 5s.
- Big 6 and Big 8: A Big 6 Bet means any combination adding up to 6 will be rolled before the next total of 7. A Big 8 means the same for a combination adding up to 8.
- Propositions: Predictions on specific events in the game of online Craps. They have the highest odds, but the highest returns too. With greater risk comes greater reward!
Basic Terminology
We’ve covered the names of the different online Craps bets, but you should also know the terms used for various dice combinations that might be thrown:
- Yo: An 11.
- Little Joe (From Kokomo): A 3 and a 1 on the 2 dice faces.
- Snake Eyes: Double 1s, so-called because they stare up at you like the eyes of a snake!
- Jimmy Hicks: A 6.
- Skate and Donate: An 8.
- Centre Field: A 9.
- Natural Winner: A 7 or 11.
- 10 the Hard Way: Double 5s.
- Boxcars: Double 6s, also known as Midnight.
Online Craps Variations
There are a few variations of Craps that you can find online, all following the same basic rules with a few twists:
- High Point Craps: Initial rolls of 2 and 3 are ignored, and the dice are rolled until another total is made. Rolls of 11 and 12 win you even money if you’re betting with the shooter, while all other numbers set the Point. To win in the Point Phase, the Shooter must roll a total higher than the Point.
- New York Craps: As you might guess from the name, New York Craps originated in the Big Apple and it is predominantly played there, as well as in the Bahamas and parts of the United Kingdom. Here, Place and Come/Don’t Come Bets are not permitted. The table layout is also a little different to other games.
- Simplified Craps: The Simplified version is perfect for beginners who are still learning online Craps fundamentals. The only wagers are with or against the Shooter, who wins if they roll a 2, 3, 4, 10, 11 or 12, and loses if they land a 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9.
Strategy Advice
- Always take the Odds Bet, since it doesn’t have a house edge.
- Place 2 Come Bets.
- Stick to Pass, Come and Odds Bets, or play the Simplified version if you can, until you’re experienced in the game.
- Manage your bankroll carefully at all times. Set a budget and stick to it, and decide before you start playing how much you will bet on each round. Many players bet the same percentage of their total remaining bankroll on every roll of the dice.
Now you know all about online Craps, you’re ready to bet on the roll of the dice!
