How Online Craps Works

Online craps rules can vary slightly and differ depending on whether you are playing a straight forward game against the house or participating in a tournament.

For the purpose of this guide we will assume that you are only playing against the house and describe how to play the more typical online craps games.

The basics

Bets are placed on the outcome of the dice and the dice are then set into action. In a traditional game, the shooter begins the game by throwing the dice on a craps table. However, in the online version all you need to do it roll your cursor over the button usually labelled ‘Roll’ to throw the virtual dice. The outcome is determined by a random number generator.

The layout and how to place bets

The shooter must bet on the craps table prior to rolling the dice. A craps table (whether virtual or real) is divided into three separate areas: two identical side areas with a centre area dividing the two. The side areas contain the ‘pass’ and ‘don’t pass bet’ lines, ‘come’ and ‘don’t come bets’, ‘odds bets’, ‘place bets’ and ‘field bets’. Pass bets are betting with the shooter and don’t pass bets are against the shooter.

Just move your cursor over the different areas of the craps table where bets can be placed. You will see the name of the bet and the odds usually displayed below. Just enter the amount of your wager and click the spot where you want to place your bet. You can place as many bets as you wish.

If you are playing in a multi-player game and are not the shooter you will still be playing because you will be placing bets either for or against the shooter. And when you are the shooter you will you have to wait for other players to place their bets after you have which could take some time.

The come-out roll

Based on the combined number of the dice in the ‘come-out roll’ (the first roll of the dice), the shooter can either win or lose the game instantly or neither and the game continues for one or more rounds.

If the combined total of the dice is

• 7 or 11 the shooter usually wins even money, known as a ‘natural’. Pass bets win and don’t pass bets lose.
• 2, 3 or 12 the shooter loses his pass bet, known as ‘craps’. Pass bets lose and don’t pass bets win on 2 or 3 but neither win nor lose if the roll is 12.
• 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 the shooter makes the ‘point number’ and game continues. That same ‘point number’ must be rolled again before a 7 is thrown for pass bets to win. The shooter will lose, that is ‘crap out’, if a 7 is rolled before the point number is thrown. If a 7 comes up before the point number it is called a ‘seven out’ and don’t pass bets win and pass bets lose.

A new round begins every time a natural, a 7 or the point number is thrown.

Bankroll

Money will be added or subtracted automatically from you bankroll (that is, your account with the online casino) depending on whether you win or lose. Beware that most online casinos charge a 5 per cent commission on your winnings when you bet against the shooter.