Online Craps for Real Money

The Craps table is one of the liveliest places you’ll find in any casino. The game itself is actually quite easy, but there are so many different ways to bet, it can be a bit overwhelming at first. While most table games have a few betting options, Craps has around 20 or so. Despite this learning curve, the game is a very popular option for real money play.

Craps is one of the casino games with the lowest house edge you’ll find anywhere, and there’s even a bet with no house edge at all like it's for free. Check out how to get started with the simplest real money bets on the layout, and we’ll introduce you to some of the more complex bets, so you can get a better grip on how Craps games work at our casino.

Phases of the game

The Come-On Roll

This is the initial roll of each round in a Craps game. Bets are placed, then the dice are handed to the player by a dealer or ‘stickman’ and the initial roll sets things up for the rest of the round. Most Craps players bet on the ‘Passline’ which has three outcomes on this throw. If a 2, 3 or 12 is rolled then the bettors lose. If the outcome is 7 or 11 then everyone is paid even money. For any other result, the bets remain in place and the second phase of the game begins.

Note that you can also bet on the ‘Don’t Pass’ where 7 / 11 lose, 2 and 3 win, 12 draws and the other numbers also act in reverse in the second phase. If you do this live then you will usually be betting on the opposite side to the rest of the players – which is kind of anti-social. Online you are free to choose which bet to take with no peer pressure.

Point Round:

If the Come-on bet was 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 then the next round begins. The number rolled becomes the ‘point’. This round continues until either the point is rolled again – or a 7 is rolled (in which case most bets lose). There are several different bets which can be made at this point.

Pass Line Bet

Pass Line Bet comes with a modest house edge of 1.41%. It is the most popular Craps game bet at casinos. At the start of the betting round for the game, put your chips in the Pass Line area, which is near the bottom of your display, and then roll the dice.

There are three possible results with your first throw, which is known as the come-out roll:

7 or 11: Instant win (at even money)
2, 3 or 12: Instant loss
4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10: Point is established

The third result is the one that takes a little know-how. If you roll one of the numbers listed, the “Off/On” puck at the top of the display gets flipped to ON and placed above the corresponding number on the layout. Then you start rolling the dice again. The play objective is to roll that same Point number before you roll a 7. If you do, you get paid out at even money. If you “seven out” instead, your bet loses. Then the puck returns to the OFF position, and it’s time for the next round.

Don't Pass Line Bet

The Don’t Pass bet has a house edge of 1.36% and is the near-mirror image of the Pass Line. Here are the three possible results for your come-out roll:

7 or 11: Instant loss
2, 3: Instant win (at even money)
12: Push – all bets returned
4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10: Point is established

This time, once the Point is established and you start rolling again, the object is to roll a 7 before you roll the Point number. If you do, you get paid at even; otherwise, the play loses. It’s a very easy bet to understand once you’re familiar with the Pass Line bet – just keep in mind that your bet will be a push if you throw a 12 (known as Boxcars) on your come-out roll.

Come and Don’t Come Bets

These bets can be made once a Point has been established; if you’re betting the Pass Line, you can place a Come bet, and if you’re betting the Don’t Pass Line, you can place the Don’t Come bet.

These bets work exactly the same way as the ones we’ve already covered and can be considered a mini round within the round you play. When you place a Come bet, the next throw will be treated the same as the come-out roll for a Pass Line bet; if you roll a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, instead of the Off/On puck moving, the chips that you placed on the Come area will move to the number in question, then you’ll keep rolling. It’s the same procedure for the Don’t Come bet.

Odds Bets

These are very important bets as they’re the ones with zero house edge. After a point has been established during a Pass Line bet, you have the option of taking odds, which bolster your original bet, up to 3X. Then you’ll get paid out the following amounts if you roll your Point before sevening out:

4, 10: 2/1
5, 9: 3/2
6, 8: 6/5

If you establish a Point during a Don’t Pass bet, you can lay odds by increasing your bet, again up to 3X. And once again, the payouts are mirror images of the ones for taking odds:

4, 10: 1/2
5, 9: 2/3
6, 8: 5/6

To place either of these bets, just put the desired chips on either Pass Odds or Don’t Pass Odds once the Point has been established. You can take these bets off the layout or put them back on at any time before the betting round ends.

Place 6 and Place 8

These two have a very low house edge of 1.52%. Place 6 and Place 8 work exactly the same way as the Pass Line bet: Roll your number before you throw a 7, and you get paid out at 7/6 instead of even money. Unlike Pass Line bets, these plays are independent of the come-out roll or Point – just throw some chips on the 6 or the 8, and start rolling.

You can also place bets on the 4, 5, 9, and 10, and you’ll win when those numbers come up before a 7, but those plays have a larger house edge. Stick with the 6 and the 8 for the best chances of winning when you play Craps games for real money.

Field Bets

This is a one-roll play that you can make anytime during a round, and it covers six different numbers (2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12). If any of those numbers come up, you win even, except for the 2 and 12, which pay out at 2/1 and 3/1 respectively.

The house edge on this bet is 5.56%, which is higher than the other Craps game options, but it’s also the most fun way to mix things up and give yourself a bit of variety when you play Craps at Bovada Casino. Have fun!

The worst bets in Craps

Hard Way Bets: Betting on even numbers with matching dice is known as the hard-way. This has an average 5% house edge.
Any Seven: This pays 4:1 and has real probability close to 5:1 – with the house edge becoming an eye-watering 16.67%.
Any Craps Prop Bet: This one involves betting on 2, 3 or 12 and has an 11% house edge. In fact, ‘horn’ bets or proposition bets are aren’t the best idea. To win at craps, stick to the pass-line bet, with a combination of point or place bets after the point has been set. This keeps the house edge to a minimum – giving you the biggest chance of enjoying those short-term winning streaks.