There are countless options out there when it comes to the variety of games available at online casinos in Canada. Whatever your preference is, you can certainly find plenty of choices – from slots to casino classics like poker. But maybe you’re looking for a fun dice game to play and you’d be happy to learn that craps are available on virtually all platforms.
In fact, craps is one of the two most popular dice games you can play at online casinos in Canada, along with Sic Bo. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the basics and show you how to play the game. Additionally, we’ll also cover the game’s history and offer some hints to improve your chance of winning.
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History of Craps
Back in the day, people used to play this game out in the streets and observers would crouch down like toads. So the name ‘craps’ actually comes from the French word ‘crapaud’, meaning ‘toad’. However, when it comes to the origins of modern craps – there are multiple theories.
While some believe that the game originated in ancient Rome, most support the theory that it all started in America. But more specifically, 19th century America. At the same time in Europe, a game called Hazard was very popular and it made it to the other side of the ocean. This was a two-dice game dating back as far as the 15th century. So Craps then was just a simpler version of that.
The version that we know today dates back to 1907 when John H. Winn, a dice maker in Philadelphia, came up with it. He took the existing game(Hazard) and made it fairer by introducing the Don’t Pass bet. This new bet closed a loophole that players had previously been able to use to exploit casinos. Since this introduction, the game’s remained largely the same.
The Basic Rules
Craps is a dice game where each round can involve several rolls of the dice. Of course, before a round starts, you place a bet. Two dice are then rolled together and can produce a total sum of 2-12. There are two types of bet you can place – Pass and Don’t Pass. From there on, it all depends on what the dice will produce.
The first roll of the dice is known as the come-out roll. Pass bets lose if the come-out roll is 2, 3, or 12. On the other hand, Don’t Pass bets win on 2 or 3, and tie on 12. Should the first roll produce a 7 or 11 – the Pass bet wins and the Don’t Pass bet loses. If the result is another number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10), that number becomes the point.
If the come-out roll is 2, 3, 7, 11, or 12, the round ends once payouts have been made. However, if it’s one of the point numbers, at least one more roll of the dice takes place. The shooter (the croupier or person in charge of the dice) keeps rolling the dice until the point number or a 7 is produced. If the point number comes up first, Pass bets win, and Don’t Pass bets lose. If a 7 comes up first, Pass bets lose, and Don’t Pass bets win.
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Craps Betting Options
Craps is a game with loads of betting options but the amount of choice can also be overwhelming. Hence why we’ve put together this guide. Here are some of the options you have:
Come and Don’t Come Bets
Besides the two main bets – Pass and Don’t Pass, there are so many options to choose from. For instance, two very popular and also rather similar bets are the Come and Don’t Come bets. These can only be placed if the come-out roll has established a point number.
- Come Bet – Wins if the next roll produces a 7 or 11, loses if the next result is 2, 3, or 12.
- Don’t Come Bet – Wins if the next roll is a 2 or 3, loses if 7 or 11 is produced next, and ties if the next number is 12.
If a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 is rolled next, this becomes your point number. In this case, your Come bet will win if the point is rolled before a 7. But if a 7 comes up first then your Don’t Come bet wins.
Other Popular Bets
There are several other types of bets you can place during a game of craps, such as:
- Place Bets – Once the Point has been established, you can place the Place bet on 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. If the chosen number is rolled before a 7, the bet wins. The payout depends on the number you’ve wagered on.
- Lay Bets – This works in the same way as the Place bet, except you win if a 7 is rolled before the chosen number. Some casinos charge a 5% commission on this particular bet.
- Field Bets – Wins if the result is 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. Loses if the total produced is 5, 6, 7, or 8.
- Hardways – This bet can only be placed on 4, 6, 8, and 10. It pays if the chosen number is rolled as a pair (i.e. the 8 bet wins if the dice are 4 and 4). Of course, that is before a 7 or any non-double combination that adds up to the chosen number.
One Roll Bets
There are several bets in this category:
- Aces – Wins on a number 2.
- Ace-Deuce – Wins if the next result is 3.
- Seven -Wins if the next roll produces a 7.
- Eleven – Wins is the next number is 11.
- Twelve – Wins on a 12.
- Hi-Lo – Wins if the next total is 2 or 12.
- Any Craps – Wins if the next roll is 2, 3, or 12.
Craps’s Best and Worst Bets
All casino games have some bets that are better than others, and craps is no different. Actually, in craps, certain numbers are more likely to be rolled than others. So below is a summary of how often each combination can occur:
- 2 – One combination: 1-1. The chance of a 2 being rolled is 1/36.
- 3 – Two combinations: 1-2 and 2-1. The chance is 1/18.
- 4 – Three combinations: 1-3, 2-2, and 3-1. The chance is 1/12.
- 5 – Four combinations: 1-4, 2-3, 3-2 and 4-1. The chance is 1/9.
- 6 – Five combinations: 1-5, 2-4, 3-3, 4-2 and 5-1. The chance is 5/36.
- 7 – Six combinations: 1-6, 2-5, 3-4, 4-3, 5-2 and 6-1. The chance is 1/6.
- 8 – Five combinations: 2-6, 3-5, 4-4, 5-3 and 6-2. The chance is 5/36
- 9 – Four combinations: 3-6, 4-5, 5-4, and 6-3. The chance is 1/9.
- 10 – Three combinations: 4-6, 5-5, and 6-4. The chance is 1/12.
- 11 – Two combinations: 5-6 and 6-5. The chance is 1/18.
- 12 – One combination: 6-6. The chance is 1/36.
As you can see from the list above, the number 7 is the most likely to occur – once in every six rolls on average should be 7.
Best and Worst Bets
So what about the best and worst bets to place in craps? For this, we need to look at the house edge. This is a term that indicates roughly what percentage of your average bet the casino takes over long-term play. The lower a bet’s house edge, the less money you should lose from placing that bet over many instances.
In craps, the bets with the lowest house edge are the Don’t Pass and Don’t Come bets; each of these has a house edge of 1.36%. Other bets worth placing include the Pass and Come bets (both have a house edge of 1.41%) and the place bets when you’re betting on 6 or 8 (house edge of 1.52%). However, among the worst bets are the one-roll bets for 2 and 12, which have a house edge of 13.89%.
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Glossary of Common Terms
Here are some common craps terms you may come across in online craps:
- Ace deuce – A roll of 1 and 2.
- Aces – A roll of 1 and 1.
- Bones – This is a slang term that refers to the dice.
- Box numbers – The six point numbers (4,5,6, 8, 9, and 10).
- Come-out roll – The first roll of a round.
- Crapping out – This is when the come-out roll is a 2, 3, or 12.
- Even money – Any bet with a payout of 1:1.
- Hard way – Rolling a 4, 6, 8, or 10 with two dice of the same number.
- Lay – A type of bet where you’re betting on 7 to come before the point number.
- Natural – This is when the come-out roll is a 7 or 11.
- Off – A round of craps is ‘off’ during the come-out roll.
- On – A round of craps is ‘on’ when the point has been established.
- Push – If a bet is returned to you at a push, you get your money back.
- Seven out – This is when a 7 occurs when the point has been established.
- Working bet – Any bet that’s in play.
Playing Craps Online
Whether you’re a novice or seasoned expert, playing craps online is pretty different from your typical craps game. For example, many of the best craps casinos will allow you to play free, giving you the benefit of learning the game first before ever placing a real bet. Online craps games run much faster than a local casino. Much of this has to do with the software and not waiting for the dealer or other players to place bets. Some games use a webcam via the internet and give you the feel of playing in a real casino. Whatever method you select to play craps, one thing is sure, and that’s to know your limits and stay within them.
Tips and Strategies for Playing Craps
When playing any casino game, you should always have a budget and stick to it. Be prepared to lose, because all games that involve real-money gambling are designed to take money away from you. It’s also sensible to limit how much time you spend playing, as it can become addictive.
For craps specifically, there are a few things you can do to improve your chances of losing less money. The main strategy is sticking with the bets that have the lowest house edge. The main Pass/Don’t Pass and Come/Don’t Come bets are the best ones to place, so you should always go for at least one of these per round. Side bets are generally not worth placing.
Some players use betting strategies, too. These are plans that have you increase or decrease your bet size based on how you’re doing in the game you’re playing. But although they can be useful, they’re not guaranteed to help you make a profit. If you’re going to use a betting strategy, it’s a good idea to do so when playing craps for free first. By doing this, you can see if the strategy’s worth it without having to risk any actual money.
Summary
Craps is a popular dice casino game where each round can involve numerous rolls of the dice. It’s a fast-paced and exciting game with several different possible outcomes. There are some main bets you can place, as well as a number of optional ones. Hopefully, with our guide now you know what bets are suitable in your case and are ready to start gaming. If you are on the market for online craps games, you’ll find them at many of the best Canadian online casinos. More about those you can read on our casino reviews page where we evaluate the top platforms for you.
FAQ
In online games, everything is animated and a random number generator determines all outcomes. In live games, real dice are used and a croupier rolls them.
Unlike most other casino games, craps doesn’t really have any variants. Most Canadian online casinos offer standard craps only.
There are lots of top-quality online casinos where you can play craps. The best one is the one that suits your needs and offers everything you want from a casino.
The one roll bets for 2 and 12 have payouts of 30:1. However, both these bets are very unlikely to actually win.
These bets all have 1:1 payouts. Pass and Come bets are such bets.
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