How to Play Craps Online
Craps offers some of the best odds in the casino — the Free Odds bet has zero house edge. Full rules, dice probability table, all bets ranked, online vs live comparison, and optimal strategy.
Best Bet Edge
0%
Free Odds bet
Pass Line Edge
1.41%
Beginner bet
Don't Pass Edge
1.36%
Slightly better
Worst Bet
16.67%
Any 7 — avoid
Come-Out Roll Results
The come-out roll is the first roll of a new round. It determines the outcome immediately or sets a point:
Dice Probability Table
Two dice produce 36 equally likely outcomes. Understanding the distribution explains why 7 is so powerful and why certain bets have the edges they do:
| Total | Combinations | Probability | Ways to Roll |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1/36 | 2.78% | 1-1 |
| 3 | 2/36 | 5.56% | 1-2, 2-1 |
| 4 | 3/36 | 8.33% | 1-3, 2-2, 3-1 |
| 5 | 4/36 | 11.11% | 1-4, 2-3, 3-2, 4-1 |
| 6 | 5/36 | 13.89% | 1-5, 2-4, 3-3, 4-2, 5-1 |
| 7 | 6/36 | 16.67% | 1-6, 2-5, 3-4, 4-3, 5-2, 6-1 |
| 8 | 5/36 | 13.89% | 2-6, 3-5, 4-4, 5-3, 6-2 |
| 9 | 4/36 | 11.11% | 3-6, 4-5, 5-4, 6-3 |
| 10 | 3/36 | 8.33% | 4-6, 5-5, 6-4 |
| 11 | 2/36 | 5.56% | 5-6, 6-5 |
| 12 | 1/36 | 2.78% | 6-6 |
Seven has 6 combinations — more than any other number. This is why it ends rounds and why proposition bets against it have such poor odds.
Free Odds Payouts (Zero House Edge)
The Free Odds bet pays at true probability — no casino advantage whatsoever. Always take maximum odds allowed:
| Point Number | Ways to Hit | Ways 7 Hits | True Odds | Free Odds Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 or 10 | 3 | 6 | 2:1 | 2:1 |
| 5 or 9 | 4 | 6 | 3:2 | 3:2 |
| 6 or 8 | 5 | 6 | 6:5 | 6:5 |
All Craps Bets — Best to Worst
Pass Line
Play ThisThe foundational craps bet. Win on 7 or 11 on the come-out. Lose on 2, 3, or 12. If a point is established, win if point rolls before 7.
House Edge
1.41%
Pays
1:1
Don't Pass
Play ThisSlightly better odds than Pass Line. Win on 2 or 3, push on 12, lose on 7 or 11. After point: win if 7 comes before point. "Wrong" side of the bet.
House Edge
1.36%
Pays
1:1
Free Odds (Pass)
Always TakeThe only bet in the casino with zero house edge. Bet behind your Pass Line bet after the point is set. Take maximum odds always.
House Edge
0%
Pays
True Odds
Lay Odds (Don't)
Always LayZero house edge equivalent for Don't Pass players. You lay (bet more to win less) at true odds against the point.
House Edge
0%
Pays
True Odds
Come Bet
Good BetWorks exactly like Pass Line but placed after the point is established. Win on 7/11, lose on 2/3/12, otherwise establishes a come point.
House Edge
1.41%
Pays
1:1
Place 6 or 8
AcceptableBet that 6 or 8 rolls before a 7. Second most common roll after 7. The 7:6 payout makes this one of the better place bets.
House Edge
1.52%
Pays
7:6
Place 5 or 9
MarginalMuch worse than Place 6/8. House edge jumps to 4.00%. Better to take Come odds on 5 or 9 via Come bets.
House Edge
4.00%
Pays
7:5
Place 4 or 10
AvoidThe worst place bets. 6.67% house edge. Buy bets (with commission) are better for these points if you must bet them.
House Edge
6.67%
Pays
9:5
Field Bet
AvoidWins on 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. Loses on 5, 6, 7, or 8. Looks appealing but 5.56% house edge is poor.
House Edge
5.56%
Pays
1:1 (2/12 pay 2:1)
Hardways
Never BetBet that a number (4, 6, 8, or 10) rolls as a pair before a 7 or easy way. Very high house edge — proposition bet territory.
House Edge
9.09–11.1%
Pays
7:1 or 9:1
Any 7
Never BetThe worst bet on the craps table. 16.67% house edge. Called a "sucker bet" by experienced players. Never bet it.
House Edge
16.67%
Pays
4:1
Any Craps
Never BetWins on 2, 3, or 12. 11.11% house edge. No redeeming value. Proposition bets that the stickman pushes exist solely to generate casino profit.
House Edge
11.11%
Pays
7:1
Online Craps vs Live Dealer Craps
| Factor | 🖥️ RNG Online | 🎭 Live Dealer |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum bet | £0.10 or less | £5–£25 typically |
| Speed of play | Fast — you control pace | Table pace, slower |
| Atmosphere | No social element | Full table energy, crowds |
| Free Odds bet | Available at all dedicated craps casinos | Always available at live tables |
| Dice roll | RNG-based (verified random) | Physical dice, camera streamed |
| Bet variety | Core bets only (best bets available) | Full range including proposition bets |
| Practice mode | Available — learn free before real money | No free play available |
Optimal Craps Strategy
5 Common Craps Mistakes
Betting proposition bets ("Any 7", "Hardways", "Yo")
These carry 9–17% house edges. Only Pass Line, Don't Pass, Free Odds, Come, and Place 6/8 should be in your strategy.
Not taking Free Odds behind a Pass Line bet
Free Odds is the ONLY zero-edge bet in the casino. Always bet the maximum allowed. If you can only bet 1× odds, do it.
Betting Place 4 or Place 10
These have 6.67% edge. If you want action on 4/10, use a Come bet and Take Odds (0% edge) instead.
Taking the Field bet because "7 numbers win"
The numbers that lose (5, 6, 7, 8) account for 20/36 combinations (55.6% of all rolls). The Field loses more than it wins.
Betting too many positions at once
Spreading bets across multiple positions increases hourly loss. Stick to Pass + maximum Free Odds + 1–2 Come bets maximum.
Removing Place 6/8 bets before the 7-out
Many beginners take down bets after a win. Leave Place 6/8 working — each roll is independent and the edge is the same whether you had a recent win or loss.
Playing Buy bets on 5, 6, 8, or 9
The 5% commission makes Buy bets worth it only on 4 and 10. For 5, 6, 8, 9 the Place bet (or Come + Odds) has a lower effective cost.
Chasing losses with bigger Hardways after a long 7-out streak
Craps variance is high. A bad shooter run is normal. Increasing bet sizes on low-probability bets after losses accelerates bankroll depletion. Set a stop-loss before you sit down.
Craps Glossary
Come-out Roll
The first roll of a new round. Determines whether a natural, craps, or point is established.
Point
Any number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) established on the come-out roll. The shooter must hit this again before a 7 for Pass bets to win.
7-Out
When the shooter rolls a 7 after a point has been established. Pass Line bets lose and the dice pass to the next shooter.
Free Odds
The zero-edge bet placed behind a Pass/Come bet after a point is established. Maximum size is set by the casino (1×, 2×, 3-4-5× odds are common).
Shooter
The player throwing the dice. Shooters rotate around the table clockwise.
Come Bet
An additional bet placed after the come-out roll that works exactly like a Pass Line bet. Each Come bet gets its own point.
Proposition Bet
Single-roll bets placed in the center of the table. Always high house edge. The stickman encourages these — resist.
Hard Way
A bet that a number (4, 6, 8, or 10) is rolled as a matching pair (2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5) before a 7 or the easy way.
Place Bet
A direct bet that a chosen number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) rolls before a 7. Can be placed or taken down at any time. 6 and 8 place bets pay 7:6.
Buy Bet
Like a Place Bet but pays at true odds in exchange for a 5% commission. Worth considering for 4 and 10 only (cuts edge from 6.67% to 4.76%).
Lay Bet
The opposite of a Buy Bet — bet that a 7 rolls before a specific number. Used by "wrong bettors" (Don't Pass players). Commission applies.
Puck (On/Off)
A black-and-white disk on the table marked ON or OFF. ON indicates a point has been established; OFF means we're in the come-out phase.
Yo (Eleven)
Slang for rolling an 11. Dealers call it "Yo" rather than "eleven" to avoid confusion with "seven." A single-roll proposition bet on Yo pays 15:1 with 11.11% house edge — avoid.
Boxcars
Slang for rolling a 12 (two sixes). Pays 30:1 as a one-roll proposition bet. House edge is approximately 13.89%. Only mentioned in glossaries — never make this bet.
Snake Eyes
Slang for rolling a 2 (two ones). The rarest single roll (2.78%). Pays 30:1 as a one-roll bet. House edge: 13.89%.
Off
Player instruction to temporarily deactivate a Place or Come bet for the next roll. Useful before a come-out roll to avoid losing a Place bet on a 7-winner.
Working
The opposite of Off — bets marked "working" are active and resolve on the next roll. All Pass and Come bets are always working; Place bets can be turned on or off.
Wrong Bettor
A player betting on Don't Pass or Don't Come — the side that wins when the shooter loses. Mathematically slightly better odds but socially unpopular at the craps table.
Craps FAQ
What is the best craps strategy for beginners?
The simplest beginner strategy: (1) Bet the Pass Line before each come-out roll. (2) Always back it with maximum Free Odds once a point is established — this is the only zero-house-edge bet in the casino. (3) Optionally add one Come bet with Free Odds to cover a second point. That's it. Never bet proposition bets (Any 7, Hardways, Field) until you fully understand why they are bad. This approach keeps the combined house edge under 0.5% when 3-4-5× odds are available.
Is craps available at online casinos and live casinos?
Yes. RNG craps (standard software version) is available at most online casinos — it runs like standard video craps with full Free Odds functionality and bets as low as £0.10. Live dealer craps is offered by Evolution Gaming ("Craps" in their live lobby) — a real table streamed with a croupier, physical dice, and full betting options. Live craps tables typically start at £1 minimum. Some online casinos offer both; others only have RNG craps. Search the table games or dice section.
Why do craps tables have different maximum odds multiples?
The maximum Free Odds multiple (1×, 2×, 3-4-5×, 10×, 100×) is a commercial decision by each casino. Higher odds multiples reduce the house's effective edge per dollar bet. The standard "3-4-5× odds" (3× on 4/10, 4× on 5/9, 5× on 6/8) is most common in Las Vegas. Online casinos often offer 2× or 3× odds. "100× odds" tables (common at downtown Las Vegas casinos) bring the combined Pass + Odds edge near zero — but require larger bankrolls because you can back £100 with £10,000 in Free Odds.
Can the shooter influence the dice in craps?
In land-based casinos, craps dice control is the subject of ongoing debate among gambling authors. Some practitioners claim controlled shooting (dice sets, consistent delivery) can marginally alter outcomes. The academic consensus and casino surveillance data strongly suggest this effect does not reliably beat the house edge. Online RNG craps uses a verified random number generator — no dice influence is physically possible. In live craps (streamed by Evolution), the shooter is a croupier who rolls behind a screen, not the player. No craps strategy claiming dice control has survived independent statistical validation.
What is the difference between a Come bet and a Place bet?
Both bets cover specific point numbers (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) but work differently. A Come Bet works exactly like a Pass Line bet but placed after the come-out roll — it goes through a mini come-out where 7/11 wins and 2/3/12 loses, then establishes its own come point. Once a come point is set, you can back it with Free Odds (zero house edge). A Place Bet directly bets on a specific number rolling before a 7 — no come-out phase, no free odds option, and the payouts are slightly worse than true odds. Example: Place 6 pays 7:6 with 1.52% edge; Come + Full Odds on the 6 pays true 6:5 odds on the odds portion at 0% edge. For optimal strategy, Come + Odds beats Place bets on every number.
How long does a craps session last?
An online RNG craps session can be as long or short as you choose — you control every roll. Live dealer craps sessions run at the table's pace, typically 40–80 rolls per hour depending on the number of players and bet complexity. A typical session at a live craps table might run 30 minutes to 2 hours. Online RNG craps runs much faster — you can easily play 200+ rolls in an hour if you click quickly. Be careful about this: higher roll speed means your bankroll is at risk more often. Set a fixed stop-loss (e.g. 40 Pass Line bets worth) before starting and respect it regardless of results.
Are there side bets or bonus games in online craps?
Standard craps does not have bonus rounds in the slots sense — the game is continuous dice rolling with your bet positions maintained until resolved. However, some online and live craps variants offer side bets including: the "Fire Bet" (wins if the shooter hits all 6 points before 7-out — very high house edge), "All/Tall/Small" bets (win if all numbers or specific subsets roll before a 7), and "World/Horn" combinations. Evolution's live craps includes some additional side markets. All craps side bets and proposition bets in the center of the table carry significantly higher house edges than the core Pass Line + Free Odds strategy — they should be treated as entertainment extras, not core strategy.