Online Craps Guide

All Pennsylvania casinos offer craps.

Craps is spread in both digital and live table formats. There are advantages to playing either. Most PA online casinos will eventually offer craps. The first will go live starting July 15, 2019.

The minimum bet at live craps is usually $5 during the day and $10 at night at PA casinos. Video craps tend to have a $1 or $2 minimum bet, which is a great deal.

Craps is one of the best games to play due to its low house odds if you stick to the better bets on the felt.

Video craps versus live craps

Video craps available in PA have lower bet limits and play faster.

The timer will count down 20 seconds between bets. At that point, a player has a few seconds to push the button to roll the dice. The game may have real dice or use video ones that are “rolled” at random.

The player bets on a touchscreen. First, the player clicks the preferred denomination and then touches the screen’s felt to where he or she would like to bet.

One simple click cancels bets or calls them all off for a roll, which is much easier to do on a video machine than at a live game. Once the dice roll, the machine will instantly display any winning bets and remove losing ones.

Odds for video craps

The Pass Line, Don’t Pass, Come, and Don’t Come odds are usually 2x on PA video craps. At live craps, the odds are generally 3-4-5x times. In most cases, a video craps player gets better ratings than at a live craps table when using a player’s card.

The $1 or $2 minimum bet allows a player to get into action with a smaller bankroll.

There is another factor that helps. Video craps machines round payouts to the closest penny, as opposed to the nearest dollar at a live craps game. This can add up for a low-limit player.

When a player is ready to leave, the machine prints out a ticket that can be used in slot and video poker machines or redeemed at a kiosk or casino cage for cash.

Live craps is usually more exciting than video craps. You feel the dice and chips, and the dealer interacts with the players. Plus, drink service is often better at the tables than at the slots.

The limits are much higher on table games than video ones. Some players do not want to play video versions when a live one only steps away.

Online craps

Most PA online casinos will offer online craps. It will play similar to the video craps games often found on PA casino floors.

The minimum bet will usually be $1. The odds are typically 2x the line bet.

One advantage is online craps offers to PA players is they can play at their own pace; there is no timer. They can roll the dice immediately after a roll or take a break for as long as they wish.

How to play craps

The first step in playing a craps game is to bet, which must meet the posted minimum.

When a game starts, the typical bet is a Pass Line or Don’t Pass one. Some players also bet the Field or prop bets in the center.

The Stickman will give the dice to a player with a line bet. The player receives five dice and picks two. The player then throws the dice across the table. The dice must hit the back wall. The first roll is called the Come-out.

If the player — known as the shooter — rolls a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, the number becomes the point. Pass Line players want this number to repeat before a 7 is thrown. Don’t Pass players want a 7 to roll before the point.

If the shooter rolls a 2, 3, 7, 11, or 12, the line bets are resolved immediately.

The Pass Line wins on a 7 and 11 and loses on a 2, 3, or 12.

The Don’t Pass wins on a 2 or 3, loses on a 7 or 11, and pushes on a 12.

The House roll is a 12 as the Pass Line loses and the Don’t Pass pushes. The shooter throws the dice again until a point is established and either made or missed.

If the Come-out roll is a point, the shooter rolls the dice until the point is made or a 7 is rolled. Any roll beside the point and 7 mean nothing to the line bets. Players can make several side bets along the way.

Craps odds

Pennsylvania casinos offer 3-4-5x craps odds. This means that a Pass Line or Come bettor can place 3x the bet on a 4 or 10, 4x on the 5 and 9, and 5x on the 6 or 8.

It pays true mathematical odds. The 4 and 10 pay 2-to-1. A 5 and 9 pay 3-to-2. A 6 and 8 pay 6-to-5.

Don’t Pass and Don’t Come bets play the reverse.

The 4 and 10 will pay 2-to-1. The 5 and 9 will pay 3-to-2. The 6 and 8 pay 6-to-5.

One way to look at the don’t odds on a 3-4-5x odds table is that the max is always 6x the flat bet.

Types of craps bets

There are dozens of bets on a craps table that range from single-roll wagers to ones that play until they win or a 7 is rolled.

Come

The Come bet is like the Pass Line. It is on a new roll. It cannot be made on the Come-out because the player needs to bet it on the Pass Line instead.

The Come bet immediately wins on a 7 or 11 and loses on a 2, 3, or 12. If a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 is rolled, the player needs that number to repeat before a 7 comes to win. Standard odds may be taken on Come bets.

Don’t Come

The Don’t Come is the opposite of a Come bet. Like the Come, it cannot be bet on the Come-out because the Don’t Pass bet is available then.

The Don’t Come player wins on a 2 or 3. The bet loses on a 7 or 11. It pushes on a 12. If the shooter rolls a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, the Don’t Come player wants a 7 to come before that number to win. If the number is rolled first, the Don’t Come loses. Standard odds may be taken on Don’t Come bets.<

Field

The Field bet is for only one roll. It wins if a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12 are rolled — the 2 and 12 pay double.

Hardway bets

Hardway bets are pairs. There are four Hardway bets on a craps table. There is a Hard 4, 6, 8, and 10.

The Hard 4 and 10 pay 7-to-1. The 6 and 8 pay 9- to-1. The bet wins if the Hardway is rolled before another combination that makes that number or a 7. For example, a Hard 8 bet wins on two 4s. It loses on any 7 or any other 8 roll, such as a 2 and 6, or 3 and 5. No other rolls matter to a Hardway bet.

Hop bets

A Hop bet works for only one roll. The main Hop bets are 2, 3, 11, and 12. The 2 and 12 pay 30-to-1. The 3 and 11 pay 15-to-1. Players may also declare any number on the board. Make sure to get these bets in early before the dice are out.

Any craps

Any Craps bet pays 7-to-1. It wins if a 2, 3, or 12 are rolled. All other rolls cause this bet to lose.

Place bets

There are six numbers at the top of the felt: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 and players can bet on any of these. It wins if the number comes before a 7 and loses if a 7 is rolled. No other rolls matter. The 4 and 10 pay 9-to-5. The 5 and 9 pay 7-to-5. The 6 and 8 pay 7-to-6.

Most casinos will give players a free buy on 4 and 10 bets of $20 or more. A free buy means the player only pays 5 percent commission on the win. A $20 bet would only pay $1 in juice, which means it would win $39 as opposed to $36 on a place.

Lay bets

Some players want to cheer with the House, which may be done by laying a number. Lay bets may be made on the 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. The bettor pays a 5 percent commission on a win.