Play Craps Online in New York

Craps is one of the most popular games to play in New York casinos and elsewhere, so it is no surprise to find online craps among the table games offered at most online casino sites. Here’s an overview of what you can expect at those online casinos when stepping up to the virtual dice table.

What to expect in this guide:

• Find the best online casinos for craps
• Online craps odds and strategy advice
• Advantages to playing online craps

Selecting the top online casinos for craps

Our evaluation of different online casinos and the craps games they offer takes into account a few different factors. These are the qualities we look for first in any site offering online casino craps. You should consider them, too, when looking for the best online craps sites.

• Game selection — You’re likely to find more variants of blackjack and roulette at NY online casinos (once legal) than different ways to play craps. However, we do take into account how many online craps choices a site offers. Having live dealer online craps is a bonus as well, as many online casinos do not offer it.
• Site design and features — Most of the established online casinos have smart, intuitive designs and other features to enhance the gaming experience. With craps, many sites feature the same First Person Craps game developed by Evolution Gaming, which tends to make that experience equal across the sites. Even so, we consider other site-specific factors when evaluating their attractiveness to online craps players.
• Payouts — The odds and payouts for online craps games also tend to be the same across the different sites. Without a large variety of variants, there isn’t too much difference to discuss. That said, we do take online craps payouts into account.
• Bonuses, promotions, and other offers — Online casinos offer a variety of bonuses and promos to encourage sign-ups and play. We’re mindful of that when comparing sites that feature online craps.

Future NY online casinos with craps

Not every online casino offers craps among its table games, but several do. That includes a number of online casinos likely to launch in New York when the state authorizes them to do so. Here are a few of those likely future New York online casinos that have craps among their table game selections.

That covers operators with online casinos offering craps at present. We’ll keep you updated if and when others add craps to their available table games as we also keep an eye on which new NY online casinos might launch.

How to play craps online in NY

New York has yet to introduce real money online casinos, but when it does, you can expect to find craps among the available games. Craps might look like a complicated game, but in truth, it doesn’t take that long to learn.

Online craps rules

Shooting craps involves a player rolling two six-sided dice and onlookers betting on the outcomes. When playing live, one player—the “shooter”—rolls while everyone around the table can bet. But in online craps, it’s just you, the dice and the table onto which you drag your chips in order to indicate your bets.

At its most basic level, after initial bets are placed, craps starts with the first roll of the dice, after which there may or may not be a subsequent roll (depending on that first roll). If there is a subsequent roll, the object becomes to try to roll that same number again before rolling a 7. When that happens—either the same number or a 7 is rolled—the round ends and a new one begins.

That’s the general idea. Here is a step-by-step explanation of craps rules:

1. Make a “pass” or “don’t pass” bet — With the initial bets, players bet either on the “pass line” or “don’t pass.” Betting on the pass line is a bet the dice will come 7 or 11. Betting on don’t pass is a bet on 2 or 3, and if 12 comes the bet is a “push” and you get your wager back.
2. The “come-out roll” — The first roll of the dice is called the “come-out roll.”
3. Checking first bets — If the dice come up 7 or 11, the pass line bets instantly win. If the roll is 2, 3 or 12, the don’t pass bets win. In those cases, the round ends. But when the dice come up any other number, the dice rolling continues with those pass line and don’t pass bets still in play.
4. The “point” is established — If the first roll is 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, that number becomes the “point.”
5. Make additional bets — Once the point is known, you can make additional bets (discussed below).
6. More dice rolling — Now the shooter keeps rolling the dice until either the point is rolled again or a 7.
7. The round ends, all bets settled — Once either the point or 7 is rolled, all bets are settled. If the point comes first, the pass line bets win, and if a 7 comes first, the don’t pass bets win. The other bets have their own rules determining how they are settled.

That’s the gist of how to play craps. Read on, though, for more about the different bets and payouts.

Understanding craps bets

Probably the most perplexing aspect of craps to new players is the sheer number of different bets. That said, once you become familiar with how the game is played, it isn’t that difficult to understand all of the different craps bets.

Here’s an overview of the most common craps bets, followed by some discussion of odds and payouts, as well as craps strategy. We’ll start with a review of those pass and don’t pass bets, since that’s where a round of craps begins.

• Pass line: As noted, a pass line bet wins right away if the come-out roll is a 7 or 11. It loses right away if the come-out roll is 2, 3 or 12. It also wins if after the point is established the shooter rolls the point before rolling a 7. In that case, if the 7 comes first, the pass line bet loses.
• Don’t pass line: The don’t pass line bet wins right away with a 2 or 3, loses right away with a 7 or 11 and is considered a push if the come-out roll is 12. It also wins if after the point is established a 7 comes first. It loses if the point comes before a 7.
• Come: After the point is established, you can place a come bet. It essentially works just like the pass line bet, but starting with the next roll. If that roll is a 7 or 11, you win your come bet. If it is 2, 3 or 12, you lose. If it is any other number, that becomes a new “point” for your come bet, a.k.a. the “come point.” If that number is rolled again before a 7 you win. If a 7 comes first, you lose.
• Don’t come: In the same way a come bet is similar to a pass line bet, a don’t come bet is similar to the don’t pass line bet. After a point is established, if you place a don’t come bet you win if the next roll is a 2 or 3, lose if it is 7 or 11 and push if it is 12. Any other number becomes the come point, and from there you’re hoping a 7 comes before that number is rolled again.

Odds bets

After the point is established, you can also place an odds bet. There are four different odds bets. Each is, in a way, a version of the four bets discussed above. You can bet on:

• Pass Line Odds
• Don’t Pass Odds
• Come Odds
• Don’t Come Odds

You might think of odds bets as versions of the pass/don’t pass and come/don’t come bets. They are the same bets, really, only the payouts are different depending on which number is the point.

Place bets

Place bets are also made after the come-out roll when a point has been established. There are two types of place bets:

• Place in
• Place Lose

A place win bet is on certain numbers to be rolled before a 7. Payouts vary according to the number chosen. A place lose bet is on a 7 to be rolled before a particular number, and again the payouts vary depending on which number you choose.

Buy bets and lay bets

Buy bets and lay bets are versions of place bets. In fact, they are essentially the same, except the payouts are higher and you have to pay a 5% commission to the house. A buy bet is the same as a place win bet (but with the higher payout). A lay bet is the same as a place lose bet (again, with the higher payout).

Hardways bets

In craps, when both dice show the same number (a “double”), that’s called hitting a number the “hard way.” In other words, rolling 4-4 is a “hard 8,” rolling 2-2 is a “hard 4,” and so on. After the point is established, you can make the following hardways bets on certain “hard” rolls to come before a 7:

• Hard 4
• Hard 6
• Hard 8
• Hard 10

The payouts differ according to which hard number you choose (see below).

Big 6 and Big 8 bets

Again, after the point has been established, you can make a Big 6 bet on a 6 to come before a 7, or you can make a Big 8 bet on an 8 being rolled before a 7.

Field bets

A field bet is unique in that you can make it at any time during a round. It is a bet on the very next roll of the dice, regardless of whatever else is going on or whatever stage the betting might otherwise be. When you make a field bet, you win if the next roll is a 2, 3, 4,  9, 10, 11 or 12. You win a 2-to-1 payout for 2 or 12 and 1-to-1 for the other winning numbers. You lose if the next roll is a 5, 6, 7 or 8.

There are many other proposition bets you can make in craps. These include a lot of the bets on the next roll (like field bets), such as:

• Any 7 — the next roll will be 7
• Any Craps — the next roll will be 2, 3 or 12
• Yo-Leven — the next roll will be 11
• Snake Eyes — the next roll will be 2
• Box Cars — the next roll will be 12

There are other bets, too, but that should be plenty to occupy new craps players. Once you become more familiar with the game and join the ranks of experienced craps players, you might explore some of the other side bets.

Online craps odds

We’ve explained the most common craps bets above. Here’s a table showing the odds (aka the “true odds”), payouts and house edge for some of the bets discussed above. Note that these payouts are fairly standard at most online craps casinos, although you might find some differences at particular sites.

As you can readily see, for most craps bets, the payouts tend to be less than what the actual odds are, which is what creates a house edge. The odds bets are the only example of the payouts actually being equal to the odds, which is why the house edge is zero for those bets.

We’ll talk a little about craps strategy below, but this table should give you a clue that some craps bets are a lot better than others as far as the house edge is concerned.

Online craps strategy

Like roulette, craps is largely a game of chance. This means it is often luck and not skill that determines your fortunes. That said, the more you know about the rules and different craps bets, the better off you’ll be.

Tips for playing online craps

One excellent way to learn craps is to find an online craps simulator where you can try out the game for free. Check the online casinos and see if they allow you to play craps in demo mode.  Playing craps online for free can allow you both to learn about gameplay and betting while getting familiar with a particular site’s design and function.

By the way, you might have heard that when playing craps in a casino you shouldn’t place those “Don’t” bets (Don’t Pass Line, Don’t Come), since you’ll essentially be betting against all of the others at the table. There’s actually nothing wrong with placing those bets, but you might not want to cheer too loudly when you win! Of course, when you play craps online, that is no concern since you are the only player.

Some craps bets are better than others

Finally, as you noticed from that table of craps odds and payouts, some bets are much better than others. Not only are some bets like the hardways bets (e.g., Hard 4, Hard 6, etc.), Any 7, Yo-Leven, Snake Eyes, Box Cars and others relatively long shots, the house edge on those bets is quite large even compared to in other casino games.

Big 6 and Big 8 are relatively popular craps bets, but they, too, are bad ones for players—with a greater than 9% house edge. Notice how among the Place Win and Place Lose bets you can bet on both 6 or 8 to come before a 7 after the point has been established, have a better chance of winning and make a bet with a smaller house edge.

Meanwhile, other wagers like pass line and come bets (and don’t pass line and don’t come bets) are less risky and feature relatively small house edges. In fact, pass/don’t pass and come/don’t come odds bets feature no house edge at all, a rarity in the casino.

Choose your own craps strategy

Once you’ve learned about the different bets and gotten used to how the game plays, you will likely find yourself settling into a preferred craps strategy. Many experienced craps players start out each roll by making a pass or don’t pass bet (often a small wager). Then, when a point is established, they make an odds bet (often for larger stakes) and take advantage of that zero house edge.

Smart craps players also practice sound bankroll management and practice responsible gambling. Learning the rules, odds and payouts can help you with both.

Online craps vs. offline live craps in New York

You’ll find lively craps tables at every New York casino. In fact, live craps can be a very entertaining social activity. The fact that everyone is betting on the same roll of the dice can create genuine excitement and even camaraderie at a live craps table.

Of course, not everyone wants to jump into the middle of a raucous scene. For some, that aspect of live craps makes the game a bit intimidating, especially for beginners.

Online craps features

Playing craps online has a lot of positives:

• Faster gameplay than live, as you don’t have to wait for multiple players to place bets;
• Bets are settled and all payouts are calculated automatically, so no waiting;
• Can play for lower limits (usually) than are available in live craps games, and in some cases can even play online craps for free (demo mode);
• Convenience of playing at home or on the go via mobile online casino apps;
• Opportunities to earn bonuses and other rewards via New York online casino bonuses and promos;
• No need to worry about learning the etiquette associated with live craps (including no need to tip);
• In live games, sometimes you must retoss the dice (e.g., when they don’t hit the back wall of the dice table), but online you just click a button and there is a perfect dice toss every time!

Don’t forget online casinos occasionally feature live dealer games that combine the fun of live games with online play. Not every online casino has live dealer craps, but some do. If you wish to add that social component to your online craps play, that’s an option to explore.

Try your hand at online craps casinos in NY

Craps is a hugely entertaining and unique gambling game whether played live in a casino or online. Having learned what shooting dice at the craps table is all about, you can now sign up at an online casino and give craps a try.