Craps-The Basics

By Simon Skinner

Playing craps can be very confusing for beginners. Craps can get into some very complicated betting strategies and players make or lose a lot of money in the process. Online casino gambling is no different, unless you are playing a free online casino that offers craps you can play with play money or on a freeroll game.

Even the basics of craps can be confusing, so we are only going to stick to the basic betting strategies. Some of the more complicated strategies should definitely be saved for when you have a better understanding of the game or can play for free versus real money online casino gambling.

In live casino games, it is very fast moving and takes four different dealers and a shooter to play. On the free online casino websites, the shooter may rotate around the table and the computer does much of the work on paying out winning bets and collecting losing ones.

The “pass line” bet is the basic online casino gambling bet. Some players use the “don’t pass”, which means the opposite of the winning bet. Each free online casino craps game starts with a “come out” roll, which establishes the point that the shooter has to re-roll before “crapping” out with a roll of seven. The come out roll is distinguished by a marker that says “off”. The only exception is if the 7 or 11 is the come out roll, then you win even money. After that, the 7 means you lose, if it is rolled before you hit the point.

On the come out roll, if you roll a 2, 3 or 12, which is called “craps”, you lose. If you roll 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, that is your point that you have to roll again before the 7. So, the game starts with you using the “pass line” to place your bet, betting on hitting the point before hitting a 7. If you use the “don’t pass” line, it means you are betting that a 7 will hit before hitting the point number.

Example:

The dealer has the black “off” marker on the table, and everybody bets. The shooter rolls the “come out” dice and gets a 7, so everybody wins except for the “don’t pass” bettors, which means the opposite- they lose.

The process starts over, except this time the shooter rolls a 5. The dealer flips the black “off” marker over to the white “on” side and places it next to the 5 on the board. The shooter continues to roll and finally rolls a 5, without hitting a 7 first, so everybody wins, except for the “don’t pass” bettors.

This time, the process starts over and the shooter rolls a 6. The white “on” marker goes on the 6, but the shooter rolls several times and finally rolls a 7, with no 6 coming up first. Everybody loses except for the bettors on the “don’t pass” line and they win.

You can start betting different “odds” as you learn the basics, but online casino gambling at a free online casino is a good way to learn the game, before you get too complicated with your betting by learning “odds” betting.