Craps has been a game played by many over the centuries. It crops up from the street corner to the luxury land based casino, and has even been recorded as a wartime pastime for troops. The story of craps goes back as far as to the Roman Empire, and in time it became a part of American culture.

For some reason the game is considered somewhat mysterious, and it certainly has a convoluted rule system that has had many an interested new gambler eventually running for the hills.

The good news is that once you’ve learned how the game works and understand the table layout it will be easy as pie. Just like Blackjack the key is in understanding the games objective and the how the table layout helps you achieve it.

If you’re looking for a craps version that lets you experience the Vegas feel then Live Dealer Craps is the way to go. Software developers such as Vivo Gaming have gone the extra mile to create an authentic Craps version much like the ones you’ll find in any top notch Vegas casino.

Live Dealers Are the Best!

If you’re new to the online casino world you might find yourself asking what the big deal is regarding live dealer games. They are mainly the same as regular online casino games right? Wrong. Apart from the main difference of the game actually being live there are a few other differences.

Online craps games make use of computer graphics to simulate a game of crap. This is done by either making use of Adobe Flash or HTML5 to show animated games of craps on your computer or mobile screen. Online craps variants also make use of a Random Number Generator (RNG) to determine the outcome of each game round. This type of technology has been used in land based casinos or decades on video poker and slot machines.

Live Dealer craps is played either in an active back room at a land based casino, or in a specially designed live dealer studio. With live dealer craps you watch the dice shooting from multiple camera actions as it is streamed to you in real time. This way you get to watch the dealer, and the action in the same way you would were you in the room with them.

Another major benefit offered by live dealer craps games is the live chat option, which you can use to chat with the craps dealer, the pit boss and the other players at the table. Craps has always been considered a social game, one that forms a sort of camaraderie among players, as they tend to make the same bets. Betting limits are also higher at live dealer tables – these higher limit games give you slightly more time between games to make sure of your bets.

Perks of playing Live Dealer Craps

Here are 7 of the best reasons to play Live Dealer Craps online today:

1. No need to study up, this is a game of chance

2. Craps has some of the best odds, with the house edge ranging from 1.35% to 1.41% for basic bets

3. You are only required to figure out which bets you should make and which should be avoided

4. It’s a social game, which live streaming cater for

5. It’s encouraged to copy your fellow players bets

6. The camera allows you to see the dice shooters

7.  It’s highly exciting

Depending how your bankroll is looking this could be an eighth good reason to play Craps online. There is one thing you can’t do online which would be expected of you at a land based Craps table – you don’t have to tip the dealer!

Love The Sound Of It? Here Is How To Start!

The basic idea of playing Craps is rolling the dice and betting on the outcome. One of the most important roles in a game of Craps is that of the shooter, otherwise known as the person who rolls the dice. In live dealer craps there will be a designated dealer (shooter) at the table rolling the dice.

Craps is a game that takes place in two phases more commonly referred to as the ‘Come Out’ and the ‘Point’. To start the game the shooter has to place a bet on the ‘don’t pass’ line after which you’ll be allowed to place a bet with or against their bet. The first throw of the dice has to hit the back wall of the table, both dice have to hit the back wall. This dice toss is referred to as the ‘Come Out Roll’. If the come out roll delivers a total of 7 or 11 and you’ve made a bet on the pass line you’ll receive double the winnings. If the come out roll revealed a total of 2, 3 or 12 and you betted on the pass line it’s ‘craps’ which means you lose.

However, if the come out roll revealed a total of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 then the next phase begins where you get to place bets. During this phase your objective is to bet on one of the numbers you believe will be rolled before the next 7 is rolled. You’ll notice that the dealer will put your Place Bets on the table. You don’t have to make this bet right away, the dealer allows for bets to take place throughout the game any time after the Come Out roll, you can also opt to remove your bet or decrease the total you placed on the bet.

After the point has been set the dice will be rolled again and the hope is that the shooter manages to roll the same value of the set point before rolling a 7. You will lose if a 7 is rolled before the point is rolled or if a 2, 3 or 12 is rolled (craps). If the point total is rolled before a 7 is rolled you can double up on your money.

Pro Tip: When making bets on live dealer craps try to reduce the house edge as much as possible by placing bets with the lowest house edge.

The Pros Know The Rules!

We’ve covered the Pass bet and the Point but there are various other bets that can be placed while playing live dealer craps. You might not use all of them but it’s always better to step into a game prepared and knowing what your options are.

Odds

This bet can be placed after a pass line bet has been made and the point has been established. This is the bet you make on the point predicting that the point value will be rolled again before a 7 is rolled. To make this bet you need to put it behind your pass line bet. This bet has basically no house edge and pays out 2:1 on points of 4 and 10, 3:2 on points of 5 and 9, and 6:5 on points of 6 and 8. It’s generally one of the best bets to make due to there being no house edge.

Don’t Pass

If the name doesn’t imply it, this bet is basically the opposite of the pass line bet in which a come out roll of 12 leads to a push rather than a win. With this bet the house edge is on 1.36%. In simple terms you will be winning when the table loses and losing when the table wins. The Odds bet can also be made with this bet after the point is established. It’s an option that isn’t used a lot and most players consider it a bet used only by those who take joy in the losses made by others.

Come Bet

Much like the pass bet this can be made during any time of the game except during a come out roll. The roll that takes place after the bet is made will be the come out roll for the come bet. The odds bet can also be applied on top of the come bet and there is a house edge of 1.41% attached to this bet.

Don’t Come Bet

Very similar to the Pass Bet as it can be made on any roll except the come out roll. If a point was rolled you are allowed to add an odds bet. With this bet the house edge stands at 1.36%.

Place Bets

Place Bets are very similar to Odds bets apart from the fact that you don’t have to make a pass or come bet to place this bet. A downside to this bet is that the pay-out isn’t as good as with the Odds bet. The house edge varies depending on which numbers you’ve placed your bet.

• Place bets on 4 and 9 pay 9:5 – House Edge 6.67%
• Place bets on 5 and 9 pay 7:5 – House Edge 4.00%
• Place bets on 6 and 8 pay 7:6 – House Edge 1.52%

Field

This is a single roll bet that results in a win if the amount rolled is anything but a 5 to a 9. Most wins on this bet pays even money except if the dice total is 2 (pays 2:1) or 12 (pays 2:1 / 3:1). This bet has a house edge of between 2.27% or 5.56% if the dice total is 12 and the pay-out ratio is 3:1.

These are the most common and most used bets in craps, you will find that there are various other betting options available at the tables. In truth these are hardly ever mentioned because they have an incredibly high house edge or may even be considered obscure.

Top 5 Tips for Live Dealer Craps

1. Know the Rules

If you’ve made it this far then you know the basics and you are ready to start playing. Some rules might differ depending on the live dealer craps variant you are playing so be sure to play nice with the dealer for tips and info on the game rules. Knowing the rules can make quite a difference and result in a win rather than a loss.

2. Choose a Casino with a great Welcome Bonus

If you aren’t already part of an online casino then your next mission is to find an online casino that offers a live dealer Craps variant.

We’ve got your back… Sifting through the hundreds of online casinos available can be tedious. Head over to our GamblersPick Casino Select page and look for the casinos with the Select Badge next to them. Theses casinos have been vetted and reviewed and are guaranteed to offer the best rewards, service and game variety.

3. Keep Track of the Dice

The game of Craps is dominated by the rolling dice. Many believe that by keeping note on the previous roll outcomes you can establish a pattern or see what number is rolled more often. You can use these to your advantage and bet on the most probable numbers as shown in the results of previous dice rolls throughout the game.

4. Assess the Table before you opt in

One of the Pro Tips for playing live dealer craps or any other variant of the game is to find the player who wins the most and follow what he is doing. Don’t listen to the dealer’s appeal, they might be friendly but their job remains to stay in favour of the house. Opt for a table that suits your style, it’s vital to like the table and the dealer or it might dampen the mood and affect your gameplay.

5. Bets with winning odds

Most avid craps players will encourage you to bet on 6 and 8 by putting your chips on both. This tip is especially useful if you are new to live craps or you want some more probable winning results. If you’re looking to increase your chances of winning even more you can put a place bet on 6.

Great Tips Need To Be Shared! Much like playing Craps, GamblersPick is focused on creating community. Why not join the community for free today and start sharing your tips and tricks. You might just help a new player experience the best game of their life by sharing your tricks for live craps success.