Online Craps Guide for Canadian Players

The Basic Goal of Craps

At its core, craps is a dice game built around a sequence of rolls, with the first roll of a new round called the "come-out roll." From there, most of the game's action revolves around whether a specific number - called "the point" - gets rolled again before a 7 comes up. Understanding this single core mechanic unlocks most of what you need to follow the game, even before learning any of its more elaborate side bets.

On the come-out roll:

• Rolling a 7 or 11 wins immediately for players betting on the "pass line" (the game's most fundamental and common bet).
• Rolling a 2, 3, or 12 ("craps") loses immediately for pass line bettors.
• Rolling any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) establishes that number as "the point," and the round continues.

Once a point is established:

• The shooter keeps rolling until either the point number comes up again (pass line bets win) or a 7 comes up first (pass line bets lose, and a new come-out roll begins).

This come-out-roll-then-point structure is the backbone of the entire game, and virtually every other bet on the table is built around variations of this same basic sequence.

The Best Bets in Craps

Pass Line is the foundational bet, wagered before the come-out roll, and carries one of the lowest house edges in the entire casino at approximately 1.41%. It's the natural starting point for any new craps player.

Don't Pass is the inverse of the pass line bet - betting against the shooter rather than with them - and carries an even slightly lower house edge, around 1.36%. It's a perfectly legitimate bet, though some players avoid it simply because it can feel socially awkward to bet against the table's collective shooter at a live or live-dealer table.

Come and Don't Come bets function almost identically to pass and don't pass bets, but can be placed on any roll after the point has already been established, rather than only on the come-out roll - useful for players who want to make additional similar-value bets mid-round.

Odds Bets are where craps truly separates itself from every other casino game. Once a point is established, players can back their pass line or don't pass bet with an additional "odds" wager that pays out at true mathematical odds - meaning this specific bet carries zero house edge whatsoever, the only bet in any standard casino game where that's genuinely the case. Odds bets are typically capped at a multiple of your original pass line bet (commonly 2x, 3x, or higher depending on the specific table's rules), and taking full advantage of the maximum allowed odds is one of the single best value moves available in any casino game.

Place Bets on 6 or 8 let players bet directly on a specific number becoming the point outcome without needing to wait for a come-out roll to establish it. The house edge on place bets on 6 or 8 specifically is a reasonable 1.52%, making them a solid value bet among the more flexible, any-time wagers on the table.

Bets Worth Avoiding

Any 7 pays out if a 7 is rolled on the very next roll, but carries a steep house edge of around 16.67% - a genuinely poor value bet despite its appealing simplicity and quick resolution.

Proposition bets (also called "prop bets") cover a range of single-roll wagers on specific outcomes - snake eyes, boxcars, specific hard-way combinations - and almost universally carry house edges well above 9%, often considerably higher. These bets are visually appealing due to their high payout multiples, but the underlying odds make them consistently poor value compared to the pass line, don't pass, and odds bet combination.

Big 6 and Big 8 bets, where still offered, wager on a 6 or 8 being rolled before a 7, functioning similarly to place bets on the same numbers but typically at a worse payout ratio - a nearly identical bet to place bets on 6 or 8, but with meaningfully worse value. Where both options are available, place bets are consistently the better choice.

Hard way bets (betting that a number like 6 will be rolled specifically as two 3s, rather than any combination adding to 6) offer attractive payout odds but come with correspondingly poor probability, generally carrying house edges between 9% and 11% depending on the specific number.

How the Odds Bet Actually Works

The odds bet deserves extra explanation because it's genuinely unique among casino wagers and one of the most valuable tools available to a craps player. Once a point is established on the come-out roll, you're allowed to place an additional wager - behind your original pass line or don't pass bet - that pays out based on the true statistical probability of the point number being rolled again before a 7.

Because this specific bet carries no house edge at all, maximizing your odds bet (up to whatever multiple your table allows) is mathematically the single best value action available anywhere in the game. The catch is that the odds bet can only be made in combination with an underlying pass line or don't pass bet - it's not available as a standalone wager - which is exactly why understanding pass line betting first is essential before layering in odds bets.

Different tables offer different maximum odds multiples - commonly 2x, 3x-4x-5x (a variable multiple depending on the point number), or occasionally higher at some operators. Checking a table's specific odds policy before playing is worth doing, since a table offering higher maximum odds gives you more opportunity to take advantage of this zero-house-edge bet.

Craps Table Layout, Simplified

A physical or live-dealer craps table can look overwhelming at first glance, but it's built around a few core sections:

• The Pass Line runs along the front edge of the table and is where the most fundamental bet is placed.
• The Don't Pass Bar sits adjacent to the pass line, for players betting against the shooter.
• The Come and Don't Come areas sit further toward the center of the table, for mid-round bets functioning like pass/don't pass.
• The Field is a one-roll bet on specific numbers (2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12) coming up on the very next roll, with variable payouts depending on the specific number.
• The Place Bet numbers (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) run along the top of the table layout, where players can bet directly on any of these becoming the point outcome.
• The Proposition bet area sits in the center of the table, covering the various single-roll and hard-way bets generally worth avoiding due to their poor house edge.

Online and live dealer craps interfaces typically simplify this layout somewhat compared to a physical table, with clearer visual indicators for where to place each type of bet, making the learning curve considerably gentler than a first-time visit to a physical casino craps table might suggest.

Craps Terminology Cheat Sheet

Bankroll Management for Craps

Craps can move quickly, with multiple rolls per minute at many tables, which makes disciplined bankroll management particularly important. A sound approach for most players centers on the pass line (or don't pass) bet combined with maximum available odds, since this combination offers the lowest overall house edge on the table by a meaningful margin compared to place bets, field bets, or proposition bets.

• Decide your session budget before you sit down, and factor in that the pass line plus odds combination, while offering excellent value, still involves genuine variance - a cold shooter can produce a losing streak regardless of how sound your bet selection is.
• Resist the pull of proposition bets, even when they're visually tempting. Their high payout multiples can make them feel like a reasonable occasional flutter, but their poor underlying odds make them a consistent drag on your overall expected value if used regularly.
• Take full advantage of odds bets whenever your table allows it. Since this specific wager carries no house edge, under-using it (or skipping it entirely) means leaving genuine value on the table.

Our Responsible Gambling page covers the deposit and loss limit tools every licensed Canadian operator provides, useful for craps just as much as any other game.

Online Craps vs. Live Dealer Craps

Standard online (RNG-based) craps tables simulate dice rolls digitally, typically with a streamlined interface that makes placing pass line, don't pass, and odds bets straightforward even for first-time players. Live dealer craps, where available, streams a real dealer and physical dice roll from a studio, offering a more authentic, social experience closer to a physical casino table - though live dealer availability for craps specifically is less widespread than for blackjack or roulette at many Canadian-facing operators, worth confirming before assuming it's offered.

A Brief History of Craps

Craps traces its origins to a simplified adaptation of an older English dice game called "Hazard," which was refined into its modern form in the early 1900s, largely credited to a New Orleans-based craps supply manufacturer who is often cited as adding the standardized layout still recognizable at craps tables today. The game grew rapidly in popularity through the 20th century, particularly through its association with American military culture during World War II, where simplified street versions of the game (played directly on the ground with a blanket rather than a formal table) spread widely among servicemen and carried the game's popularity home with them after the war.

Craps' modern casino version, with its now-standard table layout and full range of bets, became a fixture of American and eventually international casino floors through the mid-20th century, and its transition to online and live dealer formats followed the broader shift toward internet gambling in the late 1990s and 2000s, bringing the game's favourable odds bets - a genuine mathematical rarity among casino games - to a much wider audience of players who might never visit a physical casino craps table.

Craps Etiquette at Live Tables

Live dealer craps, where available, carries a few conventions worth knowing even in an online setting. Because craps traditionally involves a rotating shooter (the player rolling the dice) at physical tables, some live dealer formats replicate this by having the dealer roll on behalf of all players rather than passing physical dice around - worth checking a specific live dealer craps game's format before assuming you'll be personally "shooting" the dice yourself. Placing bets promptly during the designated betting window is important at live tables specifically, since the dealer proceeds through the round on a fixed pace shared by all players at the table, unlike solo RNG-based craps where you control the pace entirely yourself.

Craps Glossary

Craps Table Positions and Physical Play

At a physical or live-dealer craps table, players position themselves around the perimeter, with the shooter role rotating to each player in turn (in formats where players themselves roll) as previous shooters "seven out." Standing or sitting near the stickman - the dealer responsible for moving the dice and calling out proposition bets - is common at physical tables, though online and live-dealer formats simplify this positional element considerably, typically presenting a single unified betting interface regardless of a virtual "seat" position.

Craps Session Pacing Online vs. Live

One underappreciated difference between online RNG craps and live dealer or physical craps is pacing. A solo online craps game can move as fast as you're comfortable clicking through rolls, potentially producing far more rolls per hour than a live table where the dealer, other players' bets, and the physical dice retrieval all add natural pauses between rolls. This faster pace at solo RNG tables means your session bankroll can be exposed to more total rolls in the same amount of time compared to a live table - worth factoring into your session budget and bet sizing if you're playing a fast-paced solo RNG game rather than a more naturally paced live dealer table.

Craps and Table Communication

At physical and live-dealer craps tables, a shared, fast-paced rhythm of calling out bets and results is part of the game's traditional character - the stickman announcing outcomes, other players calling out their own side bets, and a generally louder, more energetic atmosphere than most other table games. Online RNG craps loses some of this communal energy by necessity, though live dealer versions attempt to preserve elements of it through dealer commentary and chat functionality. Players who specifically enjoy craps' social, energetic reputation may find live dealer tables - where available - a noticeably better fit than solo RNG play, even though both offer mathematically identical odds for the same bet types.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to Play?

Craps offers some of the best mathematical value available in any casino game, once you understand which bets to prioritize and which to skip. Compare licensed Canadian operators offering craps on our homepage, confirm what's available in your province, and explore our Online Roulette Guide if you're looking for another classic table game with straightforward, easy-to-learn mechanics.

This guide is for informational purposes only. Gambling involves financial risk; play only with money you can afford to lose. If gambling is affecting you or someone you know, visit our @@PH0@@ page.