Craps – Detailed Guide
Craps is a popular dice game that’s quick and easy to play. In this article, we’ll give you a full summary of the game, which can be found at many online casinos in Singapore. Keep on reading to learn more about where craps came from, what its basic rules are and what you can do to improve your chances of winning.
Top Casinos to Play Craps in Singapore
History of Craps
The exact origin of craps is unknown. Some believe it evolved from a simpler dice game called Hazard, which came into existence in the 12th century. Around the 18th century, this game was known as Crabs instead; Crabs was the nickname given to a roll of 2. French colonists took the game over to the USA, where it spread and gained popularity. It was able to spread thanks to boat travelers on the Mississippi introducing it to new places.
By the early 20th century, craps were being played in many American casinos and there were lots of variants. To simplify things, John H. Winn came up with a definitive list of rules for the standard version of craps; these rules are what most casinos and live casinos today stick by.
How Craps Is Played
When you play craps for the first time, you may think it’s a complicated game. After all, a standard craps betting table does have a lot going on. However, the gameplay is quite straightforward and once you’ve had a few games, you should feel confident about how everything works. What makes craps appealing to many players is that it’s completely based on luck. All you have to do is place your bet and hope for the best.
There are two parts to a craps game. The first is the Come Out Roll. For this part, you place a Pass or Don’t Pass bet. Two dice are rolled and the outcome determines which bets win:
- 7 or 11 – Pass bets win and are paid 1:1; Don’t Pass bets lose. The round ends.
- 2, 3, or 12 – Don’t Pass bets win and are paid 1:1; Pass bets lose. The round ends.
- 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 – The rolled number is established as the Point. No bets win or lose. The game moves to part two.
Part two is known as the Point; this also refers to the number rolled during the first part. If a game proceeds to part two, the dice keep getting rolled until the Point or the number 7 is rolled. If the Point is rolled first:
- Pass bets win and are paid 1:1.
- Don’t Pass bets lose.
If the number 7 is rolled first:
- Pass bets lose.
- Don’t Pass bets win and are paid 1:1
That’s the rules of craps covered. If you’d like to practice playing craps for free, there are plenty of free online crap games you can try out.
Types of Bets You Can Place
Below is a list of the main craps bets:
- Pass – One of the two main bets you place before a round starts. Pays if the Come Out Roll produces a 7 or 11, or if the Point is rolled before 7.
- Don’t Pass – The other main bet. Pays is the Come Out Roll produces a 2, 3, or 12, or if 7 is rolled before the Point.
- Come – This can only be placed once the Point has been established. Pays if the next roll produces a 7 or 11; loses if a 2, 3, or 12 is produced. Any other number rolled is established as the Come Bet Point. If a 7 is rolled before the Come Bet Point number, the bet wins; it loses if the Come Bet point number is rolled first.
- Don’t Come – Another bet you can only place with the Point established. Pays if the next roll produces a 2 or 3; your bet’s returned if a 12 is rolled. You lose if the roll produces a 7 or 11. Any other number rolled is established as the Don’t Come Bet Point. If this number is rolled before 7, the bet wins; it loses if 7 is rolled first.
- Odds Bet – An odds bet is an optional side bet you can place on a Pass, Don’t Pass, Come, or Don’t Come bet once the Point has been established. The odds bet has to be a multiple of your original bet; there’s usually a limit on how much you can bet. Pass and Come odds bets pay 2:1 for 4 or 10, 3:2 for 5 or 9, and 6:5 for 6 or 8. Don’t Pass and Don’t Come odds bets pay 1:2 for 4 or 10, 2:3 for 5 or 9, and 5:6 for 6 or 8.
A typical online craps game offers a range of optional side bets. Some of the most common ones are listed below:
- Field Bet – Pays 1:1 if the next number rolled is 3, 4, 9, 10, or 11 and pays 2:1 if the next number is 2 or 12. Loses if any other number is rolled.
- Big 6 and Big 8 Bets – The big 6 bet wins if a 6 is rolled before 7; likewise, the big 8 wins if 8 is rolled before 7. Both bets pay 1:1.
- Hard Way Bet – Pick a number: 4, 6, 8, or 10. The bet wins if the chose number is rolled as a double (i.e. 2 and 2 for 4) before a 7 is rolled, or the chosen number is rolled but not as a double – if 4 is rolled as 1 and 3, for example, the bet will lose. Pays 7:1 for 4 and 10, and 9:1 for 6 and 8.
- Place Bets – There are two types of place bets. For the place to win a bet, pick any point number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) and the bet wins if this number gets rolled before 7. Pays 7:6 for 6 and 8, 7:5 for 5 and 9, and 9:5 for 4 and 10. The place to lose bet works in the same way but pays if 7 is rolled first. Pays 4:5 for 6 and 8, 5:8 for 5 and 9, and 5:11 for 4 and 10.
- Buy – This is the same as the place to win a bet, but it has better payouts. Pays 2:1 for 4 and 10, 3:2 for 5 and 9, and 6:5 for 6 and 8. A 5% commission is charged, however.
- Lay – This is the same as the place to lose a bet, though its payouts are better. Pays 1:2 for 4 and 10, 2:3 for 5 and 9, and 5:6 for 6 and 8. Like the buy bet, a 5% commission is charged.
- Any 7 and Any 11 Bets – Any 7 bet pays 4:1 if 7 is rolled next; any 11 bet pays 15:1 if 11 is rolled next.
- Any Craps Bet – This bet pays 7:1 if the next number rolled is 2, 3, or 12.
- Horn Bet – Pays 27:4 if the next number rolled is 2 or 12, and 3:11 if the next number is 3 or 11.
Bets to Go For and Bets to Avoid
Just like other casino games, craps has some bets that are better than others. Some of the safest bets are the Pass, Don’t Pass, Come and Don’t Come bets. Placing an Odds bet is also recommended. The other bets that are generally considered safe are the place 6/8 and the buy 4/10 bets. All of these bets have low house edges/high RTPs. In other words, you’re likely to be paid more money when placing these bets.
Most craps games have single roll bets. These payouts if a single number or a particular number from a group is rolled; only one roll is required for these bets to be resolved. Examples include any 7 and any 11 bets, as well as any craps bet. Single bets have the highest house edge/lowest RTP of all craps bets, so they’re best avoided.
Terms
- Box numbers – The place numbers (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10).
- Come Out Roll – The first roll of dice in each new round.
- Crap Out – When a Come Out roll produces 2, 3, or 12.
- Craps Numbers – 2, 3, and 12.
- Easy Number – Any even number that’s not rolled as a pair, e.g. 6 with the dice showing 1 and 5.
- Hard Number – Any even number that’s rolled as a pair, e.g. 6 with the dice showing 3 and 3.
- House Edge – A percentage that shows how much of the player’s bet, on average, is lost to the casino. The lower, the better.
- Inside Numbers – 5, 6, 8, and 9.
- Natural – When the first roll of a round produces 7 or 11.
- Off – A game is ‘off’ during the Come Out roll when no Point has been established. Also refers to a bet that can’t be won.
- On – A game is ‘on’ if the Point has been established. Also refers to a bet that can be won.
- Outside Numbers – 4, 5, 9, and 10.
- Parley – Taking all the winnings from the previous bet and adding them to the next bet.
- Place Numbers – 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10.
- Point – If the Come Out Roll produces a number other than 2, 3, 7, 11, or 12, this is the Point number.
- Shooter – Whoever rolls the dice.
Strategies and Tips
When playing any online casino game for real money, you should have a budget and stick to it. Think about how much you want to bet with and keep an eye on your balance as you play. Some players use betting strategies when playing games like craps. The Martingale Strategy is the most common. With this, you double your bet after every loss and reset it to the base amount after a win.
Before you start playing craps, you should have a thorough understanding of the rules and what the best work. Remember, some of the optional bets may be available in some games, but not in others. It also helps to know how many combinations can produce each number. For example, 2 can only be produced from both dice showing 1, whereas the number 7 can be produced from six different combinations: 1-6, 2-5, 3-4, 4-3, 5-2, and 6-1.
Summary
Craps is a fun dice game that can be found at many online casinos in Singapore. It’s easy enough to play, though some may find its many betting options a bit confusing at first. Thankfully, there are plenty of free craps games you can play online. Give free versions of this game a try and get used to how the bets work, then switch to playing the game with actual money. If you like casino games that are fast-paced and unpredictable, you’re sure to enjoy craps.
Online Casino Bonuses
Bonuses and promotions are what make online casinos so great. You can’t get a dime in free money at the brick and mortar casinos or betting shops. But at the online casinos, you can get a boost for your bankroll with the many available casino bonus types, such as:
Welcome Bonus
This bonus has somewhat become a standard in the online gambling industry and is awarded to new players only. It is most often in the form of free money plus additional free spins.
No Deposit Bonus
As the name suggests, you don’t have to deposit anything to receive the free cash, free spins which is why it’s the most sought-after kind. All you need to do is sign up at the casino and your account will be credited with the freebies.
Reload Bonus
These are awarded when you make a subsequent top up after your initial deposit. The reload bonus could either be part of the welcome bonus or independent bonus at the casino.
VIP Bonus
As you may be thinking, this bonus is awarded to VIP players at the casinos. It varies for each casino and what you receive depends on your VIP level. Some of the most common forms include better reload bonuses, birthday presents, and comp points (which you can redeem for real cash).
Other Bonuses
There are many other bonuses that can vary from daily, weekly, and monthly promotions. They can be awarded in the form of free cash, free spins, reload bonuses, or surprise gifts.
Bitcoin Casinos
Bitcoin is gaining popularity in the casino world too. Thanks to the unique blockchain technology Bitcoin uses to process deposits and withdrawals, players who choose to use it as a mode of payment enjoy great benefits, such as:
- Transactions are processed fast (usually under 4 hours)
- Transactions are safe and secure due to the technology involves
- Zero fees (at least on the end of Bitcoin)
Mobile Casinos
Mobile gaming is a very simple and straightforward process these days, but not every player knows where to start. If that is you, our mobile casino guide will take you through all you need to know about mobile gaming. We’ve highlighted the different mobile platforms that you can play on and walk you through setting up an account. We’ll show you how to play different games on the mobile platform of your choice and give you some tips too.
Online Casino Game Providers
Game providers are the companies responsible for developing the software that makes online casino gaming possible. With more than 50 competitors on the market, you can expect a diversified selection of games everywhere you go. It’s important to select a casino with reputable providers. This way you can be sure that your user information will remain safe. Additionally, well established brands in the gaming industry guarantee unbiased Random Number Generator (RNG) software for their games, which makes the gameplay fair and the wins truly random. Furthermore, you can expect the best and latest graphics from such developers. So if they’re on the casino’s portfolio, it’s certainly a good sign.
Finding Secure Online Casinos
Once you’ve settled on the casino you’d like to visit, it doesn’t hurt to go an extra mile. Run a background search and make sure you are getting the best deal. While we strive to recommend only the best of the bunch, we also urge our readers to go through the site’s terms and conditions on their own. This way you can be sure that the site is a 100% fit for your taste. We also recommend that you do a quick Google search and check the casino’s reputation.
While at it, here are the things you should be looking for:
The license information – Check if the casino is licensed by a reputable body and whether the license number is valid.
Third party audits – Certifications from bodies such as eCOGRA, GLI, and iTech Labs. A seal of approval from any one of these bodies shows the brand promotes fair gaming.
Software and payment providers – Reputable names should tell you that the casino is legit. The big names in the payments and software development sector will only work with reputable brands.
Payment Methods for Singaporeans
Over the years, the number of options that players can use has increased significantly. In Singapore, players have the choice of more than 50 payment options. Here are some of the most widely available ones.
Debit/Credit Card
This is the most familiar payment method which most people are accustomed to. Debit/Credit card options such as Visa and MasterCard stand out in this category and are accepted in virtually all online casinos.
eWallets
eWallet stands for electronic wallet. Like your ordinary wallet, eWallets ‘hold’ your cash online, and acts as an intermediary between your bank account and online casino account. Common eWallets online include Skrill, PayPal, and Neteller.
Pre-Paid Cards
As the name suggests, these are cards that you purchase and load directly onto your account each time you wish to play. They come in different forms, but the most common one is Paysafecard and Astropay, which is accepted in more than 100 countries.
Cryptocurrencies
You cannot mention the latest technologies without including cryptocurrencies. Digital currencies have become very popular recently and the best casinos already support this payment option. Bitcoin, Litecoin, Dashcoin and Ethereum are some of the most popular options.
Win Money at Online Casinos
To win real cash you have to play casino games using real money. First, familiarize yourself with the demo version of the game. Then you can deposit money using one of the payment options and proceed to the game lobby to pick a title and start playing with real money. While it’s not a guarantee that you’ll win with each spin or round, there are a few things you can do to ensure a lower house edge. For example:
- Pick a game in which you are well versed with the rules.
- Use popular strategies such as the common bankroll management plan.
- Play games with a low house edge like blackjack and baccarat.
If you are lucky enough to score a win – you can withdraw the cash via one of the available payment options. Depending what method you chose, the processing time will vary.
Play For Free (no deposit)
You don’t always have to spend money to have a good time. If you are new to a certain game, don’t know the rules, or want to practice a new strategy – virtually all Singapore-friendly casinos have a no deposit required demo mode. However, free-to-play games are limited. So if you’d like to play live casino games, you’d have to commit some real cash. The good news though is that the real money live casino games are very pocket-friendly!
Security & Safety at Online Casinos
Staying safe is important and although the majority of online casinos are secure, there are a few that are notorious for taking advantage of players. To avoid trouble you should learn how to distinguish safe and secure casino sites from bad ones. A valid license, third-party audit approval from the likes of eCOGRA, TST, GLI, or iTechLabs, and overall reputation are some of the things you should consider. We recommend to always doing your own research, but a great starting point is our casino reviews. We only recommend the highest-rated casinos in terms of security, safety, and fair gaming.
Closing
If you are just starting out with online casinos, it’s important you conduct thorough background research before committing any of your hard-earned money. By following our tips, you should be able to find a reputable casino that cares about your data security and user experience. Remember, a casino may have the right license, all the security measures in place and yet it may not fit your gaming needs. Take into consideration all the features we talked about and you’ll find yourself the best site for your gaming needs. If you don’t know where to start, have a look at our library of casino reviews first.