Craps carries a reputation as the loudest, most energetic game on a casino floor, but behind the table chatter is a dice game with some of the fairest odds available to a player who knows which bets to make. This page explains how online craps works, which wagers give you the lowest house edge, and which ones to leave alone. It draws on established rules and public operator terms, not on funded test sessions or personal bets. If you are new to online casino games, our main casino page covers the broader landscape of what UK-licensed sites offer.
How craps works: the basics
Craps is played with two standard six-sided dice. Every round begins with the come-out roll. The shooter (the player rolling the dice) places a bet on the pass line or the don’t pass line before throwing. If the come-out roll lands a 7 or 11, pass line bets win immediately. If it lands a 2, 3, or 12 (known as craps), pass line bets lose. Any other number, specifically 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, becomes the point.
Once a point is established, the objective shifts. The shooter keeps rolling until either the point number appears again, in which case pass line bets win, or a 7 appears first, in which case pass line bets lose and the dice pass to the next shooter. This simple structure hides a great deal of mathematical depth, because dozens of side bets sit on top of it, each with its own probability and house edge.
The best bets in craps
Pass line and don’t pass
The pass line bet is the foundation of craps. Its house edge is 1.41 percent, meaning the casino expects to keep roughly £1.41 for every £100 wagered over the long run. The don’t pass bet, which wins when the pass line loses (except on a come-out 12, which is a push on don’t pass), carries an even lower house edge of 1.36 percent. Many players avoid don’t pass because it feels like betting against the table, but mathematically it is marginally the stronger choice.
The odds bet: true odds, zero house edge
The odds bet is the single best wager available in any casino game. It is an additional bet placed behind a pass line, don’t pass, come, or don’t come bet after a point is established. Unlike every other bet on the table, the odds bet pays at true mathematical odds. The house takes no edge on it whatsoever.
True-odds payouts depend on the point number. A point of 4 or 10 pays 2 to 1 on an odds bet; a point of 5 or 9 pays 3 to 2; a point of 6 or 8 pays 6 to 5. Because the casino earns nothing from these wagers, most tables cap them at a multiple of the original bet, typically 3x, 4x, or 5x. An online craps game that advertises 3-4-5x odds means you can lay 3x odds on a point of 4 or 10, 4x on 5 or 9, and 5x on 6 or 8. Taking the maximum odds behind every pass line bet reduces the combined house edge on your total action to well below 1 percent.
Come and don’t come bets
Come bets function like a pass line bet placed after a point is already established. The next roll becomes the come-out roll for that bet. If it lands 7 or 11, the come bet wins. If it lands 2, 3, or 12, it loses. Any other number sets a personal point for that come bet, and the bet wins if that number repeats before a 7. Don’t come bets work the same way in reverse, winning on a 2 or 3, losing on a 7 or 11, and pushing on a 12. Both come and don’t come bets qualify for an odds bet, so they share the same low-edge structure as the pass line and don’t pass.
Bets to avoid
Not every wager on the craps layout is fair. Several bets carry house edges so high that they function more like a tax on inexperience. These are worth knowing so you can identify them and stay clear.
- Field bet. A one-roll bet on 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. It loses on 5, 6, 7, or 8. The house edge sits around 5.56 percent, though some tables offer triple on a 12 or 2, which drops it to roughly 2.78 percent. Even at its best configuration, it is still worse than pass line.
- Big 6 and Big 8. These are bets that 6 or 8 will appear before a 7. They pay even money but carry a house edge of 9.09 percent. The same outcome can be achieved by placing the 6 or 8 directly, which pays 7 to 6 and has an edge of only 1.52 percent. Nobody should ever use the big 6 or big 8.
- Proposition bets. These sit in the centre of the table and cover specific one-roll outcomes. Any 7 pays 4 to 1 but has a house edge of 16.67 percent. Any craps (2, 3, or 12) pays 7 to 1 with an 11.11 percent edge. The worst of the bunch is the 2 or 12 individually, each paying 30 to 1 but carrying a house edge of 13.89 percent.
- Hardway bets. A hard 4, 6, 8, or 10 wins only if the number is rolled as a pair (2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5) before a 7 or an easy version of the same number. Hard 6 and hard 8 pay 9 to 1 with a house edge of 9.09 percent. Hard 4 and hard 10 pay 7 to 1 with an edge of 11.11 percent.
House edge comparison
Putting the numbers side by side makes the difference clear. A pass line bet with 3-4-5x odds brings the combined house edge down to roughly 0.37 percent of the total action. Don’t pass with full odds is even lower at about 0.27 percent. Compare that to the field bet at 5.56 percent, hardway bets at 9 to 11 percent, and proposition bets that range from 11 to nearly 17 percent. Every percentage point is money the casino keeps, so the gap between a 0.37 percent edge and a 16.67 percent edge is the difference between a reasonable session and one where the maths works heavily against you from the start.
Online craps versus live craps
Online craps comes in two forms: RNG (random number generator) versions and live-dealer tables streamed from a studio. RNG craps runs entirely through software. The dice outcomes are determined by a certified random number generator that replicates the exact probability distribution of two physical dice. Because there is no physical table, no crew, and no other players, RNG craps tends to run faster and the minimum stakes are often lower.
Live craps, where it is available at UK-licensed sites, streams a real table with a human crew. The pace is slower, the social atmosphere is partially preserved, and the betting limits usually start higher. The rules and payouts are identical. The choice between the two comes down to whether you prefer speed and low stakes or the more deliberate rhythm of a human-dealt game. From a mathematical standpoint, neither format has an inherent edge over the other, provided the RNG is independently tested, which it must be at any UK Gambling Commission-licensed operator.
Practical tips for online craps
Craps rewards discipline more than instinct. The following points are drawn from how the game’s probabilities work, not from any claim of personal expertise or funded testing.
- Stick to pass line or don’t pass and always take the maximum odds. This combination gives you the lowest house edge available on the table. Every additional pound wagered on anything else carries a worse expected return.
- Set a session budget before you open the game. Decide how much you are willing to spend on the entertainment and treat that as the cost of playing, the same as you would for a concert ticket or a meal out. Stop when you reach it.
- Ignore proposition bets entirely. The centre of the layout is where the casino makes its money. High payouts look attractive but the house edge on those wagers is in double digits.
- Use the safer-gambling tools provided by every UK-licensed site. Deposit limits, reality checks, and time-out features are standard requirements under UK Gambling Commission rules. They are there to be used.
Common mistakes
The most frequent error we see in player forums and public discussions is chasing proposition bets after a losing streak on pass line. A string of point-seven-out sequences, where the shooter establishes a point and immediately rolls a 7, can be frustrating, but switching to long-odds centre bets will only accelerate losses. The maths does not change because you are on a cold run.
Another common mistake is ignoring the odds bet entirely. A pass line bet without odds gives the casino its full 1.41 percent edge. Placing the maximum odds behind it adds zero extra edge and increases the amount you have in action at fair value. If your session bankroll does not stretch to full odds, consider a lower-stakes table rather than playing without odds on a higher-stakes one.
Finally, some players treat online craps as if the RNG is somehow biased or as if patterns in past rolls predict future ones. Each roll is independent. The dice have no memory, and neither the RNG nor a physical pair of dice owes you a 7 or an 8 because the last ten rolls went the other way. Betting systems that rely on adjusting stake size after wins or losses do not alter the house edge.
How we rate online craps sites
We rank online craps offerings by comparing public data, operator terms and conditions, licence information from the UK Gambling Commission register, payout-speed disclosures, and the quality of safer-gambling tools made available to players. We do not fund test accounts or place real-money wagers. Our approach is set out in detail on the how we rate page. The presence or absence of craps, the odds multiples offered, the minimum and maximum stakes, and the clarity of the game rules as presented on the operator’s own site all factor into how we assess a site for this category.
Where to play
Ready to play? Compare the best payout UK casinos, rated from public data and operator terms, or browse all best UK casinos.
Responsible gambling
Casino games are designed with a built-in house edge, so over time the house wins. Treat any session as paid entertainment, set a deposit limit first, and use the safer-gambling tools every UK-licensed casino provides. GAMSTOP covers every UK site at gamstop.co.uk, and the National Gambling Helpline is 0808 8020 133. You must be 18 or over to play.
Frequently asked questions
Can I play craps at UK-licensed online casinos?
Yes, though craps is less commonly offered than blackjack or roulette. RNG craps appears at several UK Gambling Commission-licensed sites, and live-dealer craps is available at a smaller number of operators. The game rules and payouts are standardised, so a pass line bet at one site works the same as at another.
What is the best bet for a beginner?
The pass line bet is the simplest entry point. It has a house edge of 1.41 percent, and you do not need to learn any side wagers to play it. Once you are comfortable with the flow of the come-out roll and the point, add the odds bet behind your pass line bet to reduce the combined house edge.
Is the odds bet really free of house edge?
Yes. The odds bet pays at the exact mathematical probability of the outcome. A point of 4 has a 2-to-1 chance of hitting before a 7, and the odds bet pays 2 to 1. The casino makes nothing on this wager, which is why it is limited to a multiple of your original bet.
Why do proposition bets have such a high house edge?
Because the payout does not match the true probability. A bet on any 7 wins on six of the 36 possible dice combinations, giving true odds of 5 to 1. The casino pays only 4 to 1. That gap between the true odds and the payout is the house edge, and on proposition bets the gap is wide.
Does online RNG craps use the same odds as a real table?
The probabilities are identical. A certified RNG simulates two independent six-sided dice, so each of the 36 possible outcomes has exactly the same 1-in-36 chance as with physical dice. The payouts and house edges are unchanged. Independent testing laboratories verify the RNG at UK-licensed sites.
How much should I budget for an online craps session?
There is no single figure that suits everyone, but a useful starting point is to decide what you would spend on an evening’s entertainment and treat that as your limit. Check the table minimum before you play: if the minimum bet is £1 and you plan to take 3-4-5x odds, a single point can mean £6 in action. Scale your budget so you can survive the natural swings without needing to dip into money set aside for essentials.
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