Dice games are some of the oldest in the world and remain some of the most popular. Even going back to the days of Ancient Rome these were loved and played by all.
Of the many dice games that are still popular today, the one that leads them all must surely be craps. Often this is the one that’s shown in films as a typical casino game with a crowd gathered around the table, intent on seeing whose lucky numbers will come up.
On the surface it’s a very simple game: players place their bets, the shooter throws the dice, and people either win or lose depending on where they’ve placed those bets. But once you start to get into it the complexity starts to emerge. Not with the game itself, but with the strategy that goes into choosing which of the many possible bets that you can make.
To be successful at Craps you need pretty good knowledge and awareness of the laws of probability. Of course, probability can only take you so far as Patricia Demauro proved in 2009 in a game of live craps when she rolled the dice 118 times before scoring a 7 at the odds of around 1.56 trillion to one.
Owing to its very simplicity, craps is also a game that has made the transition to online casinos very easily indeed. That’s because, just like roulette, another online favorite, you’re basically placing a bet on a number, or numbers, to come up. If it, or they, do, you win, otherwise, you lose.
However, there are a certain number of differences between the live game and its online version that also need to be taken into account.
The live casino atmosphere
The buzz of the atmosphere in land-based casinos is what keeps some craps players coming back time and time again.
As already mentioned, the scene around the craps table can be electric as players and spectators alike enjoy rising and falling fortunes as outrageous bets pay off and seemingly safer ones lose. But when you’re playing online, undoubtedly some of this tension and excitement is missing. As it’s just you playing at the table and no one else which undoubtedly takes something away from the overall excitement. But, as we shall see, playing alone does have certain advantages that could well work to your advantage in the long run. So, on balance, the lack of this atmosphere may not be such a serious sacrifice after all.
The chance to practice
Playing online gives you lots of opportunities to brush up on your skills before heading to a casino.
When you’re learning how to play craps it’s not so much the mechanics of how to play the game that is hard to grasp – in a nutshell, 7 and 11 are winning throws, 2, 3, and 12 are losing ones and the rest are neither, for the first round at least. But what can be complicated is the betting. It’s in learning the betting that the real complications come so you do need to spend a little time learning what the various different bets you can make are and when’s the best time to make them. Now learning this in a live game can be an expensive process if you’re losing. If you’re a half glass full kind of person you could argue that this is a necessary investment in your future success.
Alternatively, you could make your mistakes and pick up experience in a free online craps game before graduating to one in which you can actually play for money. Although, one way you can really increase your chances of success is by reading this informative and engaging guide by 888 Casino that’s full of top tips and advice on how to play craps.
Speed of play
To look at the way that craps is played in the movies you’d think that it’s an incredibly fast-moving game with bets being placed, dice being rolled and money being won and lost in quick succession. In reality, the actual game can be a pretty slow process in the casino as real-life clips like this can demonstrate. Plus, the more people who are playing, the slower the game can be as each person considers their bets after each roll of the dice. But with online craps, you can motor through the game much more quickly, possibly even three or four times faster than the live version.
Fairness
Online craps games mean there’s much less chance of cheating and foul play.
All properly run online casinos will be regularly monitored to ensure that the random number generator – the clever piece of software behind all casino games from slots to roulette – truly is random. But in a brick-and-mortar casino, you can never be absolutely 100% sure that one of the other players on your table may not be cheating in some way. Yes, casinos are pretty hot on catching cheats and dealing with them straight away, but there’s always a risk that it could lose you at some of your bankrolls before their suspicious behavior is spotted.
Concentration
As we’ve said, craps are one of the most complicated “simple” games in the world. You really do have to give the betting your full attention if you want to succeed. The atmosphere in a real casino could almost have been perfectly designed to prevent you from being able to do this. There’s background noise, other players, waiting for staff delivering drinks, and all manner of other distractions. But with online craps, you can settle down in the comfort of your own home and dedicate 100% of your attention to playing. This, along with all the other benefits mentioned previously, builds a strong case for playing the online version of the game.
The best of both worlds
A live online casino can be the perfect mix for some craps lovers looking to recreate the atmosphere of a land-based casino.
There is, however, an alternative. A few online casinos are starting to offer live craps alongside their more usual roulette and blackjack. In this, you play in real-time with the action being streamed. There are two dealers, one of whom is the host and the other the shooter and you bet online in the normal way. So, if you want at least a flavor of the casino experience, this is how to get it.
But in the final analysis, it’s all a question of personal preference whether you choose the online or “real” version of the game. It’s certainly true that both have a role to play in generating the sort of enjoyment the craps fan is looking for.