Information about craps casinos
Craps might have a strange name that reminds you of something unpleasant, but it's fashioned a niche for itself within the casino industry.
Originating as a street game played by children, it has charmed casino players with its easy-to-learn rules and fun gameplay. In recent years, the game has also made the jump into the world of online gaming.
If you're a UK player looking for the best craps sites to play on, then you're about to be pointed in the right direction. Casino Meter is dedicated to safe gambling, so we've created this page to show you how to find safe craps casinos, great craps games, and have the best playing experience possible.
A brief history of craps
If you're wondering how on earth we arrived at the name 'craps' to describe a dice game, then the answer lies in the 18th century.
'Krabs', later spelt 'crabs', was an English variation on the ancient dice game 'Hazard'. The dice roll in this game was known as 'crabs', and this word evolved into 'craps' over time.
Historians believe a young gambler called Bernard de Marigny de Mandeville exported the game to Louisiana in the early 1800s. The game spread among the working class there, especially with soldiers who played the game while off-duty.
The popularity of craps meant it became one of the dominant casino games in the early years of Las Vegas. As a common feature in casinos there, and part of the glamorous Hollywood scene, the game spread to other countries around the world in the 20th century.
The rise of online gambling helped to extend the game's popularity worldwide, to the point that we can now class craps as a prominent casino game.
How to play craps online
Online craps is very similar to the classic version. In both styles, the player must bet on the outcomes of two six-sided dice.
The game is divided into two stages: the first, called the 'come-out' requires the player (or the 'shooter) to roll the two dice. Then, depending on the result – which varies depending on the type of craps you play – the player passes to the second stage, called 'the point'. Here the dice are rolled again, with the aim to hit a specific result.
You don't have to be the shooter to play the game. Put simply, you will place a bet on whether you believe the shooter will win or not, but there are a lot of different bets and variations available.
Online craps has taken this original game and tweaked it slightly to include bonus features and extra challenges. There are, of course, graphical variations, such as a virtual cup and dice. But the games generally stick to the same classic green craps table you'd see in real life.
The different kinds of online craps mean that rules tend to vary, so the best thing to do is learn the rules as you go along. Games normally have instructions to follow as you play, and you can do this without spending money by playing our free casino games.
Today, it's quite easy to find great internet craps games to play, but if you are playing for real money, the casino behind it needs to be trustworthy, too. In the next section, we're going to explain how you can find the best casinos with Casino Meter.
Casino Meter's unique rating system for craps casinos
At Casino Meter, we're well aware of how important it is to find reliable craps casinos to play on: it can make the difference between a great playing experience and one that's, well, a bit crap.
We also understand that you don't have the time to look through every casino to find the best ones. This is why we've compiled a unique rating system which evaluates each site according to what matters to you, the UK player.
Here's a summary of the criteria we judge every craps casino by:
- The fairness of its terms and conditions
- The casino's size and revenue (the bigger the better when it comes to paying out big wins)
- Its customer service
- Its suitability to the UK casino market.
You can see the result of this scoring system next to each site in the form of a special Meter rating. Marked out of 100%, it will give you a quick glimpse of what we think of the casino.
How to choose the best online casino for craps
It might seem obvious, but we strongly advise you to start with the casinos at the top of the list when you open this page. These sites will have the highest expert rating and are most likely to help you have a great time.
However, there may be several excellent craps sites to choose from, so how do you find the best one for you? This is where our sorting and filter system comes in.
With these options, you can rearrange or whittle down the list so that you're left with a handful of sites, or maybe just one, to check out. Here are some of the most notable options.
Drop-down menu
To sort the list into different orders, you can go to the drop-down menu to the right of the filters.
'Best rating' should be the default option, but you can reorganise the sites according to different options, including 'Newly opened' (for fans of new casinos), 'Recently added', and 'Oldest casinos'.
Game type
You may want to see casinos that offer both craps and another casino game of your choosing. By going to this filter, you can choose this second game from the list to see those special sites offering the two varieties (or more).
Advanced filters
In addition to the two drop-down options, you can also click to add our advanced filters for further narrowing down your list. Here you can choose popular filters such as mobile-friendly casinos or add a specific payment method to ensure you don't waste your time on craps sites that don't accept your wallet or card.
These and many other filters should help you find the casino you're looking for. Best of luck!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Are there any craps strategies?
Craps is a game of chance so having any strategy is very difficult. If someone online says they have a 'moneymaking' craps strategy, then steer well clear.
There is one strategy, though, that will at least limit the amount you lose. It's called responsible gambling, and we urge you to follow these principles to keep your bank balance, and state of mind, in the best state possible.
How do I find craps casino bonuses?
Easy. Casino Meter has a dedicated page to casino bonuses where you can find those available at craps casinos. To do this, you just go to the 'casino games' filter and tick the 'craps' box.
You can also filter that list to certain types of bonuses, including deposit and no deposit varieties, or sort them according to their value and wagering requirements (WR).
Is it worth playing live craps?
If you enjoy the excitement of the live experience and you don't feel like leaving your home, then a live craps casino game could be for you.
To find live-dealer sites, go to the 'Game Type' filter on this page and choose 'Live games'. You'll then have a list of sites with live games, many of which will have live craps on offer.
Are there other dice gambling games out there?
Yes. Some variations of poker (but not video poker) use dice instead of cards: players roll the dice three times and whoever has the best hand wins. Sic Bo is another dice gambling game, although much less common than craps. You can check our selection of free craps and dice games to get started.