I enjoyed some really exciting craps action at 888. It feels like the real thing, and with some fast paced games.

A fascinating fact about craps is that the origins of the game go back hundreds years before the emergence of blackjack and roulette. Historians believe that English crusaders brought back a dice game known as al-zahr from 12th-century Jerusalem.

Back in England, the game then became known as hazard, and which grew from the 14th century to become very popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. Craps then emerged in the 19th century in an attempt to simplify hazard.

How it Works

In a popular casino, you will notice a table with a barrier that rises up above it. People are gathered around the table setting chips down and then cheering someone on as they throw dice. By the way, that dice-thrower is called the shooter, and the reason they get the crowd so excited is that their throw will determine the outcome of their bets.

When looking at the table for the first time, it is easy to become intimidated. After all, a craps table does have somewhere in the region of 40 possible bets. However, many of the bets simply are not worth the risk because of how seldom they pay out.

Making Your First Bet

Thankfully, there is a simple bet that casual casino players can get to grips with, and they definitely should because craps can be a much more social experience when compared to blackjack or roulette.

The simplest bet is to bet on the passline. To win, the shooter will have to roll a 7 or 11, with a loss occurring with a 2, 3, or 12. In the event that a 7 is rolled before there is a win or loss, then the bet loses. The polar opposite is to make a ‘don’t pass’ bet. A 2 or 3 will be an immediate win, while 7 or 11 will mean a loss.