Craps and roulette are two casino table games that have been played by gamblers for many decades. Even though craps may not be as popular as roulette in the online casino space, with fewer craps titles available when compared to roulette, both games have elements that could appeal to players. Players who are trying to decide between these two games can learn more about each of these games and how they work.
The Basics of Roulette
If players don’t know how to play roulette, here’s a quick overview.
A game of roulette takes place on a table that uses a wheel with 37 or 38 numbered pockets. The number of pockets depends on whether players choose an American or European version of the game.
The American version has two green pockets labeled 0 and 00 as well as 36 red and black pockets numbered 1–36. The European version has a single green pocket labeled 0 and 36 red and black pockets numbered 1–36. The European version of the game gives players slightly better odds than the American one because it has one less pocket.
The game starts with players placing a bet on one of the many betting options. Roulette bets range in scope from single number bets, to groups of numbers, to wagers on black and red, and more. Once the dealer closes betting, the dealer will spin the wheel and drop a small ball into the roulette wheel. When the ball lands in a pocket and the wheel stops, the dealer pays out all the winning bets.
The Key Elements of Roulette
With the basics of roulette covered, here are some reasons why players may prefer to wager on roulette:
- The game is managed entirely by the dealer
- It has simple betting that’s easy to understand
- It has higher max payout odds
- The outcome of a roulette game is decided very quickly
The Basics of Craps
If players aren’t sure how to play craps, here’s a basic overview of the game. Craps is played with two dice and a craps table. A player rolls the dice to decide a winner. That said, there’s a bit more to this dice game than just betting on the right dice total. Craps has a range of betting options to choose from depending on the phase of the game.
A game of casino craps starts with a player known as the “shooter” rolling the dice. This first dice roll is called the “come out roll”. Bettors can make a pass or don’t pass bet on the come out roll.
The pass bet rewards the bettor with a win if the shooter lands a seven or 11 off the first roll. If the shooter lands a two, three, or 12, the bettors lose. If the shooter sets a point number by landing any other dice roll, the pass bet carries into the next phase of betting and will reward the bettor with a payout if the shooter lands the point number before they land a seven.
The don’t pass bet rewards the bettor if the shooter lands a two, three, or 12 off the first roll, while bettors forfeit their wager if the shooter lands a seven or 11. If the shooter lands a point number, the don’t pass bet carries on into the next phase of betting and will reward the bettor with a payout if the shooter lands a seven. However, the shooter landing the point number will result in bettors forfeiting their wagers.
After the point has been established, a wide range of other bets are available. These vary from simple bets on specific numbers or pairs of numbers to more complicated bets where bettors win or lose according to very specific conditions. While this sounds complicated, these bets are actually quite easy to understand if players take the time to go over how each bet works.
The Key Elements of Craps
Now that players understand the basics of craps, here’s why they may want to choose to play craps online:
- It involves a player as the shooter.
- It can be a higher energy game due to the involvement of a player as the shooter and other bettors.
- Craps has a lower house edge on certain wagers.
- The game has more betting options due to betting phases.
Should Players Play Roulette or Craps Online?
Now that players understand how both online roulette and craps work and have a clearer sense of some of the reasons for choosing one or the other, they can make a more informed decision about which of these games of chance they may prefer.