Online Craps:  Learning the Basics of the Game

Online CrapsOnline craps is one of the more intimidating games you’ll find at the casino.  In order to play like a professional, you would need to dedicate a significant amount of time to learning all about this notorious game.  For this reason, online craps are great.  If you register as a free player you can practice as much as you want before risking any hard earned cash.  Where online craps fall short, however, is in terms of the social aspect of the game.

Craps is arguably the most entertaining game you’ll come across at any land-based casino.  It’s a theatrical game with dramatic tossing of the dice and cheering crowds.  A high-energy craps game is almost guaranteed to draw a crowd.  Online craps games offer a limited social component via live chat, which allows players to communicate with one another during live, multi-player games. Unfortunately this doesn’t have the same level of excitement one experiences while gathered around a real craps table.

The History of Online Craps

Based originally on the British game “Hazard,” craps was later played in New Orleans in the 18th century.  The name comes from the French word “crapaud,” which means “toad.”  It was thought that when gamblers huddled around the craps tables, they looked like a group of toads perched on their haunches.

When French traders and noblemen brought the game to America it was virtually the same game that had been played in Europe.  There were some minor adjustments, namely a few rules were added to make the game fairer.  Online craps and the craps games you’d encounter in a land-based casino is different than street craps, which focuses more on the rolling of the dice and removes many of the complex betting rules that are associated with the traditional version of the game.

How to Play Online Craps

The beauty and frustration with online craps comes from the fact that the game is relatively easy to learn, but challenging to master. It’s entirely possible to learn the basics of craps within minutes, but to really understand the different types of wagers requires research and lots of practice.  However, craps is definitely worth learning. Online craps has some of the best odds, but also some of the worst.  Study and hands on experience will help you to identify the right bets.

Online Craps Bets Explained

Here’s a brief explanation of some of the more common craps bets:

Place Bets

Place bets offer some of the best odds at the craps table.  These bets are made on “point” numbers, which are four, five, six, eight, nine and ten.  Place bets can be made at any time during a round of online craps.  A place bet involves wagering on a set number being rolled prior to the next roll of a 7.

Come Bets

Come bets are the same as pass line bets, but you can lay down a come bet with every throw of the dice, once the point has been determined.  It is one of the better wagers you can make in an online craps game.

Other common online craps best are the Don’t Come Bet, Hard Way Bets, Horn Bets, Pass Bets, and Don’t Pass Bets.  In order to be truly successful at the online craps tables it’s important to familiarize yourself with all possible bets and the payout percentages for each.  Play for fun until you’ve mastered the basics.  That way you can preserve your bankroll for a real online craps gambling adventure!

 

Online Casino Games – Choosing the Right One for You

Online Casino GamesWhen a beginner sets out to play online casino games, they don’t always know what they’re doing, or even which game they should start playing. Identifying the casino game that might best suit their tastes requires a level of knowledge and experience that a newcomer to online casinos often lacks. Not knowing which game to choose can lead to an unsatisfying gaming experience, and since a good percentage of these players may not be willing to give the casino a second try after this kind of disappointment, this guide will help make the selection process easier. Below, you’ll be introduced to several key factors that will hopefully have a positive impact on the decision making process.

Online Casino Games Risk-Reward Ratio

There are pros and cons for any game. For instance, every game has a different risk-reward ratio. Some of them even feature multiple bets with different levels of risk within the same game. How you pick these games will be a stylistic decision you’ll need to consider before making your selection. Consider, roulette, a game where evens bets are low risk and low reward. Alternatively, straight-up bets have a much greater degree of risk and a relatively high level of reward. Slots games are similar in that the ones with big jackpots have a higher volatility as opposed to the smaller jackpot slots that are considered low-volatility.

Learning Online Casino Games

The next decision you’ll be faced with is how much time and effort you’re willing to invest in learning how to play the game. In order to become even moderately proficient at a game like craps or blackjack, you’ll need to devote a fair amount of time to studying the games and practicing your newly-developed skills playing for fun before you’ll want to risk your bankroll. On the other end of the spectrum are games like keno and slots. These online casino games don’t require any special skills or strategies; you can simply start playing right away. So why would you ever choose a game that requires study and practice over a simple game? Well, it would depend on your reason for playing in the first place. If you’re looking for a really big payoff, then you’re better off sticking with the skill-based games because they have higher payout percentages. If your focus is more on pure entertainment, then you should stick to the less volatile games like roulette or slots. You can still win playing these games, the amounts you win will just be smaller.

Modern vs Classic Online Casino Games

One last factor to consider is based on whether you prefer modern over classic. If you’re drawn to a classic casino atmosphere, then you’re likely to experience greater enjoyment playing one of the table games like blackjack or craps. However, if you like a little more sizzle when it comes to your casino experience, and flashy lights and sounds appeal to you, then you’re probably better suited to play slots, keno, and other parlor games. Any one of the online casino games you’ll find at an online casino can provide countless hours of enjoyment and the chance to take home big winnings, which one you choose is simply a matter of personal taste and risk tolerance level. You also don’t have to choose one over the other exclusively; you can always play different types depending on your mood and the size of your bankroll.

Classic Online Casino Games – 3 Easy Ones

Classic Online Casino GamesA strange aspect of classic online casino games, like craps, baccarat, and roulette is that when compared to the more modern games, like video slots, they seem almost intimidatingly complicated.  This is just a misconception however.  Video slots do represent the ultimate in simplicity when it comes to classic online casino games.  Players need only select a bet size and press a button.  The fact that video slots players are often encouraged to always “Bet Max” makes this process even easier.  It’s only in this context that classic casino games may appear to be more complicated.  Taken on their own, it’s easier to see that there’s really not all that much to them and they are probably a lot more accessible than you might think.

Classic Online Casino Games – Roulette

Take roulette for example.  A quick glance at the table may well give the impression that there is a lot happening here.  This is true, but in fact, it’s surprisingly easy to learn the basics of the game of roulette.  The only way to win a game of roulette is to guess the number that the ball will settle on.  Don’t be distracted by the many bets available on the table, it’s purely a matter of luck in the end.  Players can wager on a group of numbers, such as red, black, or even, or on rows or columns of numbers.  If you enjoy a higher level of risk and a chance at a big reward, you can simply bet on just one number.

Classic Online Casino Games – Baccarat

Now take just a moment to consider baccarat. Baccarat, despite any external appearances to the contrary is a great example of a classic casino game that is as simple to play as video slots.  When playing baccarat, all you need to do is to select one out of three possible bets.  And, since you should never place one of these types of bets, ever, you really only need to pick one or another and let the dealer do the rest.  There’s no complicated strategy you need to learn as you would with blackjack.  The truth is, without making any actual decisions, you will have a less than 1.5% house advantage, simply by always betting on the player or banker hand.

Classic Online Casino Games – Craps

Lastly, there’s craps. Many people will tell you that craps is arguably one of the more complicated classic online casino games you could play.  And, while there is some truth in that statement, there are simple steps you can follow to get you playing quickly.  Although the game of craps may seem overwhelming at times, it essentially functions based off of a rather basic principle of placing a bet on the anticipated outcome of the next roll of the dice.  Therefore, should you simply place a pass line or don’t pass line bet, you can learn how basic gameplay operates and still benefit from a low house-advantage bet.

The old adage rings true here; never judge a book by its cover.  If you do, then you could possibly miss out on the fun and excitement of these otherwise seemingly unapproachable classic online casino games.  You don’t need to be a master right out of the gate.  Take small, conservative steps and allow your skill and appreciation for the games develop gradually over time.