How to Play Online Craps in Indiana

Fans of casino games living in the Hoosier State look forward to the possibility of playing craps online in Indiana. The state has yet to authorize real money online casinos, but when that day comes, expect a number of online casinos to offer craps among other favorite table games.

In the following guide, we’ll cover the following:

• Expected Indiana online casinos that will offer craps
• Rules and betting options in online craps
• Online craps odds and payouts for different bet types

Differences between online craps and live craps in Indiana

Craps is an especially popular game in Indiana casinos. While playing craps online is in many ways similar, with the same rules and order of play, the overall experience is quite different. Some differences between online craps and live craps include:

• With no waiting for other players to place their bets, online craps moves much faster.
• Bets are settled instantly online as well, another reason for the quicker pace.
• The online game lacks the social component of live craps, although it also omits needing to learn the customs and etiquette associated with live play. No need to tip, either!
• Sometimes in live craps, dice rolls do not hit the back wall of the table, in which case the roll does not count and must be redone. Every dice roll in online craps is technically perfect, performed with a button click.
• The betting limits in online craps are frequently much lower than you find when playing craps in a casino. Some craps games online let you bet as little as $1. In a live game, you often won’t be able to bet less than $10 (sometimes $5).

Online craps for real money also obviously provides the convenience of playing from home on your computer or from wherever you like in the state via an Indiana mobile casino app.

Future Indiana online casinos with craps

There are many real money online casinos already up and running in several states, and practically all of them include craps among their available games. Some of these have multiple craps games, including live dealer craps online.

Here’s a rundown of several expected online casinos in Indiana and the different craps variants they offer.

Online Casino	Online Craps Games
Bally Casino	Craps
Barstool Casino	Craps Live*, First Person Craps*
BetMGM Casino	First Person Craps*
BetRivers Casino	First Person Craps*
DraftKings Casino	DraftKings Craps, DraftKings Andrew Dice Clay Craps, First Person Craps*
FanDuel Casino	First Person Craps*
Golden Nugget Casino	Craps Live*
Hard Rock Casino	Craps Live*
PlayStar Casino	Craps Live*, First Person Craps*
Unibet Casino	Craps Live*
WynnBET Casino	First Person Craps*

Those variants with an asterisk (*) are live dealer versions of craps. In fact, many online casinos only have a live dealer variant of craps available.

Meanwhile, you might also encounter some interesting dice-based games online that resemble craps but are unique games. DraftKings Simple Squares is an example of a craps-like game you will only find online.

Rules for how to play craps online

Compared to other casino games in Indiana, craps might appear complicated. However, once you get started, you’ll find the rules and various ways to bet are easy enough to learn. One great advantage of playing online is the fact that you can figure out the game on your own and not have to do so alongside players with more experience.

Craps is a dice game. Players bet on the rolls of two six-sided dice. When you play live craps, a staff person manages the game, but it is actually one of the players who rolls the dice and is called the “shooter,” with everyone else around the table betting on the outcomes.

When playing online craps, you are always the “shooter,” so to speak. You begin a round by placing a bet (or multiple bets) on a roulette table. Choose your betting amounts and either drag chips onto the board or just click the desired spot to place your wagers. Then click “roll” to roll the dice.

To give you an idea, here’s a typical online craps table:

Depending on your first roll, there may be more rolls (and more betting opportunities) before one round of the game ends and the next begins. Here’s a step-by-step overview of how a round of craps goes.

1. Make a pass or don’t pass bet: Before the first roll, you can make a pass bet (a bet on the pass line) or a don’t pass bet (a bet on the don’t pass line). There are other bets you can make as well (discussed below).
2. Roll the “come out roll” and check first bets: The first roll of the dice is called the come out roll. If you roll a 7 or 11, the pass bet wins. If it’s a 2, 3 or 12, the pass bet loses. Meanwhile, a don’t pass bet is a loser if the come out roll is a 7 or 11, a winner if that roll is a 2 or 3, and it’s ruled a push if the roll is a 12. For all of these rolls, the round ends. But if you roll anything else, the round continues as follows, with the pass and don’t pass bets still in play.
3. The “point” is established and additional bets can be made: If you’ve rolled a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, that number becomes the “point,” and you can make additional bets. Those additional bets are all described below.
4. Keep rolling until you roll either the “point” or a 7: Now you keep rolling the dice until you either roll the “point” number again or a 7. If you roll the point first, the pass bet wins. If you roll a 7 first, the don’t pass bet wins. Meanwhile, these subsequent rolls will affect how those additional bets are settled.
5. Bets are settled and the round ends: Once the point or a 7 is rolled, the round ends, and all bets are settled. See below for the payouts for winning bets.

That’s how a round of craps goes, but there’s a lot more to the game.

Betting in online craps

The pass and don’t pass bets described above are just the beginning of betting in craps. Those are the best-known and most frequently wagered craps bets along with the come and don’t come bets. Let’s start with those as we look at some of the other bets you can make in craps.

• Come bets: The come bet is like the pass bet, only you bet it after the come out roll has established a point. Again, when you place the come bet, if the very next roll is a 7 or 11, you win. If it’s a 2, 3 or 12, you lose. Anything else (4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10) becomes the new “come point,” and as the rolls continue, you are hoping your come point will be rolled before a 7, in which case you’ll win your come bet. If a 7 comes first, though, you lose.
• Don’t Come bets: The don’t come bet works just like the don’t pass bet, only again you’re betting on the next roll following the come out roll. Again, you win the don’t come bet if the next roll is a 2 or 3, you lose it with a 7 or 11, and it’s a push with a 12. All other rolls become the “don’t come point.” You win if a 7 comes before the don’t come point is rolled, and you lose if the don’t come point comes first (i.e., the opposite of the come bet).
• Odds bets: Once the point is established, if you’ve made a pass bet, you can add a pass line odds bet, which pays out better than a regular pass bet. Essentially, the odds bets pay the same as the actual odds (giving the house zero edge), instead of paying out a little less. You can do the same if you’ve made a don’t pass bet and add a don’t pass line odds bet. Come odds and don’t come odds bets work the same.
• Place Win and Place Lose bets: After the point has been established, you can make place win bets or place lose bets on particular numbers, namely 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10. A place win bet is on that number to be rolled before a 7. A place lose bet is on a 7 to be rolled before your chosen number. Payouts vary depending on the number chosen (see below).
• Buy bets and Lay bets: Buy bets and lay bets are essentially the same as place win and place lose bets, only the payouts are bigger and you have to pay an extra 5% commission to the house on them. A buy bet is like a place win bet, and a lay bet is like a place lose bet. Again, payouts vary according to the number chosen (although they are bigger than place win and place lose bets).
• Field Bets: When you place a field bet, you’re betting on the next roll being 2, 3, 4,  9, 10, 11 or 12. If it is a 2 or 12, you win a 2-to-1 payout, and if it is any of those other numbers, you win a 1-to-1 payout. (In some games, you win a 3-to-1 payout for a 12.) If the next roll is a 5, 6, 7 or 8, you lose your field bet.
• Big 6 and Big 8 bets: You can also place Big 6 or Big 8 bets, which are on either of those numbers being rolled before a 7. A winner pays 1-to-1.
• Hardways bets: In craps, if you roll a “double” (that is, both dice show the same number), that’s called the “hard way” of making the total. For example, there are various ways to roll an 8, but rolling 4-4 is called making it the hard way, or, a Hard 8. You can bet on the following hard ways rolls to happen before a 7 — Hard 4 (2-2), Hard 6 (3-3), Hard 8 (4-4), Hard 10 (5-5). Payouts vary (see below).

Other proposition bets

There are many other craps bets, including several different proposition bets on what the next roll will be. Some of these include:

• Any 7 — the next roll will be 7
• Any Craps — the next roll will be 2, 3 or 12
• Snake Eyes — the next roll will be 2
• Box Cars — the next roll will be 12
• Yo-Leven — the next roll will be 11

Odds and payouts in online craps

The most common bets in craps, like the pass/don’t pass and come/don’t come bets, pay 1-to-1 when you win. But many other bets have different payouts.

In most cases, the payouts aren’t quite as good as the odds, which results in the house having an edge. Here’s a table showing the odds and payouts for several different craps bets. We’ve listed the house edge for each of these bets, and you can see at a glance there is quite a wide range.

	Odds	Payout	House Edge
Pass Line / Come	251-to-244	1-to-1	1.41%
Don't Pass Line / Don't Come	976-to-949	1-to-1	1.36%
Pass Line Odds / Come Odds	4 or 10: 2-to-1 5 or 9: 3-to-2 6 or 8: 6-to-5	Same as odds	0.0%
Don't Pass Line Odds / Don't Come Odds	4 or 10: 1-to-2 5 or 9: 2-to-3 6 or 8: 5-to-6	Same as odds	0.0%
Place Win	4 or 10: 2-to-1 5 or 9: 3-to-2 6 or 8: 6-to-5	4 or 10: 9-to-5 5 or 9: 7-to-5 6 or 8: 7-to-6	4 or 10: 6.67% 5 or 9: 4.00% 6 or 8: 1.52%
Hard 4 / Hard 10	8-to-1	7-to-1	11.11%
Hard 6 / Hard 8	10-to-1	9-to-1	9.09%
Big 6 / Big 8	6-to-5	1-to-1	9.09%
Any Craps	8-to-1	7-to-1	11.10%
Yo-Leven	17-to-1	15-to-1	11.11%
Snake Eyes / Box Cars	35-to-1	30-to-1	13.89%
Any 7	5-to-1	4-to-1	16.67%

These payouts are fairly standard across different online craps casinos, but pay attention to the pay tables because variations will pop up sometimes.

Strategy tips for online craps

Online casino craps is a true chance-based game. Unlike in, say, blackjack or Ultimate Texas Hold’em, you can’t really employ a strategy to increase your chances of winning at craps. That said, you can educate yourself about the game and reduce your risk by choosing bets wisely.

• Learn the odds and payouts for different craps bets: Spend a little while looking at that table of odds and payouts just above, and you’ll have a good idea which bets are favorable. Indeed, for the best (and most popular) bets, the house edge is quite small compared to some casino games. For odds bets, there is zero house edge because they pay exactly what the odds dictate.
• Avoid the long shots: It is up to you, of course, whether you want to shoot for a big 30-to-1 payout on the next roll being a 12. Of course, you’re actually only 35-to-1 to win that bet, meaning the house edge is fairly large (13.89%). The Big 6 and Big 8 bets are popular ones, too, but they also favor the house quite heavily. Betting longshots can be fun, but be aware you’re playing a higher variance game when you do.
• Play demo versions of online craps: Some online casinos allow you to play free craps games that are essentially identical to the real thing. These demos are great for helping you get familiar with the different bets and how the game plays. Check out DraftKings Casino, for instance, where you can play online craps for free. (Note: You cannot play the live dealer online craps games in a demo mode.)
• Slow your roll — always practice responsible gambling: As with all casino games, you should be cautious always to practice responsible gambling and never gamble with money you cannot afford to lose. If you aren’t careful, the bets can add up quickly in craps. It can be easy just to keep rolling and betting without recognizing how much you’re risking. Learn how craps bets work and always be smart about bankroll management.

Get ready to play craps online in Indiana

Online craps is a great way to enjoy the classic casino game either at home or on the go via a mobile app. When Indiana does authorize online casinos, expect many of those online craps sites described above to launch in the state, giving players many different ways to roll the (virtual) bones.