You can play online craps for real money legally in the US only in states that have regulated online casinos: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, Delaware, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Maine has legalized online casinos, but its market has not opened yet. The rules and odds online match a casino table, so the best bets are the same: pass or don’t pass with full odds behind them, with a house edge of about 1.4% before odds.
This guide covers where online craps is legal, how the game works, the payout and house edge of every common bet, and how playing online compares with a live table.
Where You Can Play Craps Online for Real Money
Online casino gaming in the US is legal state by state. The seven states with live, regulated online casinos are:
| State | Online casinos legal since |
|---|---|
| Delaware | 2012 |
| New Jersey | 2013 |
| Pennsylvania | 2017 |
| West Virginia | 2019 |
| Michigan | 2021 |
| Connecticut | 2021 |
| Rhode Island | 2024 |
Maine became the eighth state to legalize online casinos, with online casino rights given to the state’s tribes, but its regulator has pointed to early 2027 as a more realistic launch than late 2026. In the legal states you must be physically located inside the state to play.
Outside those states, the sites that take real-money craps bets are offshore operators. They are not licensed by any US state regulator, so you have no state agency to turn to over a disputed payout or a frozen account. Read our online casino reviews before you deposit anywhere.
How Craps Works
Craps is played with two dice. Each round starts with a come-out roll:
- A 7 or 11 on the come-out wins for the pass line and loses for don’t pass.
- A 2, 3 or 12 (“craps”) loses for the pass line. Don’t pass wins on 2 or 3 and pushes on 12.
- Any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10) becomes the point.
Once a point is set, the shooter keeps rolling. If the point comes up before a 7, pass wins and don’t pass loses. If a 7 comes first, don’t pass wins and pass loses. Come and don’t come bets work the same way, but start on any roll after the point is set.
After a point is set you can add an odds bet behind your pass or don’t pass bet. It pays at true odds, so it has no house edge. That is why pass plus odds is the standard low-cost way to play. Many tables allow 3x, 4x and 5x odds on the 4 and 10, 5 and 9, and 6 and 8 respectively; check the limit at each table or online game. For more ways to keep the edge low, see our guide to low house edge craps strategies.
Craps Odds, Payouts and House Edge
Before you play at any site, check that the payouts match the standard table below. A lower payout on the same bet means a higher house edge.
| Bet | Payout | House edge |
|---|---|---|
| Pass / Come | 1 to 1 | 1.41% |
| Don’t Pass / Don’t Come | 1 to 1 | 1.36% |
| Odds on 4 or 10 | 2 to 1 | 0% |
| Odds on 5 or 9 | 3 to 2 | 0% |
| Odds on 6 or 8 | 6 to 5 | 0% |
| Place 6 or 8 | 7 to 6 | 1.52% |
| Place 5 or 9 | 7 to 5 | 4.00% |
| Place 4 or 10 | 9 to 5 | 6.67% |
| Field (2 pays 2 to 1, 12 pays 3 to 1) | 1 to 1 | 2.78% |
| Field (2 and 12 pay 2 to 1) | 1 to 1 | 5.56% |
| Big 6 or Big 8 | 1 to 1 | 9.09% |
| Hard 6 or 8 | 9 to 1 | 9.09% |
| Hard 4 or 10 | 7 to 1 | 11.11% |
| Any craps (2, 3 or 12) | 7 to 1 | 11.11% |
| 3 or 11 (yo) | 15 to 1 | 11.11% |
| 2 or 12 | 30 to 1 | 13.89% |
| Any seven | 4 to 1 | 16.67% |
With 3x-4x-5x odds behind it, the combined house edge on a pass line bet drops to about 0.37%, and on don’t pass to about 0.27%. The one-roll proposition bets in the center of the table are where the house makes its money: they pay big but carry edges of 11% to nearly 17%. Note that some places pay 29 to 1 on the 2 or 12 or 14 to 1 on the 3 or 11, which pushes the edge on those bets to 16.67%.
Online Craps vs a Casino Table
The math is the same, but the experience is not.
Why players like online craps
- It is easier to learn. There is no crowd, no etiquette to worry about and no dealers waiting on you. You can take your time with each bet.
- It is faster. With no other players and no chips to pay out by hand, you see many more rolls per hour. That also means the house edge works on more money per hour, so size your bets with that in mind.
- No tipping and no smoke. You play from home on your own schedule.
Why players prefer a live table
- The atmosphere. Craps is the loudest, most social game in a casino, and a long roll can get the whole table cheering.
- Throwing the dice. Online, the result comes from a random number generator. At a casino, you get to roll.
- Comps. Rated table play at a land-based casino earns players club rewards such as free play, food and rooms. Online casinos run their own reward programs, which work differently.
Craps and Online Casino Bonuses
If you claim a deposit bonus, read the wagering terms before you play craps. Because craps has some of the lowest house edges in the casino, many online casinos count craps bets at a reduced rate toward wagering requirements, often 20% or less, or exclude them entirely. A bonus that clears quickly on slots can take far longer, or be impossible to clear, on craps. Our guide to online casino bonus terms and rollover requirements explains what to check.
Online craps games come from casino software studios, and the table layout, betting limits and odds allowed can vary from one game to another. Compare the games from different game software makers before you settle on one.
Online Craps FAQ
Is online craps legal in the US?
Yes, in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, Delaware, Connecticut and Rhode Island, where online casinos are licensed by the state. Maine has legalized online casinos but has not launched them yet. Offshore sites that take US players are not licensed by any US state regulator.
What is the best bet in craps?
The odds bet behind a pass, don’t pass, come or don’t come bet, because it has no house edge. You have to make the line bet first. On its own, don’t pass (1.36%) is slightly better than pass (1.41%).
Are online craps odds the same as in a casino?
The standard payouts are the same, but some games pay less on proposition bets or field bets, and odds limits vary. Check the paytable against the table above.
Can I play the exotic bets online?
That depends on the game. Check each game’s layout before you play. Remember that the hardways, any craps, any seven and other one-roll bets carry much higher house edges than the line bets with odds.
New to dice games? See our full casino games guide and our craps section. Please gamble responsibly. In the US, the National Problem Gambling Helpline is 1-800-MY-RESET (call or text).