Have you ever wandered down the casino hall, wondering what to play?

With so many options all around you, it can be intimidating to approach a table. Still, a very loud table draws your attention, and you walk over to it. It is there that you see a somewhat complicated table layout, and people getting incredibly excited over dice.

This was our first introduction to Craps all those years ago at a brick and mortar casino. Even now, years later, we still remember it vividly. We first approached the table with passing knowledge of the game and did not win much. However, it kept drawing us back in. The atmosphere around the table was incredible.

Once you learned the rules, it was easy to be carried by the excitement of a possible big win. Cursing under your breath as you were one dice combination away from scoring. Watching the person next to you earn win after win, only to start copying his wagers. This sort of fun is something you must experience for yourself to understand.

As such, when Vivo Gaming first came around and announced their Live Craps version, we were sceptical. Sure, there was nothing stopping the game itself from being played in the same manner as always. However, could it keep the same level of excitement? Would it be the same as standing by the table, hoping for the dice to roll perfectly?

The Challenges of Live Craps

We have to give credit to the software provider. Their live casino game was executed flawlessly. You always have two dealers at hand. First, we have the host, who keeps players engaged and does their best to simulate a real-world environment. The second dealer is the Shooter and will be the one handling the dice.

The round then proceeds as normal. Everyone places their bets, the dice are thrown, and the results appear on the screen. If you made a successful stake, you get to reap the rewards. Then, everyone has to make a new set of wagers for the next round.

In all technical aspects, Vivo Gaming’s Live Craps is a flawless recreation. As you would expect, it simply cannot capture the feeling of a brick and mortar table. The dealers do their best to make up for it. If you get a particularly talented pair, you might find yourself egged on to play more and laughing at the banter between them. You can also feel the excitement after a big win, especially if plenty of people are chatting.

Of course, we do not blame the software provider for this. A virtual environment simply cannot carry the same weight as its real world counterpart. Live Craps probably will not be able to simulate the real thing until VR goes mainstream. Even then, it will have its limitations. You will not be able to pat someone on the back to congratulate them when there’s no sense of touch.

Evolution Gaming Enters the Ring

Most software suppliers have stayed away from Live Dealer Craps for this reason. The second reason being that a North American audience is the majority of its audience. Due to strict gambling laws in the United States, that market is not nearly as lucrative as the European one. Therefore, this exciting dice game remained on the sidelines. It was available for those who wanted it, but most websites did not have it available.

Of course, with online gambling becoming more and more accepted in the land of the free, developers have taken notice. One of them being Evolution! At ICE 2020, the software supplier showed off twelve new games that would be entering the market soon. One of the games they showed off was live dealer Craps.

Just the fact Evolution Gaming will have the game will make it immediately more accessible to players worldwide. After all, how many online casinos have we tried out in recent years that only host their software? The developers also see it as a strategic release aimed primarily at the US market, as per their 2019 Year-End Report.

Even if their version of Live Dealer Craps does not add anything new, it will be a significant step forward. The popularity of this game will skyrocket as it becomes available on thousands of online casino websites. Sadly, Evolution Gaming has remained quiet if any innovations await us. With successes like Lightning Roulette and Deal or No Deal behind them, we will be hoping for something amazing.

Employing a Strategy

Ultimately, winning at Craps requires a bit of experience. Time to learn what bets are worth playing, and which ones are traps for newbies, the so-called sucker bets. It will not take a lot of playing to learn that the most appealing wagers are often the worst ones.

If you are brand new to the game, the best way to stay in the black is to play Pass and Come bets. These are wagers with an incredibly low house edge, which makes them quite appealing to players. Either you can win by rolling a seven or eleven, or by rolling a Point number after it is established. The only way to lose the bet is by rolling a two, three or twelve.

Alternatively, you can try your luck with the Do Not Pass and Do Not Come wagers. Here, drawing a two or three results in a win, and a seven or eleven leads to a loss. Rolling a twelve is a tie, meaning you just get your money back. If you roll any other number, it establishes a Point. Here, you want to avoid rolling that number; instead, your goal is to get a seven before that number comes up again!

You can try a more risky wager and go for the Field bet. It has a much higher house edge than Pass and Come, but it can also pay more. Field wins if you roll two, three, four, nine, ten, eleven or twelve. Two and twelve grant two to one.

Finally, we recommend betting on six and eight. By this, we mean betting directly on the numbers, and not the Big 6 and Big 8 wagers.