When Evolution announced in 2020 that it was launching the world's first Live Craps game, we wondered how that could possibly work. After all, when the game is played at land-based casinos, the dice are rolled by a player at the table, not by the house itself, so how could that work online?
Thankfully, the game designers at Evolution were streets ahead of us and had solved that particular problem in a way that now seems perfectly obvious. Read on and we'll explain how the online game works and how you can play it.
Play Live Craps at These Canadian Casinos
Live Craps by Evolution: Quick Facts
Tradition Meets Technology
The Live Craps game is played in a specially designed casino studio that has a wholly traditional look. To be perfectly frank, we've never stepped inside a casino that has quite this much old-fashioned elegance, but we wish we had, and playing this game gives us a chance to indulge in as much nostalgic idealism as we could ever want.
At the heart of the action is the craps table itself. This is a traditional table, and gorgeous to behold, but it has been enhanced by the addition of a fully automated dice-throwing mechanism. This fulfils the role of the player - known as the shooter - who would normally roll the dice.
We're fortunate that modern technology has made the throwing mechanism possible because we doubt that a live craps game would work without it. But here it is, and we're pleased to say that the mechanical thrower has been designed to be as inconspicuous as possible, so you needn't worry about the technological aspect marring the traditional look of the table.
A Game For All Levels
As usual, the betting interface in this game is located in the lower section of the screen. This interface can be displayed in two modes, as you prefer. One is called Easy Mode, which gives you a limited selection of the most basic bets, and that is ideal for beginners. The other option is Advanced Mode, which gives you access to the full range of bets that you can make in a land-based or automated craps game.
How to Play Live Craps
Craps can seem quite complicated, at least to begin with, so if you are brand new to the game you should probably read through our detailed article on How to Play Craps Online. This Live Casino version plays just like a regular game, but with the mechanical shooter rolling the dice instead of a human player.
The first thing you need to do is place your bets. This is a simple matter of selecting a casino chip of the amount you want to stake and then placing it on the area of the layout representing the bet you want to make. You can bet on just one outcome or on several, as you see fit.
It's good to note that, when you place a bet, at the lower right of the screen an indicator will highlight which totals that bet covers. This is useful for beginners and also for those who like to make multiple bets and want to see their position at a glance.
When all bets have been placed, the dealer will carefully load the two dice into the mechanical shooter and they will be rolled down the table. The dealer will then call the result and it will be shown on the screen at the same time. Those who have made winning bets will be paid automatically according to the odds associated with those bets.
Common Live Craps Bets & Payouts
The full range of Live Craps bets and the odds paid for success in each case can be viewed in the paytable accessed via the game itself. In the meantime, here is our own summary of the most common bets and their associated payouts:
| BETS | ODDS |
| Pass Line | 1:1 |
| Don't Pass | 1:1 |
| Come | 1:1 |
| Don't Come | 1:1 |
| Place Bet (4 or 10) | 9:5 |
| Place Bet (5 or 9) | 7:5 |
| Place Bet (6 or 8) | 7:6 |
| Field Bet (3, 4, 9, 10, or 11) | 1:1 |
| Field Bet (2 or 12) | 2:1 |
| Hard Way (4 or 10) | 7:1 |
| Hard Way (6 or 8) | 9:1 |
| Craps (2, 3, or 12) | 7:1 |
| Craps (2) | 30:1 |
| Crap (3) | 15:1 |
| Craps (12) | 30:1 |
Pros and Cons of Playing Live Craps
The World's First and Still the Best
Live Craps was the world's first Live Casino version of craps when it first appeared in 2020, and in our opinion it is still the best by far. The mechanical shooter innovation was a stroke of genius, and the way in which it has been implemented without spoiling the traditional look and feel of the game is something that Evolution should be very proud of.
In short, this is a great craps game that will appeal to both seasoned players and complete beginners.
