Craps vs Roulette: Which is the Best Game for You?

Craps and roulette are both epic casino games in their own fight. But when it comes to craps vs roulette, which is the right game for you?

While they both offer a lot of variety, and are mostly games of chance, there are a lot of similarities between them too.

Here’s our quick guide to whether you should double down on craps or roulette.

The Basics: Craps vs Roulette

Both Roulette and Craps offer a heady mix of skill and luck.

On the face of it, both games are pretty similar: you get to choose which numbers or bets to bet on, and then either throw the dice or watch the wheel spin. The tension builds until the dice or the wheel stops, and you see whether you’ve won or lost.

In terms of bets, there are also high risk, high rewards bets in both craps and roulette.

Comparing Odds in Craps vs Roulette

Of course, you can’t decide whether to play craps or roulette until you’ve looked at the odds associated with both, and the house’s edge.

In Craps, for example, even-money bets will have a 1-2% house edge. In Roulette, however, the house’s edge will be around 5-6%. If you’re looking for short-term wins that are lower risk, then Craps certainly seems to be the way to go,

Or does it? Craps’ house edge changes dramatically with each bet, while Roulette’s is pretty steady-going. For example, in Roulette, an even money bet on black at a 1/1 payout will have the same house edge as a bet on the number 3 (at 35/1): 5.26%. In Craps, an even money bet on the pass line’s edge is 141%, while a hard way bet on 3 will see the house edge shoot up to an eyewatering 11.1%.

Craps vs Roulette Rule Complexity

The rules of Roulette are pretty simple, while those of Craps, well, aren’t so much.

We’ll start with Roulette. The rules are, you spin and you either win or lose.

In Craps, there are a lot of rules to learn, as well as payouts, bets, and odds, which can be a little rough to take in, especially if it’s your first time playing Craps!

Another important point to mention: in Craps vs Roulette, the time between rounds in Roulette can be longer, as every player takes the time to make their bets. In Craps, players have less time to prepare their bets which can also lead to careless mistakes, and even loss of your winnings.

Craps vs Roulette Variants

This one is more of a taste-based question, but also important: how many variants of Craps or Roulette do you really need?

It’s no secret that Roulette is a far more popular game at online casinos than Craps, and as such, you’re much more likely to find a whole range of Roulette variants than you are Craps.

But, other players might think it’s the game that counts, not the variant, and so the one or two variants of Craps available might be all they need to be happy.

The Bottom Line: Craps or Roulette?

We hope we’ve given you some food for thought. Ultimately, the Craps vs Roulette debate comes down to a few questions that you need to ask yourself:

• Do you prefer throwing dice yourself, or watching a croupier spin a wheel?
• Do you prefer a simpler form of gameplay, or a more complicated one with rules, different payouts and bets?
• Do you prefer a higher house edge that varies according to bets, or a more standard house edge that doesn’t vary at all?
• Do you prefer to have loads of variants of your favorite game, or are you happy with just one or two to keep you occupied?

Our best advice? To try out both games and then see which one you prefer. After all, why does it need to be Craps or Roulette, when it could be both games that you enjoy playing?

FAQs about Craps vs Roulette

1. Which game is better – Craps or Roulette?

That’s entirely up to personal choice, because both games offer both similar and different experiences. While both have a combination of skill and chance to offer you, it’s the different rules, house edged, bets and gameplay that you’ll need to understand before deciding on either Craps or Roulette.

2. Will Craps or Roulette make me more money?

It’s a great question, but it really depends on a few different factors; these could be how much money you stake, the variant of each game you’re playing, how much you understand the rules and bets of each game, and whether you’re looking for high risk, high rewards, or for slow-burn wins (and have the time to dedicated to winning these).

3. Does Craps or Roulette have a better house edge?

That depends on the variant you’re playing of either, and the bet you’re playing, in Craps, for example the house edge can go from 1% all the way to 11% and beyond. In Roulette, most bets tend to have a 5-6% house edge, regardless of the type of bet you make.