Crash
How crash games work: a rising multiplier, a hidden crash point and a built-in house edge
- House edge 1% to 4%
- Luck only
- One bet per player; in the common version many players share the same round and the same multiplier
- Commonly about 10 to 30 seconds per round, depending on how high the multiplier climbs
Information only. 18+. The house edge means players lose on average over time.
Overview
Crash is an instant game in which a multiplier rises from 1.00x until it suddenly crashes at a random point. A bet returns its stake times the multiplier only if the player cashes out first. A house edge, commonly 1% to 4%, is built into the distribution of crash points.
Crash is a fast, round-based instant game. Each round, a multiplier starts at 1.00x and climbs on screen until it stops at a hidden, randomly generated crash point. A player who cashes out before that moment receives the stake multiplied by the multiplier shown. A player who has not cashed out when the crash happens loses the stake.
The format grew out of dice-style games on Bitcoin gambling sites in the early to mid 2010s, and the rising-multiplier version is commonly credited to a site launched around 2014. This history is documented mainly by industry and review sources rather than in encyclopaedias, so dates should be treated as approximate. The idea of publishing a hash of the result before play, so that players can check it afterwards, comes from general cryptography (commitment schemes and hash chains) rather than from gambling itself.
Today crash is offered by many online casinos, usually as a shared round that every player sees at the same time, sometimes as a solo round. Rounds are short, often well under a minute, and most versions let the player set an auto cash-out target before the round starts. Behind the animation, each round is a single random draw, and the long-run result is set by the stated house edge, not by when the player chooses to cash out.
- Origin
- Online-only format, commonly dated to Bitcoin gambling sites from about 2014; no land-based version
- Game type
- Instant game: one random crash point per round, settled in seconds
- Crash point (common formula)
- Derived from a random number X between 0 and 1, for example floor(100 x (1 - edge) / (1 - X)) / 100, never below 1.00x
- Chance of reaching a multiplier m
- (1 - edge) / m, for example 49.50% for 2.00x at a 1% edge and 48.00% at a 4% edge
- Expected return
- 1 - edge per unit staked at every cash-out target: 0.99 at a 1% edge, 0.96 at a 4% edge
- Median crash point
- About 1.98x at a 1% edge and 1.92x at a 4% edge; half of all rounds crash below that
- Rounds that end at 1.00x
- About 1.98% at a 1% edge and 4.95% at a 4% edge in the common formula (no cash-out is possible)
- Fairness check
- Many games publish a hash before the round and the seed afterwards so anyone can recompute the crash point
How to play Crash
- 1Check that you are of legal gambling age (18+ or higher where the local law requires it) and decide in advance how much you are willing to spend.
- 2Choose a bet size before the round begins. For example, a bet of 10 units.
- 3Optionally set an auto cash-out multiplier, such as 2.00x. If the multiplier reaches that value the game cashes the bet out automatically.
- 4Place the bet during the betting window. When the countdown ends, the multiplier starts at 1.00x and rises.
- 5Cash out manually at any moment before the crash, or let the auto cash-out act. A cash-out at 2.00x on a bet of 10 units returns 20 units in total (10 stake plus 10 profit).
- 6If the multiplier crashes before the bet is cashed out, the stake is lost and the round ends immediately.
- 7The crash point is then shown. In games that use provably fair hashing, the seed is revealed so the result can be verified.
- 8A new round starts with a new, independent random crash point. What happened in earlier rounds has no effect on it.
Rules
- Each round has one crash point, generated from a random number before the round starts and hidden from the player until the crash.
- The multiplier starts at 1.00x and rises continuously; the crash point is never below 1.00x.
- A bet that is cashed out at multiplier m returns the stake times m. A bet that is not cashed out before the crash returns nothing.
- A round can crash at 1.00x, in which case no bet can be cashed out. Commonly this happens in roughly 1 to 5 rounds in 100, depending on the edge.
- The house edge is built into the crash distribution. In the common model the chance of reaching at least m is (1 - edge) / m.
- Because that chance falls as 1/m while the payout rises as m, the expected return is the same, 1 - edge, at every cash-out target.
- Auto cash-out only automates the same decision. It does not change the odds or the expected return.
- Each round is independent: the crash point of one round does not influence the next.
- Many games publish a hash of the round's secret before play and reveal the seed afterwards (provably fair), so the result can be recomputed.
- Minimum bet, maximum bet, maximum payout per round and a cap on the multiplier are set by the game and vary between providers.
- If a connection drops or a request arrives late, how the bet is settled depends on the provider's own terms.
Bets, payouts & house edge
| Bet | Pays | House edge | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash out at 1.50x (1% edge game) | 1.50 units returned per 1 staked | 1.00% | Reached in 66.00% of rounds (about 1 in 1.52); expected return 0.9900 per unit |
| Cash out at 2.00x (1% edge game) | 2.00 units returned per 1 staked | 1.00% | Reached in 49.50% of rounds (about 1 in 2.02); expected return 0.9900 per unit |
| Cash out at 5.00x (1% edge game) | 5.00 units returned per 1 staked | 1.00% | Reached in 19.80% of rounds (about 1 in 5.05); expected return 0.9900 per unit |
| Cash out at 10.00x (1% edge game) | 10.00 units returned per 1 staked | 1.00% | Reached in 9.90% of rounds (about 1 in 10.10); expected return 0.9900 per unit |
| Cash out at 50.00x (1% edge game) | 50.00 units returned per 1 staked | 1.00% | Reached in 1.98% of rounds (about 1 in 50.51); expected return 0.9900 per unit |
| Cash out at 100.00x (1% edge game) | 100.00 units returned per 1 staked | 1.00% | Reached in 0.99% of rounds (about 1 in 101.01); expected return 0.9900 per unit |
| Cash out at 1.50x (4% edge game) | 1.50 units returned per 1 staked | 4.00% | Reached in 64.00% of rounds (about 1 in 1.56); expected return 0.9600 per unit |
| Cash out at 2.00x (4% edge game) | 2.00 units returned per 1 staked | 4.00% | Reached in 48.00% of rounds (about 1 in 2.08); expected return 0.9600 per unit |
| Cash out at 5.00x (4% edge game) | 5.00 units returned per 1 staked | 4.00% | Reached in 19.20% of rounds (about 1 in 5.21); expected return 0.9600 per unit |
| Cash out at 10.00x (4% edge game) | 10.00 units returned per 1 staked | 4.00% | Reached in 9.60% of rounds (about 1 in 10.42); expected return 0.9600 per unit |
| Cash out at 50.00x (4% edge game) | 50.00 units returned per 1 staked | 4.00% | Reached in 1.92% of rounds (about 1 in 52.08); expected return 0.9600 per unit |
| Cash out at 100.00x (4% edge game) | 100.00 units returned per 1 staked | 4.00% | Reached in 0.96% of rounds (about 1 in 104.17); expected return 0.9600 per unit |
Payouts, commissions and side bets differ between providers and casinos. Always read the rules shown at the table or in the game before anything else.
How these numbers are worked out
Model: the chance that the crash point is at least m is P = (1 - edge) / m, which matches the common formula crash point = floor(100 x (1 - edge) / (1 - X)) / 100 with X uniform on [0, 1) (flooring to 0.01 does not change P for multipliers quoted to two decimals). A bet cashed out at m returns m units on success and 0 otherwise, so the expected return is m x (1 - edge) / m = 1 - edge, and the house edge is edge, for every target m. All figures were computed by script and checked with a simulation of 4,000,000 rounds per edge using a SHA-256 hash chain and the 52-bit conversion; simulated chances were within about 0.02 percentage points of the formula. The spread of results grows with the target: the standard deviation of the return per unit staked is about 1.0 at 2.00x and about 9.9 at 100.00x. Real games may use a different formula, a multiplier cap or a different edge, so the stated edge of the specific game always applies.
Tips for playing sensibly
Find the stated house edge or return-to-player figure for the specific game. A higher edge means a larger expected loss per unit staked.
Remember that every cash-out target has the same expected return, 1 - edge. A higher target changes how rarely a bet pays and how large the swings are, not the average result.
Treat auto cash-out as a convenience, not as an advantage. It carries out the same decision without any change to the odds.
If the game claims to be provably fair, learn how to check a round: the hash is shown before play and the seed after it, and you can recompute the crash point with the published formula.
Set a time limit and a spending limit before you start, and use only money you can afford to lose. Crash rounds are quick, so spending can add up fast.
Do not raise bets to recover earlier losses. Each round is independent and the edge is applied to every new bet.
Read the game's terms on maximum multiplier, maximum payout per round and what happens if your connection drops.
This guide is for information only and is for adults aged 18+ (or the legal age where you live). If gambling stops being fun, take a break and contact a local support service.
Common myths
Myth After several low crashes, a high one is due.
Truth Rounds are independent. The chance of any multiplier is the same in every round, regardless of what came before; expecting a correction is the gambler's fallacy.
Myth A particular cash-out target, or a particular pattern in recent rounds, gives an advantage.
Truth At every target the expected return is 1 - edge. Patterns in past results are just random noise and carry no information about the next crash point.
Myth Doubling the bet after a loss will always recover losses.
Truth A betting progression does not change the negative expectation of any round. A long run of early crashes is normal, and bet sizes grow quickly while bankroll and maximum-bet limits stay fixed.
Myth Provably fair means the player cannot lose.
Truth Provably fair only means the result can be checked after the fact. The house edge is still built in, so the player loses on average over time.
Variants
Shared-round crash
All players see the same multiplier and the same crash point in a given round, each deciding on their own when to cash out. This is the most common version.
Solo or instant crash
Each player gets a personal round with its own crash point, usually settled in seconds, with the same cash-out mechanic.
Two bets per round
Some games let the player place two independent bets in the same round, each with its own cash-out or auto cash-out target.
Hash-verified and provider-certified versions
Some games let players recompute each crash point from published seeds; others rely on a certified random number generator audited by a test lab. The edge applies in both.
Glossary
- Multiplier
- The number that rises from 1.00x during a round. A cash-out at multiplier m returns the stake times m.
- Crash point
- The multiplier at which the round ends, fixed by a random number before the round starts. It is never below 1.00x.
- Cash out
- Taking the current multiplier before the crash. The bet is then settled at that multiplier.
- Auto cash-out
- A target multiplier chosen before the round. If the multiplier reaches it, the game cashes the bet out automatically.
- House edge
- The average share of each stake the game keeps over many rounds. In crash it is built into the crash-point distribution, commonly 1% to 4%.
- Return to player (RTP)
- The average share of stakes returned over the long run: 100% minus the house edge. A 1% edge is a 99% RTP.
- Instant crash
- A round that ends at 1.00x, so no bet can be cashed out. In the common formula it happens in about 2% to 5% of rounds, depending on the edge.
- Volatility
- How widely results swing around the average. Higher cash-out targets pay rarely but largely, so results are more volatile.
- Provably fair
- A design in which the game commits to its secret by publishing a hash before play and reveals the seed afterwards, so the player can check the result.
- Hash
- A fixed-length fingerprint produced by a cryptographic function such as SHA-256. It is practical to compute but not practical to reverse, which makes it suitable for commitments.
- Seed
- The secret input behind a round's random number. Games typically combine a server seed with a client seed or similar value.
- Independent rounds
- Each round is generated separately, so earlier crash points do not make later ones more or less likely.
Crash FAQ
How is the crash point generated?
A random number between 0 and 1 is produced, commonly from the bits of a cryptographic hash, and then fed into a formula such as floor(100 x (1 - edge) / (1 - X)) / 100. The formula makes high multipliers progressively rarer and builds the house edge into the distribution. The exact formula depends on the game.
What does provably fair mean?
Before the round the game publishes a hash of its secret seed, which acts like a sealed envelope. After the round it reveals the seed, and anyone can hash it, compare it with the earlier hash and recompute the crash point. It shows the result was not changed after bets were placed, but it does not change the odds or remove the house edge.
What is the house edge in crash?
It is commonly between 1% and 4%, depending on the game. With a 1% edge, the game returns on average 0.99 units for every 1 unit staked over many rounds; with a 4% edge, 0.96 units. Over time the player loses on average.
Does cashing out earlier or later change the expected result?
No. The chance of reaching multiplier m is (1 - edge) / m, so the expected return at any target is m x (1 - edge) / m = 1 - edge. A low target pays often and in small amounts; a high target pays rarely and in larger amounts. The average loss per unit staked is the same.
Can a betting system or auto cash-out beat the game?
No. Systems that change bet sizes, such as doubling after a loss, do not change the expected return per unit staked, because every round has the same negative expectation. They only change the pattern of results and can lead to very large losses, and table or bankroll limits can stop them working at all. Auto cash-out simply automates a fixed target.
Why do some rounds crash at 1.00x?
In the common formula, a share of random numbers produces a value below 1.00x, which is rounded up to 1.00x. That share is about 1.98% of rounds at a 1% edge and about 4.95% at a 4% edge. This is part of how the edge is applied.
Are earlier rounds a guide to the next one?
No. Each round uses a fresh random number, so a run of low or high crash points says nothing about the next round. Believing otherwise is the gambler's fallacy.
Is crash the same everywhere?
No. The formula, the edge, the multiplier cap and the way fairness is shown vary by game. Always use the figures published for the specific game you are reading about.
Related reading
Provably fair explained: what it proves and what it does not
How hash commitments and seeds let a player check a crash round after it ends, and why that shows the round was not altered rather than that the odds are good.
Crash games: the maths behind the multiplier
Why the chance of reaching a multiplier falls as (1 - edge) / m, and why every cash-out target has the same average loss.
Keep learning
More games explained
Table games
Roulette
A wheel-and-ball game of pure chance with a fixed house edge of 2.70% on the single-zero wheel.
Rules & odds
Table games
Baccarat
A two-hand comparing card game where every move is fixed by rules; the Banker bet carries a 1.06% house edge.
Rules & odds
Card games
Andar Bahar
An Indian one-deck card game: guess which side gets the card matching the joker first; edge about 2% to 3%.
Rules & odds
Lottery
Lottery
How number lotteries work: matrix formats, draws, jackpots, rollovers and the odds behind each prize.
Rules & odds