Craps is one of the most intoxicating of all casino games. If you’ve ever watched a craps table in a live casino, you’ve probably noticed how lively, if not uproarious, the players can become. As fun as Craps is to play, applying a proper Craps strategy will make your experience all the more enjoyable, and certainly more profitable in the long run.
The idea behind any casino game strategy is to make use of the lowest house edge. The house edge is the casino’s percentage-based advantage over the player. Craps has one of the lowest house edges when you place the correct bets, and avoid the worse ones.
We’re going to lay out a few specific craps strategies and tips you should be aware of, and explain what makes some craps bets better than others, depending on the max odds of the table.
Craps Strategy Tip #1 – Pass or Don’t Pass
The most common misconception in Craps is that the Pass Line is the best opening bet to make on a shooter’s come out roll. The Pass Line bet has a house edge of 1.41%, which is very good, indeed. But the Don’t Pass Bar actually has better odds, with a house edge of only 1.36%.
Even though the Don’t Pass bet has slightly better odds, many players choose not to make this bet. Why? Simply because in a live casino, it is generally frowned upon to go against the shooter, and for a meager .05% advantage. But if you’re truly playing for the best odds, Don’t Pass is the better way to go. Just don’t expect too many cheers when you win and everyone else loses!
Also, if you’re playing Craps online, you won’t have to worry about the narrow-eyed sneers of players around you.
Craps Strategy Tip #2 – Betting the Odds
When you make a Pass Line bet, and the point is established, you should place an Odds bet. This is a wager that the point will roll again before a 7 comes. The house edge of this bet varies greatly by the max odds of the table. Some craps tables cap the odds at 2x, while others offer as high as 100x odds. This is the amount you can multiply your original Pass Line bet by when placing the Odds bet.
Even at 2x odds, this is a good wager with a house edge of 0.61%. At a table with 100x odds, the house edge decreases incredibly to just 0.02%! Thats about as close to even-money odds as you’ll find in any casino, at any game, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for 100x Odds in Craps.
Craps Strategy Tip #3 – Big 6 & Big 8
These are some of the worst bets to make in Craps. The Big 6 and Big 8 bets carry a house edge of 9.1%, and pay only 1-to-1.
If you want to place a bet on 6 or 8 to come before the point rolls, you’re better off making a Place Bet on 6 or 8. At least this bet will pay 23-to-21, a little better than a Big 6/8 bet. However, a Place Bet still has a relatively high house edge and is not recommended.
Craps Strategy Tip #4 – Avoid Hard 4 & Hard 10
Hardway bets on 4 and 10 are the absolute worst bets in all of Craps, in terms of house edge, with more than 11% advantage to the casino.
Those are absolutely terrible odds. The payout may seem incredibly enticing, but you might as well donate your chips to a charitable cause; you won’t likely be seeing them again anyway.
Craps Strategy Tip #5 – Any Sevens Anyone?
There are times when the shooter has been rolling without a 7 for so long that you are just sure a 7 is going to come next. You may be right, and a bet on the 7’s is certainly warranted at such times, even if the house edge is rather high. However, never place your money on Any Sevens.
Instead, place 3 separate, equal bets on each Hardway 7 (1+6, 2+5 and 3+4). Any Sevens will pay less than a Hardway 7 bet, even when you add in the two lost wagers on the other Hardway 7’s.
