Casino Craps Tips
Craps can be one of the best bets in the casino or one of the worst. It all depends on how you play and which of the many bets you focus on. For example, the ‘Pass’ and ‘Don’t Pass’ lines have a house edge of 1.41% and 1.36% respectively. THE ULTIMATE CRAPS STRATEGY GUIDE. There is nothing quite like Craps, especially at a hot table where Craps players are winning together. The camaraderie that goes with playing toward a common goal makes Craps the most social game in an offline or online casino, and the cheers, high fives and rowdiness when the shooter makes it clear that the players are having fun. THE BEST CRAPS TIPS ARE: Go for the pass line bet. Go for the come bet. Go for the don’t pass bet.
Craps is the fastest-moving of casino table games. An average speed at a busy blackjack table runs around 60 hands per hour, but the house expects about 100 decisions per hour at craps. That, along with the tendency of craps players to have several bets working at once, means that craps requires a larger bankroll than other table games.
On the surface, Craps may look like a game where people are simply throwing a pair of dice across the table. However, there are odds, probabilities and house edges involved that dictate your chances of winning any given bet and therefore what strategies can be applied to the game. Here is a runthrough of Craps odds and strategy that you should bear in mind when playing.
Craps odds and probabilities
The best place to start in determining the odds involved in Craps is assessing the probability of getting any given number from a dice roll featuring two six-sided dice:
Craps probability
As you can see, the most likely dice roll is a seven, which will occur on six of the 36 possible combinations from the two dice. The next two most likely are six and eight followed by five and nine and so on, reducing in probability as you move further away from seven lower and higher respectively.
This means that on the come-out roll, a player has a 22.22% chance of rolling a natural (seven or 11), an 11.12% chance of crapping out (rolling two, three and 12) and a 66.66% chance of rolling a point number.
You will notice that the probability of rolling any individual point number is lower than that of rolling a seven. Here is the probability of the point numbers being rolled before a seven:
Craps point number probability
Point number | Probability of point number being rolled first | Probability of seven being rolled first |
4 | 33.34% | 66.66% |
5 | 40.00% | 60.00% |
6 | 45.45% | 54.55% |
8 | 45.45% | 54.55% |
9 | 40.00% | 60.00% |
10 | 33.34% | 66.66% |
Naturally, these percentages translate to the respective chances of winning Pass odds and Don’t pass odds bets. On a Pass odds bet, the odds will always be against you and on a Don’t pass odds bet, they will always be in your favour.
A combination of the two tables above can be used to calculate the overall approximate chances of winning any common Craps bets, as well as the house edge involved:
Craps pass line bet odds
Bet | Win probability | Lose probability | Push probability | House edge |
Pass line bet / Come bet | 49.29% | 50.71% | - | 1.41% |
Don't pass bet / Don't come bet | 47.93% | 49.29% | 2.78% | 1.36% |
This means that for every €100 bet on Pass line and Come bets, your expected approximate return is €98.59 and for Don’t pass and Don’t come bets, it is €98.64.
The probabilities of winning and associated house edges for several other Craps bets are as follows:
Multi-roll Craps bets probabilities and house edges
Single roll Craps bets probabilities and house edges
Craps strategy
Many Craps strategies thoroughly recommend predominantly focusing your bets on the common Craps bets that are often made in every round – Pass line, Come, Don’t pass, and Don’t come bets. These possess house edges (and therefore expected returns) which can only be bettered by Odds bets in the entire game.
Of these, Don’t pass and Don’t come bets are narrowly more favourable by virtue of possessing a house edge of 1.36% (whereas for Pass line and Come bets it is 1.41%), as well as a 50.71% approximate probability of winning or pushing your bet compared to 49.29% for Pass line and Come bets.
Should the round enter the point stage, it is always advisable to back up any one of these bets with Odds bets. Although the win probabilities may seem off-putting, as they pay at true odds they actually help to reduce the house edge, hence why at many casinos Odds bets have restrictive maximum limits. Odds bets reduce the house edge as follows:
Craps bets house edge
Odds bet maximum limit | Pass line bet | Don't pass bet |
No Odds bet | 1.41% | 1.36% |
1 x bet placed | 0.85% | 0.68% |
2 x bet placed | 0.61% | 0.48% |
3 x bet placed | 0.47% | 0.34% |
3 x bet placed on point of four/10 4 x bet placed on point of five/nine 5 x bet placed on point of six/eight | 0.37% | 0.27% |
5 x bet placed | 0.33% | 0.23% |
10 x bet placed | 0.18% | 0.12% |
20 x bet placed | 0.10% | 0.07% |
100 x bet placed | 0.02% | 0.01% |
Aside from the four main bets and Odds bets, the only other bet players should consistently look to make are Place bets on six or eight. While those seeking big wins may be unmoved by the 7:6 payout, these can prove useful if the point is any other number as they offer only a 1.52% house edge.
On top of this, Place bets on six or eight should always be made of instead of the comparable Big 6 or Big 8 bet, which offers a weaker payout for the same outcome and therefore has a considerably worse house edge of 9.09%.
Remember that for any individual dice throw, the chances of getting any specified number doesn’t change.
A common misconception is that a Field bet also presents greater value than any Place bet, as it covers more possible outcomes. However, a Field bet actually has a slightly worse win probability than a Place bet on six or eight of 44.45% and more importantly a higher house edge of 5.56%.
Indeed, virtually no single roll bets present any justifiable value and therefore they should merely be considered a bit of fun. The vast majority offer minimal win probabilities against large house edges of at least 10%. While they can provide substantial payouts on minimal bets, the law of probabilities dictates that they do not entail a secure method of boosting your winnings and will deplete your funds over a long period of time.
This illustrates the point that any Craps bet should be made with a comprehensive understanding of the house edges involved.
For instance, one popular Craps betting strategy is The Iron Cross, whereby a player places a Field bet and Place bets on five, six and eight to cover every possible outcome apart from a seven. Initially this seems an attractive prospect, particularly as it has an 83.34% win probability for any given roll.
However, by virtue of the fact that it loses everything on a seven (the most likely individual outcome) and it is combining various different bets, it still has a house edge of 3.87% and will therefore diminish your expected returns by a greater extent than various other bets with lesser win probabilities.
Finally, under all circumstances avoid falling into the trap of reading into patterns that are not there. It is a common sight to see Craps players becoming excited by a shooter throwing a ‘hot streak’ of winning rolls and allowing this to influence their bets, such as deciding that because the shooter has not thrown a seven for 10 rolls, they are less likely to on their next roll.
Remember that for any individual dice throw the chances of getting any specified number doesn’t change. Irrespective of whether the shooter has thrown 10 straight sevens or none in their last 10 rolls, the probability of rolling a seven on the next throw is always 16.66%.
How To Win At Craps At The Casino
For this reason you should be wary of Craps betting strategies such as the Three Point Molly which are cited as capable of taking advantage of ‘hot streaks’. The odds and probabilities always operate independently of the shooter’s previous rolls, meaning ascribing too much significance to them can be a gateway to losing a large amount of money in a short space of time.
Learn more about Craps
If you’re looking for general advice on how to play Craps, then read our ultimate guide to Craps. If you want to learn more about Craps beyond how to play the game, you can read about the history of Craps.
Play Craps on Pinnacle Casino
Pinnacle has a wide range of Craps games for you to enjoy!
Have you come here to find an answer to the eternal question how to make a killing at a casino? I don’t want to disappoint you, but there is no definite answer to this question. Nobody has and won’t be able to reach such level of skill which could influence on the outcome of rolling a pair of dice during a craps game. The best strategy is managing your bets.
- Like with other casino games, set a loss limit for yourself and decide when to walk away with winnings. If you can’t afford to lose more than $300, you should decide beforehand that $300 will be your absolute limit for losing and then you must stick to that limit. In the horrid event that you lose your $300 bankroll, you should stop playing, as opposed to wagering more.
- It might be a good idea to split your bankroll: If $300 is your loss limit, divide it in half, putting $150 in different pockets. If with the first $150 you win any sum that puts you more than $80 above your starting $150, put $150 back in your pocket and play with your winnings. Try to play exclusively with your winnings, and smart betting can help you achieve it. If, in spite of everything, Lady Luck is not with you, and you lose first $150 bankroll and then a second $150 without a significant win, quit for the night!
- Keeping calm while playing craps is very important. Since all players are betting against the casino, groups of players can get quite noisy when they win or lose together. It is nice to join with enthusiastic displays, however, do not allow you to do so because this will distract you from sensible management of your bankroll and informed betting.
- Try to bet on 1) Pass Line bets backed by free odds 2) Come Bets backed by free odds and 3) Place Bets on 6 or 8. You know there is a wide variety of bets offered on a craps table, but only a few have a reasonable house edge. Dealers and Stick men have been trained to encourage you to make other, less favourable bets; pay them no mind. Betting in craps is rather complex so you should get experience making the basic and more likely bets before risking any of the more unlikely ones. Furthermore, although advanced craps strategy involves multiple simultaneous bets which can earn players more profit in the game, beginners are advised to gradually increase the complexity of their craps betting. This way you can master the skills of craps betting step by step.
Guide to Getting the Most out of Playing Craps
We can’t guarantee you will win every session with these tips, but according to anecdotal reports these tips increase your chances of winning. Your mileage may vary. Good luck and may Lady Luck shine down upon you.
- Dice control. Watch for shooters who don’t shake the dice before each roll, and who roll the same way each time. They have better control over the dice than random throwers. When you find one of those shooters, play at his/her table, and bet with the shooter, if he/she is winning.
- Hit and run. If you understand the advanced wagers and you want to win big and quickly, bet the long odds. Be prepared to lose quickly, as well. Cut and run when you have made your killing. Without the discipline to walk away a winner, it is assured that you won’t walk away a winner.
- Go with the streak – Bet more when you are hot, less when you are not.
- Keep your eye on the player with the most chips. This is so obvious that you might not think of it. Emulate the table winner. There’s no law against being a copycat, and imitation is the highest form of flattery. You can bet smaller amounts than the high roller. Remember the saying, ‘Follow the money!’
- Assess the situation. Before plunking your money down at any old craps table, take the time to assess the table, the players and the current shooter.
- Don’t make Proposition bets. Leave them to others unless you like to play the worst odds at craps, let those who fall for the dealer’s hoopla play the Proposition bets.
- Avoid table minimums over your head. Find a table minimum that is within your budget.
- Pay no attention to the dealer’s appeals. When the dealer induces to make the high house advantage bets, ignore this appeal, and place your money on Odds bets instead.
- Back up your Pass/Don’t Pass and Come/Don’t Come bets with Odds bets. If you are not willing to bet the Odds bets, search for a lower-minimum table or another game to play. Always back up the basic bets with Odds bets to decrease the house edge to a bare minimum and maximize your chances of winning.
- If they lay, they play. If you don’t collect your winnings when the dealer places them in front of you, you’ll wind up parlaying your winnings into the next roll whether you want to or not.
Bonus Money Guide for Craps
The ability to manage your money is very important when playing craps. Everyone is eager to leave the casino a big winner, however, more likely than not, you will go home with a slight loss. The casinos might go broke if everyone left casino with a win. That’s why the casino always has an advantage over the player. Fortunately, craps has the best possible house edge if you place the Pass/Don’t Pass, Come/Don’t Come bets and the Odds bets.
But that’s not all there is to winning. If you want to win, you must be disciplined and have a proper mental attitude. If you can make good use of your bets by placing the Odds bets, manage your money and keep your head in the orchestrated chaos we call craps, you will surely have a great time and get the highest chances to walk away with some extra money.
Money Management Made Simple
There are lots of money management schemes around, but not all of them successful. Try to find the one that will work for you, and stick to it. You can use several in combination as well. Do whatever that can bring your losses to nothing or leave the casino with some of the money won during a game of craps. Try to be strict with yourself. You’ve declared war to the casino gods whose only goal is to take away your money.
When playing craps you can make and lose fortunes in a flash. In the event that you have managed to somehow win big money (not something you sometimes pull off when you play at a casino); get the heck out of Dodge. Don’t stay a minute longer. Just get out of there. Run; don’t walk, as fast as you can, and don’t look back.
Establish your bankroll, and abide by it. When your bankroll runs out, you should go away. You should never bet with money that you can’t afford to lose.
Casino Craps Tips Without
If you are on a winning streak, try to put away at least half your winnings, and play only with your original bankroll. Once the original bankroll is gone, you still go away with some money. You can also use this strategy in reverse: put your original bankroll away and only play with your winnings.
Divide your bankroll by 50, and you can probably have a good time for hours. For example, if you have $100, wager no more than $2 per round.
Casino Craps Tips 1x2
Money Stretching Strategy
Assume you start with a stake of $100, and you want to play as long as you can.
- Divide the $100 into two stacks worth of $50 each.
- Play with only one stack, and try to play at a table with a $2 minimum.
- If you win $50, take the $100 off the table and cash in the chips. Put the $100 away somewhere.
- If you lose, only play with the $50 until it runs out. Leave the table and cash in your chips. You can’t play without chips. Save the remaining $50 until after you have taken a break.
If you go away with some money in your pocket, you will be in a good mood realizing you have had a good time at the craps table.
Casino Craps Strategy
Play with Your Head Screwed on Right
Casino Craps Tips Cheat
Craps is a vivid and fast-paced game that wants concentration and fast reflections amidst the chaos. Play craps only when you feel you are up to the task. Your energy level probably affects your play, and your play will surely affect your mental attitude. Make sure you are on firm ground when you are going to sit down at the craps table. If you aren’t, consider another less vivid game or go to some other place to have fun until you are up to the craziness that is the favourite of the impetuous crowd – craps!