Low odds bets are the best bets to make if you’re a beginner, or if you’re the kind of player who wants to make their bankroll last. We recommend starting out with craps bets that have low odds to get used to how the game is played, as it will give you plenty of room for trial and error. Place betting is one of the best bets at the craps table. While not as good mathematically as the odds bet, the place bet has the advantage over most other bets in that the place bets take, on average, 4 rolls of the dice to resolve.
Many people believe that craps is quite a challenging game and even assume they cannot learn to play it. However, this concept is wrong, and craps rules are straightforward – the players place wagers on the results that come out after throwing two dice. What can confuse you and make the game somewhat challenging is the multiple craps bets available.
Most bets in craps are quite easy to understand, but the main difficulty comes from their significant number, which makes the game a bit complicated and inexperienced players often get confused and cannot distinguish the best craps bets.
Happily, it is not significant players to be closely familiar with all wagers to play craps – it is enough to understand the pass line and don’t pass line bets, the odds bets and the come and don’t come wagers. Below you will find detailed information about these essential bets, description of other types of craps bets, and valuable data about the best bets in craps. Thus, you will be able to come up with a craps betting strategy that works for you.
Pass Line and Don’t Pass Bets
These bets are not only the easiest to understand but also the two most common wagers. Typically, shooters have to place one of these two wagers before they make the come-out roll. Some casinos also require players to make the pass line or don’t pass bet before they place any other bets.
The main rules about these two chances are that players need to put them right before the come-out roll and that the two wagers pay 1:1 when they are winning, which means that the bets pay even cash.
In case the come-out roll comes in seven or eleven, then the pass line wager is successful. The bet is unsuccessful if the outcome is two, three or twelve. When any other number comes out as a result of the roll, it establishes the so-called “point, ” and the bet remains valid until the player turns the point or goes seven. In the first case, i.e. when the point comes out of the roll, the bet registers a win. However, if the player throws 7, then the bet loses.
The don’t pass win will bring a win to the punter when the come-out throw results in two or three. It will lose if the player throws seven or eleven. Throwing 12, the wager neither wins nor loses, and it becomes pushed. If any other value comes out of the roll, this value becomes the point. In case the shooter hits the point again, the bet releases a loss, but the wager is winning if the shooter rolls seven.
Come and Don’t Come Wagers
These two wagers are very much like the pass and don’t pass ones with the single difference that the players should place them after establishing the point instead of before that. The concept behind the come and don’t come craps bets may be a bit confusing, so we will discuss it in details to help you understand them thoroughly.
A come bet will win if the shooter rolls seven or eleven, and it will lose if the shooter throws two, three or twelve. In case the player throws any other number of the dice, it becomes the point for the come bet. Thus, if the dice roll five, then five is the point. The shooter throws again, and the wager is still valid. The bet wins if the shooter rolls five again and loses in case the result of the throw is 7.
The other way round, the don’t pass wager does not succeed if the shooter hits seven or eleven on their first roll after the placing of the stake. The bet succeeds if the dice run two or three. Any other number fixes the point and the stakes continue to be valid until the shooter rolls the point and your bet loses or they throw seven and your bet wins.
The come and don’t come wagers give even cash when they become winning, meaning that the ratio is 1:1.
Odds Craps Bets
Now that you are familiar with the four most essential bets in the dice game, we will describe the other types of wagers, so that you will be able to establish your craps betting strategy. Odds wagers resemble side bets, and players make them after the establishment of a point in each game. There are four types of odds wagers which are extensions of the four bets we described above: pass line odds, don’t pass odds, come odds and don’t come odds.
Types Of Craps Bets
The pass line odds enhance your pass line bet after the establishment of a point. It loses if the shooter throws seven and wins if they roll the point before rolling seven. The key benefit of the pass line odds wager is that you win, you get your payment at true odds, which means that there is hardly any house edge. The payouts are different depending on the point. Thus, if the point is four or ten, the ratio is 2:1. If the point is five or nine, the payouts are 3:2, and in case the shooter throws six or eight, the payouts are 6:5. According to the rules of craps, you should announce that you are “taking the odds” when you decide to make a pass line odds wager. There is a limit as to the stake because there is no house edge in this case. Players can stake up to three times the total sum of their initial pass line bet, but some casinos allow larger amounts to stake.
The don’t pass odds wager boosts the don’t pass bet, and it wins if the dice run seven before throwing the point. The bet is unsuccessful if the shooter runs the point before rolling seven. The winning bet pays out at true odds, and there is no house edge here, too. Here are different payouts according to the point that the shooter rolls: in case the player throws four or ten, the payment is 1:2; if the point is five or nine, the payouts are 2:3; if the shooter rolls six or eight, the ratio is 5:6. The rules about craps bets define that you need to announce that you are “laying the odds” in case you are willing to put a don’t pass odds wager. There is a limit as to the amount of the stake due to the lack of a house edge.
Big 6 and Big 8
These two craps bets are easy to understand – the big six chance becomes winning if the shooter throws six before rolling seven; the big eight wager wins in case the shooter goes eight before throwing seven. Both bets pay out 1:1, meaning that the payouts are even if they win.
Place Win and Place Lose Bets
Gamblers can make place win wagers after the come-out throw and after the establishment of the point. The player can put a bet on the numbers four, five, six, eight, ten or nine. The wager wins if the number you have selected comes out before seven. Again, the payout ratios depend on the particular number. Thus, if you have selected six or eight, the ratio is 7:6; in case you have betted on five or nine, the payouts are 7:5; if your number is four or ten, the ratio is 9:5.
The place lose wagers are exactly the opposite of the place win ones. You can bet on the same set of numbers (four, five, six, eight, nine or ten) but here the wager wins if the shooter throws seven before rolling the number you have selected. Once again, the payouts distribution depends on the specific number: six or eight get 4:5 payouts; if you have picked five or nine, the ratio is 5:9; and in case the number is four or ten, the payouts are 5:11.
Field Wagers
The field wagers are placed on the following roll of the dice. The bet succeeds if the shooter hits two, three, four, nine, ten, eleven or twelve and pays double in case of two or twelve and even money for all other numbers. The wager loses if the shooter throws five, six, seven or eight.
Buy and Lay Wagers
Buy bets resemble place win wagers because the player bets that the shooter will roll a given number before throwing seven. The variation is that here the payouts are larger, but players have to pay a commission amounting to 5%. The policy regarding the fee varies, and some casinos require the player to pay it upon placing the wager while other betting providers get it from you only in case your bet wins. The amount of the payout depends on the number the player has selected. Thus, in case you bet on six or eight, the payment is 6:5; if you choose five or nine, the ratio is 3:2, and picking four or ten will give you a payout at 2:1.
In essence, the lay wager is just opposite to the buy bet, meaning that players place a bet that the shooter will throw seven before rolling a given number. Again, there is a commission of five per cent. The payouts are higher compared to the place lose wager, and the ratios are the following: 5:6 for six and eight; 2:3 for five and nine; 1:2 for four and ten.
Hardways
Adopting a successful craps betting strategy requires knowing all possible odds and all rules. If the shooter throws a number as a double to two values, then we say that they have thrown the number the hard way. Thus, a hard six is a double three. The hard way wagers get their name from this rule. These bets allow players to place a wager on rolling a hard four, a hard six, a hard six or a hard ten before seven to win. Again, the payouts depend on the particular number you have selected – the ratio for four and ten is 7:1, while the payout for six and eight is 9:1.
Proposition Wagers
There are several different types of proposition bets. These craps bets offer bigger payouts than the other wagers, but the house edge is higher, too. Experts recommend avoiding them due to the increased risk involved, but you can still practice these bets if you are eager to take the chance. Here are the various proposition bets that are all settled on the following roll:
- Any craps (7:1) – the bet wins if the shooter throws two, three or twelve;
- Any 7 (4:1) – the wager is successful if the dice roll seven;
- Any 11 (15:1) – the bet wins if the shooter rolls eleven;
- Ace Deuce (15:1) – the bet is successful in case the dice throws three;
- Boxcar (30:1) – the wager wins if the dice rolls twelve;
- Aces (30:1) – the bet wins if the shooter throws two.
Best Bets To Make In Craps Live
Best Craps Bets
The primary aim of betting providers is to take the money of clients, and your main purpose is to prevent this by placing good wagers. To help you achieve success, we will list some of the best bets in craps. Thus, understanding the best craps bets, you will be able to develop a winning craps betting strategy and avoid losing cash.
Placing pass line wager is not the wisest thing you can do, but the situation is much different if you put odds behind the pass, come, don’t pass and don’t come wagers. Why is that? The main reason is that the odds reduce the house edge and thus boosts your winnings or limit your losses if the bet is unsuccessful.
Our list of the best bets in craps continues with the place wagers on six or eight. If you place a bet to win, the house edge amounts 1.52 percent and placing the wager to win has a house edge of 1.82 percent. The house edge is quite reasonable in these two cases.
Another addition to the best craps bets selection is the lay wager against four or ten. In this instance, the house edge equals 2.44 percent, which is a bit higher than other bets but it is still entirely manageable and can bring success.
Fields wagers typically payout 2:1, but they can rank among the best bets in craps when casinos provide triple payment. When betting providers have such an offer, the house edge is as low as 2.78 percent, and the wager becomes quite intriguing. It is advisable to place fields wager only in case the casino provides a triple payment.
Now that you are familiar with the various types of craps bets alongside with the best bets in craps, you can develop your craps betting strategy and place successful bets.
I’m writing a series of blog posts about casino games and the good and bad strategies for playing those games.
Craps is one of my favorite casino games, so I’ve been looking forward to writing this one.
And the beautiful thing about craps is that it’s a game of pure chance. The best strategy is just to choose the bets with the lowest edge for the house and have fun.
But I’ll have some things to say about some of the strategies and systems that other writers promote, too.
They’re mostly bad craps strategies.
Here’s the Only Craps Strategy You Need
When you’re dealing with an entirely random game – like craps – the only strategy that matters is choosing the bets with the lowest house edge and having fun.
I’ll have something to say about shooters and whether they have control over the outcomes later in this post, but for now, let’s just agree that games like craps are purely chance.
In other games that are entirely random, like slot machines, you don’t even really need to decide which bet to place. It’s chosen for you before you sit down.
When playing craps for real money, you have a handful of good bets you can make, but most of the bets on the table are bad. Just skip the bad bets, and you’re all set.
The Bests Bets at the Craps Table
The best bets at the craps table are the pass line bet and the don’t pass bet.
The come and don’t come bets are also great wagers.
I always advise casino gamblers to try to limit their gambling to games where the house edge is lower than 2% — preferably 1.5% or lower.
The house edge for the pass and come bets is the same, 1.41%, which means they qualify.
The house edge for the don’t pass and don’t come bets is even lower, 1.36%, but the 0.05% isn’t worth worrying about. Most people prefer to root for the shooter to succeed.
The other bet to think about at the craps table is the odds bet. This is a bet you can only place after making one of the 4 bets I already mentioned and when the shooter has set a point.
This is one of the only bets in the casino that has no house edge. It’s a break-even bet, but it can be expensive.
It can also drive the effective house edge on the money you have in action down to almost nothing.
Here’s how that works.
How the Odds Bet Changes the House Edge for the Better
If you’re betting on the pass line and the shooter sets a point, you can expect to lose $1.41 for every $100 you bet. That’s on average and in the long run.
If you’re playing at a casino that only allows you to place an odds bet at 1X the size of your pass line bet, you can put another $100 into action.
Your expected loss remains $1.41, though, which effectively cuts the house edge in half, from 1.41% to 0.71%.
If you’re able to bet 2X your original bet on the odds bet, you can lower that even further to 0.36%. (You have $300 in action, but your expected loss is still only $1.41.)
The more you’re able to bet on the odds bet, the lower the house edge for all the money you have in action becomes.
It’s clear why betting on the pass line and taking the most odds that you can is an effective strategy. With the odds bet, you can get the house edge in craps lower than 0.5% at least some of the time at the table, making it an even better game than blackjack.
And what’s more, you don’t have to memorize basic strategy to get the low house edge at craps.
You just need a big enough casino bankroll to make the right bets, and you need enough sense to avoid the bad bets at the table – of which there are many.
Any Strategy that Involves Placing ANY Other Bets at the Craps Table Is a BAD Craps Strategy
There’s a reason gambling experts measure bets according to their house edge. That’s because it’s the single best indicator of how good or bad a bet is.
The house edge is a statistical estimate of how much money you’ll lose as a percentage of your original bet over the long run.
If the house edge is 1.41%, the casino expects to win an average of $1.41 every time you bet $100.
If the house edge is 16.66%, the casino expects to win an average of $16.66 every time you bet $100.
Which bet looks like the better bet for the casino?
And which one looks like the better bet for the gambler?
It shouldn’t be hard to make the distinction.
Even the best of the bad bets on the craps table are inferior to the 1.41% or 1.36% you can get from the pass, don’t pass, come, and don’t come bets.
And trust me on this:
You can have PLENTY of fun sticking with the basic bets at the craps table.
Betting Systems Where You Raise and Lower the Size of Your Bets Are Bad Strategies
The classic example of this kind of betting system is the Martingale System, where you double the size of your bets after each loss. When you do this repeatedly, you eventually win back the money you’ve lost along with a profit of one unit.
The problem with a system like the Martingale is that you’ll eventually run into a big enough losing streak that it will wipe out all those small profits and then some.
Most people underestimate how quickly a bet’s size gets when doubling after every loss.
They also overestimate how likely they are to avoid long losing streaks.
If you double a $5 bet once, that’s $10.
But if you run into a losing streak of 8 bets in a row, you’re looking at having to bet $640 to make up for your losses.
Also, every roll of the dice is an independent event. The odds don’t change based on how many times you’ve won or lost in a row.
You might think the probability of losing that 8th bet is lower than the likelihood of losing the first one, but the truth is that the dice have no memory. They have the same 6 sides, no matter how many times you’ve lost in a row.
Each bet in craps is an independent event, and any betting system will assume that the odds are changing based on how many times in a row you’ve won or lost.
Money Management Strategies Don’t Hurt Anything, but They Won’t Improve Your Odds of Winning, Either
Money management strategies involve having strict gambling discipline about how much of your bankroll you’re willing to risk before quitting the game. They also require you to stop when you’ve won an arbitrary amount of money.
Money management techniques are often used in conjunction with betting systems.
Here’s an example of a money management strategy in craps:
You decide your bankroll for the session is $250, and you’re playing for $5 per roll of the dice.
Your stop-loss limit is $100, so, if your bankroll drops to $150, you must quit the craps session and go do something else.
Your win goal is $250, so once your bankroll gets up to $500, you must quit the game and go do something else.
What Are The Best Bets In Craps
This kind of strategy might increase your chances of walking away from the game a winner.
But that’s only because a lot of gamblers will just keep playing until they’ve lost their entire stake. They just don’t generally have a lot of sense about that sort of thing.
The Jury’s Out on Dice Setting or Dice Control
I’ve seen multiple reputable gambling writers express interest and some belief that some craps shooters can influence the probability of specific outcomes. I’m skeptical – in the extreme – but I’ll give it an appropriate amount of credence.
The idea is that you hold the dice a specific way – “setting” the dice – then throw with a minimum amount of force – just enough to hit the back wall and eliminate most of the rolling action.
Best Bets To Make In Craps Games
A controlled shooting expert doesn’t have to be perfect. Instead, they’re trying to be like someone who’s playing darts. They improve the probability enough to change the negative expectation on a bet to a positive expectation.
You can buy books and videos explaining how to get an edge at craps this way, but I can’t imagine the amount of practice and record-keeping required to have any confidence in your ability to change the odds.
Imagine if you spent 1000 hours trying to learn how to control the dice and coming up short. Maybe you just don’t have the knack for it.
That doesn’t sound like a good deal to me.
I’d rather learn to count cards in blackjack.
Conclusion
Best Bets To Make In Craps Strategy
Those are the best and the worst of the strategies I know of for playing craps in the casino. I know plenty of people who would disagree with every recommendation I’ve made, but the math behind the game doesn’t lie.
Best Bets To Make In Craps Pool
The best strategy is to stick with the bets with the lowest house edge and have as much fun as you can.