CRAPS STRATEGY GUIDE

Did you know that the game craps has been around since medieval times? Yep, craps is a popular casino game with its roots planted in a dice game called Hazard. However, the rules of Hazard were modified over time, and the game eventually evolved into the craps game we know and love today.

Craps can be a tricky game to play, but with the right strategy, you can reduce the house edge and improve your chances of winning. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about playing craps, including tips on how to bet and win.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST CRAPS STRATEGY?

Online craps games are full of surprises, so implementing a strategy is always a good idea if you want to have the best possible chances of winning. However, there are a few factors to consider to help you decide which strategy to use. Here are a few tips: 

• Research the craps game of choice — When playing online games, you’ll quickly see the multitude of tables available, much more than when playing at land-based casinos. Before you actually sit down at a craps table, take the time to research the rules and gameplay so you can familiarise yourself and know exactly what kind of experience you’re in for.

• Analyse your bankroll — The most crucial aspect of choosing a strategy is ensuring that your bankroll can actually handle its specifications. Some strategies require you to bet high on a loss to potentially earn a large profit on a win, but your bankroll can take quite the hit if you don’t.

• Check the craps table bet limits — The table minimum and maximum bet limits don’t really come into play unless you’re utilising a strategy that increases your bet value very quickly. Bet limits can easily affect the longevity of your strategy, so it will be good to keep these in mind before you play.

• Set session limits — A tonne of excitement comes along with sitting at a craps table, but it can be quite easy to get lost in it, especially if you’ve hit a winning streak. However, winning streak or not, it is important to set limits on your gaming as you never know when that win streak will turn into a losing one.

• Practise — To assess how your strategy truly works, give it a whirl in the demo mode. The demo mode is a free-play version of an online craps table that allows you to place virtual bets. So, you can test out your strategy and truly get all its nuts and bolts down, free of charge!

• Review the results — Once you’re done with using your strategy, take a look at the results and assess whether using the strategy is worth the funds you put in. Some strategies may sound good on paper but are not great in practise. 

WHAT IS THE BEST CRAPS STRATEGY?

There’s no shortage of advice out there when it comes to the best craps strategy. You’ll find opinions on everything from what bets to place to money management. 

And while there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, there are some general ideas that can help you get started. Keep scrolling for a comprehensive breakdown of the best craps betting strategy, depending on your experience level.

BASIC CRAPS STRATEGY FOR BEGINNERS

If you’re a beginner, it’s often best to stick with the basic bets like Pass Line bets and Come bets. These craps bets have a relatively low house edge, so you’ll have a better chance of winning in the long run.

As you become more experienced, you can add more complicated craps bets to your repertoire. But be careful not to get too adventurous, either. Remember that the more complex the bet, the higher the house edge will be, and this is where beginner betters often lose.

Another important aspect of devising a craps strategy is managing your money. Beginners should always err on the side of caution and keep their craps bets small. Then, they can increase their bet size as they get more comfortable with the game.

But regardless of your experience level, it’s always important to set a budget and stick to it. That way, you’ll avoid getting in over your head and losing more money than you can afford to.

So what is the best craps betting strategy? For beginners, we recommend these two:

PASS LINE CRAPS STRATEGY

If you’re a beginner craps player, it’s important to start slow and gradually increase your bets as you become more comfortable with the game. This is why it’s generally best to stick with the Pass Line bet, which is the most basic and common bet in craps.

The Pass Line wager is the most basic bet in craps. Not only is it a simple bet, but the house edge is pretty low for this bet (hovering at around 1.4%), and winning this bet allows you to break even.

To make a Pass Line wager, you’ll want to place your chips on the Pass Line. It is important that you do this before the Come-Out roll. If the shooter hits a seven or 11 on the Come-Out roll, you will win break even (which means you’ll win even money).

If the shooter hits a craps roll of two, three, or 12, you will lose your bet. If other dice combinations are rolled (four, five, six, eight, nine, 10), this number becomes the point. 

The shooter will then try to roll the point again before rolling a seven. If they are successful, you will break even. If they roll a seven first, you will lose your bet.

DON’T PASS/DON’T COME CRAPS STRATEGY

If you’re ready to kick things up a notch then we suggest trying your hand at a Don’t Pass/Don’t Come betting strategy. With this type of craps bet, you’re essentially betting against the shooter.

Basically, the Don’t Pass bet in craps is a wager that the shooter will not make their point. This bet is the opposite of the Pass Line bet, and it typically has a slightly lower house edge of about 1.46%. 

However, this bet also has the benefit of being nerve-wracking, as it goes against the majority of shooters. In some cases, when you’re looking to frazzle the other betters, this can be a great strategy to use. How does it work?

If the shooter rolls a two or three, you win. If the shooter rolls a seven or 11, you lose. If the shooter rolls a 12, it’s a push, and you get your wager back.

If the shooter rolls a point, you should then make a Don’t Come bet. Assuming the shooter rolls a two or a three on their next roll, you’ll get a payout for that Don’t Come bet.

Not sure when to use this type of craps bet? You can make this bet at any time during the game, even on the Come-Out roll. However, keep in mind that once you place a Don’t Pass bet, you cant remove it. This means that the Don’t Pass bet is not for everyone, but it can be a fun and exciting way to play craps online at online casinos.

THE BEST CRAPS STRATEGIES EXPLAINED

Now, what about craps bets if you’re a little more experienced? There’s no one best craps strategy, as there is never a guarantee of winning, and the house will always retain an advantage due to the house edge. So, different people swear by different approaches.

Some say the best way to win at craps is to bet on the Pass and Come bets. Others claim the best way to win is to bet on the Don’t Pass Line and Don’t Come bets. Still, others say the best way to win at craps is to go with the flow and bet whatever your opponents are betting.

Ultimately, it comes down to what you’re comfortable with and what you think gives you the best chance of winning. So take a look at all the different craps strategies here and see which one feels right for you.

CRAPS ODDS STRATEGY

Laying the odds is a great option for craps players looking for the best mathematical craps strategy. Yes, we’re talking about laying odds and not playing the odds. Lay odds in craps is when you bet against a point after placing a Don’t Pass bet.

This Dark Side strategy requires bettors to wager against the shooter and other players, betting that the shooter will land a seven before throwing a four, five, six, eight, nine, or 10.

Note that you can only place a Lay Odds bet after the point has been established. However, the odds of these numbers landing are statistically fair, making it somewhat of a safer bet. This means that the house has no edge on these craps bets. That being said, the payout odds for Lay Odds bets are somewhat lower than other bets:

• 1:2 payout odds if you lay the odds against four or 10.
• 2:3 payout odds if you lay the odds against a five or nine.
• 5:6 payout odds if you lay the odds against a six or eight.

While this is a great intermediate craps strategy to start with, there are numerous other great craps strategies to try out. Keep scrolling to find your fit.

CRAPS PRESS-AND-PULL STRATEGY

The Press-and-Pull strategy may be right for you if you’re looking for a simple and effective craps strategy. With this strategy, you’ll press your bets when the Place bet lands and pull your profits after the bet lands four times. While it may not be the most exciting way to play craps, they can be very profitable bets if you execute them effectively.

Overall, the Press-and-Pull strategy is a simple way to boost your winnings when playing craps, and it can be used with any betting system. Most experienced betters use this strategy as a way to maximize their winnings with minimal investment from their bankroll.

Simply keep in mind the fact that you’re highly unlikely to land on the same number three or four times in a roll. So, you will experience a slight loss throughout the four-roll round you use this strategy for (in the pursuit of larger winnings overall).

6/8 CRAPS STRATEGY

Did you know that six and eight have the second-greatest odds of landing? After seven, these two numbers are commonly rolled numbers, making the 6/8 craps strategy an interesting progression betting strategy to try. 

To use this system, you simply need to place an initial wager of €6 on six and eight. If the dice lands on one of these numbers, pull in your profits and make the same bet again. If your bet loses, then simply make the same initial bet again, only this time you’ll want to increase the amount you’re betting.

Why would you make that same bet again even though you lost the first time around? It’s progression betting. The theory is that if you lost once, you’ve got a greater chance of landing that bet the second time around.

IRON CROSS CRAPS STRATEGY

The Iron Cross craps strategy is also sometimes called the Field Bet strategy. And unlike the two previous betting strategies, this is best used as a one-off betting strategy and not for long-term craps playing (online or in-person at a casino).

The Iron Cross Craps strategy is a very popular way to play the game of craps. It’s a pretty simple strategy, really. You begin by placing an initial Pass Line bet and then move on by taking odds on every number except the seven. That’s it. Some people like to add in a few other bets, like the Come Bet, but the basic Iron Cross strategy involves Pass bets and Odds bets.

THE WILD BETTOR CRAPS STRATEGY

Interested in taking on a bit more risk? Welcome to the Yo and Hi-Lo craps betting strategies.

A Yo bet comes with a 15:1 payout, but it also comes with a house edge of 11.11%. So, you’re taking on a lot more risk with this kind of betting strategy in the hopes that the payout will be worth it. Basically, you’re betting on the number 11 but some people use this to bet on three (although, since it’s a craps number, it’s less popular).

A Hi-Lo bet has the same 15:1 payout odds but instead of betting on the 11, you bet on the shooter rolling a two or a 12. See how simple this betting strategy is? While it’s not really strategic in terms of odds, it’s a great way to earn more if you’re willing to take the risk.

THREE-POINT MOLLY CRAPS STRATEGY

Finally, we have the Three-Point Molly strategy. This strategy can help you protect your Pass Line bet, and it allows you to wager on multiple bets that have the lowest house edge.

Here’s how it works: First, you place a Pass Line bet. Then, you wait for the shooter to roll the point number. Once a point number has been rolled, you’ll want to bet max odds on the point line and place a Come bet. 

If your shooter lands another number other than seven or 11, then place a Come wager at the maximum odds for that particular game.

Add a bet onto a third number and then keep playing until the point, seven, or 11 is rolled.

THE ANYTHING BUT SEVEN STRATEGY

Many strategies may focus on placing multi-roll or proposition bets, but this technique is a little more peculiar. 

The Anything But Seven strategy is pretty self-explanatory — all it requires is to place bets on any number except the seven, including Field bets. 

This system is a short-term strategy that is recommended to be used for up to two hits, as it is a pretty high-risk technique given how often the number seven is rolled. 

To begin, place one unit on the Field and twice that on five, six and eight. This strategy works best if the point number is five, six or eight. The logic behind this method is that statistically speaking, there is an average of five rolls before the seven hits. 

But, you cannot rely on statistics alone as they can never guarantee a win. A seven could easily land on the first roll, resulting in a large loss before your strategy can even begin. 

THE FIVE-COUNT CRAPS STRATEGY

The Five-Count method involves waiting for the shooter to roll five times successfully after the Come Out phase before you place bets. The reasoning behind doing so is that it will make you more likely to win. 

That said, the issue with this strategy is that it relies on hot streaks, or rather, the assumption that you will hit one. However, in craps, as well as other casino games, this is never a guarantee. 

THE COMBINATION STRATEGY

For many, placing high-risk wagers are not the best bets to put down, especially if they’re still starting out. For this reason, punters often go for the Combination strategy as it involves placing several low-risk bets. 

The easiest way to do this is to combine a Place bet and a Come bet. You can combine more bets if you wish or other bets if you want to switch things up without betting too high. 

Bear in mind, however, that combining too many bets may limit your winnings in comparison to your losses, as winning is never guaranteed. 

The best way to find the right combination of bets is through trial and error. You may want to combine Pass bets and one-roll bets or a place bet and a point bet — just always remember that losing is never off the table.