How to win Craps

Preface

In craps, like all casino games the true odds checked over thousands of games favors the house. However, the casino's edge in craps is small enough to make it possible to leave a Web Based Gambling site with quite a remarkable profit on a lucky day. The greater part of gamblers don't play for long continues periods of time that it takes to create long term odds, that is why we will look at what the short term odds are for winning at Craps.

The game of Craps is played with two six sided dice, giving us a total of 36 number combinations. The most likely combination total is 7 which can be made 6 ways (1,6), (2,5), (3,4), (4,3), (5,2) and (6,1) where as the least likely number combinations total 2 (1,1) and 12 (6,6). The other totals, 3 to 6 and 8 to 11, have more than 1 combination that form them, but less than 6.

Let's take a short and simple look at the available bets and how to improve your chances of winning at craps.




Money Management

Among the various things to think about when wanting to win craps the first one to take in consideration is your fund. When playing craps, it is easy to have big sums of money on the table at once spread around a multitude of bets. That is why money management quickly becomes a very important factor. A person needs a certain amount of self-control when it comes to craps. The best idea is to set aside a specified amount of money to gamble with and once that's gone, you should walk away from the casino (or click out in the case of online casinos).

If it was true that continuing playing the game will eventually pay back, no gambler would have left the casino, every one will win, apart from the casino of course, which will have to close down because of the losses and thus all gambling ends. But luckily enough this isn't the case and definitely isn't the right strategy. The right one is managing your money. Excellent online casinos team strategy is fairly modest. Before starting to play craps we decide how much money we have to spend and can afford to lose, taking the minimum table wage into consideration. If we are playing a $5 table we usually take $75 - $100 as our full fund. If the game is strong and you're winning, it's very easy to double this small amount of money in a short period of time.

Our rule is, we start with $100. If we double that sum we pocket the original $100 and only play with the $100 of winnings. If we double it again we pocket the $100 winnings and play out what we have left again. This way most of our play is done with winnings, and we never walk away down. For this to work of course, you have to manage to double your bankroll before losing it. Taking that, if we can double our bankroll before losing it more often than not, then in the end we are making money, playing craps.




Betting

Although they have a tempting look, the high house edge bets are best when avoided.

Together with the high payouts, which are significantly better than the come or pass line bets, the chances of winning craps when betting on them are so low it is nearly impossible to truly make money. Remember that the higher the house edge is on a given bet, the lower are your chances of making it. It is true that being more spontaneous at times gives people that much sought after adrenaline rush at the craps table, but it can also help you get very quickly to a dead end with no money left. So before betting the high odds bets ask yourself what your intentions are. Do you want to play the most efficient way and increase your chances of winning craps or do you want to enjoy yourself no matter what? Based on that, you'll know how closely you want to follow online casinos craps strategy, and how much you want to overlook it.

Basic Bets

These are some of the top ranking bets for the player.

Pass Line Bets / Come Bets have identical odds.

For the come-out roll the odds are in favor of the shooter. He has a better chance of throwing a 7 or 11 than a 2, 3 or 12 (22.2% for a 7 or 11 vs. 11.1% for a 2, 3 or 12). However, if the Come-out roll results in a Point being made the odds of winning go down. The shooter is more likely to throw a Seven than the Point number, and these are the only numbers that we are interested in, (8% to 14% for a Seven vs. 16.7% for the Point).

Don't Pass Bets / Don't Come Bets have identical odds, and are the opposite of the Pass Line and Come Bets as you are betting against the shooter.

For the come-out roll the odds are in favor of the shooter. He has a better chance of throwing a 7 or 11 than a 2 or 3, (12 is considered a tie) so your chances of winning are lower (8.3% for a 2 or 3 vs. 22.2% for a 7 or 11). However, if the Come - out roll results in a Point being made the odds of winning go up. It is more likely for the shooter to throw a Seven than the Point number, and these are the only numbers that we are interested in, (16.7% for a Seven vs. 8% to 14% for the Point).

Odds Bets

These are excellent bets for the crap player. The player can reduce the casinos small advantage almost in half. By playing odds bets you run the risk of losing faster, but you also increase you winnings.

Pass Line Odds Bets / Come Bet Odds Bet - The odds of throwing the Point or the Seven don't change, but the payoff increases if you are successful. For example, you have made a $10 Pass Line bet and the shooter throws establishing the Point. If you back up your original wager with another $10 Pass Line odds bet on the Point and are successful your payoff will be $22 to $30 (depending on the Point). This is more than the even money payoff you would have received if you had just made the Pass Line bet. However, you have put $20 on the table instead of $10.

Don't Pass Odds Bets / Don't Come Odds Bet - These bets are used to increase your winnings when betting against the player. There is a greater chance of the shooter throwing a Seven than the Point so the payoff is not as great. Assume you have made a $10 Don't Pass wager and the shooter throws and establishes a Point. If you back up the Don't Pass bet with a Don't Pass odds bet of $6 (multiples of $6 are used to ensure proper payoffs) and a Seven is rolled you collect $13 to $15, depending on the Point.

Place Bets - These bets payoff only slightly less than the other bets discussed above.
The odds of throwing a 7 are constant at 6 in 36 or 16.7%
The odds of throwing a 4 or 10 are 3 in 36 or 8.3% vs. 16.7% for a 7 the payoff is 9 to 5
The odds of throwing a 5 or 9 are 4 in 36 or 11.1% vs. 16.7% for a 7 the payoff is 7 to 5
The odds of throwing a 6 or 8 are 5 in 36 or 13.9% vs. 16.7% for a 7 the payoff is 7 to 6


6 and 8 the best numbers to Place since you are most likely to win with a bet on them, but the payoff is less. If the shooter is hot and you feel lucky then play a different number, the odds are reasonable.

The rest of the craps bets, although not as attractive, still have a place around the table.

Buy Bets - have the same odds of winning as Place bets and the payoff is higher, but don't forget the 5% service charge.
The odds of throwing a 7 are constant at 6 in 36 or 16.7%
The odds of throwing a 4 or 10 are 3 in 36 or 8.3% vs. 16.7% for a 7 the payoff is 2 to 1
The odds of throwing a 5 or 9 are 4 in 36 or 11.1% vs. 16.7% for a 7 the payoff is 3 to 2
The odds of throwing a 6 or 8 are 5 in 36 or 13.9% vs. 16.7% for a 7 the payoff is 6 to 5


Lay Bets - are the exact opposite of Buy bets, your chances of winning are higher but still you have the 5% service charge.
The odds of throwing a 7 are constant at 6 in 36 or 16.7%
The odds of throwing a 4 or 10 are 3 in 36 or 8.3% vs. 16.7% for a 7 the payoff is 1 to 2
The odds of throwing a 5 or 9 are 4 in 36 or 11.1% vs. 16.7% for a 7 the payoff is 2 to 3
The odds of throwing a 6 or 8 are 5 in 36 or 13.9% vs. 16.7% for a 7 the payoff is 5 to 6




Big Six or Big Eight Bets - Six or eight can be rolled in 5 ways while seven can be rolled in 6 ways. Then you have only 5 ways to win compared to 6 ways of loosing, but the payoff is only even money. Thus making it not as good a bet as basic bets.

Hard Four or Hard Ten Bets - A Hard Four or Hard Ten can only be rolled one way while seven can be rolled in 6 ways (and 4 and 10 can be rolled two other ways). This totals 1 way to win and 8 ways to lose, and still the payoff is only 7 to 1.

Hard Six or Hard Eight Bets - Almost identical to the previous bet this ones payoff increases slightly and is 9 to one. Still doesn't justify preferring it over the basic crap bets.




One Roll Bets

One roll bets are good for a rush of adrenalin but better when avoided.

Any Seven Bets - You have 6 ways to get seven and win and 30 other combinations that lose. The payoff is 4 to 1, if there was no casino advantage it would pay 5 to 1.

Any Craps Bets - There are 4 ways to roll the dice to win, the other 32 combinations lose for you. The payoff is 7 to 1 but with no casino advantage it would pay 8 to 1.

Craps Eleven (also called a Horn Bet) - Here you must bet four chips to cover the four numbers so you lose three chips even if you win on one number. This loss of three chips, together with the casino advantage on the winning number makes this a bad bet.


A two or a twelve can only be rolled one way all other 35 combinations cause you to lose. The payoff is 30 to 1 but with no casino advantage it would be 35 to 1
A three or an eleven can be rolled two way all other 34 combinations cause you to lose. The payoff is 15 to 1 but with no casino advantage it would be 17 to 1.

Field Bets are popular. Seven numbers can win while only four can lose. However, the winning numbers can only be rolled 16 ways resulting in a 44.4% chance of winning and a 55.6% chance of losing. All that and the payoff is still usually even money although some casinos pay 2 to 1 or even 3 to 1 when a 2 or a 12 is rolled.

Two or Twelve Bets - These are separate wagers, but the odds are the same. A two or a twelve can only be rolled one way all other 35 combinations cause you to lose. The payoff is 30 to 1 but with no casino advantage it would be 35 to 1.

Three or Eleven Bets - These are separate bets, but the odds are the same. A three or an eleven can be rolled two ways, while all other 34 combinations cause you to lose. The payoff is 15 to 1 with the casino edge.