Craps Betting Strategy

Craps is conceivably the most exciting game to play at any casino. There’s always a lot of action, a multitude of betting options and variety of bewildering lingo.

For the beginner, it’s hard to take the first step up to the table. Online players, however have it somewhat easier. There is nobody around and you could wager at your own pace, without getting confused by the myriad of bets other players make.

While there are loads of strategies intended to fit various playing styles available in this game (right betting, wrong betting, hedge betting and so forth) for beginners, we recommend sticking with the “Right” or “Do” side of the table and taking it slow until you have mastered the game’s basics. Here are some basic strategy tips to help you get started betting the “Do”:

• Play the pass line. The past line is not the most essential bet in craps and perhaps the best place to start if you’re a newbie to the game. It’s simple to do and comes with the added benefit of offering a moderately low house edge of 1.41 percent. Irrespective of your bankroll, play at the table minimum until you understand how your bet works.
• Take the odds. If you’re betting the pas line (or the come), ensure to take the proper odds as this drastically reduces the house’s edge. For example, if you take full odds at a double odds table (twice the pass bet) the combined edge for the pass line and odds is only 0.6 percent-quite a drop from the 1.41 percent you’re getting on the pass line alone. If the table and your bankroll will allow it, consider taking even more odds. Triple odds lowers the edge down even farther to 0.47 percent, 10x odds will make it approximately 0.2 percent and 100x drops the edge all the way down to 0.02 percent!
• Place 6 and 8. If you’re looking for a bit more action, you’re probably going to try betting on more than just the pass-line/odds combination. If you decide to place bet a number (another easy bet), keep to 6 or 8 as they offer the best odds out of any of the place numbers. Stay clear of the big six and big eight bets, which gives you the exact same action at worse odds.
• Avoid proposition bets. There are some craps players who make use of proposition bets as a hedge against another bet. They might for example, bet a $3 any craps (7 to 1) to protect their pass $20 pass-line bet on the comeout roll. While the effectiveness of such strategy varies, for the beginner there is one rule to follow with regard to proposition bets: Stay away! The house edge on each and every one of these is poor at best and downright horrible at its worst. Do yourself and your bankroll a favour and rather stick to the bets with the lowest edge.
• Money management is key. Craps is a game of random action. There is nothing you can do to influence the outcome of the dice. Your best weapons will always be your knowledge of the game and your aptitude to keep your betting under control. Learn how to manage your cash. In our next section we advice players how to properly manage their bankroll especially those playing online.

Once you’ve given craps a try, you’ll find that it’s really one of the easiest and most entertaining games to play be it at internet or land-based casinos. If you do it right and stick with the bets that offer the best odds, you’ll likely find yourself on the receiving end of some nice paydays.