Craps Strategy

What will you learn from our Craps strategy guide?

At first glance, Craps is a simple dice game where a pair of dice are thrown and players bet on the outcome. But there is far more to Craps than meets the eye. Winning at Craps consistently is all about employing betting and odds strategies that give players the best advantages. This user-friendly Craps strategies Guide maps out the paths to winning at Craps for novices and pros alike.

4 important tips before you start

1. Get to know all of the rules, odds, bets and payouts

• The rules of Craps are fairly straightforward and easy to learn. The odds, bets, and payouts require some time and practice because there are so many options. Bet and odds charts are handy tools for beginners.

2. Choose a Craps variant smartly

• Traditional Craps, also known as Bank Craps, is the universal game offered by every casino. There are also a number of exciting Craps variants however, some of these games have a higher House Edge than others. When considering a Craps variant, look for the best odds.

3. Plan your budget – how much you are prepared to win or lose

• Experienced gamblers always start and finish every game with a financial plan. Players should budget in advance an amount they are prepared to lose that is affordable and can be considered payment for the entertainment. Having an amount set as a winnings goal is also a great Craps strategy. 

4. Don’t forget about the time you’re willing to spend on a game

• Designating an allotted period of time to gamble is another wise decision. Players who keep track of playing time are generally more focused and also understand that gambling is a hobby or entertainment pastime. Remember to always game responsibly and have fun!

Basic Craps strategy

Craps is strictly a game of chance where skill does not affect the outcome of a dice roll. The best Craps betting strategies are the foundation for becoming a successful player. With practice and experience, a Craps odds strategy becomes part of that formula.  

Pass Line Craps strategy

• Considered the safest bet in Craps, a strategy using the Pass line bet wins more consistently and lowers the House Edge in favour of the player. This is the most popular Craps bet at the casino. Players bet on the Pass Line on the Come Out roll. With a 7 or 11 rolled, the bet wins and pays out at 1:1. The Low House Edge on this bet is 1.41%.

Don’t Pass/Don’t Come Craps strategy

• The Don’t Pass/Don’t Come strategy has two phases. First, players wager against the shooter with a Don’t Pass bet, winning on a 2 or 3, or losing on 7 or 11. But if a point is rolled, the player’s second step is to make a Don’t Come bet which wins or loses on the same rolls as a Don’t Pass bet. This two-step betting strategy can be very profitable and is fairly safe with a House Edge of 1.46%   

Craps Money Management strategy

• Tight bankroll management is the only sure way to build gambling profits. It requires discipline and players should set a game ‘winnings’ goal that when reached, concludes the session. By the same token, a game budget that is affordable to lose in the session prevents players from leaning into a losing streak and blowing their entire bankroll.

Craps Odds strategy

• How to play the odds is always up to players’ individual appetite for risk. Like most casino games, Craps only offers high rewards at high risk but also offers low rewards at substantially less risk that payout much more frequently.
• Laying the odds is a Craps strategy that sees the player betting against the shooter, wagering a losing 7 will be rolled before a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 after the Point has been made. Because these odds are statistically fair, there’s no House Edge on these bets. But the low-risk strategy attracts lower payout odds. 

Craps Press strategy

• Also known as a Press-and-Pull Craps strategy, this tactical betting method sees players press bets when the Place bet lands. On the wins, players pull all profits after the bet lands four times and walk away. It’s an aggressive strategy where winnings are used to effectively double bet values with every round; however, the odds the shooter will throw the same number four consecutive times before crapping out is a high-risk strategy.    

6/8 Craps strategy

• So named for the fact that 6 and 8 have the second-best odds of coming up on a dice throw after a 7, this is a progression betting Craps strategy. Placing fixed amount bets on the 6 and 8, if one or both wins the profits are pulled and the original fixed amount is bet again. If the initial bet loses, the fixed bet amount is usually doubled or in some way increased and the bet is placed again. This is a very aggressive Craps strategy that somewhat depends on riding a streak. A losing streak can eliminate a bankroll fast.

Advanced Craps strategy

Advanced Craps strategies primarily rely on aggressive betting tactics, longer-term winnings goals measured over time rather than games played, or conditions where a single roll offers high rewards on a winning bet.  As players gain game experience the confidence to bet more aggressively in familiar conditions adds another layer of excitement to Craps.

3 Point Molly strategy

• This is an odds maximizing Craps strategy where players spread multiple bets offering the best odds and low House Edges. A significant bankroll is required to implement the 3 Point Molly strategy effectively in order to blanket the field with bets that have the best odds of landing. This is an advanced Craps strategy usually used only by highly experienced players. 

Iron Cross Craps strategy/Field Bet strategy

• Another Craps strategy that is best implemented with a healthy bankroll, the advantage of the Iron Cross strategy is that it provides frequent wins. After the Come Out roll and the Point has been confirmed, players bet on everything but 7. This strategy is best used as a one-off from time to time for best results. Statistically, 7 is the number thrown most often in Craps.

The Wild Bettor

• No guts, no glory. Less a strategy and more of a joyride, employing the Wild Bettor sees players throwing money on the Yo and/or Hi-Lo bets that payout at 15:1. The House Edge is 11.11% but there are times when the risk is worth the potential reward if for nothing more than the pure fun of it.

Which Craps strategy should you choose?

Craps is purely a game of luck where skill doesn’t enter into the equation in terms of affecting the outcome of a dice roll. Craps strategies are based on betting scenarios and understanding the related odds. Fortunately, there is a wide range of Craps strategies that players of all experience levels can choose from.  

The best strategies to try when you’re new to casino

The best Craps strategies for new players are those that are simple to learn, easy to employ and are generally the safest to use. A number of Craps variants such as Simplified Craps and Low Limit Craps are also great games to start the learning process. Demo and practice games of traditional (Bank) Craps are also commonly available online and free to play.

• Craps Money Management Strategy

Without a doubt, new players who practice financial discipline will profit the most from Craps. It’s a beginner strategy practiced by the Pros for a reason – it works. Learning how to lose a little teaches players how to win more.

• Pass Line Craps Strategy

Simple to learn, this betting strategy is the most popular with players at the casino and offers the lowest House Edge.

Craps strategies to play if you’re a pro

Players at the top of their game already have a favourite Craps gambling strategy that works best for them. It could be a proven method or a hybrid strategy a player creates based on their own experiences. There are a number of options in the interest of changing up approaches from time to time or testing winnings potential.

• 3 Point Molly Strategy

Apart from being aggressive and highly lucrative when the bets land, experienced players favour the 3 Point Molly Strategy because it protects the pass Line bets. Craps Pros will go the extra distance and observe shooters to evaluate their throwing consistency before employing this strategy.

• Wild Bettor Strategy

For Craps Pros, there’s a method to the madness. Sometimes the conditions are right to employ quick single-roll betting strategies and cash in on the high odds. The Hi-Lo bets on a 2 or 12 being rolled and pays out at 15:1. Watching a shooter consistently throwing those numbers primes the conditions for a potentially big win.

General beginner mistakes easy to avoid

While Craps is generally a straightforward game to learn – players bet on the outcome of a dice throw – the betting mechanics can be challenging for beginners. Learning to avoid typical novice mistakes preserves the Bankroll and gives new players the confidence to explore Craps with more enthusiasm. Playing Craps and a few of the Craps variants in practice and demo sessions offered online is one of the best ways for new players to become familiar with the game.

• Making the wrong bets

The Craps table can be daunting for new players looking at all of the bet choices and combinations displayed on it. Understanding which bets are high, medium and low risk minimises the chances of making bad bets. Craps betting and odds charts are very helpful tools for novice players.

• Make proposition bets with high house edges

Craps bets that offer high rewards come at high risk. While most players know this, the temptation to win big fast is strongest with new players. Placing bets that offer the lowest House Edge may not be as sexy, but they pay out much more frequently and go a long way towards protecting the bankroll.

• Make blanket bets to cover more numbers 

Employing an Iron Cross strategy out of the gate may seem like a great idea because of the potential win ratio, but a single loss can deplete a bankroll instantly. Contrary to appearances, this betting strategy carries nearly a 4% House Edge and is far riskier than the Pass Line bet.