Yes, You Can Win at Craps

October 7th, 2008
by Greg Jensen

Craps is the rollercoaster of casino games. When a shooter is riding a hot streak it can be the fastest and most exciting place to be in the house. This is understandable since craps is also one of the most favorable games to the player, if played correctly. No casino game is truly mathematically favorable to the player, since the house must have an edge to ensure profits. But craps at 1.4% with proper play is about as small a house edge as you can get.

Craps tips can show a player how to beat the game of craps and win money every time. While beating the game of craps is possible, the house is still in the game to make money and eventually the house will prevail. The player must be in the game for a short streak of winning and have enough self control to back out of the game when the table runs cold.

There are four traditional bets in the game of craps. These bets are pass, don’t pass, come and don’t come. Players who bet pass and come are said to be betting the “right” way. Players who bet don’t pass and don’t come are said to be betting the “wrong” way since they are essentially betting against the player throwing the dice.

Betting wrong actually reduces the house edge, but not enough to justify the social advantage of betting “right”. If you decide to bet Don’t Come or Don’t Pass, one important craps tip is to leave your bet down after the first roll, even though you have the option of picking it up. The odds are in favor of letting the bet stay down.

Another terrific craps tip, one that will enhance your chances greatly, for beating the game is to utilize those bets called “free” bets, “odds” bets or “behind the line” bets. These bets can actually reduce the house edge to less than 1%. Here’s how they work. Let’s say you’ve bet $10 on the Pass Line and the shooter’s point is 4. You can bet an additional $10 on the 4 as a “behind the line” bet. If the shooter makes his point, you will be paid even money on the Pass Line bet plus the true odds of 2-1 for the “behind the line” bet on the 4. True odds for points are as follows: 4,10 - 2/1, 5,9 - 3/2, 6,8 - 6/5.

The best way to take advantage of this betting strategy is to bet in $10 increments. This style of betting will work perfectly with players utilizing the don’t pass, don’t come style of play.

Placing bets on the 6 or 8 is another big craps tip. The house edge on these bets is 1.5% with a payout of 7/6. The 6 or 8 bet should be playing as a standalone bet without any other side bets placed. Playing other side bets outside of Big 6 or Big 8 will only reduce the chances of winning the bet.

If playing craps to win money is the name of the game, the player will need to follow these tips carefully. Knowing when to press the game as the shooter is hot and when to walk away as the table runs cold can be the hardest lesson to learn. The difference between a great craps player beating the game and losing the game is in this strategic choice.

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