Craps Strategy

Craps is arguably the most exciting casino game. If you've ever seen a big group of people huddled together in the casino making all kinds of noise and commotion, you were probably looking at the craps table. It's a game full of superstition so it is easy to be misled on what works and what doesn't work at the craps tables.

The most important thing to remember is that there is no way to swing the odds to your favor. The house will always have an edge. The good news is that you can control how much of an edge the house has on you. By making the right bets and sticking to solid money management principles, you can make sure that you make the most out of your time at the craps tables.

Take the Best Craps Bets

Casinos offer a wide variety of craps bets at varying odds. The house edges on these bets ranges from just 1% up to a terrible 17%. The key to making the best craps bets is finding the ones that offer the lowest house edge.

The best craps bet for players is the pass line bet. It's a relatively simple bet to make and the house edge on the bet is just 1.4%. The don't pass bet offers slightly better odds but comes at the risk of irritating the other people at the table. Craps players are a superstitious lot so betting against them can get them pretty upset with you. The advantaged gained by making the don't pass bet generally isn't worth the trouble. You're never going to be able to beat the house at craps so you might as well find some enjoyment in the camaraderie of the other players.

Play Craps at Rushmore Casino - $888 Bonus!

The next best bet is the odds bet. This bet can be made once you've survived past the come out roll. To make this bet all you need to do is put your chips next to your original pass bet. Some casinos allow you to play double odds on this bet which is even better for the player. The house edge on the odds bet is the best in the game at only 0.6%.

Avoid the Worst Craps Bets

The worst craps bets have such high house edges that players should avoid them at all times. The worst of these includes the group of bets known as "proposition bets." These bets offer massive house edges and should never be taken. The proposition bets include betting that a specific number will be rolled next and any of the following:

Any craps
Field bet
Hop bet
Horn bet
World bet

Controlled Dice Throwing

It is rumored that this elusive art allows craps players to control how the dice land, using a technique of controlled dice throwing. Some people claim to know the secret but it has never been officially documented or proven. Gamblers have performed throwing tests in the past but it has always taken place in an informal, unscientific fashion.

The best strategy to take when it comes to controlled dice throwing is to save yourself the trouble and forget about it. There are people who claim to be able to teach this technique to others but it's better to save the money and invest in something more worthwhile. Even the most well known supposed dice controller, Stanford Wong, says that a successful dice control technique only becomes apparent after many thousands of throws - and even that is subject for contention.

Practice Money Management

This is a recurring theme in all casino strategy discussion and for good reason. Money management is the most important step players can take because it keeps them out of financial trouble. No matter how unlucky you get, a strong discipline of money management will keep your gambling safe and fun.

The thing to remember is that no matter how great your craps strategy is, the house will always have an edge. With this in mind, go to casinos only with money you are prepared to lose. And most importantly, never gamble with money you can't afford to lose. If you stick to solid money management principles, you can't go too far wrong at any casino game.

Want to play craps online? Give any of the various casinos that we review a try. If you would like additional information on the game of craps, then take a look at our internet craps section. If you are going to be playing in a live casino, you may want to take a look at our craps etiquette page.