If you enjoy playing craps and want to win more often, there are some things about the game you need to know. I’m not going to explain how to play the game; I am going to explain the best strategy I have found that I win while betting on the game.
As with any gambling game, first know the odds are always against you. If they weren’t there would be no casinos. But there are some bets that are more in your favor than other bets.
Before you start set some limits. For example: you will only lose $100 and when you are ahead $100 you will quit. Now you know what your goal is and when to quit.
The best way to win in any game is to bet the odds that give you the best chance of winning. I found two ways to bet in craps that I feel will give you the best edge to take home some cash.
That is to bet the “pass” line or the “don’t pass” line. These are the easiest bets to make but since they only pay 1 to 1, people go for the bigger odd lines.
The “pass line” gives you a chance to win if a 7 or 11 is rolled out on the first throw or if the number of the first roll (not a 2, 3, or 12 which is an automatic loss) is rolled again before a 7 is rolled. It is a good bet because there are several ways to win. First you can win because the same dice thrower is capable of throwing the same combination again. The second reason to bet the “pass line” is because if the number thrown has good odds of coming out again, you can back it up with a bigger bet. I only place a bigger bet if the number thrown is a 6 or an 8. Then I place another $5 on the bet so that I have $10 on the chance of a 6 or 8 arriving before a 7. I almost play the “pass line” on the first roll.
The hardest bet to make but one that seems to win often is to play the “don’t pass” line. It should be played when everyone else on the table is losing because you are betting against the “pass line”. Sometimes a table is on a roll and some times it is not. Bet whichever way is going to make you a winner.
Not a lot of people play the “Don’t pass” line for several reasons. First, it means you are betting against the shooter and most other players. Most players are betting inside bets that only win based on a 7 not turning up. Those players are all going against the odds and betting long shots. I call those the “sucker bets”. You are looking to win based on odds and a bit of know how rather than luck. A “don’t pass” line is often frowned upon. Ignore everyone. You are here to win.
A “don’t pass line” wins if a 2 or 3 is thrown on the first roll; or if the first roll is number 4-5-6-8-9-10-11 and a 7 comes out before the first roll number comes out a second time. A 12 can be a tie or a loss depending on where you play.
The house edge on the “pass” line and “don’t pass” line is 1.41 percent, according to Scarne’s New Complete Guide to Gambling. That is a very small percentage. If you add in the knowledge of what the table is doing into your strategy, your chances of winning more than makes up for that tiny percentage. If you place bets on anything other than the “pass” and “don’t pass” lines, the odds increase dramatically in the houses’ favor.
Before you hit the casino, understand these strategies. If you want to gamble, bet whatever you feel regardless of the odds. If you want to win, then stick to the game plan.
Source: Scarne’s New Complete Guide to Gambling book be Ed Scarne, personal experience
