The game of craps has several ways to win. There are several types of bets, such as pass and don’t pass lines, come and don’t come, etc. However, not every bet pays equally. Also, some are more risky than others.
Below, we give you 12 strategies and craps odds for each. If you’re unfamiliar with the rules, first read our guide on how to play craps, before deploying these strategies.
Craps Betting Odds and Strategies
The main goal of this game is to predict how the dice will roll. You can bet on several number combinations or a specific number. These are some of the most commonly used 12 craps strategies:
Pass Line Bet
Odds: 1.41% house edge
This is the most basic and popular bet in craps. If you’re a beginner, make the pass line bet where you wager that the shooter will roll a 7 or 11 on the game’s come-out roll (the very first roll). If that happens, you win. However, if the shooter (person controlling the dice) rolls a 2, 3, or 12 (known as “craps”), you lose instantly. Any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) becomes the “point,” and the shooter must roll that number again before rolling a 7 for you to win.
This is one of the best bets in the game as it has the lowest house edge.
Any 7
Odds: 16.67% house edge
Any 7 is a high-risk, high-reward bet, where you wager that the next roll will be a 7. It’s a one-roll bet, meaning it either wins or loses immediately and doesn’t advance to the next round. There are six ways to roll a 7 – 1-6, 2-5, 3-4, 4-3, 5-2, and 6-1. Since there are a total of 36 outcomes with a roll of two dice, this means there are 30 ways to lose this bet. This gives the house a big advantage of 16.67%.
Stay away from this bet unless you’re looking for a quick thrill.
Don’t Pass
Odds: 1.36% house edge
The don’t pass bet is the opposite of the pass line. While in the pass line, you bet on a 7 or 11, in don’t pass, you bet against the shooter. So, if they roll a 2 or 3 on the come-out roll, you win. A 7 or 11 means you lose. A 12 is a push, which means the game continues. If any other number is rolled, it becomes the point (which the shooter must roll again before trying to land a 7 again). The don’t pass bet wins if the shooter rolls a 7 before rolling the point again.
The house edge for this bet is slightly better than the pass line bet, so take this bet to switch things up. However, remember that the people at the table will be cheering for the shooter and not you.
Craps (2, 3, 12)
Odds: 11.1% house edge
By betting craps, you wager that the next roll will be a 2, 3, or 12. It’s a long shot bet with low probability, so use this strategy as a small side bet for entertainment. The house edge is 11.1% but it pays 7:1 or 30:1 for a 12.
This is a one-roll bet that expires with the roll of the dice.
Taking the Odds
Odds: 0% house edge
This is a side bet that you take after the pass/ don’t pass and come/ don’t come bets. In this bet, you wager that the point will be rolled before rolling a 7.
Taking the odds has a 0% house edge because it pays “true odds” based on the actual probability of the outcome. So, go ahead and take the odds to improve your overall expected return.
The payout depends on the point number:
- 2:1 for a 4 or 10
- 3:2 for a 5 or 9
- 6:5 for a 6 or 8
Laying the Odds
Odds: 0% house edge
Laying is the opposite of taking the odds. Here, you bet that the shooter won’t hit the point. In this strategy, you need to wager a big amount since you are going against the odds. Read more about how laying the odds works.
This bet also has a 0% house edge because the payout is on actual probabilities. However, use this bet only if you are an advanced player, since you’ll have to wager a big amount to win a smaller amount.
Place Bets
Odds: House edge varies (1.52% for 6/8, 4%+ for others)
Use this bet to wager on a specific number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) to be rolled before a 7. The payouts vary:
- 9:5 for 4 or 10
- 7:5 for 5 or 9
- 7:6 for 6 or 8
Come and Don’t Come Bets
Odds: 1.41% house edge on come and 1.36% on don’t come
These bets come after the pass/ don’t pass line. When the point is established, punters bet that the point will come on the next roll. This is called the come bet. Don’t come is the opposite and bets that the point will not be rolled. You can also bet that 7 or 11 will roll after the point in a come bet. This bet loses if 2, 3, or 12 is rolled. Don’t come bet wins if craps (2 or 3) is rolled.
Big 6 and 8
Odds: 9.09% house edge
There’s a round circle on the edge of the craps table marked as “Big 6 and 8”. This is not a good bet to take since it pays even money. This means you win back £10 for every £10 wagered. On the other hand, if you bet directly on the numbers 6 and 8 marked in the centre of the table, you’ll have better odds of 7:6.
Field Bets
Odds: 5.5% house edge
Here, you bet on the shooter that they will roll within a wide field of numbers. These numbers are 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and 12. The bet loses if 5, 6, or 7 are rolled. This is also an even money bet, except for two numbers – 2 and 12, which pay 2:1. Some tables pay 3:1 on 12.
3 or 11 (Yo Bet)
Odds: 11.1% house edge
This bet wins if the dice lands on a 3 or 11 in one roll. The house has a big advantage on this bet, so beginners should avoid it.
Hard Bets (Hard 4, Hard 6, Hard 8, Hard 10)
Odds: 9-11% house edge
Rolling a hard number means that both dice will have identical numbers. So, a hard four should be two twos, a hard 6 should be two threes, and a hard eight should be two fours. This is a pretty tall ask so bet on it only for fun.
Craps Payout Table
| Bet | Payout Odds |
| Pass Line | 1:1 |
| Don’t Pass Line | 1:1 |
| Any 7 | 4:1 |
| Craps | 7:1 |
| Taking the Odds | 2:1 on 4 and 10,
3:2 on 5 and 9 6:5 on 6 and 8 |
| Laying the Odds | Same as taking the odds |
| Place Bets | Same as taking the odds |
| Field Bets | 3:1 on 12
2:1 on 2 1:1 on other field numbers |
| Yo bet | 15:1 |
| Hard Bets | 9:1 on 6 and 8
7:1 on 4 and 10 30:1 on 2 |
To sum up:
- Play the pass line or don’t pass line. These have the lowest house edge.
- Always lay the odds. It has zero house edge.
- If you want more action, place bets directly on numbers 6 and 8 as there are several possibilities to roll these numbers.
- Avoid tough bets like Any 7, Big 6/8, and Hard bets because they have a high house edge.
Remember craps is a game of luck, so bet small to stay in the game as long as possible.
FAQs
What is the 3-4-5 rule in craps?
The 3-4-5 rule tells you how big your odds bet can be on the pass line wager:
- 3x odds on point numbers 4 and 10
- 4x odds on point numbers 5 and 9
- 5x odds on point numbers 6 and 8
This limit is kept to keep the game balanced.
Is craps a skill or luck?
Craps is mostly luck because dice rolls are random. But you can use some craps strategies as well, such as playing low house-edge bets (pass/ don’t pass lines, and come/ don’t come lines) and taking the bets with 0% house edge.
Betting is only available to participants above 18 years old. Please bet responsibly. BeGambleAware.org