Craps: Understanding the odds. In craps, understanding the odds means understanding the game, and being able to tell a good bet from one that works in the casino’s favor instead of yours. Once you know the probability of each outcome on each roll of.

History – How To Play – Rules – Odds – Strategy – Pro’s Perspective

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Craps is a table game played with dice that is highly popular in land-based casinos. Although it can be played at online casinos, it is more fun and exciting at land-based casinos. Whenever you enter a land-based casino, you will find a table that has players around it screaming and yelling numbers — this is the Craps table. There are two types of Craps. One is casino craps. In this game, players at the Craps table are all betting against the house or the casino, which is why it is called Casino Craps. The second kind is called Street Craps, which is where players play against each other — it used to be played in the streets, hence the name.

Craps is a game of pure luck as it all depends on the dice and the numbers that are rolled. In this game, players will place wagers on the outcome of the two thrown dice. A player who throws the dice is referred to as the shooter. After the dice have been rolled, players will be paid according to the outcome. Some wagers need more than one roll, while other wagers can be settled after one roll. In this tutorial, we are going to discuss the payouts and the different wagers that can be placed at the Craps table as well as the rules players will have to follow while playing at the table.

Craps History

Evidence suggests Craps may have originated and evolved during the ancient Roman Empire. While in camp Roman soldiers used to carve the knuckles of pigs into cubes and would toss them over their shield. The term “To Roll the Bones” originated from this game. Other theories claim Craps originated in the Middle Ages with the people in the Arabian deserts as they used to play a game that was quite similar to Craps called Hazard or Azzahr.

The definitive rules of this game were founded in the early 1700′s by Montmort. The roll that had the lowest value was referred to as crabs. While many believe this is where Craps got its name from, others believe the word evolved from Crapeaud, which is the French word for toad. Other theories claim the French were trying to reclaim the game as their own and they took the English word Crabs and spelled it in French as Crabes. In the 1700′s, the game succeeded in crossing the Atlantic Ocean and reached Acadia, the French Colony.

In 1755, the French lost their colony and the people of Acadia relocated to Louisiana. They brought the French game Crabes to Louisiana, but the game had changed to Creps or Crebs. By the year 1842, Craps started to be the dominant term and is still the name that is prevalent to this day.

During World War II, the Street version of the game became very popular and was played by the soldiers who used their blankets as the gaming surface. There was no wall to stop the dice from rolling out so they used blanket rolls to prevent it.

It is also important to note that the Craps version in modern America was brought by in Bernard Xavier Philippe, who was not only a politician but a gambler too. His version of Craps had a flaw that allowed players to exploit the game by taking advantage of the wagering system or by using fixed dice. This problem was fixed by John H Winn who introduced a new wagering option: “Do Not Pass”. This wagering option is used to this day at any casino that offers craps to its players around the world.

How to Play Craps

As mentioned before, there are two types of Craps, we are going to discuss the gaming procedure of the most commonly played Craps version, Casino or Bank Craps. This version is played at casinos, this is why in this game, players will place wagers against the casino. The payoffs of the game may differ from one casino to the next.

In this game, players will take turns in rolling the dice. As previously mentioned the player throwing the dice is called “The Shooter”. Before the shooter throws the dice, players will place their chips on the bets they want. They will find the different bets on a piece of green cloth; this piece of cloth has different available bets printed on it. Players can therefore easily place their chips on the bets they want to wager on. Players can usually go ahead and place their chips but there are some wagers that require players to ask the croupiers before putting them.

In order for a Craps player to get the chance to throw the dice as the shooter, he has to be active at the table by placing bets on either the Pass line or the Do Not Pass line wagers. These bets are also sometimes referred to as Right & Wrong or Win and Don’t Win bets.

Players will roll the dice and keep passing it on in a clockwise direction. The player who is throwing the dice, the shooter, will roll his dice until he loses by getting a 7 or until his round is completed. The dealer in this game, also known as the Stickman is the person who represents the casino. He is called a Stickman because he uses a stick to collect the chips and move the dice around. The Stickman will present the shooter with 5 different dice and the shooter chooses 2 of them. The remaining dice will be placed in a bowl.

There are numerous bet types that can be placed at the Craps table; we are going to discuss the most common one below, the Line Wager. The line wager contains two bets; they are called the Pass Line and the Do Not Pass line wagers. The first one is a bet that the shooter could win.

If the first roll which is also referred to as the come out dice roll lands on either a 7 or an eleven, then the dice shooter will win. If the dice is equal to 2, three, or 12, then shooter will lose. On the other hand, if the dice has any other outcome than the ones mentioned, this value will be called “Point”. In this case, the shooter will have to throw the dice again.

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If he succeeds in rolling the point value before rolling a 7, he will win but if he rolls a 7 before he rolls the Point value, he will lose. The other bet is called the Do Not Pass wager, it is the exact opposite. Both bets pay 1:1.

Craps Rules

The rules at the Craps table include the wagers and the payouts. Apart from these basic rules, there are also some other unwritten rules that casinos implement at the Craps table. If you are a new player, after getting to know the basic payouts, rules and gaming procedure, you should also get to know these etiquette rules because you will be expected to abide by them at any casino.

Some of these rules are concerned with the security of each casino, including the following:

1. You are not permitted to handle the dice with both your hands. This includes shaking the dice in your hands before you throw them. Players are also expected to keep their hands on the surface of the craps table while they are handling the dice.

2. The shooter is required to throw the dice so they hit the other side of the table. Rolls that do not reach the other wall of the Craps table are called Mellenberg Rolls. Some casinos allow these rolls if they get past half the distance to the other wall. Any dice rolls that do not get past half the distance will have to be repeated because these short rolls can be controlled to somw extent.

3. Players should toss the dice on the table. Not slide them.

4. If the thrown dice by some chance hits other players or the hand of the dealer and still lands on the table, it can be counted provided that the players have not interfered with the rolled dice. Some casinos may deem these as no rolls and request the player re-roll the dice.

5. At some casinos, players will be able to call bets. Calling bets means they can start placing bets while they are waiting for their chips — they will call the bet and place it when they get the chips. Casinos that don’t allow such bets will have the words “No Call Bets” printed on the table of the game.

6. Casinos have the right to ask Craps players to leave the table at any given time without having to give any specific reason.

Craps Odds Payout Chart

7. Do no toss chips on the craps table. Place them slowly.

8. Whenever players are offered to be the shooter, they are allowed to hand it to any other players at the table.

9. When players place service bets, which are bets that the dealers place on their behalf, they should tip them.

10. Players will tip dealers by throwing the tip on the table and saying “For the Boys” or “For the Dealers.” It works both for male and female dealers.

Craps Odds

Understanding and knowing the odds of the dice to get a certain outcome is the essence of Craps. If you are going to place real money wagers at a Craps table, it is essential for you to remember these odds. First of all, you will have a slight disadvantage when you place the Pass Line wager: the odds of winning are 970 out of 1980 times. In other words, the edge of the house for this wager equals 1.414 percent.

Craps Odds Payouts

You can find the different bets that can be found at casinos, as well as their odds and the house advantage of each wager illustrated below:

The Pass Line wager has odds of 251 to 244, which is why players will be paid even money for this bet. The house advantage for this bet equals 1.414 percent. A Do Not Pass wager has odds of 976 to 949. It also pays even money and the house advantage equals 1.404 percent.

For Pass Line Bets:

– Betting on four or ten has odds of 2 to 1 and it pays out on the same rate, 2:1.
– Betting on five or nine has odds of 3 to 2 and it pays out on the same rate, 3:2.
– Betting on six or eight has odds of 6 to 5 and it pays out on the same rate, 6:5.

All of these bets have the same house advantage that is equal to 4.76 percent.

For Do No Pass Line Bets:

– Betting on four or ten has odds of 1 to 2 and it pays out on the same rate, 1:2. The house advantage is equal to 2.44 percent.
– Betting on five or nine has odds of 2 to 3 and it pays out on the same rate, 2:3. The house advantage is equal to 3.23 percent.
– Betting on six or eight has odds of 5 to 6 and it pays out on the same rate, 5:6. The house advantage is equal to 4 percent.

For Field Bets:

– Betting on 3, 4, 9, 10 or 11 pays 1:1
– Betting on 2 or 12 pays 2:1

All of these bets have odds of 5:4 and has a house advantage that is equal to 2.78%.

For One-Roll Bets:

– Any Seven has odds of 5 to 1, pays 4:1 and it has a house edge of 16.9 percent.
– Any Craps has odds of 8 to 1, pays 7:1 and it has a house edge of 11.1 percent.
– 2 and 12 Craps have odds of 35 to 1, pays 30:1 and it has a house edge of 13.9 percent.
– 3 and 11 Craps have odds of 17 to 1, pays 15:1 and it has a house edge of 11.1 percent.

British casinos are tightly regulated and they offer better payouts on some of the best.

Craps Strategy

Craps is a dice game in which players will entirely either win or lose depending on the outcome of the dice. There isn’t any skill or decision making involved in the game — it is purely based on luck. There are no strategies or techniques to this game either. Despite that, there are some betting tips that can help players minimize their losses and increase their odds.

If you are a beginner, it is better to stick to the Pass Line Bet because the house edge of this wager equals 1.41 percent. The rest of the Craps bets at the table offer worse odds, so this is the best bet for new players. Although the Do Not Pass offers better odds as it has a house edge of 1.36 percent, it is frowned upon because you will be betting against the shooter and people will not appreciate that. It is safer to bet on the Pass Line wager because you wouldn’t want to antagonize and cross the shooter for a small 0.05 percent advantage.

Craps Dice Probability Chart

The best bet in craps after the first roll is the odds bet. Once a point is determined, players will be able to place an additional wager that is a multiple of the pass line bet. The multiple differs from one casino to another, but the most common is 2X. The best thing about the odds bets is that it pays according to their true odds, which means the house has a 0% advantage; players should always place these bets.

Stay away from the proposition bets. These bets are settled in one roll.

Although the dealer might tempt you to place these bets, you should not because they have the highest house advantage.

Players are also advised to tip the dealers at the Craps tables. This is not a bribe — in no way can the dealer interfere or affect the outcome of the dice. On the other hand, they can guide you and help you throughout the game. Dealers rely on these tips and they are a great part of their salary. Tipping the dealer will create a repoire and you will receive invaluable advice that will help elevate the level of your game.

Players should also read about the etiquette and learn the unwritten rules of Craps are. Some casinos will give players the boot and request that they leave if they are not following and abiding by these etiquette rules. You can find out more about these rules at the “Rules” section of Craps on this website.

Lastly, players are advised against taking tips from other players at the Craps table, no matter how tempting it might be, because the other players will not always give the correct advice.

Pro’s Perspective: Craps Strategies and Tips

With John Grochowski

Players who take the house edge seriously will quickly come to the conclusion that only a few bets are worth taking. Pass or do not pass and come or do not come are the basics, and some players also like place bets on 6 or 8 despite a slightly higher house edge just so that they can get the most frequently rolled non-7s working for them.

One-roll Bets and House Edge

One roll bets aren’t worth a second look. Why settle for an 11.1 percent house edge on any craps when you can bet pass at 1.41 percent? Given that a player is sticking with the best bets, the next question to arise often is, “Should I take the odds?” The answer depends on your bankroll and bet size.

There is no house edge on the odds. Paying at true odds, they’re a rare example of even bets in a casino. To take the odds, however, you must bet pass or come, or don’t pass or don’t come, and those bets do carry an edge. If you’re a table minimum bettor, it’s between you and your bankroll as to whether you take the odds.

The Reality of Craps Odds

Let’s say you’re at a table with a $5 minimum bet, and you bet that minimum on the pass line 100 times. You have $500 at risk. The 1.414 percent house edge means that at the end of the trial, the average house take from your $500 is $7.07.

Now let’s say you bet the $5 minimum on a pass and $10 in double odds. Per 100 trials, you risk $500 on a pass and $1,000 double odds. The odds are a break-even bet, so on average, the house take is zero, while the house take on your pass bets remains $7.07. When results deviate from average, you can have much larger wins when you take the odds, and also much larger losses. Your average loss comes back to that same $7.07 with or without odds.

Now let’s say you increase your pass bet to $15 without taking odds. Your risk per 100 trials increases to $150, and your average loss increase to $21.21.

Advantages to Taking Odds

Here’s where it’s to your advantage to take the odds. Instead of increasing your pass bet to $15, leave it at the table minimum of $5, then use the rest of your intended bet increase to take the odds. That leaves your average loss at $7.07 while opening the door to larger wins.
Many modern casinos offer more than double odds. Some offer up to 100x odds, and it’s become increasingly common for American casinos to offer 3x, 4x, 5x odds, meaning you can make an odds bet of three times your pass or come bet if the point number is 4 or 10, four times on 5 or 9 or five times on 6 or 8.

Regardless of what odds the casino permits, the most advantageous play is to use the odds bet to keep your pass or come bet low, then to put more of your money on the higher-paying odds.

On the surface, Craps may look like a game where people are simply throwing a pair of dice across the table. However, there are odds, probabilities and house edges involved that dictate your chances of winning any given bet and therefore what strategies can be applied to the game. Here is a runthrough of Craps odds and strategy that you should bear in mind when playing.

Craps odds and probabilities

The best place to start in determining the odds involved in Craps is assessing the probability of getting any given number from a dice roll featuring two six-sided dice:

Craps probability

As you can see, the most likely dice roll is a seven, which will occur on six of the 36 possible combinations from the two dice. The next two most likely are six and eight followed by five and nine and so on, reducing in probability as you move further away from seven lower and higher respectively.

This means that on the come-out roll, a player has a 22.22% chance of rolling a natural (seven or 11), an 11.12% chance of crapping out (rolling two, three and 12) and a 66.66% chance of rolling a point number.

You will notice that the probability of rolling any individual point number is lower than that of rolling a seven. Here is the probability of the point numbers being rolled before a seven:

Craps point number probability

Naturally, these percentages translate to the respective chances of winning Pass odds and Don’t pass odds bets. On a Pass odds bet, the odds will always be against you and on a Don’t pass odds bet, they will always be in your favour.

A combination of the two tables above can be used to calculate the overall approximate chances of winning any common Craps bets, as well as the house edge involved:

Craps pass line bet odds

This means that for every €100 bet on Pass line and Come bets, your expected approximate return is €98.59 and for Don’t pass and Don’t come bets, it is €98.64.

The probabilities of winning and associated house edges for several other Craps bets are as follows:

Multi-roll Craps bets probabilities and house edges

Single roll Craps bets probabilities and house edges

Craps strategy

Many Craps strategies thoroughly recommend predominantly focusing your bets on the common Craps bets that are often made in every round – Pass line, Come, Don’t pass, and Don’t come bets. These possess house edges (and therefore expected returns) which can only be bettered by Odds bets in the entire game.

Of these, Don’t pass and Don’t come bets are narrowly more favourable by virtue of possessing a house edge of 1.36% (whereas for Pass line and Come bets it is 1.41%), as well as a 50.71% approximate probability of winning or pushing your bet compared to 49.29% for Pass line and Come bets.

Should the round enter the point stage, it is always advisable to back up any one of these bets with Odds bets. Although the win probabilities may seem off-putting, as they pay at true odds they actually help to reduce the house edge, hence why at many casinos Odds bets have restrictive maximum limits. Odds bets reduce the house edge as follows:

Craps bets house edge

Aside from the four main bets and Odds bets, the only other bet players should consistently look to make are Place bets on six or eight. While those seeking big wins may be unmoved by the 7:6 payout, these can prove useful if the point is any other number as they offer only a 1.52% house edge.

On top of this, Place bets on six or eight should always be made of instead of the comparable Big 6 or Big 8 bet, which offers a weaker payout for the same outcome and therefore has a considerably worse house edge of 9.09%.

Remember that for any individual dice throw, the chances of getting any specified number doesn’t change.

A common misconception is that a Field bet also presents greater value than any Place bet, as it covers more possible outcomes. However, a Field bet actually has a slightly worse win probability than a Place bet on six or eight of 44.45% and more importantly a higher house edge of 5.56%.

Indeed, virtually no single roll bets present any justifiable value and therefore they should merely be considered a bit of fun. The vast majority offer minimal win probabilities against large house edges of at least 10%. While they can provide substantial payouts on minimal bets, the law of probabilities dictates that they do not entail a secure method of boosting your winnings and will deplete your funds over a long period of time.

This illustrates the point that any Craps bet should be made with a comprehensive understanding of the house edges involved.

For instance, one popular Craps betting strategy is The Iron Cross, whereby a player places a Field bet and Place bets on five, six and eight to cover every possible outcome apart from a seven. Initially this seems an attractive prospect, particularly as it has an 83.34% win probability for any given roll.

However, by virtue of the fact that it loses everything on a seven (the most likely individual outcome) and it is combining various different bets, it still has a house edge of 3.87% and will therefore diminish your expected returns by a greater extent than various other bets with lesser win probabilities.

Finally, under all circumstances avoid falling into the trap of reading into patterns that are not there. It is a common sight to see Craps players becoming excited by a shooter throwing a ‘hot streak’ of winning rolls and allowing this to influence their bets, such as deciding that because the shooter has not thrown a seven for 10 rolls, they are less likely to on their next roll.

Remember that for any individual dice throw the chances of getting any specified number doesn’t change. Irrespective of whether the shooter has thrown 10 straight sevens or none in their last 10 rolls, the probability of rolling a seven on the next throw is always 16.66%.

For this reason you should be wary of Craps betting strategies such as the Three Point Molly which are cited as capable of taking advantage of ‘hot streaks’. The odds and probabilities always operate independently of the shooter’s previous rolls, meaning ascribing too much significance to them can be a gateway to losing a large amount of money in a short space of time.

Learn more about Craps

If you’re looking for general advice on how to play Craps, then read our ultimate guide to Craps. If you want to learn more about Craps beyond how to play the game, you can read about the history of Craps.

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