Craps has a reputation for being one of the casino games that provides players with some of the best overall odds to win some real money. It is impossible to win a friendly bet at the casino by betting on the Pass Line (or the Don’t Pass Line), whether you play blackjack using perfect Basic Strategy or card counting.
In fact, when a casino offers 3-4-5 odds on line bets, the overall house margin falls below half a percent. That is a very small sum of money, but it is sufficient to keep you entertained for several hours at your preferred casino’s craps table, provided you do not stray and place bets in every available space.
The game’s “genius” is that players must wait for a decision on whether or not their bet on Pass or Don’t Pass was successful. A good hand in craps can be as many as 15 or 20 rolls, which causes players to become restless and uncomfortable. Then they place proposition bets, which ruin their otherwise favorable odds and cause their bankrolls to shriek in terror all night.
Some players attempt to halt the flow of chips away from their pockets by employing wacky craps systems, such as the Colonel’s Craps method, in the mistaken belief that these systems will help them, but all these systems do is reroute the wagers. They have the potential to be useful and entertaining, but the house always wins. The only way to win long-term in craps is to stick to bets with a low house edge, wait for a lucky shooter or a hot game, and keep betting while the odds are in your favor. You will eventually come out ahead if you do this.
Would you be interested in playing Any 7, a brand new table game, if you knew the house had a 16.7% advantage over you? A 7 can be rolled six different ways, and anything else can be rolled thirty different ways. This is a bet that requires only one roll. You have a one in six chance of winning, and if you do, you will be paid four to one odds. Want to play?
Most emphatically not! Nonetheless, the Any 7 bet is one of the most common bets made by players during a craps game according to articles from EZ Lotto. They also bet on long shots like boxcars (12) and snake eyes (2), where the house has a 14 percent edge on average. While placing an occasional Hardway bet can be fun, you should be aware that it will quickly deplete your bankroll. Look at the table below to see the house’s edge on the various bets that can be placed during a craps game. Then, when you play again, make it a goal to keep your bets as low as possible in the 5% range. You’ll be thankful to yourself in the morning.
Advantage of Craps Table
| Bet | House Edge (Percent) |
| Pass Line/Come Bet | 1.41 |
| Don’t Pass/Come | 1.40 |
| Pass Line/Come Bet 2X odds | .85 |
| Don’t Pass/Come 2X odds | .83 |
| Place 6 and 8 | 1.52 |
| Place 5 and 9 | 4.00 |
| Place 4 and 10 | 6.67 |
| Buy 6 or 8 | 4.76 |
| Buy 5 or 9 | 4.76 |
| Buy 4 or 10 | 4.76 |
| Lay 6 or 8 | 4.00 |
| Lay 5 or 9 | 3.23 |
| Lay 4 or 10 | 2.44 |
| Field Bet | 5.56 |
| Any Craps | 11.11 |
| Hardway 6 or 8 | 9.09 |
| Hardway 4 or 10 | 11.10 |
| Yo or 3 | 11.10 |
| 2 or 12 | 13.90 |
| Any 7 | 16.70 |