For example, '3-4-5x Odds,' usually means you can bet 3x Odds on the 4 or 10, 4x Odds on the 5 or 9, and 5x Odds on the 6 or 8. Check out some great online casinos such as Sunpalace, Casino Max, or slotsplus. The house edge is the casino's average profit on any bet. For the basic Pass Line bet the house edge is 1.41. The idea is that you'll lose on average 1.41% of whatever you've wagered when you play this bet. This is actually one of the best odds in craps. However, in a free odds bet there is no house edge.
The Cromwell Hotel & Casino has overtaken long-time winner Casino Royale has having the best craps game on the Las Vegas Strip. The Cromwell is the only Strip casino to have 100x odds on craps. This is by far, the most generous odds in Las Vegas, and certainly on.
Consequently, the odds bet has a house edge of 0%. Overall, the pass line bet is definitely one of the best bets on the craps table with a house edge of 1.41%. In addition, adding odds onto this wager is without a doubt the best way to extend your gambling bankroll. The pass line is simply one of the best ways to try and win big. The odds bet itself pays out true odds, meaning there is a 0% (yes zero) house edge. There is not a single game you will ever find at the casino that will offer no house edge. It is as if you are betting head or tails on the flip of a coin. This means totally fair odds. This bet wins when the shooter rolls the point number before a 7.
I'm writing a series of blog posts about casino games and the good and bad strategies for playing those games.
Craps is one of my favorite casino games, so I've been looking forward to writing this one.
And the beautiful thing about craps is that it's a game of pure chance. The best strategy is just to choose the bets with the lowest edge for the house and have fun.
But I'll have some things to say about some of the strategies and systems that other writers promote, too.
They're mostly bad craps strategies.
Here's the Only Craps Strategy You Need
When you're dealing with an entirely random game – like craps – the only strategy that matters is choosing the bets with the lowest house edge and having fun.
I'll have something to say about shooters and whether they have control over the outcomes later in this post, but for now, let's just agree that games like craps are purely chance.
In other games that are entirely random, like slot machines, you don't even really need to decide which bet to place. It's chosen for you before you sit down.
When playing craps for real money, you have a handful of good bets you can make, but most of the bets on the table are bad. Just skip the bad bets, and you're all set.
The Bests Bets at the Craps Table
The best bets at the craps table are the pass line bet and the don't pass bet.
The come and don't come bets are also great wagers.
I always advise casino gamblers to try to limit their gambling to games where the house edge is lower than 2% — preferably 1.5% or lower.
The house edge for the pass and come bets is the same, 1.41%, which means they qualify.
The house edge for the don't pass and don't come bets is even lower, 1.36%, but the 0.05% isn't worth worrying about. Most people prefer to root for the shooter to succeed.
The other bet to think about at the craps table is the odds bet. This is a bet you can only place after making one of the 4 bets I already mentioned and when the shooter has set a point.
This is one of the only bets in the casino that has no house edge. It's a break-even bet, but it can be expensive.
It can also drive the effective house edge on the money you have in action down to almost nothing.
Here's how that works.
How the Odds Bet Changes the House Edge for the Better
If you're betting on the pass line and the shooter sets a point, you can expect to lose $1.41 for every $100 you bet. That's on average and in the long run.
If you're playing at a casino that only allows you to place an odds bet at 1X the size of your pass line bet, you can put another $100 into action.
Your expected loss remains $1.41, though, which effectively cuts the house edge in half, from 1.41% to 0.71%.
If you're able to bet 2X your original bet on the odds bet, you can lower that even further to 0.36%. (You have $300 in action, but your expected loss is still only $1.41.)
The more you're able to bet on the odds bet, the lower the house edge for all the money you have in action becomes.
It's clear why betting on the pass line and taking the most odds that you can is an effective strategy. With the odds bet, you can get the house edge in craps lower than 0.5% at least some of the time at the table, making it an even better game than blackjack.
And what's more, you don't have to memorize basic strategy to get the low house edge at craps.
You just need a big enough casino bankroll to make the right bets, and you need enough sense to avoid the bad bets at the table – of which there are many.
Any Strategy that Involves Placing ANY Other Bets at the Craps Table Is a BAD Craps Strategy
There's a reason gambling experts measure bets according to their house edge. That's because it's the single best indicator of how good or bad a bet is.
The house edge is a statistical estimate of how much money you'll lose as a percentage of your original bet over the long run.
If the house edge is 1.41%, the casino expects to win an average of $1.41 every time you bet $100.
If the house edge is 16.66%, the casino expects to win an average of $16.66 every time you bet $100.
Which bet looks like the better bet for the casino?
And which one looks like the better bet for the gambler?
It shouldn't be hard to make the distinction.
Cleos vip room casino promo codes. Even the best of the bad bets on the craps table are inferior to the 1.41% or 1.36% you can get from the pass, don't pass, come, and don't come bets.
And trust me on this:
You can have PLENTY of fun sticking with the basic bets at the craps table.
Betting Systems Where You Raise and Lower the Size of Your Bets Are Bad Strategies
Betting Systems Where You Raise and Lower the Size of Your Bets Are Bad Strategies
The classic example of this kind of betting system is the Martingale System, where you double the size of your bets after each loss. When you do this repeatedly, you eventually win back the money you've lost along with a profit of one unit.
The problem with a system like the Martingale is that you'll eventually run into a big enough losing streak that it will wipe out all those small profits and then some.
Most people underestimate how quickly a bet's size gets when doubling after every loss.
They also overestimate how likely they are to avoid long losing streaks.
If you double a $5 bet once, that's $10.
But if you run into a losing streak of 8 bets in a row, you're looking at having to bet $640 to make up for your losses.
Also, every roll of the dice is an independent event. The odds don't change based on how many times you've won or lost in a row.
You might think the probability of losing that 8th bet is lower than the likelihood of losing the first one, but the truth is that the dice have no memory. They have the same 6 sides, no matter how many times you've lost in a row.
Each bet in craps is an independent event, and any betting system will assume that the odds are changing based on how many times in a row you've won or lost.
Money Management Strategies Don't Hurt Anything, but They Won't Improve Your Odds of Winning, Either
Money management strategies involve having strict gambling discipline about how much of your bankroll you're willing to risk before quitting the game. They also require you to stop when you've won an arbitrary amount of money.
Money management techniques are often used in conjunction with betting systems.
Here's an example of a money management strategy in craps:
You decide your bankroll for the session is $250, and you're playing for $5 per roll of the dice.
Your stop-loss limit is $100, so, if your bankroll drops to $150, you must quit the craps session and go do something else.
Your win goal is $250, so once your bankroll gets up to $500, you must quit the game and go do something else.
This kind of strategy might increase your chances of walking away from the game a winner.
But that's only because a lot of gamblers will just keep playing until they've lost their entire stake. They just don't generally have a lot of sense about that sort of thing.
The Jury's Out on Dice Setting or Dice Control
Best Odds Playing Blackjack
I've seen multiple reputable gambling writers express interest and some belief that some craps shooters can influence the probability of specific outcomes. I'm skeptical – in the extreme – but I'll give it an appropriate amount of credence.
The idea is that you hold the dice a specific way – 'setting' the dice – then throw with a minimum amount of force – just enough to hit the back wall and eliminate most of the rolling action.
A controlled shooting expert doesn't have to be perfect. Instead, they're trying to be like someone who's playing darts. They improve the probability enough to change the negative expectation on a bet to a positive expectation.
You can buy books and videos explaining how to get an edge at craps this way, but I can't imagine the amount of practice and record-keeping required to have any confidence in your ability to change the odds.
Imagine if you spent 1000 hours trying to learn how to control the dice and coming up short. Maybe you just don't have the knack for it.
That doesn't sound like a good deal to me.
I'd rather learn to count cards in blackjack.
Conclusion
Those are the best and the worst of the strategies I know of for playing craps in the casino. I know plenty of people who would disagree with every recommendation I've made, but the math behind the game doesn't lie.
The best strategy is to stick with the bets with the lowest house edge and have as much fun as you can.
Up until a few years ago, the frumpy little Casino Royale – its attached hotel is a Best Western – offered craps players a deal they couldn't resist. The brightly lit marquee seen above the Casino Royale on the Las Vegas Strip flashed the words '100x Odds on Craps' – yep, you read that correctly.
The independently owned casino right in the heart of Las Vegas Boulevard has always resisted the creeping corporatization, and it doesn't even charge guests that ghastly 'Resort Fee' to pinch pennies. Eventually though, even the Casino Royale did away with its 100x craps tables, opting instead for the watered down 3x-4x-5x structure on the Odds bet that has swept through The Strip like a plague.
But before I get ahead of myself, let me bring the readers who are wondering why this Odds bet is so important up to speed.
How House Edge Applies to Craps
Whether you visit Las Vegas to roll the bones regularly, or find yourself learning craps online through an casino online, knowing how to navigate the maze of available wagers is crucial.
I mean, just get a load of this lengthy list of common craps bets below to get a glimpse into the classic dice game's complexity:
Payouts and House Edge Rates for Common Craps Bets
| BET/RULES | PAYOUT | HOUSE EDGE |
| Odds – 4, 10 | 2 to 1 | 0.00 percent |
| Odds – 5, 9 | 3 to 2 | 0.00 percent |
| Odds – 6, 8 | 6 to 5 | 0.00 percent |
| Don't Pass / Don't Come | 1 to 1 | 1.36 percent |
| Pass / Come | 1 to 1 | 1.41 percent |
| Place 6, 8 | 7 to 6 | 1.52 percent |
| Field (3:1 on 12) | 1 to 1 | 2.78 percent |
| Place 5, 9 | 7 to 5 | 4.00 percent |
| Field (2:1 on 12) | 1 to 1 | 5.56 percent |
| Place 4, 10 | 9 to 5 | 6.67 percent |
| Big 6, 8 | 1 to 1 | 9.09 percent |
| Hard 6, 8 | 9 to 1 | 9.09 percent |
| Any Craps | 7 to 1 | 11.11 percent |
| Hi-Lo (2 or 12) | 15 to 1 | 11.11 percent |
| 3; Yo-leven (11); Easy hops | 15 to 1 | 11.11 percent |
| 2; 12; Hard hops | 30 to 1 | 13.89 percent |
| Any Seven | 4 to 1 | 16.67 percent |
As you can see, craps bets can largely be divided into two groups – reasonable plays and longshots designed for suckers.
Don't get me wrong now, I'm prone to splash around on exotic bets like the Any Craps or Hard Way when inspiration strikes – but only occasion.
No, the best craps players out there typically stick to the first half of the list by default, especially that Odds bet which carries no house edge whatsoever.
That's kind of a misnomer, as you can't place an Odds bet without first putting up an 'ante' of sorts on either the Pass Line or Don't Pass Line. And with those base bets carrying house edge rates of 1.41 percent and 1.36 percent, respectively, you'll always have a hill to climb even on the 0.00 percent Odds wager.
Here's how it works… after placing your Pass Line (or Don't Pass for 'dark side' specialists), the shooter will establish a point number more often than not. With a point number now set, the Odds bet allows you to back your base bet up with a second wager that pays out according to true odds (hence the name).
Those true odd payouts – 2 to 1 on points of 4 and 10; 3 to 2 on 5 or 9; and 6 to 5 on 6 or 8 – really do hold a null house edge of 0.00 percent.
And as you might've suspected by now, betting as much as you can on the Odds is a great way to lower craps' overall house edge:
House Edge on Craps Odds Bet (by Odds Limit)
| ODDS (TAKEN) | PASS LINE | DON'T PASS |
| 0x | 1.41 percent | 1.36 percent |
| 1x | 0.848 percent | 0.682 percent |
| 2x | 0.606 percent | 0.455 percent |
| Full Double Odds | 0.572 percent | 0.431 percent |
| 3x | 0.471 percent | 0.341 percent |
| 3x-4x-5x | 0.374 percent | 0.273 percent |
| 5x | 0.326 percent | 0.227 percent |
| 10x | 0.184 percent | 0.124 percent |
| 20x | 0.099 percent | 0.065 percent |
| 100x | 0.021 percent | 0.014 percent |
See that last entry for 100x on the Odds? With a house edge of just two-tenths of a percent, players who score 100x – you'd be able to bet $1,000 on Odds with a $10 base bet – enjoy some of the best odds in all of casino gambling.
On that note, the following list highlights six casinos on The Strip where sharp craps players can still enjoy high limits on the Odds and other perks.
1 – The Cromwell Hotel & Casino
If you visited The Strip at any point between 1979 and 2007, you know The Cromwell as its previous incarnation Barbary Coast.
The building eventually became Bill's Gamblin' Hall, a rough and tumble joint straight out Las Vegas' glory days.
Bill's gave way to The Cromwell in 2014, and while the casino resort has blossomed into a full-scale boutique establishment offering the height of luxury, it did retain one element of that gamblin' spirit – 100x Odds.
Yep, four tables found at the Cromwell offer the only 100x craps still alive and kicking in Las Vegas.
The minimum bet here is a bit higher than the standard at $25 per rolling session, but that's a small price to pay for the ability to go 'all-in' on the best bet in craps.
The Cromwell also caters to sharp gamblers by offering 3 to 2 payouts and double-deck games in blackjack, single-zero European roulette wheels, and commission free EZ baccarat.
2 – Stratosphere Casino, Hotel & Tower
Famous for its 'Space Needle' like tower stretching high into The Strip's skyline, the Stratosphere also has the lowest-stakes craps game around.
You can enjoy 10x Odds – the highest offered on The Strip outside of from The Cromwell – for just a $5 minimum base bet. Folks who like to play a bit bigger will also find a pair of tables with a $10 minimum and 10x Odds.
Best Craps Odds In Vegas
You'll also come across a gimmick game known as 'Crapsless Craps,' which purports to give players a helping a hand by removing losing outcomes from the come out roll. Instead of 'crapping' out on a 2, 3, or 12 on the come out roll, Pass Line bettors in Crapsless Craps simply set those numbers as the point.
But knowledgeable craps players avoid this sucker game at all costs, as it balloons the house edge on Pass Line wagers from 1.41 percent to 5.38 percent.
3 – Bellagio Hotel & Casino
One of the glitziest and most glamorous casinos in the world, let alone The Strip, the Bellagio is a true Las Vegas icon.
The tables here only offer 3x-4x-5x Odds, which lets you bet 3x on points of 4 and 10, 4x on points of 5 or 9, and 5x on points of 6 or 8.
That's basically the standard on The Strip, aside from The Cromwell and Stratosphere of course, so the Bellagio makes the cut for its sheer beauty and grandeur. Simply put, every gambler should spend at least one day strolling through the Bellagio's rarified air.
And while you're there, hit the eight $25 minimum tables or the lone $10 table and let the dice fly.
4 – Bally's Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
I always advise my craps playing buddies who are stubborn about The Strip to stay at Bally's.
Four tables here have a low limit of just $5 and 3x-4x-5x Odds, while higher-rollers can up the ante to $15 on a single table.
5 – Wynn Las Vegas
Combined with its sister casino Encore, the Wynn offers a level of luxury to rival even the Bellagio.
This place is gorgeous inside and out, and the nine craps tables with 3x-4x-5x Odds with limits ranging from $10 to $100 paint a pretty picture too.
6 – Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino
The $5 limit craps tables with 3x-4x-5x Odds at the Westgate aren't anything special, but whenever you can dabble in dice before hitting the world's largest sportsbook (the aptly named SuperBook), no gambler worth their salt would pass up that opportunity.
Conclusion
Craps, like any casino game, comes down to the player's contributions. If you stick with longshot exotics and let casinos offer bad limits on the Odds bet, the mess you make of your bankroll is your own fault. On the other hand, by searching for the best Odds limits and playing a snug, sensible game, craps on The Strip can still be a profitable proposition when the dice cooperate.
