Watching a game of craps in a casino can feel wild. It can be pretty tough to follow, as there seems to be an awful lot happening all at once – people placing bets and making propositions while players roll the dice.
This is an interesting game that has a really rich history. The game has evolved from one that people would often choose to play on the street among friends, and has become formalised and played in a number of casinos.
Is there strategy involved in craps?
It is a good idea to remember that a lot of the game of craps is going to be totally random. Dice rolling is about as random as it gets, and this means that nobody can know what is going to happen next. It is unpredictable. That doesn’t mean strategy doesn’t play a part, though. Betting is done in rounds and people can track the odds and probabilities to try and understand when there is a good or bad time to bet. Luck still plays a part and this is why responsible gambling should always be prioritised.
Rules can also vary slightly. This means it is a really good idea for players to check them before they start playing, as there can be house rules. When this game is played in the style of the streets, people may be looking to get the street craps rules explained so that they understand things like betting rounds and how the different craps bets work. Street-style craps is one of the forms still played today, and while you can’t affect what happens to the dice, you can make some other decisions.
The pass line
This is one of the first things people learn – the pass line bet is one of the easiest and best starting points for beginners. This is a wager placed at the beginning of the shooter’s roll (the come-out roll), and it’s the most common bet at the craps table.
If your shooter rolls a 7 or 11, the pass line bet wins right away. If a 2, 3 or 12 is rolled, the bet loses immediately. Any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10) becomes the “point”, and the goal shifts to rolling the point number again before a 7 is rolled on the dice.
Pass line bets are straightforward and have a lower house edge compared to many other bets. This makes them a perfect starting bet for beginners. There’s no need to worry about the complex layout of the table or understand complicated side bets. This simple approach offers solid odds and keeps the game’s pace easy to follow.
The opposite bet is a don’t pass line bet. It means that if the come-out roll results in a 2 or 3, the don’t pass bet wins. A 7 or 11 results in a loss, while a 12 leads to a push (no win or loss). If a point number is established, the goal is for the shooter to roll a 7 before hitting the point number again. Once players get their head around these basics, they’ll be growing their knowledge of how craps works.
Odds bets
Once the point is established on a pass or don’t pass bet, players have the option to add an odds bet. This side bet is unique because it has no house edge. This means player odds are entirely in line with the chances of winning. It isn’t often that players get that in casinos.
Adding an odds bet increases potential payouts without increasing the house advantage, so it’s often considered one of the smartest moves in craps. To keep things simple, beginners may want to start with really tiny odds bets and gradually increase them as they become more comfortable.
Prop bets (usually best avoided)
Like a lot of sports betting, there is something called a prop bet in craps. Betting on “any 7” as a prop bet will win if the next roll is a 7, but the house edge on this bet is quite high, so it has the highest risk.
Similarly, hardway bets (betting that a 4, 6, 8 or 10 will be rolled in a specific pair (like 2+2 for a 4) look tempting with higher payouts, but the odds of hitting them are slim. Beginners are better off sticking to simpler bets with lower house edges at the start, rather than going for the glory of a prop bet. These are long shots and may not be the best way to boost a balance.
Going for prop bets is often best if just staking a smaller percentage of the bank.
Conclusion
Some people are only interested in learning because they’re going to play the game at a casino-themed dinner party, others are visiting casinos and some are just interested in the mechanics of craps or street dice. This game has been through a lot of evolutions and even has some specific varieties that players may explore, but the principles remain the same, and a basic knowledge can help someone enjoy their first time playing.
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