Types of Bets to Avoid in Casino Craps

Craps is a gambling amusement found at most live and casinos. Like all risk-based games, the odds are always in favor of the house (the casino), if only by a miniscule amount. There is no way to guarantee a win at the craps tables, but there are certain things a player can do ““ and avoid doing ““ to produce a more likely return on his investment.

For this particular strategy, we recommend playing craps online. Some strategies work better at an online casino than they do in a live establishment, including our first winning craps tip.

To Pass or Not to Pass

I would never recommend betting against the shooter in a live casino. It can get you some very nasty looks from the majority of players who are betting on the shooter’s good luck. However, in an online casino, there is no live shooter, just a virtual RNG that randomly tosses the dice.

What’s so wrong about betting with the shooter in the first place, you ask? On the shooter’s come out roll, you can either bet Pass or Don’t Pass. To bet on Pass has a house edge of 1.41%, while the Don’t Pass bet carries a 1.36% house edge.

If you want to make this bet in a live casino, by all means do it, but don’t be surprised when those around you gawk in astonishment. It’s the equivalent of wearing a Red Sox jersey in Yankee Stadium.

Big 6 or Big 8

Don’t ever make a bet on Big 6/Big 8 on a craps table. This bet only pays even money, but has a terrible house edge of 9.1%. Ouch! If your intuition is insisting that you bet on a 6 or 8 to come, make a Place Bet. The odds are still against you, but at least the payout is slightly better at 23-to-21.

Hard 10 or Hard 4

The Hard 10 and Hard 4 bets are the absolute worst in the game of crap. Forget the payout ““ an 11% house edge is simply too much to waste your chips on. Save that money for a lottery ticket. You won’t win that either, but at least you will have a paper coaster for your drink when it’s over.

Any Sevens

I’ve seen so many people place their chips on the Any Sevens bet. Stop! The payout for Any Sevens is nice enough, but the payout for a Hard Seven is a lot better. You would make more money by splitting your chips into three equal bets on 1+6, 2+5 and 3+4. Even when you calculate in the two lost wagers, the payout is higher for the winning Hard Way. I’m not saying betting on a 7 is a good bet. The house edge is pretty hefty. But after a long strain of other rolls, when you feel you must bet on the 7 to come, don’t waste your chips on Any Sevens.

You’ll notice each of these craps tips has to do with the house edge. If you want to become a winning craps player, simply memorize the odds and payouts of each bet. Making smart wagers is the key to becoming a better craps player.