Craps is loud, fast, and has more bet types than any other table game. That complexity puts a lot of players off — which is a shame, because behind the intimidating layout is one of the best deals in the casino. The Pass Line with full free odds carries a house edge close to zero. The trick is knowing which bets offer that value and which ones you should never touch.
The Basics: How a Round Works
A round of craps starts with the “come-out roll.” The shooter rolls two dice. Three outcomes are possible:
- Natural (7 or 11): Pass Line bets win immediately. Round over.
- Craps (2, 3, or 12): Pass Line bets lose. Round over.
- Point (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10): A “point” is established. The dealer marks it. The shooter keeps rolling until either the point comes up again (Pass Line wins) or a 7 appears (Pass Line loses, round ends).
That’s the core of craps. Everything else is additional bets placed around this structure.
The Best Bets
Pass Line (House Edge: 1.41%)
The fundamental craps bet. You’re betting with the shooter. Win on 7 or 11 on the come-out; lose on 2, 3, or 12. If a point is set, you win when the point repeats before a 7. Pays even money.
Don’t Pass (House Edge: 1.36%)
The opposite: betting against the shooter. Win on 2 or 3; push (no action) on 12; lose on 7 or 11. If a point is set, win when 7 appears before the point. Slightly better house edge than Pass Line, but less popular — you’re rooting against the table, which creates social friction at live games.
Free Odds (House Edge: 0%)
The single best bet in any casino. Once a point is established, you can place an additional “odds” bet behind your Pass Line wager. The casino pays true odds on this bet — no house edge whatsoever. Different points have different true odds:
| Point | Odds Payout | True Probability |
|---|---|---|
| 4 or 10 | 2:1 | 1 in 3 |
| 5 or 9 | 3:2 | 2 in 5 |
| 6 or 8 | 6:5 | 5 in 11 |
Most casinos allow 2x or 3x odds behind the Pass Line; some offer 10x or even 100x. The more odds you take, the lower the combined house edge on your total Pass Line + Odds wager. At 3x odds, the house edge on the combined bet drops to about 0.47%. At 10x, it’s around 0.18%.
Come Bets (House Edge: 1.41%)
Placed after a point is established. A Come bet works exactly like a Pass Line bet — the next roll is your personal “come-out.” Win on 7 or 11, lose on craps, otherwise the number rolled becomes your Come point. You can then add odds to Come bets just like Pass Line odds. Come bets let you have multiple points working at once.
The Moderate Bets
Place Bets (House Edge: 1.52%–6.67%)
Bet on a specific number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) to appear before a 7. Place bets on 6 and 8 carry only 1.52% house edge — reasonable. Place bets on 5 and 9 are 4%, and on 4 and 10 they’re 6.67%. Stick to Place 6 and Place 8 if you use Place bets.
The Bets to Avoid
The craps table has several high-edge bets in the center of the layout. These are the ones dealers call “hardways” and “propositions.” Avoid them.
| Bet | House Edge |
|---|---|
| Any 7 | 16.67% |
| Any Craps | 11.11% |
| Hardway 4 or 10 | 11.11% |
| Hardway 6 or 8 | 9.09% |
| Field (3:1 on 12) | 5.56% |
| Big 6 / Big 8 | 9.09% |
The “Any 7” bet at 16.67% is one of the worst bets in any table game. The Hardway bets (rolling a specific double before a 7 or the number the easy way) sound exciting and pay well but are seriously overpriced. Ignore them.
A Simple Strategy for New Players
You don’t need to know every bet to play craps well. This approach covers the essentials:
- Bet the Pass Line on the come-out roll
- Once a point is set, take the maximum free odds your bankroll allows
- Optionally, make one Come bet and take odds on it
- Ignore everything in the center of the table
Pass Line at 1.41% + 3x odds brings your combined edge to about 0.47%. Two Come bets with odds give you three numbers working simultaneously without sacrificing the edge advantage. That’s the whole strategy. It’s not exciting in the way proposition bets are, but it’s mathematically sound and keeps your money working efficiently.
