Craps: Is There Any Strategy Involved?

Craps is all luck, there’s no skill involved.” This half-truth is often heard around the casino. It’s true that all casino games have an element of luck, and craps is no exception. After all, the entire game is based on the outcome of rolling dice. Due to the nature of the game, onlookers often question if there is any strategy involved.

Even though it is a luck-driven game, you can develop a winning strategy. You must begin by preparing yourself before you even visit the casino. Next, you’ll need to understand some basic mathematical principles behind the game and which types of bets are worth your time. Although you may not be able to strategize as much as other games, you can become a skilled player.

First Things First: Prepare Yourself

Before you walk into a casino, or log in to an online casino, decide how much money you are willing to lose. Decide on your leaving point and stick with it. It’s easy to get caught up in the game and head to the ATM, but you must resist the urge. Ideally, after a few plays, you’ll only be playing with winnings — with your starting cash safely in your pocket. Having a set amount of money you are OK with losing is required to be successful in craps or any type of gambling.

Craps is considered a patient person’s game — to win big, you’ll have to play for a while. An efficient betting strategy is to plan to play a long game. Don’t walk in with the goal of winning big immediately and going home. Decide in advance how many rounds you will play. This dramatically simplifies the situation, allowing you to decide how much you will bet on every roll. If you want to play 50 rounds, divide your predetermined bankroll by 50. This will give you a cut-and-dry betting amount for each roll.

Craps is an incredibly social game, and one that can be very fun — or very frustrating. One of the most important elements of a winning strategy is being able to remain calm and focused on how much you’re betting and how much you have left in your bankroll.

Leave Your Superstitions at the Door; It’s About Math

Any game involving dice is bound to have a certain level of superstition attached to it. Craps is no exception. Some players have created elaborate rituals that they carry out before every roll. Blowing on the dice is common, as is rolling with a certain hand. All of this has no effect on the outcome.

Mathematics is what’s at play in craps. There’s a certain probability of dice-roll values. While each dice independently has an equal probability of landing on any of the six sides, the variety of number combinations makes some numbers more probable than others. For example, 7 is the most common number because so many combinations can add up to it. Conversely, 2 and 12 are the least likely outcomes of any roll. There is a wide array of options when it comes to placing bets; however, many professional craps players agree that three bets provide the biggest returns:

1. Pass Line Bets that are backed by free odds.

2. Come Bets, also backed by free odds.

3. Bets on 6 or 8.

These bets have been statistically and anecdotally shown to win more often than most of the other bets available. There are hundreds of different ways to bet; however, not all of them are worth exploring. Stick with what works and bet a safe amount each time.

Leave as Little to Chance as Possible

There is absolutely nothing you can do to affect the outcome of the roll. Unlike poker, blackjack and other games, you can’t win simply by being good. The only way to be good at craps is to bet wisely, understand the odds and practice self-control.

Author: Stanley Weston -

Stanley Weston is a contributing writer and craps enthusiast. Ever since he rolled his first dice, he was hooked. Now, he enjoys playing online craps at CinemaCasino.