1. Beginner Craps Strategy
2. Beginner Craps Strategy Cards
3. Beginner Craps Strategy Guide
4. Beginner Craps Strategy

Have you come here to find an answer to the eternal question how to make a killing at a casino? I don’t want to disappoint you, but there is no definite answer to this question. Nobody has and won’t be able to reach such level of skill which could influence on the outcome of rolling a pair of dice during a craps game. The best strategy is managing your bets.

1. Craps strategy for Beginners – Bet Types and Other Features Pass Line is a bet that the shooter wins – this is the best option for you as a beginner to start playing craps immediately. So, if the shooter gets a 7 on the first roll or wins the point, your Pass Line bet wins.
2. Craps for Beginners - Learn the basic play of the game and beginner strategy to use to enjoy the game and make a profit.

There could be craps for dummies, craps for beginners. Before you start out, know the craps rules for dummies. Below are some mistakes you should avoid. Know the game: It is essential to know how to play craps before jumping in. The advice is not meant to discourage anybody, whether you are playing craps for beginners or craps for dummies.

• Like with other casino games, set a loss limit for yourself and decide when to walk away with winnings. If you can’t afford to lose more than $300, you should decide beforehand that $300 will be your absolute limit for losing and then you must stick to that limit. In the horrid event that you lose your $300 bankroll, you should stop playing, as opposed to wagering more.
• It might be a good idea to split your bankroll: If $300 is your loss limit, divide it in half, putting $150 in different pockets. If with the first $150 you win any sum that puts you more than $80 above your starting $150, put $150 back in your pocket and play with your winnings. Try to play exclusively with your winnings, and smart betting can help you achieve it. If, in spite of everything, Lady Luck is not with you, and you lose first $150 bankroll and then a second $150 without a significant win, quit for the night!
• Keeping calm while playing craps is very important. Since all players are betting against the casino, groups of players can get quite noisy when they win or lose together. It is nice to join with enthusiastic displays, however, do not allow you to do so because this will distract you from sensible management of your bankroll and informed betting.
• Try to bet on 1) Pass Line bets backed by free odds 2) Come Bets backed by free odds and 3) Place Bets on 6 or 8. You know there is a wide variety of bets offered on a craps table, but only a few have a reasonable house edge. Dealers and Stick men have been trained to encourage you to make other, less favourable bets; pay them no mind. Betting in craps is rather complex so you should get experience making the basic and more likely bets before risking any of the more unlikely ones. Furthermore, although advanced craps strategy involves multiple simultaneous bets which can earn players more profit in the game, beginners are advised to gradually increase the complexity of their craps betting. This way you can master the skills of craps betting step by step.

Guide to Getting the Most out of Playing Craps

We can’t guarantee you will win every session with these tips, but according to anecdotal reports these tips increase your chances of winning. Your mileage may vary. Good luck and may Lady Luck shine down upon you.

1. Dice control. Watch for shooters who don’t shake the dice before each roll, and who roll the same way each time. They have better control over the dice than random throwers. When you find one of those shooters, play at his/her table, and bet with the shooter, if he/she is winning.
2. Hit and run. If you understand the advanced wagers and you want to win big and quickly, bet the long odds. Be prepared to lose quickly, as well. Cut and run when you have made your killing. Without the discipline to walk away a winner, it is assured that you won’t walk away a winner.
3. Go with the streak – Bet more when you are hot, less when you are not.
4. Keep your eye on the player with the most chips. This is so obvious that you might not think of it. Emulate the table winner. There’s no law against being a copycat, and imitation is the highest form of flattery. You can bet smaller amounts than the high roller. Remember the saying, ‘Follow the money!’
5. Assess the situation. Before plunking your money down at any old craps table, take the time to assess the table, the players and the current shooter.
6. Don’t make Proposition bets. Leave them to others unless you like to play the worst odds at craps, let those who fall for the dealer’s hoopla play the Proposition bets.
7. Avoid table minimums over your head. Find a table minimum that is within your budget.
8. Pay no attention to the dealer’s appeals. When the dealer induces to make the high house advantage bets, ignore this appeal, and place your money on Odds bets instead.
9. Back up your Pass/Don’t Pass and Come/Don’t Come bets with Odds bets. If you are not willing to bet the Odds bets, search for a lower-minimum table or another game to play. Always back up the basic bets with Odds bets to decrease the house edge to a bare minimum and maximize your chances of winning.
10. If they lay, they play. If you don’t collect your winnings when the dealer places them in front of you, you’ll wind up parlaying your winnings into the next roll whether you want to or not.

Bonus Money Guide for Craps

The ability to manage your money is very important when playing craps. Everyone is eager to leave the casino a big winner, however, more likely than not, you will go home with a slight loss. The casinos might go broke if everyone left casino with a win. That’s why the casino always has an advantage over the player. Fortunately, craps has the best possible house edge if you place the Pass/Don’t Pass, Come/Don’t Come bets and the Odds bets.

But that’s not all there is to winning. If you want to win, you must be disciplined and have a proper mental attitude. If you can make good use of your bets by placing the Odds bets, manage your money and keep your head in the orchestrated chaos we call craps, you will surely have a great time and get the highest chances to walk away with some extra money.

Money Management Made Simple

There are lots of money management schemes around, but not all of them successful. Try to find the one that will work for you, and stick to it. You can use several in combination as well. Do whatever that can bring your losses to nothing or leave the casino with some of the money won during a game of craps. Try to be strict with yourself. You’ve declared war to the casino gods whose only goal is to take away your money.

When playing craps you can make and lose fortunes in a flash. In the event that you have managed to somehow win big money (not something you sometimes pull off when you play at a casino); get the heck out of Dodge. Don’t stay a minute longer. Just get out of there. Run; don’t walk, as fast as you can, and don’t look back.

Establish your bankroll, and abide by it. When your bankroll runs out, you should go away. You should never bet with money that you can’t afford to lose.

If you are on a winning streak, try to put away at least half your winnings, and play only with your original bankroll. Once the original bankroll is gone, you still go away with some money. You can also use this strategy in reverse: put your original bankroll away and only play with your winnings.

Divide your bankroll by 50, and you can probably have a good time for hours. For example, if you have $100, wager no more than $2 per round.

Money Stretching Strategy

Assume you start with a stake of $100, and you want to play as long as you can.

1. Divide the $100 into two stacks worth of $50 each.
2. Play with only one stack, and try to play at a table with a $2 minimum.
3. If you win $50, take the $100 off the table and cash in the chips. Put the $100 away somewhere.
4. If you lose, only play with the $50 until it runs out. Leave the table and cash in your chips. You can’t play without chips. Save the remaining $50 until after you have taken a break.

If you go away with some money in your pocket, you will be in a good mood realizing you have had a good time at the craps table.

Play with Your Head Screwed on Right

Craps is a vivid and fast-paced game that wants concentration and fast reflections amidst the chaos. Play craps only when you feel you are up to the task. Your energy level probably affects your play, and your play will surely affect your mental attitude. Make sure you are on firm ground when you are going to sit down at the craps table. If you aren’t, consider another less vivid game or go to some other place to have fun until you are up to the craziness that is the favourite of the impetuous crowd – craps!

If you want to learn to play craps, you should start by learning how the craps table works.

It might seem intimidating at first, but it’s less complicated than you think.

And smarts craps players ignore most of the table, anyway.

Beginner Craps Strategy

This post explains in detail for beginners what they need to know about placing bets on the craps table.

The Basics of the Craps Table

In casinos, craps is played at a table, usually one covered in green felt. The bets available are labeled on the felt. The table is also the playing surface for the game – you roll the dice on the same table where you place your bets.

Most of the best US casinos use a long table for craps – it’s 12 feet long, but it’s kind of rectangular. You’ll find smaller craps tables sometimes, but most casinos use the 12 feet long table because it accommodates more players – up to 16 people can play craps comfortably at a 12 feet long table.

The rail around the table is padded because a lot of people get tired of standing and want something to lean on. Craps isn’t like blackjack; you don’t sit on a stool at the craps table.

Each player has a rack where he can put his chips while he plays. That’s located next to the padded railing.

The green felt is considered the bed of the craps table, and it has (almost) all the bets available stenciled on it.

Also, the craps table isn’t really a flat table – it’s more like a big, rectangular bowl. This prevents the dice from rolling onto the ground. The walls inside the table are padded with rubber pyramids, which serve to further randomize the rolls of the dice.

If you’re the shooter, you’re required to roll the dice all the way to the pyramids on the other side of the table.

How the Bets Are Laid Out on a Craps Table

If you’ve never played before, you’ll think craps is too complicated because of all the different bets available on the layout.

But it’s easier than you think.

You can think of the table as having a side section and a center section. (Really, there are 2 side sections – one on either end of the craps table. They’re identical, though.)

You’ll see blocks with numbers and words in them in each section. Those are the bets you can place.

You should avoid the bets in the center section, which are the bets that the stickman will encourage you to make. I’ll explain the center section later, but for now, I want to focus on the section where you’ll be making the most bets if you’re a smart player.

The self-service bets – the bets you’re allowed to place for yourself – include the following bets:

1. Pass
2. Don’t Pass
3. Come
4. Don’t Come
5. Field
6. Big 6
7. Big 8

These are the most basic bets in craps, and they have the lowest house edge – although Big 6 and Big 8 are the worst in this batch. (On some tables, those aren’t even in the self-service area at all.)

When one of these bets wins, the dealer puts your winnings on the table next to your bet. If you leave that money on the table, it goes back into action.

The other area in the side section is the dealer’s area. Here, you need to get the dealer to place your bet for you. This area includes the point boxes:

• 4
• 5
• Six
• 8
• Nine
• 10

You’ll notice that I spelled out 6 and 9. That’s how they’ll appear on the table so that players don’t get confused about which is which.

When a shooter sets a point, the dealer puts a puck in the appropriate box to signify the point for that game. These spots serve a 2nd purpose, too – you can ask the dealer to place Buy, Lay, and Place bets for you in those spots.

Come and Don’t Come are still self-service bets, but the odds bet for those must be handled by the dealer. The dealer uses the chips you bet on Come or Don’t Come to mark the number in those numbered boxes, and they put the odds bet next to the appropriate number, too.

The Center Section Is for Prop Bets, Which You Should NEVER Make

You’ll notice that the stickman, who’s running the center section of the craps table, acts like a carnival barker or one of those loud pitchmen you sometimes run into at a flea market. That’s because his job is to sell the worst bets on the craps table to the players.

The reason these are the worst bets on the table is because the house edge for ALL these bets is insanely high.

The house edge is a statistically expected loss that you’ll see over the long run with a specific kind of bet.

The pass line bet has a house edge of 1.41%, which is relatively low for a casino game. In fact, it’s one of the best bets in the casino.

But the house edge on the bets in the center of the table is 9% or higher.

Nonetheless, here you can place bets in this section if you want to.

To do so, you toss your chips to the center of the table to the stickman and announce what bet you want to place. Try to use some skill and deftness when you do this – you don’t want to knock someone else’s chips over, for example.

When you win one of these proposition bets, the chips are paid directly to you rather than just being placed on the table next to your original bet.

Examples of Proposition Bets and Their House Edge

The hard way bets are bets on totals like 4, 6, 8, or 10.

But they only pay off if the shooter rolls that total “the hard way.”

Beginner Craps Strategy Cards

This means that a total of 4 must be a pair of deuces, a 6 must be a roll with of both 3s, an 8 must consist of a couple of 4s, and a 10 must be made up of 5s.

The payout for a hard 6 or hard 8 is 9 to 1, and the payout for a hard 4 or 10 is 7 to 1.

The house edge for the hard 6 or hard 8 bet is 9.09%.

The house edge for the hard 4 or hard 10 bet is 11.11%.

I often suggest that many gambling writers make too much of a fuss about the house edge on casino games, but this is one instance where it’s a big deal.

You’re looking at a statistical advantage for the casino that’s 10 times as great on one bet over the other bet.

You should pay attention to that, for sure.

Just skip the proposition bets.

You’ll have just as much fun at the craps table, you’ll probably stay in action longer, and you’ll have a better chance of going home from the craps table a winner.

How to Get Used to the Craps Layout

The best way to get used to the game of craps is to play at an online casino, like those recommended on this site. All the casinos listed here offer free-to-play versions of their casino games. You play for “play-money” chips.

The big advantage of doing this is that you’re not risking any real money when you’re playing these free craps games.

It’s much better to learn without risking money if you can.

Conclusion

Beginner Craps Strategy Guide

You need to know how the craps table and its layout work if you want to stand a chance at winning when shooting dice.

Beginner Craps Strategy

The best way to do that is to practice on a free game after reading through this quick tutorial.

The most important advice I offer in this post, though, is to stay away from those bets in the middle of the table. The house edge is just too high on those.