The Casino Lab
beginner8 min read
Craps Strategy: The Only Bets You Should Make
Craps has some of the best and worst bets in the casino. Here's how to stick to the good ones.
The Craps Table: Best and Worst
Craps is unique because it offers both some of the best AND worst bets in the entire casino — often right next to each other on the table.
The Only Bets You Should Make
1. Pass Line (House Edge: 1.41%)
The fundamental craps bet. You're betting the shooter will win.
2. Don't Pass (House Edge: 1.36%)
Betting against the shooter. Slightly better odds but socially unpopular.
3. Odds Bet (House Edge: 0%)
The best bet in the entire casino. After a point is established, you can place an additional bet behind your Pass/Don't Pass that pays true odds — zero house edge.
Optimal Strategy: Bet the minimum on Pass Line, then take maximum odds.
Bets to Absolutely Avoid
| Bet | House Edge | Why It's Bad |
|---|---|---|
| Any 7 | 16.67% | Worst bet on the table |
| Any Craps | 11.11% | Terrible odds |
| Hard 4/10 | 11.11% | Sucker bet |
| Hard 6/8 | 9.09% | Still terrible |
| Big 6/8 | 9.09% | Place 6/8 instead (1.52%) |
| Field | 5.56% | Looks good, isn't |
The Math of Odds Bets
With 3-4-5x odds:
- Point of 4 or 10: Pays 2:1 (max 5x)
- Point of 5 or 9: Pays 3:2 (max 4x)
- Point of 6 or 8: Pays 6:5 (max 3x)
Combined house edge with max odds: approximately 0.37%
Session Planning
With a $500 session bankroll at a $10 minimum table:
- Pass Line: $10
- Max Odds (3-4-5x): $30-50
- Total per point: $40-60
- Expected loss per hour: ~$2.22
- This gives you hours of entertainment for minimal cost