Craps strategy for beginners: What to bet and avoid

Craps is one of the most fascinating games you can play, complete with shiny dice, and a rather detailed, decorated, confusing table. One of the exciting things about craps is how many different options you have to bet on – all with different odds and payouts. For this reason, craps is quite the beloved game with a smaller but staunchly devoted audience. This gets a lot of people who are used to just playing the odd slots, poker, and blackjack curious to find out about what’s going on with all the fuss.

While you’re not going to be able to grasp every single strategy in craps from the get-go, or even likely after you’ve spent a long time playing it, odds are pretty straightforward. You want to be sure to enjoy the game in the very beginning too so as not to get discouraged. For that reason, we have prepared a strategy guide for beginners, recommending the wisest strategies to pursue right out the gate.

Craps 101

If you don’t know the rules of the game yet, you’re going nowhere. This is of course a dice game, played with two. Every round begins with what’s called the “come out roll”. Players right away can bet on whether the roller, aka the shooter, will win or lose.

• The dealer wins if they roll a 7 or 11 in the come out roll.

• If they roll a 2, 3, or 12 in the first roll, they “crap out”, hence the name of the game

• If another outcome occurs, that number becomes the “point”, and the on marker is placed on the square representing that number. Once that point is established, the shooter rolls again and again until they either hit that number again, in which case they win, or if they roll a 7, then they lose.

The table is adorned without a rectangular craps table split into different sections where players set down their chips to place different bets. On the outside of this are the “Pass  Line” and the "Don't Pass” areas. These are the most beginner friendly, as they’re straightforward. Then in the middle lies the “proposition bets” section. This is where the high stakes, pipe dream wagers are placed, that carry an enormous house edge.

Don’t pass

Don’t Pass is an interesting alternative. You can bet that the shooter will lose too, and in fact, you enjoy a little bit better odds in that case than with the Pass Line. People tend to encourage the Pass Line bet more though, and since you’re usually playing with a table full of other players, betting Don’t Pass is actually frowned upon. And if you win and the people next to you lose, that may cause them to get in a bad mood. You should still bet it anyway.

Phase two

The point can either bet 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. After this point is set, the game then moves on to the second phase. The Pass Line bettors then want the shooter to hit the point before rolling a 7. For Don’t Pass bettors, it’s vice versa.

Best bets for beginners

Most of the numerous options that you can have for betting in craps, tantalizing as they may be and rewarding as they may be, those are bad bets for beginners since they can discourage them. Just stick to the low-house edge moves to start out with a fighting chance to be able to enjoy playing it on a smartphone app like Odds 96. 

You’ll want to start out with the Pass Line or Don’t Pass bet in craps:

• Pass Line: 1.41% Pass Line

• Don’t Pass Bet: 1.36%

Come and don’t come bets

These bets are pretty similar to the two aforementioned bets. Where they differ is you make them after the come out roll has already been made. At this moment, in phase two, you have multiple points in play which spreads out your risk. If you already have a Pass Line bet and the shooter is in the point phase, you can place a Come bet; the next roll becomes your “mini” come-out roll for that wager. This is a great way to stay active throughout the round.

Odds bets

You can take odds after a point is established by placing additional chips behind your Pass Line, Don’t Pass, Come, or Don’t Come bet. The payout is true to the actual odds of the dice, meaning the casino takes no built-in advantage. The only catch? There’s usually a table limit on how many odds you can take, often expressed as “2x odds” or “5x odds.” Always take the maximum allowed if your bankroll can handle it, because it’s free value. It has no house edge and thus it’s the best bet you can place in this game.

Bets to avoid as a beginner

There are many bets that you could potentially hit it big on, but the chances are slim to none. Thus, the house would be overjoyed if you bit on them. Hopefully you’ll be wise and steer clear of these when you’re just starting out.

Proposition bets

These are single roll bets located in the middle of the table – An 7, Any Craps, and Hardways with house edges of 10 all the way to 16%. You’ll probably lose your gambling budget real quick messing around with these bets.

Field bets

This bet covers a single roll and wins if the next roll is a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. 

Hop bets

Here, you’re actually betting on which two numbers will be rolled in one go. That could be a 3 and a 6 or a 2 and a 12 et cetera. Fat chance you’re going to win that, but you’d be on cloud nine if you did. It’s a pipe dream though, and you should refrain from going YOLO for now.

Table etiquette for eeginners

Craps games move quickly and if there’s a pet peeve that players have, it’s when people are slowing up the game not knowing what bet they want to place. The shooter is standing there ready with the dice in their hands, and you’re expected to have already decided in advance what your bet is going to be. Announce your bet clearly and place your chips in the correct section of the layout or slide them toward the dealer if you’ve concocted some kind of complex bet.

Only hold the dice 

Once the stickman pushes the dice to the shooter, the casino rule is simple: you must handle the dice with only one hand. This isn’t about superstition — it’s a security measure to prevent cheating, such as switching or loading dice. Always make sure the dice is in everybody’s sight at all times and not to switch it back and forth between your hands.