The craps game is a popular one among gamblers, especially those who are looking for an easy way to place a bet. While there are a variety of betting strategies that one can use to maximize their winnings, it is important to note that craps is a fairly loose game when it comes to strategy and there is no single “perfect” approach that will make every single player win all the time.
The objective of this article is to discuss the different types of strategies that one can use to maximize their chances of winning when playing craps, as well as identify which ones are best suited to various types of players.
Straight-Up
The simplest and most common type of bet when playing craps is called the “straight-up” bet. When players place a straight-up bet, they are simply predicting the outcome of the roll. In other words, they are placing a wager that the total number of points that will be scored on the dice will be equal to or less than the number displayed on the casino’s odds board.
The advantage of placing a straight-up bet is that it is very easy to understand and is, therefore, pretty accessible to a large number of players. One disadvantage of this bet, however, is that it is very hard for players to increase their winnings when they lose because, in most cases, they are locked into that particular wager. If they want to change their bet, they have to start over again from the beginning.
Another disadvantage of the straight-up bet is that, since it is a fairly easy strategy to implement and memorize, it is very likely that you will see this particular bet repeated time and time again, especially at lower-quality casinos. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, since this is a very easy and accessible strategy, it is very likely that players will be putting more and more money into it, making the strategy less and less attractive. The more a casino pays out on winning bets, the more they have to offer on losses. So, over time, the lower the payout percentage on winning bets, the more profitable the strategy will be. Consider the lower the percentage, the more you will profit. For example, in one of the largest online casinos in the world, the house edge for the straight-up bet is 40.6%. Meaning that for every $100 you bet, you will win $40.61.
Lay
The second type of bet that you will see frequently at a traditional American casino is called the “lay” bet. When players lay a bet, they are typically placing a wager that the total number of points scored on the dice will be higher than the number displayed on the casino’s odds board. For example, if the dice show a 7, the player will win if the total amount of points scored on the roll is 8, 9, or 10. In other words, the player is making an “up bet” that the total amount of points scored will be higher than 7.
The advantage of the lay bet is that it is very easy for players to increase their winnings when they win because, in most cases, they can just add more money to their bet. In addition, the house edge for the lay bet is typically much lower than that of the straight-up bet. For example, in the same casino mentioned above, the lay bet has a house edge of 28.6%. Meaning that for every $100 you bet, you will win $28.61.
The disadvantage of the lay bet is that it is very hard for players to reduce their losses when they lose because, in most cases, they are already committed to a wager that they can no longer alter. This makes it more difficult for players to “back out” of a losing wager when the dice go against them. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, since this is a more complex strategy to implement and memorize than the straight-up bet, it is less likely that players will want to use it or know how to use it effectively. The more a casino pays out on winning bets, the more they have to offer on losses. So, over time, the higher the payout percentage on winning bets, the more profitable the strategy will be. Consider the higher the percentage, the more you will lose. For example, in the same casino mentioned above, the straight-up bet has a 40.6% house edge, while the lay bet has a 28.6% house edge. Meaning that for every $100 you bet, you will lose $7.43 on the straight-up bet and $5.71 on the lay bet.
Field
The third and final type of bet that you will encounter frequently at a traditional American casino is called the “field” bet. When players field a bet, they are placing a wager that the total number of points scored on the dice will be the same as or greater than the number of points displayed on the casino’s odds board. In other words, the player is making a “down bet” that the total amount of points scored will be lower than the number displayed.
The advantage of the field bet is that it is very easy for players to increase their winnings when they win because, in most cases, they can just take more money out of their bet. The disadvantage of the field bet is that it is very hard for players to reduce their losses when they lose because, in most cases, they are already committed to a wager that they can no longer alter. This makes it more difficult for players to “back out” of a losing wager when the dice go against them. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, since this is a very complex strategy to implement and memorize, it is less likelt used by players and, therefore, less profitable than the other two strategies discussed above. The more a casino pays out on winning bets, the more they have to offer on losses. So, over time, the lower the payout percentage on winning bets, the more profitable the strategy will be. Consider the lower the percentage, the more you will profit. In the same casino mentioned above, the field bet has a 35.3% house edge, meaning that for every $100 you bet, you will lose $35.31 on the field bet.
Combinations
Betting combinations are similar to multi-race wagering, but instead of wagering on multiple events at once, players bet on the outcome of a single event. For example, if a poker-type game were being played and both players were holding cards with the same value, the first player to call “showdown” wins. Similarly, in a craps game with multiple dice, if there were three dice and two players, the first to call “point” wins.
Betting combinations give players the ability to change their wager several times during the course of a game, allowing them to try different betting strategies without having to start over again from the beginning. The disadvantage of betting combinations, however, is that they are more complex than usual, single-event bets and, therefore, more likely to be used by less experienced or professional players. In addition, since these strategies require a certain level of memorization, they are also more difficult to use effectively. The more a casino pays out on winning bets, the more they have to offer on losses. So, over time, the higher the payout percentage on winning bets, the more profitable the strategy will be. Consider the higher the percentage, the more you will lose. In the same casino mentioned above, the payout percentage on winning bets is 99.9%, meaning that for every $100 you bet, you will lose $0.99 on the betting combination bet.
Profitability
Taking all of the factors discussed above into consideration, the best bet for a player depends on the type of game they are playing. If they are playing craps at a traditional American casino, the best bet is the straight-up bet because it has the lowest house edge of all the strategies discussed above. In addition, the lay bet and the field bet are, generally speaking, less effective than the straight-up bet in terms of increasing winnings when players win because, in most cases, they can just add more money to their bet. If they are playing poker or another type of card game at a traditional casino, the best bet is the betting combination because it gives the player the ability to change their bet several times during the course of a game.