Craps Strategy

The dice are tumbling and there are plenty of high fives as the shooter hits yet another point number. Players scramble to place their bets for the next roll at the bustling, high-energy table. In a few minutes those dice will be moving again.

Among the dozens of options of craps, regardless of whether you're playing online or in a live casino, a few stand out as the best bets that give you the best run for your money.

House edges are important guides to your shot to win in any casino game, but they're not the only factor.

Speed of play can make a difference. It certainly does in craps, which has a collection of bets that vary not only in house edge and in rolls per decision.

The “don’t” side of craps is usually given short shift when gambling writers delve into it. Why is that? Because it is (seriously) considered the “dark” side of the game. It is the side that should be avoided at all costs. It’s as if you are throwing your lot with the devil.

I have written so many articles and books on craps that I have decided to start this article by looking at the often deliberately-overlooked area of the game. Many gambling writers shy away from the darkside because it is uncomfortable to write about and thus they give short shrift to it and its devoted but usually quiet players.

Giving players the games they want is part of the business for casino operators, and plenty of players have made clear they want craps. Through the 1940s and '50s it was the most popular casino table game in the United States before it was overtaken by blackjack in the 1960s.

For many players, the prospect of winning together is part of the fun in playing craps, and most players bet with the shooter. But some players simply want the best odds for their money, and in craps, that comes with betting opposite the shooter.

Other than 7, the 6 and 8 are the most frequently rolled numbers in craps. And since 7 is a losing number in most craps bets, 6 and 8 are high on the priority list for players.