When strategies are created for games, they generally have one goal in mind, to beat the game. However, whenever the word ‘strategy’ is mentioned in the same sentence as Craps, many people will tell you that there is no such thing as strategy in Craps and that if there is, it is cheating.
Well, yes and no. That really depends on how you define the word strategy. Many people feel that strategy is a way to beat the game. But the proper way to look at strategy is to try different techniques to minimize any loses while at the same time looking for ways to increase your edge, thus increasing your winnings. So no, there is no strategy to beat the game of Craps, but there are ways for players to minimize and maximize their losses. It is just a matter of knowing what they are.
Strategy for Playing Craps
To give our readers a slight edge when playing Craps, here are some tips on how to minimize your losses. Once you have a firm understanding of how to cut your losses, then you can focus on ways to increase your edge against the house.
Minimize Losses
- Proper Bankroll: It is important to only play with what you can afford to lose. Although this will not ‘minimize’ your total losses, it will in fact keep you from losing more than you should. Some players take extra money with them to keep them mentally happy verses feeling like they spent all their money. For example, you take $500 to the casino knowing that you are going to stop playing once you get to $200. That way, you leave with $200 in your pocket and you do not feel as if you dropped your last dime on the table. This tip is only for those you can stop.
- Sucker Bets: Making bets such as Field bets is just a waste of money. You are paid even money for 5 to 1 odds in the houses favor. Aside from Field bets, Hardway and Proposition bets provide a negative equity in the long run as well. Hardway bets can lose 13 different ways but will only win 4 times. Proposition bets are worse because they are a ‘one time’ roll which can be very costly in the long run. All bets outside of Place bets, Pass Line bets, or Don’t Pass bets (or the equivalent of Come/Don’t Come) should be placed.
Maximize Winnings
- Make the Right Bets: The best bets to make are going to be the Pass Line, Don’t Pass, Come, and Don’t Come bets. These are only going to have a house edge of 1.41% which can be dramatically reduced to as little as .05% or lower if a player were to take advantage of the ‘odds bet.’ Depending on what the casino allows, players can make anywhere from 2x to 100x their pass line bet which the casino has no edge over whatsoever. While the winnings may come in slowly, at least they will come in and start to show a profit.
- Place Bets: Now, these are borderline bets to make because these bets are paid according to the house’s odds which decrease the odds in your favor. A player should have a firm understanding of the game and the house’s odds before making a place bet. There are several place bets that can be made such as all the boxes at once which are know as ‘betting across’ or the inside or outside boxes can also be played. Please remember that the more place bets that are made the higher the risk that is being taken.
- Classic Regression: Players will want to wait until the shooter has established a point and then make a 2 unit bet, at $6 per unit, on both the 8 and the 6. After one of these numbers have hit, decrease each number by one unit leaving $6 on each number. After they hit again, take the bets of the table until the shooter rolls a seven. The first time the numbers hit you will be left with $2 profit regardless if a seven rolls afterward or not. If the numbers hit again before taking the bets down, you should be left with $4 in profit. On the downside, if a 7 were to roll before the 6 or 8, there is a maximum loss potential of $24. This is a good strategy because there are more ways to make a 6 and an 8 then there are to make a 7.
- Collect, Press, and Regress: What a player will want to do here is to place a $6 bet on the #6. Once it hits, the player will want to ‘collect’ the bet. When it is rolled again, the will want to ‘press’ the bet which means to take the profit and let the rest ride. At this point, there is a profit of $2. When the 6 is rolled again, you will tell the deal to ‘regress’ your bet down to $6. Once this is all said and done, you should have your original $6 still on the table and the $7 from the first hit, $1 from the second, and the $13 from when you regressed for a total of $21. This will leave you with a profit of $15 ($21 – $6 on table) assuming that a seven is rolled first before the 6 is rolled again.
Strategies and Tips for Playing Craps
While there is no sure fire way to beat the game of Craps, players can sure educate themselves in regards to Craps odds and different betting systems. This way, their betting habits are strong which can help show a profit in the short term. In the long run, the house has an edge no matter how small it may be which means that it is a good idea to practice how to minimize your losses just as much as how to maximize them. If a player cannot achieve this, it simply will not matter how much they win.
