Getting
Started
The best place to start is with a bet placed on the Win Line. The Shooter
makes his first roll (called the come Out Roll) and you win immediately
if the numbers of both dice total 7 or 11. But you lose if craps (2,
3 or 12) are rolled. However any other number rolled becomes the Point
which means you are now betting that number will come up again before
a 7 is rolled. If it does, you win.
Alternatively, a Don't Win Line bet is just as easy. It is simply the
opposite of the Win Line bet. You lose if 7 or 11 comes up on the Come
Out Roll and Win on 3 or 12. (2 is called a Stand-Off and you neither
win nor lose). Any other number becomes the Point is rolled. If it does,
you win. Alternatively, a Don't Win Line bet is just as easy. It is
simply the opposite of the Win on 3 or 12. (2 is called a Stand-off
and you neither win nor loose.) Any other number becomes the Point,
but in this case your betting the 7 will come up before the point is
rolled.
One Roll Bets
At any time when the game is in progress you may bet on the One Roll
Any Craps - A One Roll bet which wins on a throw of 2, 3 or 12.
Craps 2 - A One Roll bet which wins on a throw of 3 only.
Craps 12 - A One Roll bet which wins on a throw of 12 only.
Any 7 - A One Roll bet which wins on a throw of 7 only.
Eleven - A One Roll bet which wins on a throw of 11 only.
Field - A One Roll bet which wins even money on throws of 3, 4, 9, 10
or 11; pays double on 12.
Horn Bet and Horn High - A One Roll Combination bet covering 2, 3, 11
and 12.
Winning Craps Strategy
As with other casino games, the goal in craps is to capitalize on the
relatively short cycle of streaks that invariably occur. These are marked
by prolonged passes of the dice. This means the shooter continues to
roll, often times for many minutes, without sevening out. You can take
advantage of these hot streaks by playing the Pass Line, backing that
bet with Free Odds bets, and placing multiple Come bets, also with Free
Odds. Professional gamblers disagree on the number of come bets to place.
The most aggressive players make Come bets on every roll until all the
point numbers are covered. This gives them the opportunity to win many
bets in a short period of time, provided the dice stay hot and the shooter
continues to roll without hitting a 7. But that method is too risky.
A sound strategy calls for placing a maximum of two Come bets, which,
coupled with the original Pass Line bets, give the player three numbers
always working for him. When one of the points is made and his bet is
paid off, the player places another Come bet to keep three numbers working.
To recap: Bet the Pass Line and back up the bet with a Free Odds bet.
Make two additional Come bets, also taking the Free Odds bets. Stop
betting after three points have been established. If one of the Come
bets is won, immediately place another Come bet. Similarly, if the original
Pass Line bet is won, make another Pass Line bet. This system lets the
player capitalize during a shooter's hot streak while minimizing his
losses when the dice eventually turn cold.
Pass Line Bet
When it is your turn to throw the craps dice, you must determine whether
to bet the pass line or the don't pass line. Most shooters, as well
as most of the other craps players at the table, will bet the pass line,
as it is the basic wager of craps. The pass line wager is an even money
bet that wins if you either roll a total of 7 or 11 on the come-out
roll, or if you throw a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 on the come-out roll and
repeat that number before you roll a 7. The pass line bet
loses if the come-out roll is a 2, 3, or 12 (known as craps) or when
a 7 is rolled before the established point number is repeated.If you
successfully complete a pass, - that is, if you repeat an established
point number before throwing a 7-, you get to roll the dice again. Only
when you seven-out will the stickman push the dice to the next player
in succession. Once you have established a point, if you roll a number
other than your point or a 7, it is disregard as far as pass line bets
are concerned, although these additional rolls do affect other bets
that can be made at the craps table. As an example, suppose you have
established a point of 8 on the come-out roll. If you next throw a 3,
then a 5, a 9, and a 10, these numbers will be ignored for pass line
bets. But if you then roll 7, you will lose your pass line wager, since
the 7 came up before your point number. Out of 990 decisions at the
craps table you can expect to lose 14 decisions more than you win.
That makes the house advantage at craps 1.41%. In other words, out of
every $100 that you wager at the craps table, you can expect to lose
$1.41. Of course this is in the long run.You can win because in the
relatively short time you will be playing, there will be fluctuations
in this house edge, so at times things will be going in your favor at
the craps table. A pass line bet can be made at any time during a shooter's
roll, even after he has established a point. However, a bet placed on
the pass line after a point has been established is a very poor wager,
since you have missed the opportunity to win on the come-out roll when
the shooter throws a 7 or an 11. The only way you can now win is if
the shooter repeats his point before he sevens-out.
Taking the Odds
When the shooter establishes a point on the come-out roll, any player
who has made a pass line bet is allowed to take the odds. A single odds
bet is an additional wager, up to the amount of your original wager,
that the point number will be repeated before a 7 is rolled. The odds
bet is the best wager you can make in the game of craps, because the
house has no built-in advantage. Some casinos permit players to make
double odds, and even greater odds wagers. The odds bet not only has
no house edge associated with it, but also has no official designated
space on the craps table. Therefore, to take the odds, you must place
the appropriate amount of chips behind your pass line bet in the open
area of the craps layout.
The correct payoff for odds bets varies from point number to point number,
depending on the odds of a 7 being rolled before a particular point
is repeated. The payoff formula is the same whether you take single
odds, double odds, or more. Correct odds payoffs are as follows: Points
4 and 10 pay 2-to-1 Points 5 and 9 pay 3-to-2 Points 6 and 8 pay 6-to-5
As an example, suppose you bet $1.00 on the pass line and establish
a point of 4 in a casino that offers double odds. You now have the option
of taking the adds for an additional $2.00. (You can also wager a lesser
amount or choose not to take any odds at all.)
If you repeat the point number (4) before rolling a 7, you will get
your original $3.00 back, plus an additional $5.00. Of that $5.00, $1.00
will be the even-money payback on your pass line wager, and $4.00 will
be the 2-to-1 payoff for a point of 4 on your odds bet of $2.00. If
you roll a 7 before repeating your point of 4, you will lose your initial
$1.00 wager on the pass line, plus your $2.00 odds bet, for a total
loss of $3.00. You are allowed to remove your odds wager from the craps
table at any time, as a casino does not object to your taking down a
bet that has no house edge. If you have difficulty at the craps table
in determining the proper amount to bet in order to receive the correct
odds payoff, feel free to ask one of the dealers for assistance. You
don't want to lose out on any winnings that are rightfully yours.
Come Bets
A come bet is identical to a pass line bet, with one exception: A come
bet may be made on every throw of the dice once the shooter has established
a point. A come bet is made by placing the amount of chips you wish
to wager in the designated come area of the craps layout. After you
have placed a come bet, the very next roll of the dice becomes the come-out
roll for that wager. Thus if the shooter rolls a 7, you will win even
though pass line betters will lose. If an 11 is rolled, you will win
while the line bets will not be affected.
Conversely, should one of the craps numbers come up you will lose, but
the line bets will be unaffected. Should the shooter throw one of the
box numbers on the first roll of the dice after you've made a wager
on the come, this number becomes an established point for your come
bet. To win this bet, your come point must be repeated before a 7 is
rolled. Once a point has been established for your come bet, the dealer
will move the chips you have wagered, to the corresponding numbered
box on the craps layout to await a decision for that point. When you
win a come bet, the dealer will pay you off by placing your original
wager, along with your winnings, in the come section of the layout.
If you do not immediately retrieve your chips, they will be in action
on the next roll of the dice as a new come bet. To make an odds wager
on a come point, hand the dealer the appropriate amount of chips and
tell him that you wish to take the odds on that point.
Don't Pass Line Bets
As you've seen, a pass line bet is simply a wager that the shooter will
win. But you also can bet that the shooter will fail to make a pass
and thus lose. The don't pass line bet wins when he shooter throws a
craps of 2 or 3, but not 12, on the come-out roll, or when he rolls
a 7 before repeating his established point number. This wager loses
when the come-out roll is a 7 or 11, or when the shooter repeats his
point number before rolling a 7.
The don't pass line bet is the exact opposite of a pass line with on
exception: Although a roll of 12 on the come out loses for pass line
betters, it is not a winning number for don't pass bettors. It is a
stand-off and nether wins nor loses. The reason for this is simple:
If don't betters were permitted to win in this situation, they would
have an advantage over the house. So by barring (disallowing) the number
12 on the come-out roll, the casinos retain a small edge. Some casinos
bar the number 2, but the effect is exactly the same. Unlike a pass
line wager, a don't pass bet can be removed after a point number has
been established on the come-out roll.
This is because once a point is established you have an advantage over
the house, thus the casino has no objections to your taking down the
bet. Of course you should never do this. After going up against an 8
to 3 house edge on the come-out roll, you will have an overall average
advantage of 18.8 after a point has been established
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