Advanced Craps Bets
Before getting into how you may want to structure your play at the Craps table, there are some advanced Craps bets you should know about. Here’s a selection of many advanced Craps bets utilized at the tables.
Place Bets
A place bet is made on outcomes, more specifically individual numbers, to be rolled prior to a 7 being rolled by the shooter, after the point has been established. In the case the bet remains on the table, as opposed to a one-time wager, it is referred to as a working bet. As a result, the player will get a payout each time that number is rolled before a 7, so long as the wager remains on the table. The actual number the place bet is assigned to will determine the payout. The bet loses when a 7 is rolled, or the shooter sevens-out.
Buy/Lay Bets
A Buy bet can be considered a Place bet. All the rules that apply to the bet are essentially the same, only the payout can be significantly higher. As a result, it is common for the house to take what is called a commission.
A Lay bet functions as the opposite of a Buy bet and places a wager on the shooter to seven-out before the point number I rolled. It will, in many cases, also come with a casino commission on any payout.
Big Bets
Big bets are high-risk, high-reward bets. For instance, Big 6 and Big 8 bets are very specific wagers placed on a 6 and 8, respectively, being rolled before a 7.
Hardway Bets
Hardways put a prediction on the shooter’s roll being a double before a 7 is rolled. A double is an identical combination on the dice, such as two 2s, two 3s, and so on.
Field Bets
These wagers are settled on the roll after the bet has been placed on the table. When it comes to field bets, a loss is the result whenever a 5, 6, 7, or 8 are rolled. Any other number rolled is a win and the player will receive a payout for their wager. The payout varies depending on which number is rolled. You can find out more on this bet’s payout in our craps odds and payout resource.
Next Roll Bets
These bets are very straight forward and make a simple prediction that the next roll of the dice will be a given number. Many of these bets have colloquial names when placed at brick and mortar casinos, which make it difficult for newer players to incorporate into their game. If supported at the tables of your chosen online casino, these wagers will be appropriately labelled or provided with their own position on the betting field. Some you may encounter or wish to incorporate include:
- Hi-Lo – A wager the next roll will be a 2 or 12.
- Any 7 – A wager the next roll will be a 7.
- Any 11 / Yo – A wager the next roll will be an 11.
- Ace Deuce – A wager the next roll will be a 3.
- Aces – A wager the next roll will be a 2.
- Any Craps / Three Way – A wager the next roll will be a 2, 3, or 12.
- Boxcar – A wager the next roll will be a 12.
C & E
This wager is a combination of two net roll bets. The C & E wager places half the total wager on the next roll being a Craps (2-3-12) and the other half on a Yo (11).
Horn
Another combination wager that incorporates multiple next roll bets, a Horn places four separate bets on 2, 3, 11, and 12. The payout depends on which number is rolled with 2 paying out the highest. You can find those exact returns in our Craps odds and payouts resource.
Whirl / World
A combination wager that utilizes both the Any 7 and Horn bets. You can consider this type of wager is a hedge to mitigate losses on the shooter’s next roll, paying out at different rates depending what other number is the result with 2 paying out the highest.
On The Hop
This is a simple wager that predicts the two numbers that will appear on the dice on the next roll.
Advanced Craps Betting Strategy
While it goes without saying you should never abandon your foundational Come, Don’t Come and Pass, Don’t Pass bets, there is something to be said about knowing how to most effectively utilize the low house edge that Craps presents players.
5-Count Craps Strategy
This approach to the game of craps is calm and collected. So, if you are looking for high excitement and constant thrills, this won’t be the best approach for your next game. Place your bets with purpose and you’ll have a significantly improved chance of coming out on top for any given roll. The purpose of this strategy is to remain patient and stay on top the outcome with a count. You follow the count progression like this:
- Count 0 – The come out roll is a count 0. Which remains at zero until a point is established.
- Count 1 – After the point has been established, the count moves to one. If the shooter rolls a 2, 3, 7, 11, or 12, the count remains at 0.
- Count 2, 3, and 4 – Add a count every time the dice are rolled after the point has been established. This can be any number.
- Count 5 – After you’ve reached count 4 the shooter has to roll a point number of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. Once that has happened, you advance to count 5 and proceed to betting Pass and Come bets, or Don’t Pass and Don’t Come bets. Add taking/buying and laying odds if you have the money and feel comfortable with it. Steer clear of proposition and next roll bets to ensure you don’t lose funds needlessly.
Avoiding Bad Bets
As a rule of thumb, one can assume that the higher the odds climb for a given action in Craps, the higher the markup will be from the house’s end. Single number predictions are what casinos like to see. These are longshot bets that players pick for their substantial payouts. Hard Way and Field bets fall into this category. Snake Eyes, a roll of two 1s, is popular but one of the worst bets you can make, since it has a 14% house advantage.
Classic Regression
With this approach to the game of Craps, you are trying to achieve a profit on a single action. For this strategy to work, the point must be established. After the point has been established, you will put down two wagers. One on 6 and one on 8. After the shooter hits either, go down one unit on both 6 and 8 outcomes.
At this point, you are up and won’t lose to a crap out. You have your original two bets active as working bets. Once a second hit takes place, wait for the point or a 7 to be rolled, then start over. The edge behind this strategy is the fact that there are 10 combined ways to create a 6 and 8 and only 6 ways to create a 7.
Three Point Molly
In Three Point Molly, you want to maintain three numbers working in your favor at all times. Start off by placing a Pass Line wager and back it up with a single or double odds bet. Place a Come Line wager backed by single or double odds, as well. When a come bet wins, place another and repeat the process until the point or a 7 is rolled.
With this strategy, a come bet insulates your original Pass Line wager, giving you the advantage in the event of a hot series of rolls.
Anything But Seven
In an Anything But Seven scenario, you are trying to win with a roll resulting in anything but a 7. In order for this to work to peak efficiency, one should not wager with intent until the point has been established. After that, put down two bets on 5, 6, and 8 with one additional wager placed on the Field.
In this strategy, you are taking a high-risk, but garnering larger payouts for hitting your predictions, even more if a 2 or 12 are hit. Ride the gravy train for three rolls since the average shooter craps out at 4 to 6 rolls.
Big 6/8
In Big 6 and Big 8 strategies, you are trying to make a profit on a couple hits. This is usually enacted one roll after the point has been established. At that point, players should make a Pass Line or Don’t Pass Line wager. Place bets on both 6 and 8. After either is rolled, put a wager down on Inside. After the next hit, you’ll take down the 5 and 9. Stay with it for three more rolls and then take down the 6 and 8. If by the fourth roll the point, 6 or 8 have not been rolled, take down all wagers, as the odds are stacking higher against you with each consecutive roll that follows.
Combination Regressive and Pressing
“In this scenario, you are covering your initial investment with earnings from smart bets and letting anything additional to that ride as play continues.”
This play follows Big 6/8 play initially. After the point has been established, put wagers down on 6 and 8 with an additional wager on Inside after the first hit. After the second hit, take down your bets on 5 and 9. On the third hit, put 5 and 9’s wager back up. On the fourth hit of the game, press on both 6 and 8. When the fifth hit takes place, start again at step one and repeat the process.
