There are a confusing number of Craps bets and strategies for betting. Every one of these different bets, such as Pass Line, Come, Don’t Come, Don’t Pass, is subject to its own odds, or player versus house edge.

Types of Bets

One of the most versatile and basic Craps bets is the Pass Line Bet. The Pass Line bet gives one-to-one odds on players’ bets. Wagers are placed on the table in the field marked “Pass Line” just before the Shooter rolls his first come out roll. A Pass Line bet simply bets odds that the Shooter will roll his point number—established as either a 4,5,6,8,9 or 10—before he rolls a 7.

There are dozens of alternative types of Craps bets with names such as Win Line, Don’t Win Line, Don’t Pass Line and Come bets. There are also riskier bets such as Proposition bets, one roll bets and Hardway bets. All Craps bets come with their own set of odds. For this reason, beginners should learn the rules and the odds for all bets.

Strategies

Most experts suggest a number of different gambling strategies from properly managing money to throwing dice with particular grips and throws. As conflicting as these opinions can be, most sources agree that Craps has some of the better odds, along with Blackjack. However, they cannot agree more that players should learn the rules and especially the odds applied to each of the types of bets.

To Avoid

Place Number and Proposition bets are two types of Craps bets, often called one roll bets. These types of bets are generally avoided by good Craps players who are playing for money and to win. Players betting on Place Number and Proposition bets are typically taking risks. They are betting on a certain number being thrown on the next roll of the dice. These bets are considered to have the worst odds.

Hardway bets are also poor choices for players who are playing to win. A player who bets “six the hardway” is betting that a six will be thrown that is a combination of a pair of threes—the hardway—before either a different combination of six is rolled or before the next seven is rolled. A player can make hardway bets on the numbers four, six, eight and ten.