How to Win More Often at the Craps Table

12/01/22

Craps is one of the most popular casino games, and one of the main reasons is that the game is pretty easy to learn. You can play it online in several jurisdictions that permit online gambling, and you will also find several land-based casinos in the US that you let you play.

Although craps has a lower barrier to entry than most casino games, that doesn’t mean you don’t still have a decent amount of things to learn. While no strategy will guarantee you a 100% success rate, you can still pick up a few nuggets of wisdom that’ll stand you in good stead for the long run.

In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about getting better at craps. We’ll also show you where you can play the game in Las Vegas, along with a selection of online casinos that offer craps to their customers.

Craps Rules: Everything You Need to Know

Before we look at where you can begin shooting craps and how you can improve your chances of winning, let’s discuss the rules a bit.

Only one person technically shoots craps in each round, and that is whoever rolls the dice. How you win depends on the bet you choose, and all bets are placed prior to the person with the dice – known as the “shooter” – throwing their dice.

You can place more than one kind of bet in craps. Some of the most popular ones are pass and don’t pass, along with come and don’t come. However, you can also use place and proposition bets – plus others.

When playing craps, you’ll often hear a “point” be referred to. The point will vary depending on your bet type, and whether you win or lose will depend on the rules for that particular point.

What’s the Best Craps Strategy?

Now that we’ve covered the basic rules of craps, let’s look at some strategies you can use.

As we mentioned in the introduction, no strategy will give you a 100% chance of winning. However, you will find a selection that’ll increase them. Let’s look at some of the best ones.

Consider Using a Don’t Pass Line if You’re a Beginner

If you’re a beginner at shooting craps, choosing one particular betting line – and sticking to it – is a good starting point. Choosing the don’t pass line is a wise idea, and there are several reasons why you may benefit from using this.

When you use a don’t pass line, you’ve often got a higher chance of winning. On top of that, it pays the same as a pass line. While the pass line has numerous benefits on its own, don’t pass could give you more options to win on your bets.

Practice in Real-Life Settings

If you want to improve at anything, you need to go out and try it for yourself. You also need to fail multiple times before you can succeed – and craps is no different for either of these.

To become a better craps player, you must practice in real-life. If you don’t want to stake money yet, that’s fine; you can easily get a board and play without trying to gain a financial reward.

Having said that, it’s also important to remember that playing craps in a casino setting is very different. When money’s on the line, it naturally will impact how you think about things. To learn how to deal with that pressure, getting involved in a casino will give you an edge.

Don’t Take Unnecessary Risks as a Beginner

The very nature of gambling is risky, hence why we often call things that are uncertain a “gamble”. However, you should try to avoid taking unnecessary risks when shooting craps as a beginner. Doing so might make you look daring, but it will often backfire.

Try to observe what more experienced players do, and stick to a strategy that works for you. Over time, you can build on those. There’s a time to make big moves, but taking things slowly and focusing on learning in your early stages is a much better idea.

Before you make any risky moves, you might also want to try them without having money as a prize at stake.

Focus on Making Slow Gains

This next tip goes for many forms of gambling, but it’s particularly true with table games, as you have more control. It’s all too tempting to go for the bigger wins, but you should understand that those rarely pay off – and you’ll often end up worse off if you do.

Like anything in life, you want to improve your craps skills in a way that’s sustainable. Moreover, you want to go into each session knowing that you’ve given yourself the best possible chance of winning.

Focus on making slower gains and incremental wins. Over the course of the game, you can ensure that they continue building if you give yourself the right strategy.

How to Play Craps in Vegas: Where Can I Play?

You can play craps in casinos throughout the US, but Las Vegas is where many people go when they want to. You’ll find countless casinos in close proximity to one another, with many of them offering craps facilities of the highest order.

Below are some of the best casinos for shooting craps in Vegas.

Caesars Palace

Caesars Palace is one of the biggest names in the US gambling industry, and its Vegas casino and hotel complex is a mammoth to navigate. You’ll find a craps table in the casino, and a dealer will control important things such as taking bets.

Regardless of your ability level, Caesars Palace allows you to play craps. You can also ask the dealers questions, and the casino recommends that you let others know that you’re shooting for the first time when it’s your turn to roll the dice.

Mandalay Bay

Mandalay Bay is another of the most popular hotel and casino complexes in Las Vegas. Like Caesars Palace, you’ll find a wide selection of table games – and one of those is craps.

At the Mandalay Bay casino, the craps table is one of the most-enjoyed ones. You can, like Caesars, join even if you’re a beginner. The casino is one of many along the Las Vegas Strip, making it easy for you to find.

MGM Grand

MGM Grand is another big name in Las Vegas, and if you’ve already done a little research for a trip, you’ll undoubtedly have heard of it. The venue is on the Las Vegas Strip, and craps is one of the numerous table games you’ll find when you come here.

The craps table at MGM Grand follows the standard rules of the game that you’ll find elsewhere. Besides craps, you can also play baccarat, blackjack, and poker at the casino – along with several other games.

How to Play Craps Online

If you don’t want to make a trip to Vegas, or you’d like to try out craps on your own before playing in person, you’ll find several casinos that let you play the game. You’ll find plenty if you live in the US, but you’ll need to ensure that you’re based in a jurisdiction where online casino games are illegal.

Below are some of the best places you can play craps online.

BetMGM

BetMGM primarily focuses on sports betting, but you will also find an online casino. On the casino website, you can play craps from the comfort of your computer or smartphone. BetMGM has dedicated casino and sportsbook apps for both iOS and Android.

As you might have guessed from its name, BetMGM is operated by MGM Resorts – the same company that looks after MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The app is available in multiple US states.

DraftKings

DraftKings started out as a daily fantasy sports brand, but since then, it has expanded into sports betting and online casino games. Its strong branding has made it a go-to choice for many online gamblers, and if you want to try out craps, you can do so on its website.

When playing craps with DraftKings, you can play all kinds of bets. And if you want to know more about certain spots in the game, you can use Help mode to gain better insight.

Everything You Need to Know About Playing Craps and Winning

So, there you have it – now you know everything you need to get started with shooting craps. Regardless of whether you play online or in a casino, you’ll find plenty of places to try the game out – and you can also play on your own without having money as an objective to win.

Craps is one of the best games if you’re in your early days of playing table games. While you will still need to keep several things in mind, the learning curve is nowhere near as high as it is for some of the other games out there.

Even if you’re a complete beginner, you can pick up a couple of strategies and tips that will give you a bigger chance of succeeding. And now that you’ve read this article, you should have enough to at least get started.

How to Win More Often at the Craps Table

Craps Rules: Everything You Need to Know

What’s the Best Craps Strategy?