Craps Strategy

If there was ever a game of complete luck, then it has to be craps. There is no way that a player or the dealer can have an effect on the outcome of the game. Do not let this dissuade you, however. There are many things that you could learn about the game that can tip the game in your favour. It is all about how you play. This is called a strategy and will give you an edge over players who accept that there is nothing they can do besides cross their fingers and bet blindly.

Stay disciplined

The best thing you can do to help your craps strategy along is to stay disciplined. All good craps players play in a similar manner. In craps, you have to set yourself two limits. This boils down to how much you are prepared to lose and how much you want to win. Obviously, you want to win as much as possible. Every player does. The fact is that your luck can change quite quickly. Just because you are on a winning streak it does not mean you should keep going. Don’t ever be greedy. You should set yourself a 20% margin on winning or losing. How much you decide to bet depends entirely on your bank roll. You should also be careful of gambling on credit because if you do lose you will be required to pay this money back – and the fact that you are gambling on credit possibly means that you do not have the money to pay this out.

Use a money management system

Setting up a sound money management system is also a good way to guard yourself. Just remember that a strategy is not only about winning but also about protecting yourself from losing. The Martingale and Paroli methods are good ways manage your money but you may have another system that works equally well for you. At the end of the day it is you who has to place the bets, so you should do whatever you are comfortable with. If you have a system that works then you should stick to it. You have to stick to whatever limits you have set for yourself because this will teach you discipline.

Bet wisely

When you start playing you should not allow your bets to exceed 1/20th of your bank roll at the most. If you want the game to last a little longer you could even bet at 1/50th of your bank roll. This is also a safer way to bet. For example, if you are playing at a $5 craps table then you should look at a bank roll of around $200. This not only gives you space to end in the positive even if you start badly, but also decreases your chances of maxing out too early.

You also need to know how to bet wisely, and this means knowing how the smart bets work. Like most games, there are only few betting opportunities where the house edge is low. There are several of these options available to you in craps and you should take advantage of these bets. You will be able to find the betting guidelines which pertain to the casino you are playing in as these differ slightly between places.

The more experienced craps players tend to stick with come bets and pass line bets as these are backed by free odds. You will also notice that these players will place their bets mainly on 6 and 8. This is a sound strategy and although it won’t guarantee you a big win in a short space of time, you should come out smiling if you have the patience.

The more intricate bets require you to hedge your bets. This is a catch-22 situation because hedge betting allows you to have more control over you game, but the payouts are nowhere near as big as the other betting options.

Keep a cool head

This may seem obvious, but many players lose their nerve when things are not going according to plan. It is not possible to play any game coherently if you have lost your nerve. When you add losing money into the equation then the scenario can get even uglier. If you lose your nerve then you are more likely to make irrational decisions. If you are unsure about how you will like craps, then first play online for free. You should get a good indication as to how you enjoy the game without the risk of losing any money.