How To Recognise The Worst Bets In Craps And Avoid Them

Posted: June 20, 2024

Updated: June 20, 2024

Some craps players like to think they have some sort of control over the outcome when they toss the dice down the table in craps. However, this table game is nothing more than a game of chance. Having said that, there are some means of helping your bankroll last longer. Many of these revolve around making the right bets and staying away from the worst bets in craps.

Craps is a thrilling table game with a multitude of betting options that entices players at many online casinos. While some bets offer a fair chance of winning, indicated by a low house edge (the casino’s inherent advantage), others are stacked against you. It’s crucial to understand this difference between good and the worst bets in craps before placing your hard-earned money. First, let’s explore the good stuff: bets with low house edges.

These bets, like the Pass Line or Don’t Pass Line, give you a better chance of coming out ahead in the long run. However, beware of variant payouts at some casinos. These can significantly alter the house edge, often to your disadvantage. Always be sure to check the casino’s specific payouts before diving in to ensure you’re getting the best possible odds.

The Pass Line/Come Bet

The exciting game of Craps offers a spectrum of bets with varying house edges, with all impacting your chances of winning. The Pass Line and Don’t Pass bets are very popular for their simplicity, boast. They also boast a very reasonable house edge of around 1.4%. Similarly attractive odds are offered on Place 6 and 8 bets, with house edges hovering around 1.52%. Remember, the house edge is the casino’s inherent advantage.

The lower this percentage, the fairer the bet and the better your chance of extending your bankroll. Conversely, some of the worst bets in Craps come with high house edges, like some specialty wagers, significantly decrease your odds of winning and can quickly drain your cash. By prioritising bets with lower house edges, like the Pass Line or Place 6/8, you give yourself a fighting chance and potentially maximise your playing time and enjoyment at the Craps table, especially in online casinos like Bet365 Casino.

High House Edge Craps Bets And Wagers

Let us now enlighten you as to just how wide and varied the different bets and wagers you can place on a Craps table are. Along with how the house edges of those bets and wagers are even more varied. The Place 5 and 9 bets have a house edge of some 4.00%. In truth, this is very similar to the house edge or RTP (return to player) found on most slot machines. By placing the Place 4 and 10 you will be up against a house edge of 6.67% which the Buy 6 or 8, Buy 5 or 9 and the Buy 4 or 10 all share an identical house edge working out at 4.76%.

However, even with this house edge, they are still not the worst bets in Craps. By placing either a Lay 6 or Lay 8 bet the house edge you will be up against is 4.00%, however the Lay 5 or 9 bets offer a slightly lower house edge of 3.23% and an even lower house edge is attached to the Lay 4 or 10 bets which for reference is 2.44%.

Worst Bets In Craps – The Field Bet

The field bet in craps gets a bit of a bad rap for a couple of reasons. The first being that it comes with a high house edge. In fact, this is the main culprit. The house edge, which is the casino’s advantage, is higher on a field bet (5.56%) compared to other popular craps bets. It can be around 5.56% depending on the casino (it gets better if 2 or 12 pays triple). This means over time, online casino sites in the UK have a bigger chance of keeping your money. Another negative factor is that the field bet only applies to the next roll of the dice. While it seems appealing to cover many numbers (3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 2, 12), statistically, it doesn’t balance out well in the long run.

Stay Away From The 2 Or 12 Bets

There are two main reasons to avoid betting on 2 or 12 in craps, even though they offer a high payout of 30:1. For a start there’s their low probability. As such, these are the least likely outcomes in craps. There’s only one way to roll a 2 (two ones) and only one way to roll a 12 (two sixes) out of 36 possible combinations (6 on each die). This means the odds of winning are very low, at just under 3%, making this one of the worst bets in Craps.

Then there’s the high risk vs reward. Although the high 30:1 payout might seem tempting, you have to weigh it against the low chance of winning. Mathematically, you only have a chance of winning 2 out of 36 rolls (or 1 out of 18). This translates to roughly a 5.56% chance. Think about it this way: you’d have to lose many bets in a row before a single win makes up for it, especially considering the casino’s edge.

Worst Bets In Craps – Any 7 Bet

The Any 7 bet in craps might seem like a surefire way to win since there are six ways to roll a 7 (two ones, three twos, etc.). But according to online casino news in the UK, it’s actually one of the worst bets in Craps you can make at the gaming table. The biggest reason to avoid the Any 7 bet is the high house edge. While it seems appealing because seven is a common roll, the casino gives you worse odds than the actual probability of rolling a 7.

The payout is only 4:1, whereas the true odds are closer to 5:1. This difference translates to a house edge of around 16.67%, which is significantly higher than most other craps bets. The Any 7 bet only applies to the very next roll of the dice. There are 36 total possible outcomes when rolling two dice (6 on each die x 6 on each die). Out of those 36, only six result in a 7. Simple maths tells you that this means there are 30 ways to lose the bet compared to just 6 ways to win.

Conclusion – How To Spot The Worst Bets In Craps

While the casino game of Craps boasts a wide variety of betting options, not all offer equal chances of winning. After all, the house edge varies significantly between bets. This means some wagers will drain your bankroll much faster than others. New players can explore Craps risk-free using the free play options offered by most online casinos. This allows you to experiment with different bets and witness firsthand how the house edge impacts your gameplay. Once comfortable, you can transition to real money mode.

Many casinos like Bet365 Casino entice players with bonuses on their first deposit, and all real money wagers contribute to earning valuable comp and loyalty points. So, before diving in with real cash, take advantage of free play to gain a solid understanding of Craps and make informed decisions that maximise your enjoyment and potentially minimise losses.