Best Craps Strategies for Beginners: Ranked by House Edge
Quick answer: If you're new to craps, start with the Pass Line, learn when to add Odds, and consider Place 6 and 8 if you want bets you can make while a point is already on. The lowest mathematical house edge doesn't guarantee the smallest dollar loss: bet size, total action, and session length still matter.
Craps is full of colorful betting systems. A good beginner strategy is simpler: choose bets with understandable rules and relatively low house edges, then make sure the amount you risk fits your play-money bankroll. Here's how five practical approaches compare, using the same standard payouts shown on the 0stakes craps table.
Quick ranking: bets before betting systems
| Beginner approach | House edge | Why consider it | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Don't Pass (12 pushes) | ~1.36% per resolved flat wager | Slightly lower edge than Pass Line | The come-out 12 is a push; some players prefer betting with the shooter |
| Pass Line | ~1.41% per resolved flat wager | Easy starting point and clear game flow | You must place it on the come-out |
| Place 6 or Place 8 | ~1.52% per resolved Place bet | Flexible, straightforward payouts | Risk stays exposed until the number hits, seven appears, or you take the bet down |
| Come | ~1.41% per resolved flat wager | Similar math to Pass Line after a point is on | More moving bets can be harder to track |
| Pass Line + Odds | ~1.41% on flat bet; 0% on Odds portion | Reduces blended edge as a percentage of total action | Extra Odds increase money at risk and can amplify dollar swings |
These figures refer to standard bet-resolution calculations, not expected loss per physical dice roll. The effective edge of a combined betting approach depends on how much is wagered in each component. See the full craps house-edge chart.
1. Pass Line: the best place to learn
Make a Pass Line bet before the come-out roll. You win immediately on 7 or 11, lose on 2, 3, or 12, and establish a point on 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. After a point is set, you win if the point rolls again before a 7 and lose if 7 arrives first. The bet pays even money and has an approximately 1.41% house edge.
Example: You put $10 on Pass Line. The come-out is 8. If the shooter rolls another 8 before a 7, you win $10; if a 7 comes first, you lose $10. Other rolls keep the decision going.
Beginner verdict: The simplest foundation. Follow the action in the how-to-play guide and then practice free craps.
2. Add Odds only if the extra exposure makes sense
Once a point exists, many tables let you place an Odds bet behind your Pass Line wager. That additional bet pays at the true mathematical odds of the point returning before 7: 2:1 on 4/10, 3:2 on 5/9, and 6:5 on 6/8. The Odds portion has zero house edge.
Say the point is 8, you have $10 on Pass Line, and you add $10 in Odds. If 8 arrives before 7, your flat bet earns $10 and your Odds earn $12. If 7 arrives first, both bets lose for a $20 loss.
Zero-edge Odds do not turn the total bet into an advantage, and they do not make the game risk-free. They lower the blended casino edge on the money you stake, but put more money in play. If you're working with a small bankroll, there's no requirement to take maximum Odds. The Pass Line and Odds guide explains limits and payouts in more detail.
3. Place 6 and 8: a flexible alternative
Unlike Pass Line, Place bets can be made once the game is underway. For 6 and 8, each bet pays 7:6, so use multiples of $6 to get a whole-dollar payout. A $12 Place 6 pays $14 profit when a 6 arrives before a 7; a 7 before a 6 loses the $12 wager. The same applies to Place 8.
Each number has five dice combinations, versus six for the 7, which gives each Place 6/8 bet an approximately 1.52% house edge when it resolves. Placing both numbers increases how much money is exposed; it does not reduce the underlying edge of either bet.
For a $24 total setup, you might place $12 on 6 and $12 on 8. A hit on either one pays $14 while the other bet remains outstanding, assuming both are working and you leave the winning bet up. A seven-out costs the exposed $24. You can ask for a bet to be taken down or turned off, depending on the table's rules.
Important rule difference: At many live tables, Place bets are off on the come-out unless you request otherwise. The 0stakes free craps table may keep placed bets working immediately; use its Bets Off controls if you want to simulate the live-table default. For a deeper walkthrough, read the 6/8 strategy guide.
4. Come bets: add action without chasing proposition bets
A Come bet is basically a new Pass Line bet begun after a point is established. On its first roll it wins on 7/11, loses on 2/3/12, or travels to its own number. Then it wins if that number returns before 7. The flat Come bet has the same approximate 1.41% house edge as Pass Line.
Come betting is useful if you want more than one live number, but it adds bookkeeping and can result in multiple wagers losing together on a 7. Learn one Come bet first before considering more involved systems such as the 3 Point Molly.
5. Don't Pass: low edge, different experience
Don't Pass generally wins when 7 appears before the established point, and it loses if the point repeats first. On the come-out, 2 or 3 wins and 7 or 11 loses; 12 is a push under the rules used here. Its ~1.36% edge is slightly lower than the Pass Line's, but a fractional edge difference should not drive you to a betting style you don't understand.
Strategies beginners should treat cautiously
The Iron Cross covers many totals and can generate frequent winning rolls, but 7 can wipe out several positions at once. Read the Iron Cross simulation for the cost of that coverage. Hardways, Any Seven, and many proposition bets have materially higher house edges; their appealing payouts conceal lower hit probabilities. A progression such as increasing bets after a loss does not change the expected value of the underlying wager.
Which approach should you actually try?
If you're learning the layout, make a small Pass Line wager and watch a few points resolve. Once comfortable, experiment with one Odds bet. If you prefer having specific numbers in action, practice one $6 Place 6 or Place 8 wager before putting both out. Above all, compare total dollars at risk, not simply the published edge percentage. A lower-edge approach that requires much larger wagers can still cost more in absolute dollars.
Use play money to test each approach on the free craps table. Want the exact numbers for every bet? See Craps odds and payouts.
Frequently asked questions
What is the simplest craps strategy for beginners?
A small Pass Line bet, followed by an optional Odds bet once a point is established, is an easy place to begin. Neither wager guarantees a win.
Is placing 6 and 8 better than Pass Line?
Not strictly. Pass Line has a slightly lower flat-bet house edge, while Place 6/8 offers more flexibility and faster bet decisions. Your choice also affects how many dollars you keep exposed.
Does taking maximum Odds make craps profitable?
No. Odds pay at fair odds, but your Pass Line wager still has a house edge. More Odds can increase session volatility.
What is the best craps strategy to win every time?
There isn't one. Fair dice produce unpredictable outcomes, and ordinary casino wagers are priced with a long-run house advantage.
0stakes provides free-play educational games, not real-money gambling. All bets and examples above assume standard payouts stated in the article; individual casino rules may differ.