House edge · Bet selection · Exposure · Session plan
Craps strategy cannot control the dice. It can control which wagers you accept, how much money is exposed, how quickly you recycle bets and whether you follow a stopping plan. A sound strategy improves decisions—not the probability of the next roll.
Written and reviewed by Sam 20+ years playing in 65+ casinos
Last reviewed August 2026
Systems analyzed 49 strategy and risk guides
Start with the boundary
Strategy versus a betting system
| Decision | Can change expected cost? | Can predict the next roll? |
|---|---|---|
| Choose a lower-edge wager | Yes | No |
| Bet fewer dollars or fewer rolls | Yes, by reducing exposure | No |
| Take or lay true Odds | Lowers the blended edge percentage; adds dollar risk | No |
| Press, regress or alternate collections | Changes bet size and volatility | No |
| React to a “hot” or “cold” table | Changes your action | No evidence the label predicts the next throw |
Sam’s baseline strategy
For the lowest ordinary cost, use a small Pass/Don’t Pass or Come/Don’t Come flat bet and affordable Odds. For a simpler right-side alternative, consider Place 6 or 8. Every additional working wager adds exposure, even when a system calls it “coverage.”
Start with cost, then measure total exposure
| Bet | Typical house edge | Main risk |
|---|---|---|
| Don’t Pass / Don’t Come | About 1.36% | 7 or 11 loses in the come-out box; 12 normally pushes |
| Pass / Come | About 1.41% | Point-cycle 7 loses |
| Place 6 / 8 | About 1.52% | 7 appears before the number |
| Place 5 / 9 | 4.00% | 7 appears before the number |
| Place 4 / 10 | 6.67% | Buy may be better depending on commission |
| One-roll propositions | Often double digits | Fast resolution repeats the expected cost quickly |
House edge is a long-run average, not a session forecast. A low-edge wager can lose immediately and a high-edge wager can win. The reason to prefer the lower cost is what happens across repeated decisions—not a promise about tonight.
Odds are efficient, but not harmless
The Odds portion behind a line or traveled Come bet pays at the true point-versus-7 ratio. It has zero house edge. The required flat wager keeps its edge, and the additional chips can still be lost. Maximum Odds minimizes the edge as a percentage of combined action; it may not fit a player’s dollar-risk limit.
Track rack and layout separately. A system can show $80 collected while leaving $200 working. If 7 appears, the result is not the amount already collected; it is all collections minus the original buy-in and every chip added.
Strip away the story
Evaluate any named system in six steps
- Write every starting wager. Include line bets, Odds, hedges, bonus bets and commissions.
- Define every chip movement. “Press” must name the old amount, new amount and money added or collected.
- Identify what must happen before regression or collection. The dice are not required to reach that target.
- Find the failure event. For right-side Place systems, it is usually 7 before enough box-number hits.
- Track the maximum money on the layout. Chips described as “house money” remain your money at risk.
- Compare the system with simpler action. Extra hedges and coverage may increase expected cost without solving the underlying risk.
The craps systems framework explains pressing, regression and coverage, while Can Craps Systems Win Long Term? shows which claims require evidence.
A practical session plan
Before buying in
- Choose a table where one normal round is small relative to your session limit.
- Set a money limit and a time limit while you are calm.
- Know the complete starting exposure—not merely the smallest bet.
While playing
- Use wagers whose payout and working status you understand.
- Add Odds only after checking the correct amount and payout.
- Do not expand the plan to recover losses or because a number feels due.
Win and loss limits cannot create a mathematical advantage, but a fixed stopping decision can prevent a session from expanding after tilt. Read what session limits can and cannot do and how to recognize a real stop signal.
A stopping plan is protection, not a system
Never borrow to gamble, increase stakes to chase losses or treat a short-term win as proof of an edge. If gambling is causing financial or emotional harm, stop and use the help resources in our responsible-gambling guide.
All surviving Strategy & Systems guides
Complete craps strategy directory
Foundations
Risk, mindset and honest limits
Inside and across
Pressing and regression schedules
- $22 Inside regression
- $22 Inside with Don’t Come
- $22 Inside on the come-out
- $22 Split
- $32 Across Martingale
- $34 Inside exit plans
- $44 Inside exposure
- $132 Inside regression
- $135 Across
- $200 strategy expected loss
- 6/8 regression with 4/10
- Power pressing 6 and 8
- Progressive betting schedules
- Staged Place-bet expansion
- High-limit Across exposure
Named systems
Methods and claim checks
Don’t-side and mixed
What do you think of taking hard 4 / 10 when your point is a 4 / 10, rather than taking odds? This can reduce the amount of your wager, say a $10 bet you could put $30 odds and risk 40 total on a low win chance for a win of 70 if you win, while a $10 pass bet with $10 on hard 4 is a total risk of 20, with a pay out of 80 if you do win, while the soft 4 turns into a push. Less chance of winning, but less risk for a weaker point eh?
Shosuko, thanks for your comment. Your proposed approach is a classic attempt to hedge your bets. The idea of hedging the Pass Line 4 or 10 with a Hard 4 or Hard 10 (also, hedging a point of 6 or 8 with a Hard 6 or Hard 8) has been thought of and tried by many craps players ever since the game was invented. Your idea is nothing new, so don’t start thinking you’re some kind of craps genius for dreaming it up :-). We suggest that you read our article on “Hedging Your Bets.” https://www.crapspit.org/hedging-bets-dont-do-it/ The article focuses on the 6 and 8, but the same holds true for the 4 and 10. The Pass Line with Odds is one of the best bets you can make on the craps table. Taking Odds on the point is the best bet you can make on the craps table because it’s the only one that doesn’t have a built-in house advantage. By adding a hedge bet on a Hard 4 or Hard 10 to protect your Pass Line bet only does one thing—it makes your Pass Line bet worse (i.e., the overall house advantage increases). Regardless of how badly you want to believe a hedge bet “protects” another bet (you can analyze it and rationalize it until the cows come home), the simple mathematical fact is that hedge bets only make good bets worse. Our advice is to stop trying to dream up ways to get an advantage. You can’t. You never will. Math geniuses have studied the game to infinity and no one has ever found a way to gain an advantage over the house (and no one ever will, not even another Einstein). If you can’t help yourself from making hedge bets, then do it sparingly, but don’t make them a habit. Have fun and good luck at the tables.
Editorial clarification — September 7, 2026: The dismissive language in the historical reply above does not meet CrapsPit’s current editorial standards. The useful mathematical point is narrower: adding a house-edge Hardway hedge to a Pass Line and Odds position changes the combined outcomes and increases expected loss for the described standard wagers. Expected loss is an average over repeated play, not a guarantee about one session. Questions and proposed systems should be answered with the calculation rather than personal criticism. The original reply is preserved for context.
hedge bets are ok if you know what your doing. A great hedge is $1 dollar yo, hop the sevens for $ 3 dollars. then put $ 15 dollars on the don’t pass. at the come out roll. Once the number is established, you place the established number and two other numbers then wait, If your numbers are hit you take your profit, let it ride and wait for the 7 Then you get paid on the don’ pass $ 15 dollars. wow
Hello Phil! People wish to believe a hedge bet “protects” another bet but the fact is that hedge bets only make good bets worse. If you can’t help yourself from making hedge bets, then do it sparingly, but don’t make them a habit. Also check out our post about hedge bets.
How about pass line with odds and placing the 6/8 ? That’s it no come bets. Thanks
Jeff, thanks for the question. You’re on the right track! We believe that’s a sound strategy for keeping the house advantage relatively low while at the same time increasing your action on the table. As noted in other articles, the best way to play, in terms of keeping the house advantage low, is to play only the Don’t with Odds or Pass with Odds. But as we note in other articles, that can get boring rather quickly, which defeats our reason for playing craps in the first place (i.e., we play for the fun and excitement of the game, not to get rich). We suggest that you read our article, “How to Bet to Minimize Losses and….” In that article, look at Steps 2a and 2b. Step 2 discusses Placing the 6 and/or 8, depending on what the point is. So, again, we believe you’re on the right track. Keep in mind that Placing only the 6 and 8 (with the Pass and Odds) might not give you the action, fun, and excitement you’re looking for, especially if it’s a lukewarm or hot table. Therefore, read the rest of that article for a way to get increased action on the table and see if that strategy suits your playing needs. Good luck and have fun at the tables!
Editorial clarification — September 7, 2026: The phrase “lukewarm or hot table” above describes results already observed; it does not predict the next roll. With fair dice, each roll is independent. Adding Place bets on 6 and 8 can create more action, but it also increases the money exposed and the expected dollar loss. A player should base that choice on budget, house edge, volatility and entertainment value rather than a recent streak. The original reply is preserved for historical context.
Yes gottcha …thank you