Craps Strategy 2024 – Basic Tips to Win Today

craps strategyThe great thing about craps is that as it’s a  luck-based game, there are plenty of different craps strategies out there.

All craps strategies deal with where to place your bets in order to maximize pay-outs and minimize potential losses by insuring your bets.

If you’re new to craps altogether, then writing down the steps of each craps strategy you discover will definitely pay off. Craps does take a bit of habit to get used to, after all.

Once you’ve tried out a few craps strategies, you’ll be no stranger to the craps table, betting odds and pay-outs. But if you’re new, then the craps strategy we’ve chosen to talk about will be perfect to help you break out of your shell.

Get a pen and notebook ready, because this one’s bound to get you raking in the chips.

Best Craps Strategy for Beginners: The 3-2-1 System

A lot of players stay stuck at the pass line bet because they’re overwhelmed by the number of possible bets on the craps table. That’s alright – the best way to get accustomed to all that’s available is to take things one step at a time.

The 3-2-1 system is a system where you only play with your pass line bet, place bets, and odds bet.

It’s perfect to get you used to all three of these bets: their pay-outs, their features, and the order in which you can place them.

Step 1: Place your Pass-Line and Odds Bet

So, here’s what you do. You make your pass line bet to begin the game. The amount you place in your odds bet will depend on the point you’ve rolled. If the point is:

  • 6 or 8: bet 3x the minimum in odds
  • 5 or 9: bet 2x the minimum in odds
  • 4 or 10: bet 1x the minimum in odds

As you can see, this craps strategy gets its namesake from where you place your odds bet.

Step 2: Put Money on your Place Bets

The next feature of this strategy is to bet on all inside numbers (5, 6, 8, 9). Follow the betting increments and make minimum bets of $5 on 4, 5, 9, and $6 for 6 and 8.

If your point is on one of the inside numbers, bet on the rest of the inside numbers.  And if your point is on 4 or 10, you can cover all 4 inside numbers.

You’ll then be hoping to hit your inside numbers before you either roll the point and win your pass & odds bets, or roll a 7 and lose.

As per craps rules, you can hit the place bets one after the other, but even after getting your winnings you won’t take the chips off them.

Step 3: Insure your Money by Turning Off the Place Bets

craps tableThe real point of this craps strategy is to insure your money. Wait till you hit at least 2 place bets and collected the pay-outs (or three if you want to push it). Then, turn “off” your place bets.

In online craps, you’ll be able to do this by clicking on the little “off” puck on the betting line under the place bet numbers.

That way, your bets are “paused”. If you lose, your place bets won’t be affected – they’ll stay on the mat. And if the point is one of the numbers you betted on, you’ll get your chips back.

That way, you will still keep your place bet winnings, and simply deduct whatever you lost in pass & odds bets from the total. So you’ll never be in the negative if you end up rolling a 7.

For instance: let’s say you hit 2 place bets and won $14 total. You turn “off” your place bets, and then roll a 7.

You’ll lose the $5 you put in your pass line bet, and the $5 you placed in your odds. But you’ll still have won $4. And you’ll be able to turn your place bets back “on” when you start a new game.