🎲 Craps: the real odds & smartest way to play

Q: What is the house edge on Craps?

1.41% (Pass) → ~0.37% with full odds. Pass Line: of the 1,980 equally-likely resolution sequences, the house keeps 1.41%. Don't Pass is 1.36% (the 12 push on the come-out gives the house its sliver). Free Odds are paid at true odds (e.g. 2:1 on the 4/10), so adding them dilutes the fixed 1.41% over a larger total wager → ~0.37% effective with 3-4-5x. Any Seven pays 4:1 but the true odds are 5:1, giving a 16.67% edge.

1.41% (Pass) → ~0.37% with full oddshouse edge
YOUR SHOT: BEST

Craps is loud and social and has some of the best bets in the house IF you stick to the line + odds. The proposition bets in the middle exist to fund the chandeliers — that's where casinos make their craps money.

Updated June 2026 · VegasEdge · Education, not a way to beat the house

✅ Best bet

Pass Line / Come, then backing it with the maximum free Odds bet (3-4-5x). The Odds bet is the only bet in the casino paid at TRUE odds — zero house edge on that portion — which drags the combined edge down to about 0.37% with 3-4-5x odds. Don't Pass is even lower at 1.36%.

🚫 Sucker bet to avoid

Any Seven (a one-roll bet) at 16.67% is the single worst common bet on the table. Hardways (~9–11%), the proposition/center bets, and the Field (~2.78–5.5%) are all sucker territory.

How the edge is computed

Pass Line: of the 1,980 equally-likely resolution sequences, the house keeps 1.41%. Don't Pass is 1.36% (the 12 push on the come-out gives the house its sliver). Free Odds are paid at true odds (e.g. 2:1 on the 4/10), so adding them dilutes the fixed 1.41% over a larger total wager → ~0.37% effective with 3-4-5x. Any Seven pays 4:1 but the true odds are 5:1, giving a 16.67% edge.

Optimal strategy

Bet Pass (or Don't Pass) and take/lay the maximum Odds — that's it. Ignore the tempting center-of-the-table proposition bets entirely; the flashier the bet, the worse the edge. Place 6 and 8 (1.52%) are acceptable; Place 4/5/9/10 are worse.

What to expect

Play it smart. Gambling is entertainment, not a way to make money — the house always has the long-run edge, and no system beats it. Set a budget you can afford to lose and stick to it. If gambling stops being fun, call or text the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537), available 24/7.

Compare other games

🃏 Blackjack — ~0.5%🀄 Baccarat — 1.06% (Banker)🎰 Video Poker — 0.46% (9/6 Jacks or Better, optimal play)🔴 Roulette — 5.26% (double-zero) / 2.70% (single-zero)🂡 Pai Gow Poker — ~2.5% (with 5% commission)♠️ Three Card Poker — ~3.37% (Ante & Play)← Full best & worst odds ranking All gambling guides & etiquette →

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