Craps Strategy Basics — UK 2026 Practical Guide
Craps is among the lowest-house-edge games at UK casinos, but the edge depends heavily on which bets you make — and craps offers more distinct bet types than any other casino game. A craps player making only Pass Line bets faces 1.41% house edge; a craps player making the Any 7 proposition bet faces 16.67% house edge. This guide covers the strategic approach for UK players — the mathematically sound bets, the trap bets to avoid, and how to play craps without the systematic losses that uninformed play produces.
Craps Bet Types — The Strategic Essentials
Pass Line: house edge 1.41%. The primary craps bet, placed before the "come-out" roll. Wins immediately on 7 or 11; loses immediately on 2, 3, or 12. Any other number becomes the "point" — player wins if point rolled again before 7; loses if 7 rolled first.
Don't Pass: house edge 1.36%. The opposite of Pass Line — bets against the shooter. Loses immediately on 7 or 11; wins immediately on 2 or 3 (12 is a push). If point is established, wins if 7 rolled before point.
Come: house edge 1.41%. Similar to Pass Line but placed after the come-out roll. Functions identically to Pass Line from the next roll onward.
Don't Come: house edge 1.36%. Similar to Don't Pass but placed after the come-out roll.
Odds bets (backing Pass/Come/Don't Pass/Don't Come): house edge 0.00%. This is the key strategic element of craps — after a point is established on the Pass Line, players can place an additional "odds" bet that pays true mathematical odds with zero house edge. Most UK operators offer 2x or 3x odds; some offer 5x or 10x odds. Odds bets reduce the combined house edge of Pass + Odds to as low as 0.18% with 10x odds.
The Bets to Avoid
Any 7: house edge 16.67%. Proposition bet that next roll will be 7. The single worst bet in craps.
Any Craps: house edge 11.11%. Bet on next roll being 2, 3, or 12.
Hard 4 or Hard 10: house edge 11.11%. Bet on specific doubles (2-2 for hard 4, 5-5 for hard 10) before any 7 or any other 4/10 combination.
Hard 6 or Hard 8: house edge 9.09%.
Yo-Eleven (specific 11 on next roll): house edge 11.11%.
Big 6 or Big 8: house edge 9.09%. Bet on 6 or 8 coming up before 7. Strictly worse than the equivalent Place bet (house edge 1.52% on 6 or 8).
Field Bet: house edge 5.56% (2x payout variant) or 2.78% (3x payout on 12 variant). Bet on next roll being 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12.
Place Bets — Moderate-Edge Option
Place bets let you directly bet on a specific point number (6 or 8 are best). Payout ratios favour the house slightly:
Place 6 or Place 8: house edge 1.52%. Payout 7:6. Reasonable bet type for players wanting to back specific numbers directly rather than through Pass Line + Odds.
Place 5 or Place 9: house edge 4.00%. Payout 7:5. Worse edge than Place 6/8.
Place 4 or Place 10: house edge 6.67%. Payout 9:5. Substantially worse edge.
The Optimal Strategy — Pass Line + Maximum Odds
The mathematically optimal craps strategy combines Pass Line (1.41% edge) with maximum-odds backing (0% edge) to produce the lowest combined house edge per dollar wagered:
2x odds variant (common at UK operators): combined Pass + 2x Odds edge = 0.57%.
3x odds: combined edge = 0.38%.
5x odds: combined edge = 0.23%.
10x odds: combined edge = 0.18% — approaching blackjack basic strategy's 0.43% house edge and better than most mainstream casino games.
Operator odds limits vary — verify the specific odds maximum at your UK operator before committing extended play. Higher odds limits favour the player; the combined Pass + Odds edge strictly decreases with higher available odds.
Don't Pass + Lay Odds — The Alternative
Don't Pass (1.36% edge) combined with "lay odds" (0% edge, payout inversely related to the point number) produces slightly lower combined edge than Pass Line + take odds. Don't Pass requires wagering against the shooter, which has social/psychological considerations at live tables but none at online tables.
Don't Pass + 2x lay odds: combined edge approximately 0.46% — marginally better than Pass + 2x take odds (0.57%).
For online craps at UKGC operators, Don't Pass + Lay Odds is the mathematically superior strategy. For live craps at UK casinos, social considerations sometimes favour Pass Line despite slightly higher edge.
Session Bankroll for Craps
Craps rounds are faster than blackjack or roulette, producing more bets per hour. Typical craps pace is 60-80 resolved bets per hour at online tables. At £5 Pass Line + £10 Odds per round, expected loss is approximately £0.60 per hour at 2x odds.
Session bankroll guidance: 50-100 betting units for variance tolerance. At £5 base bet with 2x odds (total £15 commitment per round), £300-£500 supports reasonable session length.
UK Operator Coverage
Craps is less widely distributed at UK operators than blackjack or roulette. Casumo, 10Bet, Ladbrokes, Coral typically carry Evolution or Pragmatic Play Live craps tables. RNG craps is widely available but less popular than live variants. See craps overview.
Key Takeaways
Pass Line (1.41%) + maximum odds (0%) is the optimal craps strategy. Don't Pass (1.36%) + lay odds is marginally better mathematically. Avoid proposition bets (7-17% house edges). Place bets on 6 or 8 only (1.52% edge); avoid other Place bets. Craps is potentially the lowest-edge game at UK casinos with appropriate strategy and maximum-odds betting. See craps overview, house edge explained, bankroll management.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best craps bet?
Pass Line (1.41% house edge) plus maximum Odds (0% house edge). Combined edge at 10x odds is 0.18% — among the lowest at UK casinos.
Are Odds bets really 0% house edge?
Yes. Odds bets pay true mathematical odds (e.g. 2:1 for point 4 or 10, 3:2 for point 5 or 9, 6:5 for point 6 or 8). The mathematical expectation is exactly zero — neither favouring player nor house.
Should I avoid proposition bets?
Yes. Any 7 has 16.67% house edge; Hard 4/10 have 11.11%; most prop bets are 9-17% edge. The worst bets in craps and among the worst in any casino game.
Is Don't Pass better than Pass Line?
Marginally — 1.36% vs 1.41% house edge. At online tables this small advantage has no social friction; at land-based tables, Don't Pass can produce social awkwardness despite the mathematical advantage.
What odds multiples are available at UK craps tables?
Typically 2x or 3x at most UK operators. Some operators offer 5x or 10x — these produce the lowest combined house edge. Verify odds limits before committing extended play.