Craps is very rarely thought of as a game that involves strategy, thinking, planning, or anything similar. If anything, it is often simply looked over as a mindless play against chance. Craps strategy, however, is an important element in keeping the house edge low, and maintain some consistent winnings. For the most part, however, craps strategy is based on math; on knowing probabilities and making decisions and adjustments accordingly.

The general math involved in craps strategy is simple: because 2 dice are rolled, the total number reached has to be between 2 and 12. In order to determine the odds of getting a value of 2, understand that both rolls have to land on 1. The odds of each individual one being 1 is 1/6, and it needs to happen twice. As such, the probability is (1/6 multiplied by 1/6) 1/36, or about 2.78%. This can also be expressed as being 35 to 1 (as there are 35 potential results that are not equal to 2 compared to 1 total result that is). This becomes slightly more complicated when dealing with values other than 2 and 12. There are 3 ways, for instance, to roll a 4 (1 and 3, 2 and 2, or 3 and 1). The odds of this happening are therefore 3 to 36, or 1 to 11.

Understanding the way this works, and knowing the probabilities of each value will make it much easier to save your money. Statistically, the house always has the edge in craps because the most likely roll value is a 7, for which the odds are 5 to 1. For every $1 bet on that 7, the establishment will make $4 and lost $1, resulting in their direct profit. This is simplifying the picture, of course, but it is important to understand the workings of the game.

The goal of a good craps player is to understand the statistics behind the game and made educated decisions based on that understanding. In essence, the most important skill to pick up for this strategy is to be able to compare probabilities of certain outcomes with the payouts for those outcomes and find a balance that keeps the house edge as low as possible. This will make the game both more enjoyable and more profitable for the experienced player.