Crapless Craps: Strategy and Pitfalls

Casinos have been switching from traditional to crapless craps for a few years, and recreational gamblers have been nonplussed by the change. The games look similar, and crapless craps appears easier to understand and play.

The name comes from not being able to lose on the come-out roll when a 2, 3, or 12 is rolled. Those are the “craps” numbers in the original game. Instead, any number besides 7 can become the point.

“Crapless” might sound like an advantage for the player since it suggests a player won’t lose as often. That’s not quite the case.

Mathematically, crapless craps is worse for the player. The house edge on a pass line bet is 5.38%.

That advantage for the casino is more than three times higher than the 1.41% house edge on a pass line bet in conventional craps. That traditional version remains one of the best bets in the casino.

Many guests don’t realize there’s such a big difference between the two games. It’s worth understanding the pros and cons of crapless craps because rolling dice in a casino is fun.

First, many casinos are replacing standard tables with the crapless version, making it harder to find a traditional craps game.

Second, the house edge for crapless craps is still better than some other casino games. It’s roughly on par with American roulette (00) and lower than many slot machines.

🎲 Crapless Craps vs. Regular Craps

Crapless craps differs from the original version in a few ways. Some of these rules make the game less confusing and more appealing to new players.

Players may not notice the difference at first because the table layout is only slightly different from standard craps.

One rule that’s the same: pass line players win if the shooter rolls a 7 on the come-out roll.

The first difference is that players don’t lose on the come-out roll when the dice land on 2, 3, or 12. These numbers become points like 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 in classic craps.

The additional pass line numbers increase the casino’s advantage since they appear less frequently. Here are the approximate house edges for each:

• 2 or 12: 7.14%

• 3 or 11: 6.25%

The house edge on 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 is similar to the traditional game. The four additional numbers significantly increase the overall house edge on the pass line to 5.38%.

As in regular craps, players can place free odds on their pass line bets. This will help reduce the overall house edge for a pass line bet.

Another difference is that all players are on the same side. There’s no option to place don’t pass or don’t come bets.

Otherwise, the rest of the game plays out similarly, even though the tables look slightly different.

🟣 Crapless Craps Strategy

The best strategy for crapless craps at an in-person casino or real money online casino is similar to that of the classic game. Because the house edge is higher, players should focus on minimizing the casino’s advantage.

While the pass line edge is 5.38%, players should always take the maximum free odds their bankroll allows. This reduces the casino’s advantage. For example, 2x odds cut the edge to 2.02%, and 5x odds drop it to 1.04%.

Like in traditional craps, the best place bets are on 6 or 8. These numbers appear most often and carry only a 1.5% house edge. Avoid other numbers, as the edge climbs as high as 7.14% when betting on 2 or 12.

An advanced approach is to make buy bets instead of place bets. Buy bets pay true odds for a small commission, keeping the house edge around 2%.

Even though the table layout is slightly different, the center bets remain the worst in the game. Avoid these, as their house edge ranges between 10% and 17%.

⬇️ Crapless Craps Pitfalls

The biggest pitfall in crapless craps is not realizing it’s a different game from traditional craps. Players unaware of the higher house edge can lose their money quickly.

Because there are more numbers available to bet on, players may overextend and place too many wagers at once. The extra numbers 2, 3, 11, and 12 carry a higher house edge between 5% and 7%, making it easy to lose bets fast.

Like in standard craps, the exotic bets in the center of the table come with a large house edge. While the potential payouts are enticing, these prop bets carry a house edge between 11% and 17%. The hardway bets (rolling doubles) also have high edges at 9.09% and 11.11%.

Because of this, players should closely monitor their bankroll. It’s easy to lose track of money since there are more numbers to bet, the house edge is higher, and the rolls last longer in crapless craps.

Players should always take the free odds available before placing other bets. These odds lower the house edge and help players stay in the game longer.