The Odds
Craps is a game of chance, but you do however have a greater or lesser likelihood of rolling certain numbers and it is good to understand this before going into a game. That said, we will briefly and non-technically discuss the probability (or odds) of rolling any possible number with a pair of dice by referring to the chart below to illustrate these probabilities.
There are 36 possible combinations that can be rolled with a pair of dice and upon examination of the chart you will observe that the most likely number to roll is 7, with 6 and 8 next most likely, then 5 and 9, with 4 and 10, 3 and 11 following in probability, and finally with the least likely numbers to roll being 2 and 12.
This means that once out of every 6 rolls of the dice you will roll a 7; once out of every 7+ rolls you will roll a 6 or 8; for every 9 rolls 5 or 9 will appear, one time out of every 11+ rolls you'll have a 4 or 10, once in 18 rolls you will see a 3 or 11, and finally, once out of every 36 rolls, you'll have a 2 or 12.
Now on to just how these properties are derived...Let's take the 7 as an example, assuming that you have a white die and a red die. To get a total of seven you have a number of possible combinations that can be rolled: RED -1, WHITE-6; RED-2, WHITE -5; RED-3, WHITE-4, RED-4, WHITE-3; RED-5, WHITE-2; RED-6, WHITE-1.
On the other hand, to roll a 2 or 12, you only have 1 possible combination for each number. RED-1, WHITE-1 for 2; RED-6, WHITE-6 for 12.
The odds of rolling a 7 which you will remember is the most likely number, is 6 times more likely than rolling a 2. So think about the odds of rolling a Hard-way bet like hard 4, hard 10, etc. One chance in 36, just like a 2 or a 12!
Don't recall us mentioning this kind of bet before? Well, that's because we do not recommend these high-risk bets and know the reason for it...it just doesn't pay!
Winning at Craps or any casino game for that matter, is based upon smart plays which increase your odds and decrease the house edge as far as possible. Let's be honest here, we are all aware that under normal circumstances, you basically put the casino's hand in your pocket and hand over your bankroll by placing the low percentage bets.
Don't be fooled, placing unrealistic faith in lady luck can only lead to disaster! Rather be smart and you will ensure that every experience is a pleasurable one.
