For its sheer excitement, and reliance on chance, Craps has been the professional gamblers choice for hundreds, even thousands of years.

It's fun, it’s exciting and you can win at craps if you follow the simple tips below.

Gambling with dice (throwing of lots) is as old as the Bible and even older perhaps with references of dice play for money from India, China, Mesopotamia, Egypt and Greece. There are similar references from pre-Colombian civilizations.

The professional gambler is there to win at craps, not only to play and have fun. We will some basic rules to win at craps below.

The Game

The game of craps is rather simple. There is the player (called the shooter) who throws the dice. On his first roll of the dice (called ‘coming out’) one of three things can happen.

1.The shooter rolled a 7 or 11 and wins.

2.The shooter rolled a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 and “makes the point”. The game then continues till the point is re-made, whereby the shooter again wins, or a 7 comes out, whereby the shooter now loses.

3.The shooter rolled a 2, 3 or 12 (all called craps) and the shooter instantly loses.

Betting on the Game

There are many ways to bet and some are obligatory.

If you are the shooter, you must place a bet on the pass line. This bet will remain, unless you come out with a 7 or 11, or a 2, 3, or 12. If you make your point, you win. If you do not make your point, and roll a 7, you lose.

You must be aware that there is a house edge on craps bets, and these are with the casino and you need to select the best one to help yopu win at craps.

You can bet basically “right” (with the shooter), or “wrong” (against the shooter). Betting wrong does not mean you are betting with the casino.

You are only betting that the shooter will roll a 7 before making a point.

Winning at craps - Getting the Odds in Your Favor

A professional needs three things to win at craps.

He needs to be able to stay in the game, to be able to increase the betting while winning, and get the odds in his favor. The math’s of craps is complex, but somehow simpler than other games as you have a limited number of combinations only.

There is however one bet which brings the odds even. This is the professional gambler’s bet, and it’s called “free odds” and is the bet to focus on to win at craps

Betting the Free Odds bet to win at craps:

After placing a bet on the pass line and a point is established, you can place a bet on the free odds box equal to that of your pass line bet.

Say you bet $50 on the passline on the come out, and a point is established, you can bet another $50 on the space just below the pass line (this is the free odds area), and it backs up your pass line bet.

If the point comes, you win twice, and get the odds (why it’s called free odds) of the point. ).

If the Point is a 4 or a 10, odds bets pay out at 2 to 1. If the Point is a 5 or a 9, odds bets pay out at 3 to 2. If the Point is a 6 or an 8, odds bets pay out at 6 to 5.

Here is my formula for winning at craps: Set your perimeters. Decide in advance how much of a bankroll you're willing to risk and how big a win you'd be happy with.

Personally, my aim is to win an amount equal to what I start with. If I buy-in for $50, I will quit when I've doubled my stake or lost it. With my objectives clearly defined, I can not get into a situation I might sorely regret later. Whether the session ends positive or negative, I take an extended break before trying again.

In craps, as in most other games, if you want to win big money, you have to risk big money. There is probably no way around this fact. But, as a smart gambler you don't make large bets with the money you brought to the table. Keep your wagers small until you can bet back what was the casinos money -- your winnings.

Start cautiously, wager no more than the minimum unit required. When you win, bet two units. Win again, risk three units. If you win a third time, bet five units. Then stay at that level until you lose. Revert back to the table-minimum after a loss. This assures that you risk only your winnings in pursuit of larger gains, while making your own, original bankroll last as long as possible.

Don’t risk more than your predetermined stake. Conversely, once you've reached what you set out to win, cash in and pat yourself on the back for being so smart!

Good Luck!