• A sweepstakes casino is a unique online gambling platform that offers casino-style games under US sweepstakes laws, providing an alternative for players in regions with restrictive online gambling laws.
• Instead of using real currency, a sweepstakes casino offers games using virtual currency or “sweeps coins” that can’t be purchased directly but are given as a casino bonus when buying play money or obtained for free through other methods.
• After acquiring and using these sweeps coins to play games, players can redeem them for real cash.
• Popular sweepstakes casino games often include slots, poker, and table games similar to those in traditional online casinos.
• Despite appearing like online gambling, sweepstakes casinos operate within a legal grey area by technically promoting sweepstakes rather than gambling, making them accessible to a broader range of players across the US.

What are sweepstakes casinos? you might well ask. How are sweepstakes casinos different from traditional casinos? How do these special online casinos work?  You’re in luck again. You have questions, we have answers. You need only read on and you’ll be playing your favorite online games for real cash and prizes before you know it.

Two Models: Gambling versus Sweepstakes

Gambling has a specific legal definition in the United States; it means a person is risking money in hopes of some kind of return that will be determined by the outcome of a contest of skill or game of chance. Any activities that fall under this definition – like sports betting or casino games – are highly regulated under U.S. federal and state laws.

Sweepstakes casinos take advantage of a legal carveout most states make for random giveaways such as raffles, drawings, and – you guessed it – sweepstakes.  A sweepstakes casino avoids the legal definition of gambling by fulfilling two conditions.

• The games look and play the same as they would at a traditional casino, but players don’t win money directly as a result of the outcome of the game.
• Sweeps casinos don’t require an initial purchase or deposit as a condition of winning cash or prizes.

Sweepstakes Casinos: An Alternative to Online Gambling

The best sweeps casinos thread this legal needle to offer a realistic online casino experience that approaches – but doesn’t cross – the threshold of gambling. Sweepstakes casinos look like other online gaming environments, with hundreds of slots options, video poker, and your favorite casino table games. And best of all, sweepstakes casinos pay out millions in cash and prizes to players just like a traditional online casino.

If you enjoy playing online casino games with real money at stake, but don’t live in a state with legal online gambling, a sweepstakes casino just might be what you’re looking for.

The best sweepstakes casinos provide the same level of richness and diversity of play as a traditional online casino, and they do it in a consistent, secure, high performance environment. Best of all, sweeps casinos are legal in almost every U.S. state, so you won’t have to cross state lines to get the action you crave.

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How Does a Sweepstakes Casino Work?

In a normal online casino or sports book, a player maintains a real money account balance that funds their wagers and can be withdrawn at any time. To stay on the right side of the law, sweeps casinos create a layer between real money and gameplay in the form of one or more virtual currencies.

Instead of a dollar-for-dollar trade in a traditional casino a sweepstakes casino currency has a specific role and denomination, and more important, it has no direct cash value and can’t be withdrawn.

When you sign up at a sweeps casino, your account is automatically issued a certain amount of gameplay currency, commonly called Gold Coins. You can use your Gold Coins to play a hand of Blackjack or take a spin with a slot game.

Your Gold Coin balance will rise and fall depending on the outcome of your gameplay, but these coins can’t be turned directly into cash. And while you’re issued some Gold Coins just for signing up, you’ll be strongly encouraged to purchase more Gold Coins so you can play longer.

Coins Means Prizes

So how to people win real cash and prizes if you can’t cash your Gold Coins in for money? There is a second currency, known generally as Sweepstakes Coins, that get issued in the form of bonuses and prizes. Again, these coins are not given out as a direct result of your bets. But of course, the longer you play, the more likely it is that you’ll be issued Sweepstakes Coins. ?

When you accumulate enough Sweepstakes Coins, the sweeps casino will give you an opportunity to trade these coins in for cash rewards and cash-equivalent prizes (such as branded gift cards). It’s a little more complicated than a traditional online casino, but you’ll get the hang of it quickly.

Why Play at a Sweepstakes Casino?

Casino gambling is legal in a little over half of the 50 U.S. States, but online gaming is offered in fewer than ten of those states, severely limiting online gambling options for much of the country. But given the legal carveout for sweepstakes and raffles, sweepstakes casinos can legally offer an online casino experience in nearly every state.

You might be concerned that sweeps casino games would feel different somehow. In fact, the games on offer at sweeps casinos are built by the same expert software vendors that design and market the most popular online slots and table games. You can expect the same level of variety and interactivity that you would in a traditional cash casino.

And there’s more good news for sweepstakes casino players. Because the gameplay model is a often unfamiliar to gamblers, sweeps casinos often go out of their way to entice customers to sign up and continue playing. You can expect sign-up bonuses, deposit bonuses, regular gameplay rewards. Plus there are contests, competitive ladders, and a variety of other giveaways and special prizes.

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Know the Game, Know Yourself

While it’s not traditional online gambling, sweeps casinos have some of the same elements of traditional casinos that you should be aware of.

• Do your research before opening an account with a sweepstakes casino. Look for established brands that have a traceable reputation online. Get recommendations from trusted sites to find out which sweeps casinos are the most reliable and secure, as well as which ones offer the best customer perks and bonuses.

• As you would with any other online casino, check the rules carefully before making a deposit. Make sure you qualify to win cash and prizes. Keep in mind that some sweeps casinos won’t tell you in advance that you happen to be disqualified from earning cash and prizes due to your location or some other restriction. Where a traditional casino would identify you as not illegible to play and therefore prevent you from even making a deposit, sweeps casinos are different.
  
  Because the gameplay currency has no direct cash equivalence, sweeps casinos might let you purchase Gold Coins, then only later inform you that you’re not eligible to earn Sweepstake Coins, or not eligible to convert your Sweepstakes Coins into cash or prizes. Most U.S. customer are eligible to participate fully, but there are exceptions, so read the rules and ask questions before making any purchase.

• Before issuing a prize, most sweepstakes casinos require players to submit certain documentation to verify your identity and state of residence. As with the previous point, make sure you meet the casino’s qualifications for winning cash and prizes prior to making a deposit.

• Promotions and bonuses are built to entice customers to play at sweeps casinos. But they’re also monitored carefully; any unusual activity connected to your account (such as making a duplicate account to take double advantage of a sign-up bonus) will often disqualify you from winning cash or prizes.

• Not all states in the U.S. have legal carve-outs for sweeps casinos. Montana, Nevada, Idaho, and Washington are known to have the tightest anti-gambling restrictions. But whether you live in one of these states or not, check the rules to make sure you’re eligible to win cash or prizes.

• As always, play responsibly and play within your means. While the sweeps model varies from the regular gameplay model of gambling, you should take it seriously. Only deposit and play with money you can afford to lose, and if you’ve gotten into personal or financial trouble in the past as a result of gambling, it probably makes sense to avoid sweepstakes (and any other) casinos.

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Sweepstakes Casinos: A Legal Alternative to Online Gambling

If you’re not able to play legally at an online casino in your state, sweepstakes casinos are a great way to enjoy the fun and excitement of slots and table games that match the biggest online casinos in terms of variety, quality, and gameplay.

Sweepstakes casinos pay out cash and prizes like a real casino, albeit through their unique multi-currency model rather than by direct gameplay results.  Like any online gaming, the more research you do on the best sweeps casinos, the better.

Sweepstakes Casinos: Frequently Asked Questions

What are sweeps casinos? These are online apps that offer casino games where players win real cash and prizes via a sweepstakes model, making them legal in many US states that otherwise don’t allow online gambling.

What types of games are offered sweeps casinos? Hundreds of slot and table games are available of similar quality and variety that you’d encounter in any licensed online casino.

How do you get started with a sweepstakes casino? Like a regular online casino, you’ll have to open an account and fill out the normal online paperwork.  

Do I have to make a deposit before I can play? No. Creating an account is free, and you’ll get issued a small number of gameplay coins just for opening an account. What makes sweeps casinos able to operate in most states is that you can play and win without ever making a deposit. Of course, once your free coins are exhausted, you’ll have the option to purchase more gameplay coins via services like Paypal or with Bitcoin or Ethereum.

Are these apps legitimate and fair? Always do your research into the most advantageous and reliable sweeps casinos, but yes, the established sweeps casinos use the same gaming software and Random Number Generators (RNG) as normal online casinos, ensuring fair and unbiased game outcomes.

Is my information safe? Again, established sweeps casinos operate with the same standards of privacy and information security as regular online casinos, using the most modern cryptographic standards.

Can I play on mobile devices? Most sweeps casinos offer games optimized for mobile use.

Do sweepstakes casinos offer bonuses and promotions? Yes, most sweeps casinos offer regular welcome bonuses, frequent player rewards, and referral bonuses, along with tournaments, leaderboards, and other promotions.

Can I play for real money at sweeps casinos? You can win cash and cash-equivalent prizes. But unlike normal casinos, you don’t win money directly as a result of the games you play. You can win money via the sweepstakes model.

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• The premise of the Iron Cross Craps strategy is that you have only one roll to win, making it a one-hit-and-down setup.
• The Iron Cross Strategy involves placing bets on the 5, 6, and 8, along with a field bet, to cover more potential outcomes.
• This strategy offers frequent wins, but while losses are less common, they can be more substantial.
• The Iron Cross betting strategy works just as well in online craps as it does in a local casino.
• Remember to set a betting limit to manage potential losses, as with all craps betting strategies. The Iron Cross is an exciting approach, but it doesn’t guarantee a win.

The Iron Cross craps strategy involves making use of the Place bets and the Field bet to give you a high chance of winning on every throw of the dice. Given the sheer number of bets and variety of possible strategies, the Iron Cross is one that’s easy to master.

In this article, we’ll review what the Iron Cross is all about and we’ll review the steps, the math, and answer the most important question: is the Iron Cross a good craps strategy to deploy in at the casino?

What is The Craps Iron Cross Strategy?

The craps Iron Cross strategy is popular because it is set up to cash in on a hot shooter. The Iron Cross craps strategy covers multiple numbers, so it produces regular, small wins. In a casino game like craps, where the house holds a small advantage, many players get more enjoyment if they can play longer and get frequent small wins instead of aiming for a unlikely jackpot win.

If that sounds like it’s a betting style that suits you, the craps Iron Cross betting method might be a good fit. You need only learn two basic bet types: Field bets and Place bets.

The goal is simple: use a combination of these two bets to cover every throw of the dice on the craps table except a 7. Specifically, we’ll use the Place bets for 5,6, and 8. Then we’ll use the Field bet for 2,3,4,9,10,11, and 12. As long as the dice don’t equal 7, you’ll make money on every throw.

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Craps Iron Cross Strategy: Place and Field Bets Overview

Because Place and Field bets are a little bit off the beaten path in terms of craps bets, it’s good to do a quick review of the more popular bets in craps.

This baseline gives you a jumping-off point for understanding where and how the craps Iron Cross strategy differs from standard gameplay and betting approaches.

• Pass Line/Come Bet: While these bets are not part of the Iron Cross, learning them is to understand the essential flow of the game. Most people bet on a version of the Pass Line and/or Come bets. When you place these bets, the next roll results in one of three outcomes: a 7 or 11 wins (paying even money), a 2,3, or 12 loses. In either of those two outcomes, the Pass Line/Come bet is concluded.
  
  However, should the first roll of a Pass Line/Come bet be any other number (4,5,6,8,9, or 10, collectively known as points) the bet changes and is now subject to a brand new set of rules. Your wager is now affected by two numbers: if the dice come 7, your Pass Line/Come bet loses, but if that point is rolled before a 7 appears, it wins and pays even money. The wager stays alive until one of those two outcomes.

We’re lumping these two bets in together because they behave the same way; the only difference is that players place Pass Line bets at the beginning of a shooter’s turn. Craps players place Come bets during the shooter’s turn.

Many players like to have wagers on several points at a time. By doing so, they stand to profit when a hot shooter comes along (someone who throws point after point without throwing a 7). Establishing points via Pass Line/Come is a valid option, but what if you don’t want to wait? Read on!

• Place: These bets mimic the Pass Line and Come bets that have passed and are tied to point throws. That is, they win if their point appears before a 7, they lose on a 7, and are unaffected by any other throw. However, there are a few important differences.
  
  When you make a Place bet on a number, you’re selecting the specific point rather than taking what the dice give you, as you would on a Pass Line/Come bet. Also, that wager is active immediately on that number; there is no need to pass through the first stage of rules on Pass Line/Come (that win on 7 or 11 and lose on 2,3, or 12).  

Payouts on Place bets vary with the number you select and are another difference with Pass Line/Come bets. For 6 and 8, you win $7 for every $6 wagered. For 5 and 9, you win $7 on every $5 wagered, and for 4 and 10, you win $9 for every $5 wagered.

• Field: this is a simple single-roll bet that pays off when the 8 least common numbers come up on the dice. Place this wager before any throw and you’ll win even money on 3,4,9,10, and 11. Most casinos will pay 2-to-1 on the Field bet if 2 or 12 appear. Field bets lose on 5,6,7, and 8.

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Executing the Craps Iron Cross Strategy 

The first part of the Iron Cross craps betting strategy involves making three simultaneous Place bets on the 5,6, and 8. Remember, Place bets stay in effect until their number hits or a 7 hits. Should any of these numbers come up your bet wins; you’ll collect your chips and re-make the bet if necessary.

Once a dealer recognizes you’re maintaining these active Place bets, they’ll only hand you your profits on a win, leaving the original wager in place as the roll continues.

Adding in the Field Bet

Once you’ve made Place bets, you’re ready for the second part of the Iron Cross craps strategy: the Field bet. This is one of the few wagers the player can make without the assistance of the craps dealers. Field bets win or lose on every throw of the dice, so be ready to replace losses.

The amount you wager depends on the minimum bet at the table. Start with the minimum bet size for the Field bet and the Place 5 bet. But you’ll want to make Place bets on the 6 and 8 in $6 increments, so these wagers will always be a little bit bigger.

For example, at a $15 minimum table, you’d place $15 bets on the Field and Place 5, then for the Place 6 and 8, you’d make $18 wagers, which is the closest multiple of 6 that meets the minimum bet requirements.

Example Craps Iron Cross Strategy Game Flow

You’re at a $10 minimum bet craps table. Here’s how an Iron Cross might play out. Note that when you win, some dealers leave your original bet alone and just slide your profits to you. If they return your original bet as well, you’ll need to remember to replace that wager before the next roll.

Before the dice are out, that is, before the stickman has pushed the dice to the shooter (which is an indication he or she is free to roll) you place a $10 wager directly onto the Field bet.

Then you take $34 in chips, push them in front of you in the Come bet area and tell the closest dealer on to place the 5,6, and 8. The dealer puts $10 on Place 5, and $12 each on Place 6 and 8.

1. Roll is a 5. Your $10 Field wager loses; you’ll need to replace it with another $10 in chips. Your Place 6 and 8 bets are unaffected but your Place 5 bet is a winner. The dealer will slide $14 in profits to you. So far you’re ahead $4 ($14 minus the $10 on the lost Field bet.)
2. Roll is a 2. All Place bets are safe, and your Field bet is a double winner! (Remember 2 and 12 get paid out 2-to-1). The dealer slides $20 in chips to you.
3. Roll is an 8. The Place 5 and Place 6 are unaffected, and the Place 8 is a winner, netting you $12. Your $10 Field bet loses so you replace it. This throw earned you $2.
4. Roll is a 10.  Place bets are unaffected. Your Field bet is a winner, netting you $10 for this throw.
5. Roll is a 4. Place bets are unaffected and the Field nets you another $10.
6. Roll is a 7. All four of your bets lose and are raked. For this sequence, you made $46 against $34 in wagers, resulting in a $12 profit.

Players using $10 Pass Line/Come bets to establish points would have gotten hit hard in this sequence. An initial Pass Line bet would have gone to 5, followed by a losing Come bet when the 2 appeared.

Players who kept betting the Come would have gotten $10 bets established on the 8,10, and 4 before seeing all bets wiped out by the 7 before any of the points had paid off.

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Advantages of the Craps Iron Cross Strategy

If you followed the example above, you can see that best outcome is when Field numbers appear because the result is pure profit. And when the Place bets win, it’s at least enough to cover the lost Field bet. Here are some positives about the Iron Cross craps strategy:

• Wide Coverage: With a Field bet plus Place bets on 5, 6, and 8, every outcome is covered except for 7.
• Frequent Wins: There are 36 possible combinations using two dice; six of those result in a 7. That means when you play the Iron Cross, 30 of 36 rolls (83.3%) have a positive outcome.
• Fun: Frequent wins makes for engaging and exciting gameplay.

Variations of the Iron Cross Craps Strategy

There are several variations of the Iron Cross strategy that players can explore:

• Pressed Place Bets: Instead of taking your profit on a Place bet win, you can tell the dealer to “press it.” That’s craps language that indicates to the dealer that you want to use your winnings to increase the size of your bet.
• Differential Place Bets: Because the Place 6 and 8 have a smaller house edge, some players like to bet a little more on these two bets.  At a $10 table you might have $18 each on Place 6 and 8.
• Other Bets: Advanced players might enhance their wins on Place 6 and 8 by also betting Hard 6 and/or Hard 8 bet, which pay a bonus when the number comes up as a double (e.g. if 6 is rolled as 3-3). ?Just remember Hardway bets have a big house advantage, so they’ll add some flavor to your game, but they won’t help your odds of winning.

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Disadvantages Of The Craps Iron Cross Strategy

While the Iron Cross strategy has several advantages, it’s no craps panacea.

• Overall House Edge: no betting strategy or sequence can overcome a game where the individual bets have a house edge. The Iron Cross is a gameplay strategy to maximize the craps experience, but it is not a strategy that will make money in the long run.

• Field Bet: To put a finer point on the house edge question, any strategy that relied on the Field bet should be met with skepticism. The house edge on a standard Field bet is 5.56%. However, some casinos offer 3-to-1 on either 2 or 12 (but rarely both) instead of the standard 2-to-1, cutting the edge down to 2.8%.

• Limited Big Wins: The Iron Cross betting approach is more likely to deliver small, frequent wins versus other multi-number strategies which can deliver bigger profits on a long roll.

In a qualitative comparison, the Iron Cross strategy stands out for its frequent wins and engaging gameplay. However, quantitatively, strategies involving pass line and come bets with full odds offer a lower house edge and higher potential payouts, making them more favorable for long-term play.

Win More Stacks With The Craps Iron Cross Strategy

The Iron Cross strategy offers an engaging way to play craps, appealing to players who like seeing a steady stream of chips come their way, however small the stacks are.

While it provides a sense of momentum and excitement, it also comes with disadvantages such as the house edge and limited potential for big wins. But as long as you know the pros and cons before you play, you might just find the Iron Cross to be the perfect intersection of risk and reward!

Title Image Credit: VITALII BORKOVSKYI/Shutterstock

• A push in blackjack or online blackjack signifies a draw, when both the player and dealer have hands that hold the same total points.
• It can occur if both the player and dealer have a “blackjack” (Ace and 10-value card), or if they have equal total points from 17 to 21.
• If a push occurs, the player’s initial bet is returned and no money is won or lost.
• Push rules can differ among blackjack variations, casinos, and live dealer poker. Some casinos have a “dealer wins on push” rule, which is unfavorable to players.
• Understanding a push is vital due to its impact on blackjack odds and strategy. A push situation may influence how a player chooses to play certain hands.

If you’ve ever played blackjack, you have experienced a push (where you and the dealer end up with the same hand value and so your wager is returned to you). A push can feel disappointing, but it’s an important part of the game.

This article will provide all the details you need to know.

What Is A Push In Blackjack?

Different land-based and online casinos might vary rules at their blackjack tables, but the rules around a push are the same everywhere. It’s a tie, so your initial wager is returned to you.

Here’s a gameplay example of a common push in blackjack:

1. You place a $20 blackjack bet.
2. You receive two cards and the dealer’s hand is one face-down (or hole card) and the other face-up.  
3. You have 10-6, giving you a hand value of 16.
4. The dealer’s up-card is a jack (valued at 10), so you hit (that is, take an extra card) and get a 2, giving you 18.
5. You elect to stand.
6. The dealer’s hole card is turned over; a 4. The dealer has 14 and must hit.
7. The dealer gets a 2. With 16, the dealer must hit again.
8. The dealer gets another 2 and stands by rule.
9. You and the dealer both have 18, so it’s a push. Your initial $20 bet is returned to you.

In the above scenario, your hand resulted in a push. But remember, blackjack is between individual players and the dealer. Other players might have won or lost against the dealer’s 18.

Can Other Bets Push in Blackjack?

If a player is dealt a pair and opts to split (that is, double the wager and use each card as the starting point for a new hand) each hand is played and evaluated independently.

A player being dealt two 8s should almost always split. That means placing another equal sized wager on the table and playing out each hand. If one hand drew a 10 and the other drew an ace, the former would have pushed against a dealer 18 and the latter would have won.

Some players tip dealers by placing a small additional wager on the table.  These gratuity bets share the fate of the main bet, win, lose, or push. On the other hand, side bets – increasingly popular in many casinos – either win (rarely) or lose (usually).

How To Act (with a) Natural

In blackjack, player and dealer hands are compared strictly according to their final total value, regardless of the makeup of the hand. However, the rules don’t treat all 21’s the same. Getting dealt an ace and a 10 card is known as a natural or the eponymous blackjack. Although they never face each other, natural 21’s have certain advantages over 21’s made from three or more cards.

If you’re dealt a natural and the dealer shows any card 2 through 9, you get immediately paid 3 to 2 on your initial wager (a payout rate known colloquially as time-and-a-half, a profit of $75 on a $50 wager).

Likewise, if the dealer has natural, all player hands other than a natural lose immediately. In neither case is dealer or player given a chance to hit, adding cards in hoped of drawing to 21 and pushing against the opponent’s natural. ?

Ace (hopefully not) In The Hole

With an up card of 10, the dealer uses a special mirror on the table to peek at the hole card in order to check and see if they have a natural. If the hole card is an ace, the dealer has a natural.

That card is revealed and the game is over. All player hands lose unless a player’s hand is also a natural, in which case it’s a very frustrating push.

The Unkindest Blackjack Push Of All

The chance of an ace in the hole is around 8% for the dealer. But when the dealer shows an ace, the chance of having a ten card (ten, jack, queen, or king) in the hole is around 31%.

With such a high probability of a dealer natural a special process kicks in. Before peeking, the dealer offers players holding a natural an immediate win. But there’s a catch: the payout is even money rather than time and a half.

Players declining the dealer’s offer must sweat out what comes next. The dealer peeks and if it’s not a 10 card, the hand is a winner and the player is paid off at 3 to 2. But should the dealer turn over a dreaded 10 card, it’s a natural versus natural push and the player’s perfect Blackjack hand has gone to waste. 

Here’s a gameplay sequence example:

• You place a $50 Blackjack wager and are dealt ace/king. A natural!
• The dealer’s up card is an ace. Argh!
• Before peeking at the hole-card, the dealer offers you the option of taking an even money payout for a profit of $50, which you decline.
• The dealer peeks, sees it’s a queen.
• The dealer flips the queen to complete the natural. Instead of a $75 profit if the dealer had seen any other card in the mirror…instead of a $50 profit if the player had taken the even money payout…it’s a soul-crushing push.

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Blackjack Push Probabilities

The probability of a push on any given hand is around 8.5% overall. Here’s the breakdown by specific hand:

• A dealer and player both getting a natural only happens once in every 429 hands, or a probability of 0.23%.
• Player and dealer both draw to 21: 2.3%
• Player and dealer both have 20: 2.5%
• Player and dealer both have 19: 1.5%
• Player and dealer both have 18: 0.7%
• Player and dealer both have 17: 0.5%

Those probabilities are approximate; the exact numbers depend on the specifics of the game. Here are factors that can affect the probability of a push:

• In general, fewer decks means a slightly higher push probability.
• Overall odds of a push increase slightly where the dealer hits on soft 17.
• Player tendencies and adherence to basic strategy can change the chance of pushes occurring. For example, players who hit (rather than stand) on soft 17 and or stand (rather than hit) on 12 versus a dealer’s Deuce will push slightly less often.

A Blackjack push is a good news/band news situation. Your hand, which may have been anywhere from decent to very good, didn’t win. But be thankful it didn’t lose either.

Hopefully you’re now better prepared to face a Blackjack push, and on your way to being a better player.

1. Standard Slot Symbols

Most spaces on an individual reel are made up of standard slot symbols. Standard symbols are only meaningful if they appear together on a payline. Other than that, they have no special function or impact on gameplay.

On any given spin, most of the matrix will be filled with standard symbols.

The specific imagery of the symbols varies widely. Traditional symbols like fruit (cherries, lemons, grapes), along with bars and lucky 7’s are still commonplace in many slot games.

Many modern games make use of playing card values as their standard symbols. For example, the popular online game ‘Mega Moolah’ uses cards from 10 to Ace as their standard symbols. But unlike a deck of cards, the higher the value, the rarer the symbols are on the reels. So three Ace symbols will pay more than three King symbols, and so on.

In fact, the prize for slot symbol combinations is always inversely proportional to that symbol’s frequency. For example in the popular casino slot game ‘Buffalo Ascension’ lining up three of the very common 9 symbols wins 5x your initial bet, while lining up three of the rarest Buffalo symbols wins 200x your bet.

If you’re playing a themed game, you can expect to see standard slot symbols decorated to match the game’s motif. The most valuable standard symbols might be specially themed images. For example, in the popular ‘Wheel of Fortune’ casino slot game, the higher value standard symbols are evocative of prizes from the original game show, such as gold bars or an image of a cruise ship.

2. Wild Symbols

A wild is a slot symbol with a special behavior to the player’s benefit. Like a wild card in poker, wilds can represent any other standard symbol on the board needed to make a winning combination. And in multi-payline games, a Wild might stand in for one symbol on one payline, and a different symbol on a second payline.

The below image shows a spin result from ‘A Night with Cleo’ where a Wild Cleo symbol has shown up in reel 2 in the center row.

In this case, the Wild Cleo counts as a second Eye of Horus symbol for one winning combination on the center row. But it also counts as the middle of three Emerald 9 symbols for an additional prize.

3. Bonus Symbols

A bonus is a special slot symbol type that triggers a special game mode or prize. Three or more of these rare symbols must appear in one spin to activate the bonus.  And whether it’s free spins, a side game, or some other temporary change to gameplay, it’s always good news for the player.

In the popular ‘Harley Davidson’ casino slot game, a single Bonus symbol adds a free spin to a bank that accumulates from spin to spin. When multiple Bonus symbols appear together it triggers a free-spin mode, where the player gets to finally use all the spins that have been building up in the bank.

If you’re playing a game and can’t figure out why you never see bonus symbols, check the rules. In some games, bonus symbols appear more frequently when you bet more per spin.

4. Scatter Symbols

Scatter symbols aren’t constrained by paylines. When these special slot symbols appear on the matrix, the player wins whether they are lined up neatly in a row or, you guessed it, scattered around the board.

Like bonus symbols, scatter symbols sometimes deliver a nice payout, or they could trigger a bonus game mode. You’ll usually need a minimum of two or three scatter symbols to reap the benefits.

In the image below, you’ll see a welcome sight from ‘A Night with Cleo.’ In this game the Ankh Keyhole is the game’s lone scatter symbol. Two scattered Ankh Keyholes wins 2x your wager. When three appear, you win 10x your wager and enter a lucrative bonus round where you get 15 free spins and the prizes are all worth 3x their normal value.

As scatter symbols, all three Ankh Keyholes count for the player.

Other Special Slot Symbols

Slot games continue to evolve. Here are other slot machine symbols you might encounter, along with an explanation of how they affect gameplay:

• Sticky: When these special symbols appear, they stay in their frame for multiple spins. They might be standard symbols that become locked into place, or they might be a special symbol in the game. Either way, as Stickies accumulate on the matrix, chances for bigger combinations and prizes go up.
• Stacked: These slot symbols cover more than one space on a single reel, significantly increasing the chance of forming a winning combination.
• Bank: These are special symbols that don’t provide an immediate win for the player, but instead add to a collection of some kind of bonus feature (like free spins) that grows over time.
  
  While most players continue to play until they can cash in their bank of free spins, or other accumulated bonus, sometimes players abandon games with a balance in their bank. The next player to come along will start play with a nice (albeit temporary) statistical edge.

The fun part about the expanding zoo of slot symbols is that their special benefits to the player can be combined. For example, if the Stacked symbol covering multiple frames on a reel happens to also be a Wild symbol, you’ll have that many more Wilds and are all the more likely to create winning combinations.

How It All Comes Together: Reels, Rows, and Paylines

Slot games of old were truly machines. The player pulled a lever and watched mechanical reels spin in hopes of seeing matching symbols land on the payline – the center horizontal row running across the three (or more) vertical reels. These games were limited by how many gears and levers you could squeeze inside a machine.

With the advent of online slot games, the old mechanical constraints are gone. Now your spin is shown on a digital display. And while most slot games stick to a handful of virtual reels and rows, some varieties incorporate a much bigger matrix, or the visible frames where slot symbols land after a spin.

Games also now feature a wider variety of paylines. Today’s players can win by matching symbols on any horizontal line of the matrix – or in some cases zig-zags, diagonals, and other patterns. ?

Let’s look at an example of the paylines. The online slot game ‘A Night with Cleo’ features a 15-frame matrix made up of 3 rows and 5 reels. In this game there are 20 different paylines as represented below in the game’s rules.

Important gameplay notes about paylines

• Leftmost-to-right. Matching as few as two adjacent slot symbols can be a winning spin in some games. But in nearly every slot game today your combination must start from the leftmost reel and must be continuous. So if you’re playing ‘88 Fortunes’ and your spin produces Golden Turtle symbols in the center row frames of reel 1,2,3, and 5, the symbol on the 5^th reel doesn’t count as part of your combination. Don’t be too sad, getting Golden Turtles in the first three reels are worth 40x your wager. ?If you spun again and saw Golden Turtles in the center row frames of reels 2,3,4, and 5, it might look good, but it’s worthless because this combination of slot symbols is continuous, but doesn’t start from the leftmost reel.

• Multi-pay. You’ll notice in some games that parts of more than one payline overlap in the leftmost two or three reels. For example, in ‘A Night with Cleo’, two Eye of Horus symbols on reels 1 and 2 would pay 10% of the amount wagered. Look at the above image of the game’s paylines. There are three different paylines that start with the center row of frames for reels 1 and 2. So, if your two Eye of Horus symbols are in those two frames, you win 3x the normal prize since your winning combination sits in three qualifying paylines.

• Pay-per-line. Although it’s not as common in modern games, you’ll occasionally come across slot games where the maximum number of paylines is only active when you make the maximum bet per spin. As always, check the rules!

• Beyond Paylines. Some online slot games are considered ways-to-win games instead of payline games. Under this system, there are no predefined paylines, so you can win if you get matching symbols anywhere on consecutive reels. As usual, the leftmost-to-right rule is in effect (although a few games now feature a rightmost-to-left rule). An even more flexible approach is cluster payouts, where there is no requirement for combinations to sit on consecutive reels. In these games, any cluster of adjacent matching symbols, including two symbols on top of one another in the same reel, can make up a combination.

Slot Symbols Now and Forever

Just about everywhere you go, simpler slot machines have given way to the more complicated online slot games. Expect the games to continue to evolve in visual appeal and complexity. But regardless of whether you prefer pulling the lever on a mechanical one-armed bandit or the flashing graphics of the modern digital games, knowing slot machine symbols is an important requirement to getting the most out of your experience.

Ready to spin? Play slots for free right here!

Lead image credit: Pics-xl/Shutterstock

Below is a diagram of a single wing of a standard craps table layout, along with the central area for Proposition bets.

An Overview Of The Wings

When you step up to play craps in a casino, any position around the table is as good as the next*. Given the identical nature of the two wings, you’ll be ringside to the action no matter where you stand.

 The main features of the craps table wings are the most popular bets in craps:

• Pass
• Don’t Pass
• Come
• Don’t Come

These are the multi-roll bets that make the game so exciting; your wager wins or loses depending on a specific sequence of dice throws rather than a single roll.

In addition, each wing has point boxes numbered 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. These boxes are where Dealers place number-specific bets (Come, Place, Buy, and others) on behalf of gamblers.

The wings also include a popular single-roll bet, the Field bet. And although it’s not a popular bet, Big 6 and Big 8 are multi-roll bets that those numbers will hit prior to a 7 appearing.

*There is one exception to this rule that we’ll discuss later.

An Overview Of The Central Area

The central section of a craps table is home to a category of bets known as Proposition or Prop bets. All wagers and payouts in this area are dealer-assisted, and this single area serves both halves of the table.

Proposition bets include a variety of single throw bets, such as a one-time bet on a specific dice combination.  

You’ll also find spaces for the popular Hard Way bets, the only-multi-roll bets among all the props. Placing a Hard Way bet means the gambler is wagering that one (or more) of the even-numbered throws will first appear in its relatively rarer combination of identical dice. For example, a Hard Six bet wins if the dice come 3-3, but lose if the dice come 4-2 or 5-1, or (critically) if a 7 should appear.

Each prop bet in the central area usually displays the dice-combination needed to win, and it lists the associated payout odds. Pay close attention; odds listed of 6-to-1 means a winner pays you $6 in profit and returns your $1 wager. However, if you see odds listed as 6-for-1 you get paid $6, but the casino keeps your $1 wager.

Proposition bets add spice to the game, and some of the bets are quite popular, but beware, these bets have a significant house advantage.

Placing Bets On A Craps Table

Craps bets can be described as either self-service bets, where players are free to put down chips in the betting square unassisted, or dealer-assisted bets, where the Dealer or Stickman must move or place your chips in the appropriate betting space. Below is a diagram that shows how this distinction plays out on the craps table layout.

Self-Service Bets

Here’s a list and brief description of bets you can place yourself:

• Pass / Don’t Pass / Odds: The stripe going all around the edge of the Craps table layout is for the most popular wager in the game: Pass. Players can also back their Pass bets with Odds unassisted by placing chips directly behind their Pass wager once a point is established. The wrong-way equivalent is self-service as well.
• Field: Given the high house advantage, this single-roll bet is surprisingly popular. Players can place their own Field bets, which win if the relatively rarer numbers come up. Field bets win on 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12. In some casinos, Field pays double or triple on 2 and 12.
• Big 6/8: This is a self-service multi-roll bet that either 6 or 8 will appear before a 7. You are ‘allowed’ to place this bet yourself, but strongly advised to avoid it due to its high house edge.
• Come / Don’t Come: During point rolls, bettors may place these bets which behave almost exactly like Pass/Don’t Pass bets. The unique feature of Come/Don’t Come is that should a point be thrown, the Dealer will physically move your wagered chips to the associated point square.

Dealer-Assisted Bets

There are many types of point-specific bets (wagers on or against a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10) that require the Dealer to place.  Some of the more popular are Place and Buy bets which let a gambler get immediate bets down on the number(s) of their choice.

To make point-specific wagers (and to add Odds bets to established Come bets), the gambler simply places chips in the Come betting area between dice throws and instructs the Dealer where to place them.

For example, a Place bet on 6 or 8 pays 7-to-6. With a $10 betting minimum, a player might place a $25 chip in the Come area and tell the Dealer, “Place $12 each on the 6 and 8.” The Dealer would change the $25 chip into two sets of two $5 and two $1 chips, place them in the 6 and 8 betting boxes, and return a single $1 chip to the player in change.

For Proposition bets, players follow a similar process, except in this case, you’ll get the attention of the Stickman between throws, toss your chips (gently) toward him, and explain what bets you wish to make. The Stickman will move your chips into the appropriate betting area.

Where To Set Your Chips On A Craps Table

With a table full of active bettors, new players are often confused about where they should set their chips. Roulette solves this problem by issuing each player their own unique chip color, but in craps it’s just a sea of standard casino chips. Don’t worry, craps dealers have a system for keeping wagers straight on a layout.

Below is a diagram of a single wing of a craps table along with the central Proposition area.

Three players are at the table, Blue, Violet, and Black. They’ve each made multiple bets and we’ve color-coded their bets on the layout.

Dealer-assisted bets are always placed in a way that corresponds to your relative position at the table.

For example, all three of our players have some kind of number bet (Come, Place, etc) on the 8.

• Since Blue is standing at the upper left corner of the table, Blue’s bet is at the upper left corner of the 8 square.
• Violet is in the lower left corner of the table, so her bet is in the lower left of the 8 square.

Players should follow this same rule for self-service bets.

Place wagers directly in front of you on the craps table layout. If that’s not possible, place your chips in a location that’s as close to you as possible, or corresponds to your position around the table.

Perhaps most important: be consistent. Help your Dealer, and your Dealer will help you.

Special Notes For Placing Bets

• Despite what I’ve said above, dealers aren’t perfect.  They can get confused when the table is packed, as can other players. As I recommend in Casino Gambling for Dummies, it’s a good practice to take a mental inventory of every bet you have in play prior to any roll. Confirm regularly with your dealer. And if they help keep you straight, place a small wager on their behalf in gratitude.
• And a special note to wrong-way players. The craps table layout assumes there are fewer of you than there are right-way players. Don’t take it personally. While you’re free to make any bet from any spot around the table, you should try and position yourself as close as possible to the Don’t Pass/Don’t Come betting areas if you’re betting against the dice.

The Craps Table Crew

With a table full of gamblers, dozens of possible wager combinations, and flying dice, it takes a crew of four to handle a full-sized craps table.

The Stickman

The Stickman stands over the central section, controls the dice, and manages the Proposition bets. They wield a 30-inch rattan L-shaped stick that’s perfect for snagging and moving dice and chips across the length of the table, or pointing out gamblers that are owed a payout from their Dealer.

The Dealers

Each wing of a craps table has a Dealer. The Dealer is responsible for moving and placing all number-specific bets. Dealers also collect any losing bets from the wings, and they calculate and pay out winning bets in the wings.

When there’s a winning Proposition bet, the stickman indicates the payout and the player to the nearest Dealer.

The Boxman

Finally, there’s the Boxman, sitting opposite the Stickman. The Boxman supervises the crew and is responsible for the bank of chips assigned to the table. They handle players’ club cards and if necessary, monitors the dice. The Boxman is the final word on disputes.

Casino Craps Table Rules

As with any casino game, there are certain unwritten rules players are expected to abide by at a craps table.

1. Throwing The Dice

When it’s your turn to shoot, the Stickman will slide several dice toward you. Don’t throw them all! Quickly select two. Pick them up with one hand only and keep them visible and ‘in the stadium’ at all times. Don’t touch the dice to any part of your body (no kisses!) or clothing. Give them a wrist flick so that they gently hit the far wall.  

2. Between Throws

After the dice throw and call (when the Dealer loudly calls the result of the roll so everyone at the table can hear) and before the next throw, the Dealer collects losing bets pays out winners. The Dealer then moves Come bets to their point square, and works with players to place other number-specific bets.

Once the Dealer slides chips in your direction, you’re free to pick them up. At this point you’re free to place any self-service bets, or give chips to the Dealer or Stickman for assisted bets.

Should you get cold feet on any bet, including multi-roll bets, you may remove or reduce any self-service bet, or ask the Dealer to do so for assisted bets. The only exceptions to this are Pass and Come bets after a point has been established. These are considered contract bets and must remain on the board till they either win or lose.  

3. “Dice Are Out”

When the Stickman makes this call, it means the shooter is free to roll.  Players opposite the shooter should make sure their hands are out of the possible flight path of the dice.  Gamblers are superstitious. Should the dice touch you before landing, anyone with a losing bet will blame you.

Why Does The Craps Table Look So Complicated?

While it might appear at first that the game’s designers have squeezed bets randomly into every nook and corner of the felt, the reality is the craps table layout is a marvel of efficient design. Consider the many needs it must serve.

1. First, it gives up to 20 gamblers a clear view of the state of the game and of any bets they’ve made.
2. The layout is also designed to put bets in easy reach of the right hands; bettors can place self-service bets, and the dealers are stationed close to the bets that require assistance from the casino crew. 
3. And for bettors in a casino, the craps table is like a stadium, custom-built to host a big action-packed game.

Casino Craps Table Variations

When you belly up to a craps game, whether virtually or in an online casino, don’t be shocked if you see minor variations in the layout.

For example, the prop bets in the central section of the layout is often much more elaborate.  In addition to the common Hard Way, Any, Craps and Eleven bets, you’ll see more specialty bets covering every imaginable combination that could come up on a single dice throw in the form of Horn and Hop bets.

Crapless Craps Table Layout

Crapless Craps games can be found online and in certain casinos. This variation of craps transforms 2, 3, and 12 into points rather than losing come-out rolls.

This makes for a couple of obvious changes to the craps table layout:

1. First, 2, 3 and 12 now have their own individual boxes where they can host Come and Place bets.
2. With no possibility of crapping out, there’s no place for wrong-way bettors in Crapless Craps, so the Don’t Pass and Don’t Come betting areas are removed.

A Final Word On The Casino Craps Table Layout

I’ve described the essential elements of the craps table layout, what their meaning is, and how they factor in game play. Expect the game to continue to evolve and let us know if you see something unexpected and interesting in your game.

Just remember, the layout may vary, but the action never wavers.

Best of luck and good shooting!

For more on craps, check out my article on craps strategy.

Skip to:

• Strategy #1: Pass Line and Come Bet Craps Strategy
• Strategy #2: Odds Bet Craps Strategy
• Strategy #3: 6 8 Craps Strategy
• Strategy #4: Don’t Come And Don’t Pass Craps Strategy

A Quick Odds Refresher

To understand which bets are the best in craps, you must master the great dice probability pyramid, which shows you how the different combinations result in the relative likelihood of each number coming up.

2:  1:1
3:  2:1; 1:2
4:  2:2, 3:1, 1:3
5:  3:2, 2:3, 4:1, 1:4
6:  3:3, 4:2, 2:4; 5:1, 1:5
7:  4:3, 3:4, 5:2, 2:5, 6:1, 1:6
8:  4:4, 5:3, 3:5,6:2, 2:6
9:  5:4, 4:5, 6:3, 3:6
10: 5:5, 6:4, 4:6
11: 6:5, 5:6
12: 6:6

Understanding this probability pyramid, along with what the casino pays you on a winning bet, is the key to deciding what the best craps bets are. You then need to combine them into the best possible betting strategies. Read more about the basics of craps here.

A Quick Craps Bets Refresher

The best craps strategy only requires knowledge of a limited number of bet types. Let’s do a quick review of the basic bets with the lowest house advantage:

1. Pass Line

The shooter makes come out rolls until a point is rolled (a 4,5,6,8,9, or 10). During come out rolls, your Pass Line bet wins (and pays even money) if the shooter hits a 7 or 11, and loses on a 2,3, or 12.

Once a point has been established, only two rolls matter; the Pass Line bet now wins if that point appears again, and loses on a 7.

Note how the odds shift against you. During the come out roll, there are 8 ways to win instantly (on 7 and 11) and only 4 ways to lose (2, 3 and 12).  But with a point established, you’re at a statistical disadvantage. If the point is 6 or 8, a Pass Line bet wins five times for every six times a 7 appears, making for a 45% win probability. A 5 or 9 have just a 40% win probability, and 4 or 10 have a dismal 33% chance.

2. Come

When the bettor wants to cheer for additional numbers, they can bet the Come. The rules for Come bets are almost identical to Pass Line bets, save for the timing of the bet. You can only place Come bets before point rolls. Once placed, they follow the same sequence and rules as a Pass Line bet.

3. Don’t Pass/Don’t Come

Betting the Don’t Pass and Don’t Come follow rules that are almost the mirror image of their right way counterparts. What wins for the right way loses for the wrong way and vice versa, with one exception: for the right way, a 12 represents a loss on come out rolls, but it’s only a push for wrong way players.

So, knowing all this, what’s the best way to play craps?

Strategy #1: Pass Line and Come Bet Craps Strategy

When there’s a hot shooter, you’ll hear the siren song of Place and Lay bets, which allow you to get multiple numbers up and running immediately. You might look longingly at the Props bets or the Field bet. Don’t do it!

Whether you’re betting with or against the shooter, bet the Pass Line during the come-out roll, back it with odds (see Strategy #2), and build numbers through Come bets. Only place bets with the smallest house advantage.

Strategy #2: Odds Bet Craps Strategy

Once a point is established, Pass Line or Come bets are underdogs. Remember the pyramid: 7 is always more likely to come up than the point. So how do we salvage these bets? With Odds bets.

Both land-based and online casinos let you reduce the house advantage by backing your Pass Line or Come bets with an additional Odds bet that’s a multiple (usually 2 or 3x) the original wager amount.

Why do this if you’re at a statistical disadvantage? Because the payout on Odds bets are made with no house advantage; that is, these wagers are offered at what is known as true odds.

Since 6 or 8 have five ways of appearing versus the 7’s six, the casino pays 6-to-5 on an odds bet backing a 6 or 8. Odds payoffs are in proportion to a point’s disadvantage versus a 7. Odds bets pay 3-to-2 on 5 and 9 and pay 2-to-1 on 4 and 10.

For example, you’ve got a Pass Line bet and the point is 4. The 4 can come only three ways (2-2, 3-1, and 1-3) versus the six ways a 7 can come up. Since the bet is twice as likely to lose as it is to win, true odds means the house pays you twice your wagered amount should it win.

Assuming 3x Odds betting is allowed, that means your Pass Line bet on 4 has gone from a 33% house advantage to a little north of 8%. That’s a significant improvement. It doesn’t make you more likely to win craps, it just means you get paid off better when you do win.

And that makes Odds bets always worth making.

Example: Basic Betting Sequence Using Strategy #1 and #2

Here’s a basic approach you can take that gives you exposure to two numbers at a time, assuming 3x odds are allowed.

1. Buy in with at least 15x the minimum bet at the table. At a $10 table, you should buy in for at least $150 in chips. But remember to only ever bet what you can afford to lose.
2. Bet a unit ($10) on the pass line. Replace it as necessary in the event of a 2,3, or 12 on the come-out.
3. Once a point is established, back it with full odds and place another unit on the Come.
4. Should the Come bet win, take your payout and place another unit on the Come.

This betting sequence will get you comfortable with placing odds bets and with monitoring two numbers at once.

When you play in the casino, Come bets can take some getting used to as the dealers physically move your chips from the Come bet area to the numbered square of the established point.

Once you get a feel for managing multiple numbers, and once you’ve experienced the joys of a long roll (along with the pain of a 7-out wiping out your bets), you can up your game.

Strategy #3: 6 8 Craps Strategy

Remember strategy #1 about sticking to the basic bets? There is one exception to this rule.

A Place bet lets you select a number and bet on it directly. Like your other bets, Place bets win when that number comes up and lose on a 7. They differ from a Come bet in that you skip the come out roll sequence and get a number of your choice working right away.

While Place bets on the 4,5,9, and 10 come with a big house advantage, the 6 and 8 Place bets actually have a reasonable house edge that’s only slightly worse than an equivalent Come bet (assuming 3x odds).

So strategy #3 is to accelerate your game play to get more numbers working at once, and to Place the 6 or 8 to get them up sooner.

Example: Intermediate Betting Sequence Using Strategy #3

Getting more numbers working exposes you to a bigger loss at one time, but it gives you more ways to win. And you’re positioned to rake in big money should a player go on a long roll without a 7-out.

1. Buy in with at least 20x the minimum bet at the table.
2. Bet a unit on the Pass Line; take full odds when a point is established.
3. If your point is a 4, 5, 9, or 10, bet a two(-ish)* unit Place bet on either the 6 or 8
4. Bet a single unit Come bet and back it with full odds.
5. Maintain three numbers at once using the Come and Place bets to replace a winner.

The goal of this strategy is two-fold: to get three numbers working as soon as possible, and to make sure one of those numbers is the 6 or 8. This is why it’s known as the 6 8 craps strategy.

*The 6/8 Place bet pays out at 7-to-6, so bet it in increments of $6. At a $10 minimum game, that means $18 or $24 works. (You can bet in any increment you want, but the goal is to make it easy for the casino to pay you off.) When in doubt, ask the dealer; they’ll let you know if the amount you’ve bet needs adjusting.

Once you’re comfortable with craps strategy #3, you can see how it could be easily expanded by using Place bets to always maintain both the 6 and 8, while using the Come bet to build on the other numbers. It’s not unheard of for experienced players to have 4, 5, or all 6 numbers to be working at once through a combination of Pass Line, Come, and Place bets.

Strategy #4: Don’t Come And Don’t Pass Craps Strategy

Overall, betting against the dice is actually slightly more advantageous than betting with them.

There’s also a gameplay advantage with Don’t bets. For one thing, with multiple numbers up, a 7-out turns into a big payday as all your Pass and Come bets get paid off at once. On the other hand, when the shooter hits a point, you’ll only lose one bet at a time; there’s no way to get completely wiped in the manner of 7 taking down all active numbers for a right way bettor.

So why not bet the Don’t Pass and Don’t Come every time? Well, there’s a non-monetary cost to being a wrong-way bettor in a live game. Craps is a social game and most people at the table are betting with the dice.

That means there’s cheering and backslapping and camaraderie when the shooter hits points, or even simply has a long roll.

If you approach a craps table full of right-way players and plunk down a big bet on the Don’t Pass, you’ll quickly become the least popular person at the table, because you’re hoping for a sequence of dice throws that simultaneously rips their hearts out and fattens your wallet.

Example: Advanced Betting Sequence Using Strategy #4

So, you’ve decided to join the dark side. Congratulations, as you’re going to be making bets with the lowest house advantage on the table, making it arguably the best mathematical craps strategy.

1. Buy in with at least 20x the minimum bet at the table.
2. Bet a unit on the Don’t Pass Line; lay* full odds when a point is established.
3. Bet a unit on Don’t Come and lay full odds until you have three numbers working.
4. Should the shooter hit a point and take down one of your working numbers, replace it. But only do this twice. Yes, this is more about emotion than rationality, but if a shooter starts hitting points, it can feel like the start of a long roll. Rather than fighting the tide, sometimes it’s best to accept your fate. Once you’ve replaced two points, let the roll play out until your bets win with a 7-out. If all your numbers get knocked down, sit out until the next shooter.

*When you bet the wrong way, you don’t place Odds bets like you would for Pass Line and Come bets. These are true odds payouts, which means you back your bet by laying odds. The math is the exact inverse of placing odds on right way bets. On a 6/8, you’re laying increments of $6, which will pay $5 on a win. On 5/9 you’re laying an easy multiple of 3 that will get paid out at 2-to-3. And on 4/10, you can lay any even number as the bet will get paid off at 1-to-2.

Craps Playing Strategies Conclusion

When it comes to the best craps strategy, keep one simple rule of thumb in mind. No bet-sizing or sequencing combination can overcome a house advantage, no matter how small it is. So, your goal in craps is to bet in ways the minimizes house advantage while maximizing your fun, and in such a way that suits your style of play.

Enjoyed this? Check out our article on craps dice control.

Lead image credit: ThoroughlyReviewed/Flickr, CC BY 2.0

What Is A Soft Hand In Blackjack?

Aces have a special role in blackjack because they can be valued at 1 or 11. A hand with an ace is known as a soft hand because of the flexible nature of aces. Let’s look at an example.

With Ace-8, this hand is a 19 (11 for the Ace + 8 for the Eight). While it’s a strong hand, the Ace gives you flexibility; you could take a hit with absolutely no risk of busting. (Why add a card to a 19? If the dealer showed a 5, a good aggressive option is to double down.)

TIP:  When your hand is compared to the dealer’s hand at the end of the game (the showdown) – all that matters is the numerical value of the two hands. Whether it’s a soft 19 or hard 19 has no bearing on determining whether you won or lost.

Let’s look at another example. In this case, the hand is Ace-2, making a Soft 13 (11 + 2). Some dealers might declare that this hand is “either 3 or 13”.

There are no circumstances where you’d want to stand on a Soft 13. That’s true even if the dealer is showing a bust card (2 through 6). You’d always want to take a risk-free hit to try and improve your 13.

But if this hand was a Hard 13 instead of a Soft 13, the strategy changes. If you were to take a hit on a Hard 13, you’re quite likely to draw a big card and bust. Against a dealer’s 5, for example, the best play on Hard 13 would be to stand on your (very weak) 13 and hope the dealer busts. 

What Is A Soft 17 In Blackjack?

Now we get to the hand in question: Soft 17. As mentioned, a Soft 17 is a soft hand that totals 17 and contains an ace that can be counted as a 1 or an 11. You cannot bust if you take one more card. Ace-6 is a common example of a Soft 17.

Soft 17 vs Hard 17 In Blackjack

While a Soft 17 hand contains an ace that can be counted as either 1 or 11 to prevent you from busting, a Hard 17 has a fixed value of 17, and drawing another card comes with a high risk of exceeding 21.

A Hard 17 may still contain an ace, but it would only be counted as 1. Other examples of a Hard 17 are a 10 and 7, or a 9 and 8.

TIP:  Most of the advice below is based on being dealt an Ace-6, but your hand can start as something else entirely and become a Soft 17. For example, you could be dealt 3-3 initially, then draw an Ace on your first hit. Regardless of how many cards are in your hand, if it’s a Soft 17, the playing approach explained below applies.

Blackjack Dealer Rules For Soft 17

The dealer’s hand always plays out according to a simple algorithm.

• If the hand is 16 or less, the dealer must hit until the hand reaches 17 or more, or busts.
• If the dealer has an Ace, they’ll stand on a Soft 18 or more.
• Blackjack dealer rules on Soft 17 will vary from casino to casino (and sometimes between tables). The most common rule is for the dealer to stand on Soft 17, but in some games the dealer must hit on Soft 17 (which is slightly advantageous for the players).

Is Soft 17 A Good Hand?

Players typically stand when their hand reaches 17 or higher. But just because you’re taught to stand on 17, doesn’t mean it’s a good hand. In fact, it’s the opposite.

A hand valued at 17 gives players a false sense of safety. A 17 only wins if the dealer busts. And statistics show that 17 is a losing hand in the long run. That is to say, if you were to play a blackjack game where you were automatically dealt a 17 every single hand, you would slowly but surely lose money over the long run. In technical terms, we’d say that a hand of 17 has a negative win expectation.

…with one caveat (of course). While 17 isn’t a strong hand, if you happen to have a Soft 17, you have an opportunity to improve that hand. Where a Hard 17 leaves you with no good options, a Soft 17 gives you the chance to take a sad song and make it better. Just follow these three simple rules.

How To Play Soft 17 In Blackjack

Rule #1: Don’t Just Stand There

If you have a Hard 17, you’ve hit a dead-end. You have a weak hand, and what’s worse, you can’t safely take a hit to try and improve it. That’s why Soft 17 strategy demands at least taking a risk-free hit.

And returning to the statistics: hitting on Soft 17 turns your slightly negative expectation to a slightly positive one. So always remember the first rule of Soft 17 strategy: Never ever (ever) stand.  

TIP:  Never means never. Dealer shows a Seven? Hit. The player in front of me just drew a bunch of small cards? Hit. Playing in first position at the table? Hit. Playing with a certain rule variation? Hit. Repeat after me: never stand with a Soft 17.

Rule #2: Take A Hit

Hitting on Soft 17 improves your chances of winning, even though some players are hesitant to break up a hand valued at 17. Just remember the math: you’re better off trying to improve your hand.

Here’s the good news: Only 5 of the 13 card ranks in the deck will actually make your Soft 17 into a worse hand. The other 8 possibilities will either improve it or leave it unchanged. So, Rule #2 of Soft 17 strategy is: If in doubt, take a hit.

Rule #3  Double Down If Possible

In some cases, you’ll be in such a strong position that you’ll want to do more than just hit your Soft 17. There are scenarios where you should double down. (If you need a refresher, check out this post on when to double down).

If the dealer is showing a bust card (2 through 6), their chance of busting obviously goes way up. So if rules permit, you want to double down to increase your bet size in this situation.  Rule #3 of Soft 17 strategy is: Double down (if it’s allowed) when the dealer shows a 3, 4, 5, or 6.

TIP:  In the majority of blackjack games, the player is limited to doubling down on a hand of 9, 10, or 11. If that’s the case, you’ll have to settle for merely hitting your Soft 17.  

Advanced Rule Variations

Here are a few nuances to the three rules of Soft 17 strategy for more advanced players.

• Single-deck blackjack games are rare, but if you find yourself in one that allows doubling on any two cards, the mathematics dictates you should double down on your Soft 17 versus a dealer 2 (as well as 3 through 6).
• For card counters, there is a widely known list of basic strategy deviations that show 18 situations where a player should alter their play depending on the composition of the remaining deck. Soft 17 does not appear in that list, so counters should follow these rules along with everyone else.

What To Do After Hitting On Your Soft 17

If you’ve followed the above rules, you will have added at least one card to your Soft 17. Let’s discuss the scenarios that can arise after hitting on your Soft 17.

• The most frequent outcome of hitting or doubling on Soft 17 is that you add a 10, Jack, Queen, or King, turning your hand into a Hard 17. Your only play is to stand and hope the dealer busts.
• If you draw an Ace, 2, 3, or 4, congratulations, you’ve improved your Soft 17 to an 18 or better. Once your hand reaches 18, you have a positive win expectation, so in most circumstances, you’ll stand.
• Drawing a 5 through 9 on your Soft 17 means your hand is worse, but play continues. You now have a hand valued at anywhere from 12 to 16. Yuck! At this point just revert to basic blackjack strategy (you can use these blackjack strategy charts to help). Against a dealer bust card, stand. Otherwise you’ll want to take the risk to hit and improve your lousy hand.

Learn The Rules. Never Waver.

That last scenario haunts blackjack players.  Taking a seemingly respectable 17 and busting, only to watch a dealer with a strong up card bust is sickening feeling. Next time a Soft 17 appears that player will be tempted to stand pat.

Don’t fall into that trap! You will have inevitably have bad beats when playing out Soft 17 hands. But just remember the statistics. And remember that while 17 is a dead-end hand, Soft 17 gives you an escape route. Use it! And if you play by the three Soft 17 strategy rules above, you’ll be a better blackjack player.

For more advanced strategy discussions on blackjack and other casino games, check out my book, Casino Gambling for Dummies.