Craps in Macau

(Last updated: November 13, 2023)

My favourite casino game in the world barely registers in Macau, ranking 9th out of 14 in terms of gross gaming revenue, accounting for a measly 0.13%. 

Only 9 casinos offer it, with most of them setting the Pass Line bet at $300.  3-4-5 are the standard odds around town, although 5-5-5 is available at Galaxy, City of Dreams and Studio City.

Craps in Macau: What to Watch Out For

I wouldn’t call the standard Craps bets in Macau particularly good, but they’re not horrible either.  Here are the odds for the major side bets, which are the same at every casino.

The Field:  The Field pays 2-1 on both the 2 and the 12, for a house edge of 5.56%.  Obviously not ideal, as most casinos in the world pay 3-1 on either the 2 or the 12, which reduces the house edge to 2.27%.

Horn Bets, Any Craps, Any 7, C&E:  All of these side bets pay out the same odds as in America. 

Horn Bet: 1-1: 30X, 1-2: 15X, 5-6: 15X, 6-6: 30X      

Any Craps: 7-1

Any 7: 4-1

C&E: 2, 3, 12 pay 3-1, 11 pays 7-1

The house edge on all of these bets is straight up nasty, exceeding 10%.

Any Hard Way: City of Dreams and Studio City might be the only two casinos in the world offering this bet.  Any hard way rolled before an easy way or a 7 pays 4-1, for a house edge of 9.09%.

Big 6 / Big 8: This bit of nastiness is soiling the tables at City of Dreams, Studio City and Galaxy.  Big 6 and Big 8 is the same bet as Place 6 and Place 8, just with even odds, instead of 7-6.  Illegal in Atlantic City, Macau should outlaw it too.  

Strategy and Advice

The best strategy in Craps to make a Pass or Don’t Pass Bet, followed by taking Full Odds.  Since the odds at Galaxy, City of Dreams, Studio City are the highest in town at 5 times, that’s where you should be playing.

Making the Don’t Pass Bet plus Full Odds results in a lower house edge (0.23%) than the Pass Bet with Full Odds (0.33%), but I find it counter intuitive and not as fun.  When the whole table’s winning, you’re losing.  And conversely, when the whole table’s losing, you’re winning.  The only time I enjoy being the outlier is when I’m ending dreams at the Baccarat table.  When those dice are rumbling and tumbling down the table, I want to be riding the wave with everyone else. 

The only other bet I recommend making is the Place 6 and Place 8, which have a low house edge of 1.52%.

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