Blackjack Vs Craps: Still Duking It Out

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Blackjack and craps have been very popular casino games for a long time, and they still are. This means that the gaming community has yet to make up its mind about which game is better. And the final judgment is not likely to happen any time soon; given all the pros and cons of each game, each with their own crowd of dedicated fans actively arguing about the odds, chances, and payouts of both games. So, which one is better? Or is it technically even possible to put the question this way?

Blackjack and Craps: Understanding the Differences and Similarities

While the origins of both games are lost in the mists of time, the game of craps seems to be much older anyway, as it is related to throwing dice. This kind of entertainment has been known ever since the times when the Pyramids were built (well, nobody knows when exactly they were built, but that’s another story!) The predecessors of blackjack cannot be traced further back than the fifteenth century. Even in the US, the history of craps is about twice as long as the history of blackjack. But the popularity of these two games hasn’t faded by any means as time goes by — there are plenty of people still playing them!

You might have heard that the basic difference between the two games is that the game of craps is based on pure luck; while in blackjack, the player’s skills are decisive. Mentioning this has become commonplace, but strictly speaking, this is not precisely true. The game of craps does require some skills and not merely the simple skill of throwing the dice. If you decide to play craps you need to study some different betting options and strategies, and to decide exactly which betting strategy you want to follow — otherwise, your betting could end up going very bad way. You could lose heavily in craps if your betting decisions are wrong, or just too risky!

In fact, the very same thing might happen, and does happen, to blackjack players! But the skills blackjack player needs are just different from what craps player need. In blackjack, the player makes decisions about his next moves based on the information he obtains. In craps, the player makes betting decisions about the outcome of the dice to be rolled. So you want to make some comparisons and find out what kind of decisions are more complicated? Okay then, but first of all, you would need to tell us how exactly you are going to measure the complexity of making this or that kind of decisions.

Some people would also say that blackjack is a game of skill “to a greater degree” than craps; but again, if this “degree” cannot be defined in terms of some kind of reliable and objective measure, then this kind of judgment is a purely theoretical one which is pretty useless in practice.

You can be successful in playing either of the two games properly; and equally, you can lose a lot of money if you choose the wrong methods. In this respect, these two different games — blackjack and craps — are quite similar. Another similarity is that playing both games, you play against the house and not against the other players; however, in craps, it is still possible to bet against the shooter.

From the point of view of the interests and agendas of the players, each game has its own strong and weak points.

The Advantages and Weak Points of Blackjack and Craps

The Advantages

• The house edge of both games, if played properly, can be taken pretty close to zero.
• Both games offer a broad scope of table limits, welcoming all kinds of players: novice and experienced, low and high stakes.
• Craps is the easier game of the two for beginners. You only need to learn a couple of bets to make and to avoid, and here you go! You’re a newly-minted craps player.
• Blackjack challenges your aptitude in math and your ability to remember cards, and this can give you a feel of playing a “more intellectual” game. The game of craps gives you a bit more of an emotional buzz and better interaction with the people gathered around the table. So just choose what you like more!

The Weak Points

As usual, the weak points of every game are just a logical continuation of their advantages.

• While playing, you will be tempted to make risky bets of high payoffs. But as such hits are very rare indeed, you’re going to lose a lot of money if you give in to temptation.
• The game of craps creates a strong emotional atmosphere at the gambling table, and this might push you towards making less reasonable bets, and might even result in your stay longer than advisable as well.
• The seemingly simple character of blackjack might lead to an illusion that you could play it haphazardly, wherever the wind takes you — of course, you could try this, but this is actually a foolproof way of losing your money. You need to learn how to play your cards better in this game; because otherwise, you could soon find yourself in trouble!

Which Game to Choose?

Although blackjack and craps are different games, they are quite similar in many ways at the same time. But every risk-taker has their own preferences, tastes, and inclinations. And beyond this, there are, of course, some players who prefer to play blackjack one day and craps on another day. So people like this aren’t very likely to understand this whole dilemma about which game is ‘better.’

If you are the kind of person who is easily carried away with the feeling of “being lucky,” and generally prone to bets that are too risky, then neither of these two games are good for you. Or, you’re not good enough for them!

Playing both games is not difficult. Nor it is difficult to learn how to play them better — maybe you need to spend a bit more time learning how to play blackjack. But it’s not at all complicated to follow the various “do’s and don’ts” you can find over the web. You could easily end up enjoying either of these games if you maintain your focus and play wisely!