Craps Bets & Odds Explained

Craps can be one of the most entertaining and exciting games in the casino. It’s definitely one of the more social games and is great for players who like to feel involved in the action, shooting the dice across the large sunken table that is used to play the game.

Pretty much every NZ casino worth its salt has a craps game in its library, and while the online version may lack the player interaction of the land-based version, it’s still a thrilling game to play.

Object of the Game of Craps

Craps is actually not just one game, but a collection of different betting games that are played by rolling dice on a custom-made table, which displays all the bets that can be placed.

The game during craps is one in which the shooter (a player who throws the dice) sets a ‘point’, which is the combined score from rolling two dice; and then tries to hit that number again before rolling a 7.

There are several other side bets that can be placed on various other outcomes during the game, which are outlined later in this article.

Craps Terminology

For someone new to casino and this game, it can appear a complex and difficult game to play, but in reality that couldn’t be further from the truth. 

Craps sites use unique terminology, which is arguably the most complicated aspect of the game. Once you have picked up the lingo, you won’t think twice about what it means to bet the pass line, play the field or take the odds.

Playing online is even easier to understand, as most sites label the available bets and offer information explaining each one of them. Gaining an understanding of the odds and how each bet works is essential before you risk any of your cash at the tables.

The first thing you will notice is that the terminology used is very different to that used in other blackjack sites or roulette sites. The names of the different bet types are derived from bets in other dice games that preceded craps.

A Brief History of Craps

The modern casino game of craps has its roots in an ancient European dice game ‘Hazard;, which had a variant called ‘Krabs’ that was played in London at the end of the 18th century.

At the beginning of the 19th century, Krabs made its way to New Orleans, where the street Rue de Craps was named after the game. 

The core game was betting on the ‘pass’, which derived from the French word ‘pas’ that means ‘step’. Gradually more and more side bets were added and the game ‘craps’ as it is today was born.

Craps Betting Types

Bets at the craps table can be categorised into three main types:

• Line bets
• Multi-roll bets
• Single roll bets

Let’s take a look at some of the bets that can be placed at the craps table and demystify the main dice game that you will find in a land-based or online casino.

Examples of line bets that can be placed in craps include Pass bets, Don’t Pass bets, Taking the Odds and Laying the Odds. Multi-roll bets include Place and Lay bets, Hardways, Big 6 and Big 8 bets, while single roll bets include Field bets, Horn bets and Any Seven.

Before we dive in, it’s worth noting that craps is one of the most player-friendly games, with one of the lowest house edges you will find at a casino. But this is not the case for all the bets you can place in this game, as some have greater house edges than others.

There is one particular bet, which we will come to later, which offers zero edge for the house, making it the fairest bet you will find anywhere in the casino.

Pass Line Bet (Come)

The pass line is the core game within craps, which governs the length of the game. The shooter starts by throwing two dice to determine the ‘point’ and then continues throwing until either the number is rolled again or a score of 7 is rolled. The house edge for this bet is small - just 1.41% - which is the lowest for a casino game.

There are two different states that a pass line bet can be in, which are indicated by a marker that the croupier will place on the board, saying either ‘on’ or ‘off’.

When the game begins the marker is set to ‘off’, which means that the point (number) has not yet been set. If the marker says ‘on’, it means the point has been set and the shooter is now throwing to try and win by rolling the same number again before a 7.

The first roll of the dice decides the point. However, if the first roll is a 7 or an 11, the bet instantly wins and players betting on pass bets are paid out at even money. If the roll is a 2, 3 or a 12, then the bet is a loser. Any other number sets the point for that game.

The name ‘craps’ actually refers to the rolling of a combined score of 2, 3 or 11, which means any bets on the pass line are an instant loss - if the marker is off.

Once the point has been set, the marker will change to ‘on’. The shooter will keep throwing until they roll the number they had set as the point for that game. If they hit it, the table wins and even money will be paid out. If a 7 is rolled before the point is hit again, the bet loses and the game is reset.

It’s generally advised not to make a pass bet after the come-out roll. You are within the rules to do so, but the value of your wager will reduce, increasing the house edge for the pass bet. It’s always best to wait until the game has reset to put fresh bets on the pass line.

• House Edge: 1.41%
• True Odds: 251/244
• Pays: 1/1

Don’t Pass Bet (Don’t Come)

The don’t pass bet is the opposite of the pass bet, as the name would suggest. You are betting on opposite results here.

So, for this, you will win if you roll a 2 or a 3, with 7 and 11 losing. If a 12 is rolled, then the bet is regarded as a push. You will keep rolling for this bet until the point line is hit or a 7 lands.

The strange thing about this bet is that you are generally betting against the rest of the table. Most will be on the pass (come) bet, so when you win, the majority of players will lose. In live craps games, you will often be frowned at by other players for betting ‘with the house’ against the players.

This can lead to a dynamic atmosphere at the table, which can be frosty or fun. However, it’s not a thing online, when you don’t play at the same table as other players.

The odds and house edge are almost identical for the pass and don’t pass bets.

• House Edge: 1.36%
• True Odds: 976/949
• Pays: 1/1

Taking the Odds

This is an unusual one, as ‘odds’ or pass odds is such an ubiquitous word in gambling. Almost every type of gambling makes use of the word ‘ ' 'odds', however, in craps it refers to a specific type of bet that you can place, not a value.

‘Taking the Odds’ is a unique bet in any casino, let alone craps. This is the bet that was referred to earlier in the article as the fairest bet you will anywhere in the casino.

This is because this bet has zero house edge. By this, we mean that the odds on offer on this bet are fair and true. For every $1 wagered, you can expect $1 to be returned, over a big enough sample.

This side bet is related to whether the shooter wins after the point has been set. You are betting on the outcome of a number being rolled before a 7 is rolled.

When taking the odds, the payout on a successful bet depends on which number has been set as the point: 

• When the point is 4 or 10, the odds paid are 2/1
• When the point is 5 or 9, the odds paid are 3/2
• When the point is 6 or 8, the odds paid are 6/5

Usually a player can only ‘take the odds’ if they have made a bet on the pass line. Taking the odds happens as soon as the point has been set, before the next roll.

A key thing to note about this bet is that you will be limited on the amount you can wager. The main reason the house does this is because they don’t make any money from the bet. It doesn’t act as a deterrent as such, but it does try and limit the action.

The amount that can be wagered when taking the odds is described as a multiple of the original pass line bet. For most casinos, this will be 2x or 3x the size of the pass line bet.

There will usually be a sign on the table that states the maximum amount that can be bet when taking the odds - for example, 3x the odds.

Some casinos offer much higher limits for the size of odds bets that can be placed, usually for promotional purposes. Casinos offering as much as 100x the odds have been known.

Please note that if you are playing online and are clearing a casino welcome bonus, this type of bet usually won’t count towards clearing their wagering requirements.

• House Edge: None
• True Odds: 
  • 4 and 10 - 2/1 
  • 5 and 9 - 3/2
  • 6 and 8 - 6/5
• Pays: Same as True Odds

Laying the Odds

Laying the odds is the exact opposite of taking the odds and is also a fair bet as it also has the best odds in craps, where the payout is equivalent to the probability of winning - with the house having zero edge. It is also known as ‘Don’t Pass Odds’.

Place Bets

This is another bet that uses confusing terminology, as those familiar with sports betting, in particular horse racing, will be familiar with ‘place’ bets, which is a way to bet on whether a runner will be one of the top 2, 3, 4 or 5 finishers (depending on the size of the field).

Place bets are made up of a series of numbers across the board. These include 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10. The player can bet on these numbers as a single bet, and if they appear before a 7, the player wins. Place bets can only be made once the point has been set (when the marker is on).

These are pretty simple bets and tend to prove very popular. Each number has its own odds attached. The odds for Place bets are based on the likelihood that the number will be drawn before a 7 is rolled. Bets can be taken off at any point, or increased between rolls.

It’s common for players to gradually increase these bets if they hit a few of them and you will often hear players saying ‘press the eight’ when they want to increase their bet on a specific number.

The house edge on place bets varies, but the best value comes from the 6 and 8 bet, where the edge is just 1.52%.

• House Edge: 
  • 6 and 8 - 1.52%
  • 5 and 9 - 4.00%
  • 4 and 10 - 6.67%
• True Odds: 
  • 6 and 8 - 6/5
  • 5 and 9 - 3/2
  • 4 and 10 - 2/1
• Pays: 
  • 6 and 8 - 7/6
  • 5 and 9 - 7/5
  • 4 and 10 - 9/5

Lay Bets

These work in exactly the opposite way to the place bets. The easiest way to understand it is to think of it as a wager on the place bet to lose.

Essentially, you are betting on the 7 to be rolled before a range of numbers. The groups and the odds offered are the same as the place bet, but in reverse.

The main difference between the pricing for place and lay bets is that lay bets come with a commission attached. The amount of commission charged will differ between casinos. Generally, it’s around 5% and will only be applied to winning bets. This will also alter the edge slightly further into the house’s favour.

• House Edge: 
  • 6 and 8 - 2.27%
  • 5 and 9 - 2.00%
  • 4 and 10 - 1.67%
• True Odds: 
  • 6 and 8 - 7/6
  • 5 and 9 - 7/5
  • 4 and 10 - 9/5
• Pays: same as odds, with a 5% commission applied to the winning amount

Big 6 and Big 8

The Big 6 and Big 8 bets are the same as making a place bet on either 6 or 8. For this, you are choosing either number to be rolled before a 7.

Be warned that this is a mug bet, one of the worst you can make on a craps table. The house edge is 9.09%, and although there are bets that offer a greater house edge, the reason this bet is so bad is because betting on the 6 or 8 as a place bet will return 7/6 rather than the evens that these bets pay out.

• House Edge: 9.09%
• True Odds: 6/5
• Pays: 1/1

Hard Bets

Hard bets is betting that the two numbers rolled will be the same. This means that you have 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 as the possible winning outcomes for this bet. Each bet is separate, you bet on a specific number, not any two same numbers.

For example, if you bet on 8 hard ways, you will lose if a 7 is rolled or a 5-3 or 6-2 is rolled. Your hand stays live with any other non-winning combination. It is a multi-roll bet, as it may take several throws of the dice before the outcome is determined.

• House Edge: 
  • 6 and 8 - 9.09%
  • 4 and 10 - 11.11%
  • 2 - 13.89%
• True Odds: 
  • 6 and 8 - 10/1 
  • 4 and 10 - 8/1 
  • 2 - 35/1
• Pays: 
  • 6 and 8 - 9/1 
  • 4 and 10 - 7/1
  • 2 - 30/1

Any 7

This is a straightforward single roll bet where you are betting on the outcome of the next roll being a score of 7. It’s a very simple win or lose bet. It isn’t related to bets on the point, as it is only valid for a single roll of the dice.

It’s one of the worst bets that can be placed in craps, with a house edge of 16.67%. Let’s break this bet down to illustrate this more clearly:

• There are six possible two-dice combinations that add up to 7
• There are 30 combinations that do not add up to 7
• That works out to true odds of 5/1
• However, this bet pays out at only 4/1
• House Edge: 16.67%
• True Odds: 5/1
• Pays: 4/1

Craps Bets

A craps bet is another single roll proposition bet. Despite its name, it is not one of the most commonly placed bets in this game. This bet covers when a dealer rolls a 2, 3 or a 12. It’s another simple win or lose bet.

It’s often referred to as a hedge bet as it covers some numbers that most people betting on the pass would lose to if it landed (when the marker is off). However, a house edge of 11.11% makes it one of the worst value bets you can place in this game.

It typically pays at odds of 7/1, however, some casinos increase this to 7.5/1. If you can find these games, the house edge reduces dramatically, down to just 5.56%.

While odds of 7/1 might seem quite decent, it’s probably better to leave this bet out of your wider strategy and focus on the pass line bets instead.

• House Edge: 11.11%
• True Odds: 8/1
• Pays: 7/1

Field Bets

Field bets are placed on what the combined score will be from the next roll of the dice. If the next roll is a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12, the bet wins. Rolling a 5, 6, 7 or 8 will see you lose the bet.

This bet pays out even money on all numbers, except 2 and 12. The 2 pays 2/1 and the 3 pays 3/1. It’s worth noting that the odds for these can vary, as some casinos only pay 2/1 on both results, which doubles the house edge from 2.78% to 5.56%.

• House Edge: 2.27%
• True Odds: 5/4
• Pays: 1/1 - except a 2 (2/1) and 12 (3/1)

3 or 11

The 3 or 11 bet works in much the same way as the field bet. It is another single roll bet, but it is limited to just the 3 or 11, which are rare numbers to roll. The house has a big edge with these bets at 11.11%, making it one of the casino’s best earners.

It may not offer the best odds in the game, but you will still get a payout of 15/1, reflecting how infrequently these scores are rolled.

• House Edge: 11.11%
• True Odds: 17/1
• Pays: 15/1

Horn Bet

This is a single roll bet that allows the player to bet on the outcome of the next roll being 2, 3, 11 or 12. The payouts will vary on these bets:

• 3 or 11 - 3/1
• 2 or 12 - 27/4

This bet is actually the same as placing four individual bets on each of the numbers, but combining them together just makes the process more simple.

Yo Eleven Bet

You will often hear ‘Yo Eleven’ at the craps table, and it refers to a single roll proposition bet that can be placed in this game.

Betting ‘Yo Eleven’ means you are betting that the score of the next roll will be exactly 11. If it hits, you will be paid out at odds of 15/1. But is it a good bet? Not really, as you can see from the rare betting figures below.

• House Edge: 11.11%
• True Odds: 17/1
• Pays: 15/1

Summary

As you can see, the range of bets that you can place in craps is extensive. There are in fact far more bet types that can be placed than have been listed above, although we have highlighted the main ones that players will usually encounter.

Don’t feel overwhelmed, you don’t need to place all these bets, in fact most players tend to stick to strategies that incorporate just two or three different bets.

Most people devise a playing strategy that focuses on just a few of the bets that can be placed. For example, playing the pass line and once a point is set, taking the odds, increasing the size of their initial bet considerably at this point.

A lot of craps players will also combine playing the pass line and taking the odds with some place bets, hoping to hit a few of these before a 7 is rolled. Players often press their place bets if the shooter continues to chuck non-7 scores for consecutive throws. 

If you are new to the game, we would advise to keep things simple and stick to pass line bets and taking the odds. Once you become more familiar with the game, you can easily begin to mix in a few other bets, to maximise your enjoyment of the game.