How To Bet In Craps
Dec 16, 2020 Take (relatively safe) pass bets. Though there are many, many betting possibilities in the game of craps, the safest bets are, luckily, fairly simple. The simplest, most fundamental bet in the game of craps, the pass bet, is also one of the very safest, with a low house edge of 1.41%. Drop The Hardways Bomb. We’re going to end this discussion of how to win at craps with a little.
Also, the actual odds of the winning this bet are 976:949, so this is very close to the 1:1 payout. The small difference here is known as the house edge, which is 1.36%. Note that this is mathematically the best craps bet you can possibly do besides the additional don't pass odds bet, which will reduce the overall house edge to almost nothing. The most basic of all craps bet is on the Pass Line, which is also known as “right way”.
- Appendices
- Craps Analysis
- Miscellaneous
Fire Bet
The Fire Bet pays based on how many unique points a shooter can make before sevening out. Please see my page on the Fire Bet for the rules rules and analysis.
Different Doubles
The Different Doubles pays based on the number of distinct doubles the shooter rolls before a seven. Please see my page on the Different Doubles for the rules rules and analysis.
Ride the Line
Details about this side bet can be found in my Ride the Line page.
Muggsy's Corner
This is a simple side bet that wins if the come out roll is a seven or a 'point-7' (point established and seven on the next roll). For the full rules and analysis, please see my page on Muggsy's Corner.
Hard Rockin' Dice
This set of three side bets, originally called the Hot Hand, can be found at the Hard Rock Cincinnati. They if various sets of totals are rolled before a seven. Please see my page on Hard Rockin' Dice for more information.
Low Dice, High Dice
This pair of bets are based on the total of the dice in one throw. The 'Low Dice' bet pays 1 to 1 on totals of 3 to 6 and 5 to 1 on a total of 2. The 'High Dice' pays 1 to 1 on totals of 8 to 11 and 5 to 1 on a total of 12. The following return table on the Low Dice bet shows the house edge is 5.56%. The High Dice bet is the opposite so has the same house edge.
Low Bet
| Total | Combinations | Probability | Pays | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 0.027778 | 5 | 0.138889 |
| 3 to 6 | 14 | 0.388889 | 1 | 0.388889 |
| 7 to 12 | 21 | 0.583333 | -1 | -0.583333 |
| Total | 36 | 1 | -0.055556 |
Card Craps
In some jurisdictions, namely California, dice alone may not determine the outcome of a bet. In the game of 'Card Craps' 24-card decks are used each consisting of ranks ace to six in all four suits. Two cards are drawn to simulate the roll of the dice. If the suits are different the 'roll' stands. If the suits are the same, then the roll is ignored for all craps bets. The odds on all craps bets are the same as if dice were used.
However, there is an extra bet called the 'No Call.' This bet pays 3 to 1 if the two cards are suited, otherwise it loses. The house edge depends on the number of 24-card decks used as shown below.
Card Craps - No Call Bet
| Decks | Probability | House Edge |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.217391 | 13.0435% |
| 2 | 0.234043 | 6.383% |
| 3 | 0.239437 | 4.2254% |
| 4 | 0.242105 | 3.1579% |
| 5 | 0.243697 | 2.521% |
| 6 | 0.244755 | 2.0979% |
| 7 | 0.245509 | 1.7964% |
| 8 | 0.246073 | 1.5707% |
| 9 | 0.246512 | 1.3953% |
| 10 | 0.246862 | 1.2552% |
| 11 | 0.247148 | 1.1407% |
| 12 | 0.247387 | 1.0453% |
| 13 | 0.247588 | 0.9646% |
| 14 | 0.247761 | 0.8955% |
| 15 | 0.247911 | 0.8357% |
| 16 | 0.248042 | 0.7833% |
Midway Bet
The Showboat in Atlantic City I'm told has a Midway bet in the normal location of the Big 6 and Big 8 on a total of 6 to 8 in the next roll. A hard 6 or 8 pay 2 to 1, and all other totals of 6 to 8 pay 1 to 1. The following table shows the house edge is 5.56%.
Midway Bet
| Total | Combinations | Probability | Pays | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hard 6,8 | 2 | 0.055556 | 2 | 0.111111 |
| Soft 6,8 | 8 | 0.222222 | 1 | 0.222222 |
| 7 | 6 | 0.166667 | 1 | 0.166667 |
| All other | 20 | 0.555556 | -1 | -0.555556 |
| Total | 36 | 1 | -0.055556 |
Bonus Craps (Small, Tall, & All)
Bonus Craps is a set of three side bets, the Small, Tall, and All. For all the details, please visit my Bonus Craps page.
Four Rolls no Seven
I hear that Sam's Town in both Las Vegas and Shreveport offer this bet. The bet wins if the shooter can go four throws without rolling a seven. A win pays 1 to 1. The odds are as follows.
Four Rolls no Seven
| Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1 | 0.482253 | 0.482253 |
| Loss | -1 | 0.517747 | -0.517747 |
| Total | 1 | -0.035494 |
Golden Dice Challenge
The 'Golden Dice Challenge' is a craps side bet found at the MGM Grand in Detroit. The bet pays according to the number of pass line wins the player has before a seven-out. For purposes of the side bet, a win may be made either by rolling a 7 or 11 on the come out roll, or making a point. Rolling a 2, 3, or 12 on the come out roll does not affect the bet. There is a maximum win of $5,000.
The following return table shows the pays, probabilities, and return from each event, based on a $1 bet.
Golden Dice Challenge Return Table for $1 Bet
| Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 or more | 5000 to 1 | 0.000008 | 0.037819 |
| 17 to 19 | 2000 to 1 | 0.000037 | 0.07358 |
| 15 to 16 | 1000 to 1 | 0.0001 | 0.099877 |
| 13 to 14 | 100 to 1 | 0.000325 | 0.032478 |
| 11 to 12 | 50 to 1 | 0.001056 | 0.052806 |
| 9 to 10 | 25 to 1 | 0.003434 | 0.085858 |
| 7 to 8 | 10 to 1 | 0.011168 | 0.111678 |
| 5 to 6 | 5 to 1 | 0.036316 | 0.181578 |
| 0 to 4 | Loss | 0.947557 | -0.947557 |
| Total | 1 | -0.271883 |
Assuming the maximum win is $5000 the following is the house edge for various bet amounts.
Golden Dice Challenge House Edge by Amout Bet
| Bet | House Edge |
|---|---|
| $100 | 49.22% |
| $50 | 46.87% |
| $25 | 45.43% |
| $10 | 41.10% |
| $5 | 33.89% |
| $4 | 32.78% |
| $3 | 30.94% |
| $2 | 29.08% |
| $1 | 27.19% |
7 Point 7
7 Point 7 is a craps side bet, which debuted at the Orleans casino in Las Vegas, in late 2008. I have also seen it at the Hard Rock in Macau under the name 'Double Trip Seven.' The bet wins if the player gets a seven on the come out roll, or the dreaded 'point 7,' where the player sevens out on his second roll. The following table shows a house edge of 5.56%.
7 Point 7 Return Table
| Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 on come out roll | 2 | 0.166667 | 0.333333 |
| Point 7 | 3 | 0.111111 | 0.333333 |
| Loser | -1 | 0.722222 | -0.722222 |
| Total | 1 | -0.055556 |
Sharp Shooter
The 'Sharp Shooter' is a side bet in craps spotted at the Hooters casino in Las Vegas in March, 2009. I hear it was removed in 2014.
The bet is made when a new shooter takes the dice, and pays according to how many times he makes a point. The following table shows what each number of points made pays and the probability. Pays have been converted to a 'to one' basis, to be consistent with the rest of this page. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 21.87%.
Sharp Shooter — Return Table
| Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 or more | 299 | 0.000122 | 0.03644 |
| 9 | 199 | 0.000178 | 0.035474 |
| 8 | 99 | 0.000439 | 0.043461 |
| 7 | 49 | 0.001081 | 0.052975 |
| 6 | 29 | 0.002662 | 0.077212 |
| 5 | 19 | 0.006557 | 0.12458 |
| 4 | 9 | 0.016148 | 0.145328 |
| 3 | 5 | 0.039766 | 0.198831 |
| 2 or less | -1 | 0.933047 | -0.933047 |
| Total | 1 | -0.218744 |
Double Trip Seven
I noticed this bet at the City of Dreams in Macau in August 2009. It is the same thing as the7 Point 7 bet aleady described.
Point Seven
I saw this side bet at the 2009 Global Gaming Expo, and in June 2010 at the Las Vegas Hilton. It is licensed by Casino Gaming LLC. It is a side wager made on the come out roll. If the player rolls a point, and then a seven on the second roll, the bet pays 7 to 1. All other outcomes lose. The following table shows the house edge is 11.11%.
Point Seven
| Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 7 | 0.111111 | 0.777778 |
| Loss | -1 | 0.888889 | -0.888889 |
| Total | 1 | -0.111111 |
Replay
Replay is a craps side bet I spotted at the Boulder Station on September 16, 2010. It pays if the shooter makes the same point at least 3 times before sevening out. For my full analysis, please see my page on the Replay side bet.
Twice as Nice
Twice as Nice is a side bet that has been seen at an unknown casino in Biloxi. It wins if the shooter throws any specific pair, including a total of 2 and 12, twice before a seven. For example, rolling a hard 10 twice before a 7. Wins pay 6 to 1. The following table shows a house edge of 29.40%.
Twice as Nice
| Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 6 | 0.100863 | 0.605178 |
| Loss | -1 | 0.899137 | -0.899137 |
| Total | 1 | -0.293959 |
A win of 7 to 1 would have a house edge of 19.31%, and 8 to 1 would be 9.22%.
Pete and Repeat
Pete and Repeat has also been seen at the same mystery casino in Biloxi. It wins if any total is rolled twice before a 7. Wins pay even money. The following table shows a house edge of 5.79%.
Pete and Repeat
| Event | Pays | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1 | 0.471066 | 0.471066 |
| Loss | -1 | 0.528934 | -0.528934 |
| Total | 1 | -0.057868 |
Double D
In April 2012 I heard this side bet was being offered at the Harrington Raceway casino in Harrington, Delaware. It pays if the shooter makes at least four unique doubles before he sevens out. Come out rolls do not count. The following table shows all the possible outcomes, what they pay (on a 'to one' basis), the probability, and return. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 14.71%.
Double D
| Unique Doubles | Pays | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 250 | 0.001083 | 0.270633 |
| 5 | 50 | 0.006494 | 0.324683 |
| 4 | 10 | 0.022728 | 0.227282 |
| 0 to 3 | -1 | 0.969696 | -0.969696 |
| Total | 1.000000 | -0.147097 |
Broad Bar 12
In April 2012 I heard this side bet was being offered at the Harrington Raceway casino in Harrington, Delaware. It acts like a place bet, winning on any double except 6-6, and losing on seven. The following return table shows the a house edge of 1.52%, per bet resolved.
Broad Bar 12 — Not Counting Pushes
| Event | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Double, except 6-6 | 1.166667 | 5 | 0.454545 | 0.530303 |
| Seven | -1 | 6 | 0.545455 | -0.545455 |
| Total | 11 | 1.000000 | -0.015152 |
Hot Roller
On December 27, 2013, a member of my Wizard of Vegas forum posted about seeing this side bet at the Dover Downs casino in Delaware. It pays based on how many 'completed points' the shooter gets before rolling a seven. The shooter completes a point when he rolls it in all possible ways. For example, to complete a point of eight the shooter would need to roll a 2+6, 3+5, and 4+4. Following are the complete rules.
- The bet may be made only on a come out roll.
- The bet will be resolved when the shooter rolls a seven.
- The bet pays according to how many 'completed points' the shooter achieves.
- To complete a point, the shooter must roll the given total all possible ways. The following list shows all the ways to roll each total.
- 4: 1+3, 2+2
- 5: 1+4, 2+3
- 6: 1+5, 2+4, 3+3
- 8: 2+6, 3+5, 4+4
- 9: 3+6, 4+5
- 10: 4+6, 5+5
- The player must complete at least two points to win. The following table shows how much each number of completed points pays.
Hot Roller Pay Table
| Completed Points | Pays |
|---|---|
| 6 | 200 to 1 |
| 5 | 50 to 1 |
| 4 | 20 to 1 |
| 3 | 10 to 1 |
| 2 | 5 to 1 |
| 0 or 1 | Loss |
The following table shows the probability and contribution to the return for all possible outcomes. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 7.50%. There are certainly much worse things you could bet on in craps.
Hot Roller Return Table
| Completed Points | Pays | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 200 | 0.000412 | 0.082441 |
| 5 | 50 | 0.002219 | 0.110968 |
| 4 | 20 | 0.007528 | 0.150567 |
| 3 | 10 | 0.021193 | 0.211934 |
| 2 | 5 | 0.056287 | 0.281435 |
| 0 or 1 | -1 | 0.912360 | -0.912360 |
| Total | 1.000000 | -0.075013 | |
My methodology was a random simulation of 28 billion resolved bets.
Repeater
Repeater is a set of craps side bets I noticed at the Suncoast casino in Las Vegas on April 6, 2015. The idea is that the player must roll a given number a specified number of times before a seven. For bets on 2 to 6, the player must roll that total the same number of times as the total itself. For example, for the bet on the number five to win, the shooter must roll 5 fives before a seven. For totals of 8 to 12, the player must roll the total 14 less whatever the total is. For example, on a total of 11, the player must roll an eleven 14-11=3 times before a seven.
The following is what each specific bet pays:- 2: 40 for 1
- 3: 50 for 1
- 4: 65 for 1
- 5: 80 for 1
- 6: 90 for 1
- 8: 90 for 1
- 9: 80 for 1
- 10: 65 for 1
- 11: 50 for 1
- 12: 40 for 1
The following table shows the probability of winning and house edge of each bet.
Repeater — Suncoast Rules
| Bet | Pays (for 1) | Probability | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 40 | 0.020408 | 0.183673 |
| 3 | 50 | 0.015625 | 0.218750 |
| 4 | 65 | 0.012346 | 0.197531 |
| 5 | 80 | 0.010240 | 0.180800 |
| 6 | 90 | 0.008820 | 0.206209 |
| 8 | 90 | 0.008820 | 0.206209 |
| 9 | 80 | 0.010240 | 0.180800 |
| 10 | 65 | 0.012346 | 0.197531 |
| 11 | 50 | 0.015625 | 0.218750 |
| 12 | 40 | 0.020408 | 0.183673 |
At Caesars Palace I noticed they added a 'Dealer Envy' win to the same Suncoast pay table above. The following table shows the return to the player, the dealer, and the total.
Repeater — Caesars Palace Dealer Envy Rules
| Dice Total | Number Needed | Player Win | Dealer Envy | Player Return | Dealer Return | Total Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 40 | 2 | 81.63% | 4.08% | 85.71% |
| 3 | 3 | 50 | 3 | 78.13% | 4.69% | 82.81% |
| 4 | 4 | 65 | 4 | 80.25% | 4.94% | 85.19% |
| 5 | 5 | 80 | 5 | 81.92% | 5.12% | 87.04% |
| 6 | 6 | 90 | 6 | 79.38% | 5.29% | 84.67% |
| 8 | 6 | 90 | 6 | 79.38% | 5.29% | 84.67% |
| 9 | 5 | 80 | 5 | 81.92% | 5.12% | 87.04% |
| 10 | 4 | 65 | 4 | 80.25% | 4.94% | 85.19% |
| 11 | 3 | 50 | 3 | 78.13% | 4.69% | 82.81% |
| 12 | 2 | 40 | 2 | 81.63% | 4.08% | 85.71% |
It should be noted that the player can achieve the same thing by parlaying place/buy bets. Here is the same chart for the better of place and buy bets. This assumes a buy bet on the 4 with commission on a win only (effective odds of 59 for 20), place bet on the 5 paying 7 to 5, and place bet on the 6 paying 7 to 6.
Place/Buy Parlay Strategy
| Bet | Pays (for 1) | Probability | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 75.73 | 0.012346 | 0.065018 |
| 5 | 79.63 | 0.010240 | 0.184627 |
| 6 | 103.46 | 0.008820 | 0.087534 |
Note how the house edge is lower on the 4 and 6 making place/buy bets, but greater on the 5.
According to the patent application for the Repeater Bets there are some other variants, as follows:
- Variant 1: Come out rolls don't count. In this version, the player can only lose on a 'seven out' but any numbers rolled on a come out roll don't help either. The patent application doesn't specifically say that other numbers on a come out roll don't help, but it is implied by saying that the casino may choose to let the player turn the repeater bets on and off on a come out roll. Why would any player turn them off if the player could only advance on a come out roll and not lose?
- Variant 2: The player may also bet on a 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12. The win and number of rolls required are the same as the mirror image number below seven. For example, a player must roll 6 eights on the eight bet, which pays 90 for 1.
- Variant 3: The player may also bet on a 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12. However, unlike variant 2, the player must still achieve the given number that many times to win. For example, for a bet on eight, the shooter must roll 8 eights before a seven to win. The odds under this variant are shown below.
Repeater — 'Variant 3' rules
| Bet | Pays (for 1) | Probability | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 40 | 0.020408163265 | 0.183673 |
| 3 | 50 | 0.015625000000 | 0.218750 |
| 4 | 65 | 0.012345679012 | 0.197531 |
| 5 | 80 | 0.010240000000 | 0.180800 |
| 6 | 90 | 0.008819905157 | 0.206209 |
| 8 | 400 | 0.001822294454 | 0.271082 |
| 9 | 2,500 | 0.000262144000 | 0.344640 |
| 10 | 25,000 | 0.000016935088 | 0.576623 |
| 11 | 100,000 | 0.000000238419 | 0.976158 |
| 12 | 50,000,000 | 0.000000000072 | 0.996388 |
Under 7, Over 7
The over and under 7 are a pair of side bets I noticed at the New York, New York on January 6, 2017. You can find them where the Big 6 and 8 bets used to be. Both bets pay even money bets and win if the next roll is over/under a 7. So, a total of 7 causes both to lose. The probability of winning is 15/36=41.67% and the house edge is 16.67% (ouch!).
Hard Way Place Bets
.
On May 30, 2017 I noticed place bets on the hard ways on the craps tables at the Orleans casino in Las Vegas. These would win if the specified hard way, for example 5-5, where rolled before a total of seven. Each bet pays 5 to 1.
The following return table shows a house edge of 14.29%, ignoring rolls that neither win nor lose.
Hard Way Place Bets
How To Make A Place Bet In Craps
| Bet | Pays | Combinations | Probability | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 5 | 1 | 0.142857 | 0.714286 |
| Loss | -1 | 6 | 0.857143 | -0.857143 |
| Total | 7 | 1.000000 | -0.142857 |
Internal Links
- How the house edge for each bet is derived, in brief.
- The house edge of all the major bets on both a per-bet made and per-roll basis
- Dice Control Experiments. The results of two experiments on skillful dice throwing.
- Dice Control Advantage. The player advantage, assuming he can influence the dice.
- Craps variants. Alternative rules and bets such as the Fire Bet, Crapless Craps, and Card Craps.
- California craps. How craps is played in California using playing cards.
- Play Craps. Craps game using cards at the Viejas casino in San Diego.
- Number of Rolls Table. Probability of a shooter lasting 1 to 200 rolls before a seven-out.
- Ask the Wizard. See craps questions I've answered about:
- Simple Craps game. My simple Java craps game.
External Links
- Las Vegas craps survey — The max odds bet allowed at each casino.
See Full List On Wikihow.com
Written by: Michael Shackleford