The Hardways Bets
| Updated: Craps Hardway Bets Explained
Craps is one of the most entertaining table games in casinos, and it has many fans worldwide. One reason is the wide range of betting options available. This allows you to join the game and choose the option that sounds the most exciting or potentially rewarding to you.
To make an informed choice, however, you should be familiar with all the wagering options on the craps table. While two identical betting sections appear at opposite ends of the table, several additional options, known as proposition bets, are positioned in the center. They offer tempting payouts but also carry higher risks.
One prop bet you will encounter while playing craps is the Hardway bet. As the name suggests, you are betting on a number to roll the “hard way” before it rolls the “easy way” or before the shooter throws a 7. You can make a Hardway bet on four numbers, and there are both similarities and differences between these wagering options. In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about Hardway bets and whether they are worth making in craps.
Located in the center of the craps table, Hardway bets are placed when players wager on both dice showing the same number. We will examine the Hardway bet variations, including Hard 6, Hard 8, Hard 4, and Hard 10. Once you understand how these wagers work, we will also review several Hardway craps strategies.
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What Exactly Are Hardway Bets?
To understand this type of craps bet, you must differentiate between forming a number the hard way and the easy way. If you make a Hardway bet, you are putting your money on both dice showing the same number and forming one of the four totals available through these wagers.
You can bet on a hard 6, hard 8, hard 4, or hard 10 in craps. If we take 10 as an example, there are three possible ways to roll it. The first two are 4-6 and 6-4, combinations known as an easy or soft 10. The third is 5-5, which is considered a hard 10 and is the combination you are backing when you make a Hardway bet.
The reason 5-5 is called a hard 10 is that, out of all 36 dice combinations, only one can produce 10 as a pair of 5s. Since rolling a non-pair 10 is easier, the other two combinations are referred to as an easy or soft 10.
Like the other proposition bets, Hardway bets are located in the center of the craps table. However, they differ from most other prop wagers because Hardway bets are standing bets, whereas the other proposition options are generally resolved in a single roll. Instead of winning or losing on the next roll, a Hardway bet remains active until the dice produce either a winning or losing result. Craps players can make, remove, or adjust their Hardway bets at any time.
A Hardway bet can be made only on an even number that can be formed by a pair. Although 2 and 12 can also be formed by pairs, players cannot bet on them as Hardway numbers. This is because there is no easy way for either number to appear.
While the table’s betting limits apply to other standing bets, the minimum you can usually wager on a number rolling the hard way is the value of the lowest-denomination chip at the table.
Hard 6 and Hard 8
As mentioned, craps players can wager on 4, 6, 8, and 10 appearing the hard way. You will often see 4 and 10 grouped as one type of Hardway wager, while 6 and 8 form another pair because each duo shares the same winning odds.
Let us look at hard 6 and hard 8. If you choose either option, you are betting on 6 rolling as a pair of 3s or 8 appearing as 4-4. There are five ways to roll a 6: 5-1, 1-5, 4-2, 2-4, and 3-3. This means there are four combinations that produce a soft 6, causing the Hardway bet to lose if one appears before 3-3.
If you decide to bet on hard 8, you face a similar situation. There are four ways to form a soft 8 (5-3, 3-5, 6-2, and 2-6) and only one way to roll 4-4, which results in a win.
Hard 4 and Hard 10
When you look at the section of the craps table where Hardway bets are positioned, you will notice that the payouts for hard 4 and hard 10 are lower than those for hard 6 and hard 8. This is because there are fewer losing combinations for hard 4 and hard 10. When you wager on hard 4, you win if the dice roll a pair of 2s. Conversely, there are two combinations, 3-1 and 1-3, that produce a soft 4 and cause the bet to lose if they appear before the hard 4. The same applies when you bet on hard 10: there are two ways to form an easy 10 (6-4 and 4-6) and only one way to roll a pair of 5s.
How to Make a Hardway Bet?
As mentioned earlier, the Hardway is a type of proposition bet positioned in the center of the craps table. These are not self-service wagers. Instead of placing the chips yourself, you must tell the stickman which bet you would like to make, and they will handle your stake.
If you want to wager on hard 8, you should tell the stickman, “Give me a hard 8, please.” Place your chips somewhere on the table layout where they will not interfere with other players’ bets. The stickman will then take your chips and place them in the Hardway section corresponding to your position so the dealers know the wager is yours.
Some casinos apply a rule under which all Hardway bets are off for the come-out roll. This means the stickman does not need to place an OFF button on each Hardway bet because the wagers are automatically turned off. It is essential to know whether Hardway bets are on or off at the table where you are playing. If the bets remain active, the stickman will usually remind players by announcing, “Hardways work unless you turn them off!” If, for example, you bet on the Pass Line before the come-out roll while your Hardway bet is active, a 7 will be good for your Pass Line wager, but you will lose your Hardway stake. In this situation, turning off your Hardway wager can be helpful.
The House Edge and Payouts of Hardway Bets
If you are trying to determine whether making a Hardway bet is a good strategy when playing craps, you should examine the house edge and the payout for this type of wager.
To determine the house edge of Hardway bets, we must compare the true odds with the actual payouts. If you choose to bet on hard 6 or hard 8, the true odds are 10 to 1 against winning, while the actual payout is 9 to 1.
The table layout of some craps variations can be misleading. You may encounter tables listing the payout for hard 6 and hard 8 as “10 for 1.” At first glance, this may sound more beneficial. However, it simply means you will receive a total return of $10 for every $1 wagered. In the end, 10 for 1 is equivalent to a payout of 9 to 1. The house edge on this bet is 9.09%.
If you bet on hard 4 or hard 10, you will receive a lower payout because there are fewer ways for the easy version of the number to appear. There are only two combinations that form a soft 4 or soft 10. The true odds for hard 4 and hard 10 are 8 to 1 against winning, but players are paid 7 to 1. Again, you might see tables listing the payout as 8 for 1, which is equivalent to 7 to 1. The house edge for these Hardway bets is 11.11%.
Should You Make a Hardway Bet?
Whether you are betting on hard 6 or hard 8, or choosing to put money on hard 4 or hard 10, the casino’s advantage is relatively high. If you are looking for better chances, it is generally more beneficial to choose bets with a lower house edge.
As a prop bet positioned in the center of the craps table, the Hardway wager can appeal to players seeking larger potential payouts. If you win a $1 bet on hard 8, you receive a $10 total return. Larger payouts are possible if you parlay your returns and experience a long winning streak. However, this is difficult to achieve, which makes Hardway bets risky.
Many players compare Hardway bets with hopping a hard number, but each wager works differently. While winning a hop bet on hard 10 offers a payout of 30 to 1, it is riskier than making a standing Hardway bet on 10. Although the Hardway payout is only 7 to 1, you have a better chance of winning than with a single-roll hop bet. Hop bets are resolved on the next throw of the dice. Meanwhile, a Hardway bet on 10 remains active until you win or until you lose when the shooter throws a soft 10 or a 7.
If you prefer less volatile gambling options, you may want to avoid Hardway bets in craps. However, advanced players sometimes use structured betting systems to manage these wagers. A strategy can help organize your betting, but it does not change the underlying house edge.
Hardway Craps Strategies
Some players use betting strategies to manage their Hardway wagers. Although no betting system can eliminate the house edge, you can use a structured approach to control your stakes and set clear limits.
Because Hardway bets stay active until they are won or lost, players can apply a progressive betting technique. If you enjoy riskier bets and have the bankroll to use this system, you can use it to structure your Hardway wagers.
You can start by staking $1 on each of the Hardway bets (Hard 4, Hard 6, Hard 8, and Hard 10), for a total starting wager of $4. If the shooter throws an easy version of one of these numbers, you increase the corresponding Hardway bet by $1. If the shooter rolls a 7, you increase each of the four wagers. This can result in wagers of different sizes across the four Hardway bets. For example, if you begin with a $1 stake on each option and the shooter throws a soft 10, you would increase only the Hard 10 bet to $2. If the streak without a 7 lasts long enough, you may win several of the Hardway bets you have placed. However, the odds of winning all four wagers during the same streak are not in your favor.
You must therefore be cautious when using this betting strategy. It is wise to set win and loss limits of 30% of your starting bankroll. For example, if you decide to gamble with $500, you would stop playing once your profit or losses reach approximately $150.
You start by betting on either hard 6 or hard 8. Let us assume you stake $5 on your initial bet. The strategy involves parlaying the full return after each of the first two wins and then redistributing the return after the third win. With a $5 initial wager, the first win produces a $50 return, which you then parlay. A second win produces a $500 return, which is also parlayed. If the $500 wager wins, you leave $1,000 on the original hard number, place an additional $100 on the neighboring number, and take down the remaining $3,900. The neighboring number will be hard 8 if you started with hard 6, or hard 6 if you started with hard 8. From that point, you double your bets only after they win.
This system is highly risky and can easily result in losses. If you decide to use it, keep in mind that the strategy does not improve the underlying odds of the Hardway bets.