Craps Bet Types
| Updated: Guide to the Various Bet Types of Craps
Craps offers a wide range of betting options. These can be grouped into two major categories: multiple-roll bets and one-roll bets. In craps, payouts and the house edge vary greatly depending on the type of wager you place. Some bets are more advantageous to players than others, so you should choose your wagers carefully. Read on to learn more about the types of bets you can place in craps and their respective payouts.
Multiple-Roll Bets
As the name suggests, these wagers may remain active across several rolls of the dice. Because of this, craps novices may find multiple-roll bets difficult to understand and master. However, some bets in this category, such as Pass/Don’t Pass Line and Come/Don’t Come wagers, offer the lowest house edges in the game.
-
Sign Up Bonus
Up to $3500
350% Bonus!9.7 -
Sign Up Bonus
Up to $500
400% Bonus!9.4 -
Sign Up Bonus
Up to $3000
300% Bonus!9.3
| Bet Name | Winning Criteria | Single-Roll/Multi-Roll Bet | Payout | True Odds | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pass Line Bet | 7 or 11 appears on the come-out roll. If a point is established, it must be rolled before 7. | Multi-Roll Bet | 1:1 | 251 to 244 | 1.41% |
| Don’t Pass Bet | If 2 or 3 appears, the Don’t Pass bet wins. If 12 is rolled, the result is a push. If a point is established, 7 must appear before the point. | Multi-Roll Bet | 1:1 | 976 to 949 | 1.36% |
| Come Bet | Come bets win if 7 or 11 is rolled and lose if 2, 3, or 12 is rolled. The other numbers establish a point. | Multi-Roll Bet | 1:1 | 251 to 244 | 1.41% |
| Don’t Come Bet | If 2 or 3 is rolled, the bet wins. If 7 or 11 appears, the bet loses. If a point is established, 7 must appear before it for the Don’t Come bet to win. | Multi-Roll Bet | 1:1 | 976 to 949 | 1.36% |
| Free Odds Bet | Free Odds bets win if the point number is rolled before 7. | Multi-Roll Bet | Depends on the established point: 6:5 for 6 and 8; 3:2 for 5 and 9; 2:1 for 4 and 10. | Paid at true odds | N/A |
| Place Bets | Win if the chosen number is rolled before 7. | Multi-Roll Bets | 7:6 for 6 or 8; 7:5 for 5 and 9; 9:5 for 4 and 10. | 6:5 for 6 and 8; 3:2 for 5 and 9; 2:1 for 4 and 10. | 1.52% on 6 or 8; 4% on 5 or 9; 6.67% on 4 or 10. |
| Buy Bets | Win when 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 is rolled before 7. | Multi-Roll Bets | Paid at true odds | True odds | 4.76% or less |
| Lay Bets | Win when 7 is rolled before 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. | Multi-Roll Bet | 1:2 for 4 and 10; 2:3 for 5 and 9; 5:6 for 6 and 8. | 1:2 for 4 and 10; 2:3 for 5 and 9; 5:6 for 6 and 8. | 2.44% for 4 and 10; 3.23% for 5 and 9; 4% for 6 and 8. |
| Big 6 and Big 8 Bets | Win when 6 or 8 is rolled before 7. | Multi-Roll Bet | 1:1 | N/A | 9.09% |
The Pass Line Bet
Pass Line wagers are the most fundamental bets in the game of craps. Players’ chances of winning with this type of wager are relatively high, and Pass Line bets carry a house edge of only 1.41%.
Pass Line bets are made before the come-out roll. If the shooter rolls a natural 7 or 11, all Pass Line bets win. However, if the shooter throws one of the craps numbers (2, 3, or 12), all bets on the Pass Line lose. If the shooter rolls any of the remaining numbers (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) on the come-out roll, that number becomes the point.
The chips for Pass Line bets remain on the table until the point is rolled again or the shooter sevens out. Pass Line wagers win if the shooter rolls the point before a 7 appears. If a 7 is thrown first, it is called a seven-out, and all Pass Line bets lose.
The Don’t Pass Line Bet
Don’t Pass Line wagers mirror Pass Line bets: they lose whenever a natural 7 or 11 is thrown on the come-out roll. Thus, Don’t Pass Line bets win if the craps numbers 2 or 3 are tossed. A roll of 12 results in a push; players do not collect a payout, and their original wagers are returned.
If the shooter establishes a point by rolling 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, Don’t Pass Line bets win only when a seven-out occurs before the point number is repeated. If the point is rolled before 7, all Don’t Pass Line bets lose. Winning Don’t Pass Line wagers pay even money and carry a house edge of 1.36%.
The Come Bet
Come bets function as an extension of Pass Line wagers, and their outcomes are often resolved after several rolls of the dice. You can place these bets after the shooter has established a point. The puck at the side of the table will read “On” to indicate that the point is active.
The chips for these wagers are positioned within the area on the layout marked “Come.” If the shooter rolls a natural 7 or 11 on the first roll after the bet is placed, the player automatically wins the Come bet but loses if the roll results in a craps number (2, 3, or 12). When a Come point is established, the shooter must hit that point again before sevening out for the bet to win. Winning Come bets pay 1 to 1 and have a house edge of 1.41%.
The Don’t Come Bet
Don’t Come bets closely resemble Don’t Pass Line bets. If the craps numbers 2 or 3 appear on the first roll after the bet is placed, all Don’t Come bets automatically win, while a natural 7 or 11 causes them to lose.
After a point is established, Don’t Come bets win only if 7 appears before the point number. Should the point be rolled first, the bets lose. Once the point is established, 11 is neutral for these wagers. A roll of 12 on the initial roll results in a push. Winning Don’t Come bets pay even money and carry a low house edge of 1.36%.
Free Odds Bets
This is one of the best bets players can make at the craps table because winnings are paid at true odds, eliminating the built-in house advantage on that portion of the wager. Free Odds are offered on Pass/Don’t Pass Line bets and Come/Don’t Come bets.
Once a point has been established, players may place a side wager that is double or triple the size of their original bet. This is called “taking” the odds on Pass Line and Come bets. Some casinos allow Free Odds bets that are 4x, 5x, 6x, 8x, 9x, or even 10x the original wager. The payout depends on the point.
The larger the Free Odds bet, the lower the overall house edge. Pass Line bets, together with their Free Odds, win if the shooter rolls the point before a 7. The Pass Line portion pays even money, while the side wager pays at true odds.
It is also possible to “lay” the odds on Don’t Pass/Don’t Come bets. After a point is established, Pass Line and Come wagers win only if the point is rolled before 7. This benefits Don’t Pass/Don’t Come players because there are more combinations that add up to 7 than to any point number.
Don’t Pass/Don’t Come players can then lay odds on their wagers. The player wins both the original wager and the side bet if the shooter sevens out before rolling the point number, effectively betting against the shooter.
Winning side wagers pay at true odds, whereas Don’t Pass/Don’t Come bets pay even money.
Place Bets
Place bets are accepted after a point has been established. Place bets are made on individual point numbers: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. Suppose you make a Place bet on number 8. You collect a payout only if the shooter rolls an 8 before throwing a 7. If 7 appears first, your Place bet loses.
The payouts vary with the chosen number. Winning Place bets on 4 and 10 pay 9 to 5; numbers 5 and 9 pay 7 to 5; and 6 and 8 pay 7 to 6. The house edge also differs: 6.67% for 4 and 10, 4% for 5 and 9, and only 1.52% for 6 and 8.
Place Bets to Lose
Players may also make Place bets against the shooter; in other words, they are betting that the shooter will lose. The player wins if 7 is rolled first and loses if the number they are betting against appears before 7. Note that Place Bets to Lose are not available everywhere, and some casinos or online tables do not accept them.
The payouts for winning wagers of this type are as follows: a winning bet against 4 or 10 pays 5 to 11, a bet against 5 or 9 pays 5 to 8, and a bet against 6 or 8 pays 4 to 5. The house edge varies depending on the number the player is betting against.
Buy Bets
Some casinos allow players to “buy” the 4 or the 10 instead of placing these numbers. This wager is more advantageous to players because it reduces the house edge from 6.67% to 4.76%. The bet resembles a Place wager because it wins if 4 or 10 is rolled before a seven-out.
The difference is that players must pay a 5% commission, called a vig, to the house. Winning Buy bets offer a reduced edge because they pay at the true odds of 2 to 1 instead of the Place payout of 9 to 5. If the bet remains unresolved after several rolls, the player may take the wager down, and the 5% commission is returned. Should 4 or 10 appear before 7, the player is paid at true odds, but the casino retains the commission.
It is also possible to buy numbers 6, 8, 5, and 9, although such wagers rarely favor the player. Plan your bet amount in advance because the craps crew does not make change on these wagers. For example, a $25 Buy bet on 4 with a 5% commission of $1.25 is rounded down to $1. The dealer may sometimes allow a $30 or $35 bet with a $1 vig. Conversely, if the commission amounts to $0.50, it is rounded up to $1.
Lay Bets
At some craps tables, you can lay bets against the point numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. These bets win if the shooter rolls 7 before the respective point number. Lay bets involve a 5% commission, which the house retains if the wager wins.
Only Lay bets against 4 and 10 are truly worthwhile, offering a house edge of 2.44%. The edge rises to 3.23% against 5 and 9 and to 4% against 6 and 8.
Big 6 and Big 8 Bets
Generally, Big 6 and Big 8 bets should be avoided because of their hefty house edge of 9.09%. These wagers win whenever 6 or 8 is rolled before 7. If the shooter tosses a 7 first, the bets lose. Unfortunately, there are six combinations that add up to 7 and only five ways to roll 6 or 8. Even if you win, the payout is merely even money.
One-Roll Bets
One-roll bets constitute the second major category of wagers in craps. They are easier to understand because the outcome is determined by a single throw of the dice. Less-experienced players often gravitate toward one-roll bets because of their apparent simplicity.
The downside is that one-roll bets carry a much higher house edge than wagers involving multiple rolls, so they offer poor value. On some one-roll bets, the house edge exceeds 16%. This category includes Field bets, Proposition bets, and the Hardway subclass. Except for the Field bet, these are not self-service wagers; the stickman must place the chips in the appropriate boxes on the layout.
| Bet Name | Winning Criteria | Single-Roll/Multi-Roll | Payout | True Odds | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field Bets | Win if 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12 appears. | One-Roll | 1:1 for 3, 4, 9, 10, or 11; 2:1 for 2 and 12. | N/A | 5.56% |
| Any Craps Bet | Wins if 2, 3, or 12 appears. | One-Roll | 7:1 | 8:1 | 11.11% |
| Yo-Leven | Wins if 11 appears. | One-Roll | 16:1 or 15:1 | 17:1 | 11.11% |
| Ace-Deuce | Wins if 3 is rolled. | One-Roll | 16:1 or 15:1 | 17:1 | 11.11% |
| Seven or Big Red Bets | Wins if 7 is rolled on the next throw. | One-Roll | 4:1 | 5:1 | 16.67% |
| Ace Bets | Wins if 2 is rolled on the next throw. | One-Roll | 30:1 | 31:1 | 13.89% |
| Boxcars/Twelve Bets | Win if 12 is rolled. | One-Roll | 30:1 | 31:1 | 13.89% |
| Hard 6 and Hard 8 Bets | Win if 6 or 8 is rolled the hard way (3-3 or 4-4). | One-Roll | 9:1 | 10:1 | 9.09% |
| Hard 4 and Hard 10 | Win if 4 or 10 is rolled the hard way (2-2 or 5-5). | One-Roll | 7:1 | 8:1 | 11.11% |
Field Bets
This is arguably the most popular one-roll bet in craps. It covers a “field” of numbers: 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and 12. It can be placed at any stage of the game. If any of these numbers is thrown on the next roll, the Field bet wins. The payout, however, depends on the number rolled.
If 3, 4, 9, 10, or 11 appears, the bet pays even money (1 to 1). With a $5 wager, you would collect $10. If 2 appears, the payout is 2 to 1, earning you $15 on a $5 bet. Rolling a 12 also results in a win, with a payout of either 2 to 1 or 3 to 1, depending on the casino. The wager loses whenever 5, 6, 7, or 8 is rolled.
Any Craps Bets
This proposition bet involves wagering that the next roll of the dice will result in 2, 3, or 12, the three craps numbers. Any other result causes the bet to lose. Pay close attention to how the payout is listed. At some tables, the layout reads “8 for 1,” meaning the house keeps the original $1 stake and you receive $8, effectively resulting in a 7-to-1 payout. The house edge is 11.11%.
Yo-Leven
This proposition bet wins if 11 is thrown on the next roll. The term “Yo-leven” is used at the table to avoid confusion between “seven” and “eleven.” Winning Yo-leven bets pay 16 for 1 or 15 to 1 and carry a house edge of 11.11%.
Ace-Deuce
This one-roll proposition bet is placed on number 3. Winning Ace-Deuce wagers pay 16 for 1 or 15 to 1, with a house edge of 11.11%. This is identical to Yo-leven because both 3 and 11 have only two possible dice combinations.
Seven or Big Red Bets
This proposition wager bets that 7 will appear on the next roll. The payout is either 5 for 1 or 4 to 1, depending on the table, and the house edge is a steep 16.67%.
Ace Bets
One-roll proposition bets on number 2 are called “Aces.” With only one possible dice combination, Ace bets offer a high payout of 31 for 1 or 30 to 1. Unfortunately, they also carry an unfavorable house edge of 13.89%.
Boxcars/Twelve Bets
Boxcars or Twelve bets win when 12 is rolled on the next throw. As 6-6 is the only combination that totals 12, the payout matches that of Ace bets: either 31 for 1 or 30 to 1, with a house edge of 13.89%.
Hard 6 and Hard 8 Bets
These Hardway wagers form a subcategory of proposition bets. When you place a Hard 6 bet, you are betting that the roll will total 6 with the exact combination 3-3; combinations such as 5-1, 4-2, or their reverses do not count. Hard 8 bets work similarly, winning only with the 4-4 combination. Both bets pay 10 for 1 or 9 to 1 and carry a house edge of 9.09%.
Hard 4 and Hard 10 Bets
Hard 4 and Hard 10 bets win on the “hard” combinations of 2-2 and 5-5, respectively. All other combinations totaling 4 or 10 result in a loss. Winning bets pay 8 for 1 or 7 to 1, with a house edge of 11.11%.
Combination Bets
Combination bets are placed in the center section of the layout, where the boxes read “C and E.” They can be treated as separate one-roll proposition bets grouped into a single wager. Below are some of the most popular combination bets.
| Bet Name | Winning Criteria | Single-Roll/Multi-Roll | Payout | True Odds | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horn Bets | Win if 2, 3, 11, or 12 is rolled. | One-Roll | 30:1 for 2 and 12; 15:1 for 3 and 11. | – | 13.89% |
| World/Whirl Bets | Win if 2, 3, 7, 11, or 12 appears. | One-Roll | 15:1 for 3 and 11; 30:1 for 2 and 12; 4:1 for 7. | – | 13.33% |
| High-Low Bets | Win if 2 or 12 is thrown. | One-Roll | 15:1 | – | 11.11% |
| Three-Way Craps | Wins if 2, 3, or 12 is thrown. | One-Roll | 30:1 or 15:1 | – | 11.11% |
Horn Bets
The Horn wager involves betting four units on 11 (Yo-leven) and the craps numbers 2, 3, and 12. If one of these numbers appears on the next roll, the portion of the bet on that number wins, while the units on the other three numbers lose. Numbers 2 and 12 pay 30 to 1; 3 and 11 pay 15 to 1. You win only on the number rolled and lose the amounts staked on the others.
World/Whirl Bets
This bet consists of five units: four placed on the Horn numbers (11, 2, 3, and 12) and one on 7. If 7 is rolled, the payout is 5 for 1, resulting in an overall push. If 3 or 11 is rolled, the relevant portion pays 15 to 1. If 2 or 12 is rolled, the relevant portion pays 30 to 1.
High-Low Bets
The name refers to the lowest and highest possible totals: 2 and 12. This two-unit wager wins whenever 2 or 12 is thrown. The payout is 15 to 1, with a house edge of 11.11%.
Three-Way Craps Bets
Some inexperienced players confuse this wager with Any Craps. Three-Way Craps involves betting three separate units on numbers 2, 3, and 12 individually. Your return depends on which number appears: 2 or 12 pays 30 to 1, while 3 pays 15 to 1. The house edge is 11.11%.
Three-Way Red Bets
This wager bets that 7 will appear on the next roll. It differs from Big Red in two ways: the house edge is lower at 11.11%, and it requires three units, one on each of the combinations that total 7 (4-3, 5-2, and 6-1). The payouts match those of Ace-Deuce and Yo-leven: either 16 for 1 or 15 to 1.