Proposition Bets
| Updated: Proposition Bets Are Not Your Best Bet in Craps
Craps is one of the most difficult casino games to master because it offers over 50 bets, each with different winning criteria and payouts. Many wagers available in the game require multiple dice rolls to resolve, which adds further complexity. Some craps bets give the house a shockingly high statistical advantage over players and should generally be avoided. This is the case with proposition bets, whose house edges range from 9.09% to 16.67%.
Single-roll wagers such as Any Craps, Any Seven, Yo-Leven, Horn, and Hop bets all belong to this category. We cover them extensively below to give you a better idea of why you should avoid placing them. However, if you still insist on placing them, we also provide information about the table etiquette you should follow when making prop bets.
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What Are Craps Proposition Bets?
Proposition bets, also known as prop bets or center bets, are a category of single-roll wagers in craps. You will hear experienced craps players refer to them as “sucker” bets because their house edge is extremely high. In fact, no proposition bet gives the house an advantage of less than 9%. This percentage climbs as high as 16.67% for some wagers in this group.
The key feature of proposition bets is that they either win or lose on the very next roll of the dice. Proposition bets can be made at any stage of the game, unlike flat bets such as the Come wager, which is available only after the shooter has established a point for the Pass Line.
Hardways are a subgroup of proposition bets whose outcomes may be determined by multiple rolls of the dice. These bets remain active on the layout until they win or lose, which may take many rolls.
How to Show Courtesy and Follow Proper Table Etiquette When Making a Prop Bet
The betting boxes for proposition bets are located in the center of the layout. The stickman is the only person at the table allowed to handle the chips for this category of wagers. An exception is made for Hop bets, which are placed by the boxman instead. If you want to make a proposition bet, you must catch the stickman’s attention before tossing your chips onto the layout. You must then specify which proposition bet you want to make so that the stickman can place your chips in the corresponding betting box in the center of the table.
Proper table etiquette requires you to place your proposition bet before the stickman pushes the dice toward the shooter. Tossing your chips onto the layout just before the shooter is about to roll is considered poor table etiquette and may anger your fellow craps players. Make sure the dice are still in the center of the layout before placing your bet.
Another peculiarity is that proposition bettors are allowed to wager smaller amounts than the table minimum, sometimes as little as $1. However, the maximum amount allowed for a proposition bet is often lower than the table’s standard maximum and depends on how much the player can win from a single dice roll. Craps players are generally discouraged from requesting change when placing proposition bets.
After the outcome is determined on the next roll, the stickman waits for the base dealers to finish their work, calculates each player’s winnings, and instructs the dealers how much to pay the winners. The stickman normally starts with the player seated closest to the base dealer on the side opposite the shooter. The stickman proceeds in this manner until reaching the nearest player and then repeats the process for the winners seated on the shooter’s side of the table.
The “For” Payouts on Prop Bets
An observant player will notice something unusual about the payouts on some proposition bets. These payouts are usually posted on the layout using the word “for” instead of the usual “to.” For example, a winning Any Craps bet is said to pay 8 for 1. Players are often misled by this wording, assuming they will receive 8 units on top of their original wager if the shooter rolls a 2 on the next throw. This could not be further from the truth.
In reality, the “8 for 1” phrasing indicates that the original wager is included in the payout. Accordingly, a winning Any Craps bet pays at a rate of 7 to 1. Keep this in mind before assuming you are being paid at enhanced odds; you are not.
Make Sure You Take Your Winning Proposition Wager Down
If you spend time at the craps table, you will notice that the dealer pays only the net winnings from proposition bets while the original wagers remain on the table. This means your bet stays active and remains in play for the next roll of the dice, as though you were making the same proposition bet again.
It is wise to speak up and request that your bet be taken down before the dice are given to the shooter for the next roll. However, you should not reach across the table to take down the bet yourself. Remember that these are service bets, and the stickman is the only person allowed to touch the chips once they have been placed in the center of the layout.
Types of Proposition Bets and Their Payouts
Proposition bets can be grouped into two categories. Most are single-roll bets that can be made at any point during the game and win or lose on the very next roll of the dice. This includes the Any 7, Any Craps, and Yo-Leven wagers. Hardways are a separate group of proposition bets that remain active until they win or lose. They can stay in play for multiple rolls of the dice. Below, we provide a breakdown of the different proposition bets, along with their payouts and house edges.
| Bet Name | Win Criteria | Payout | True Odds | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any Craps | 2, 3, or 12 on the next roll | 7:1 | 8:1 | 11.11% |
| Yo-Leven | 11 on the next roll | 15:1 | 17:1 | 11.11% |
| Any 7 | 7 on the next roll | 4:1 | 5:1 | 16.67% |
| Snake Eyes | Wins if 2 appears on the next roll | 30:1 | 35:1 | 13.89% |
| Ace Deuce | Wins if 3 appears on the next roll | 15:1 | 17:1 | 11.11% |
| Horn Bet | Wins if 2, 3, 11, or 12 appears on the next roll | 15:1 for 3 and 11; 30:1 for 2 and 12 | – | 12.5% |
| Hi-Lo on 2 and 12 | Wins if 2 or 12 appears on the next roll | 15:1 | 17:1 | 11.11% |
| Hop Bet | Wins if the chosen number is rolled in a specific way | 15:1, 29:1, or 30:1, depending on the casino | 17:1 or 35:1 | 11.11% to 16.67%, depending on the bet and payout |
| Boxcars | 12 on the next roll (6-6) | 30:1 | 35:1 | 13.89% |
| Whirl Bet | Wins if 2, 3, 7, 11, or 12 appears | 7.5:1 if 2 or 12 appears; 3.75:1 if 3 or 11 appears | 2:1 | 13.33% |
| Hardways | Win when 4, 6, 8, or 10 is rolled the hard way (2-2, 3-3, 4-4, or 5-5) | 9:1 for 6 and 8; 7:1 for 4 and 10 | 10:1 for 6 and 8; 8:1 for 4 and 10 | 9.09% for 6 and 8; 11.11% for 4 and 10 |
Any Craps
With this wager, you are betting that one of the three craps numbers, 2, 3, or 12, will appear on the next roll of the dice. Players are allowed to wager below the table minimum on Any Craps bets. The stickman will take your chips and place them in the betting box that reads “Any Craps”. This wager is a major no-no because of the small number of dice combinations that can produce the craps numbers. There is only one combination each for rolls of 2 (1-1) and 12 (6-6), plus two possible permutations for a roll of 3 (1-2 and 2-1), for a total of four winning combinations.
Meanwhile, the house pays at odds of 7 to 1, or 8 for 1, while the true odds of winning an Any Craps bet are 8 to 1. See the catch? The house holds an 11.11% advantage on Any Craps bets. If you place 100 Any Craps bets of $5 each in an hour, your theoretical expected loss is $55.55 (100 x $5 x 0.1111 x 1 = $55.55). Despite the poor odds, this bet remains fairly popular among casual craps players.
Yo-Leven
Yo-Leven is a proposition bet that the shooter will roll 11 on the next dice throw. Craps players use this term to prevent confusion because “seven” and “eleven” can sound similar at a busy table. This number is rolled infrequently because it has only two dice permutations, 6-5 and 5-6. Accordingly, there are only two ways to win this bet out of 36 possible combinations. The true odds of winning with Yo-Leven are 17 to 1, yet the payout is reduced to 15 to 1, which corresponds to a house edge of 11.11%.
The stickman places the chips for Yo-Leven bets in the betting box directly above the Any Craps box. It is easy to distinguish because it contains a picture of a pair of dice totaling 11. This bet is often played by gamblers who are on a hot roll and feeling lucky. The house takes too large a cut of the potential Yo-Leven winnings, so it is wise to avoid this proposition bet. If you place 100 Yo-Leven bets of $5 each in an hour, your theoretical expected loss is $55.55 (100 x $5 x 0.1111 x 1 = $55.55).
Any 7
This is a single-roll bet that predicts the next throw of the dice will result in a 7. When you request this wager, the stickman positions your chips in the topmost betting box in the center of the layout. You can take the bet down whenever you wish.
However, the payout offered by the casino is not appealing. You are paid 5 for 1, which is equivalent to 4 to 1, so you will hardly break the bank if this wager succeeds. The true odds for this bet are 5 to 1, giving the casino an enormous advantage of 16.67%. Therefore, if you place 100 Any 7 bets of $5 each in an hour, your theoretical expected loss is approximately $83.30 (100 x $5 x 0.1666 x 1 = $83.30).
Snake Eyes
If you thought the Any 7 bet was bad, wait until you see this wager. The Snake Eyes bet is a single-roll wager that wins only if the shooter throws a 2 on the next toss of the dice. The odds of this happening are long because, as mentioned earlier, there is only one combination for a roll of 2 (1-1) out of 36 possible combinations.
The house edge of 13.89% will quickly erode your bankroll if you overdo this bet. The true odds for Snake Eyes are 35 to 1, whereas you receive a payout of only 30 to 1. If you place 100 Snake Eyes bets of $5 each in an hour, your theoretical expected loss is $69.40 (100 x $5 x 0.1388 x 1 = $69.40).
Ace Deuce
This proposition bet wins only if the shooter rolls a 3 on the next throw. This is another craps number with a limited number of combinations. In fact, there are only two permutations that result in a roll of 3: 1-2 and 2-1. If you are wondering why the bet has this name, it is because craps players sometimes refer to the number 2 as a “deuce,” while the number 1 is known as an “ace.” The bet takes its name from these two terms.
The true odds for this bet are 17 to 1, but a successful Ace Deuce bet pays at casino odds of 15 to 1, giving the house an edge of 11.11%. If you place 100 Ace Deuce bets of $5 each in an hour, your theoretical expected loss is $55.55 (100 x $5 x 0.1111 x 1 = $55.55).
Horn Bet
The Horn is interesting because it is one of the so-called “combination” bets in craps. It covers 2, 3, 11, and 12, which, as already established, are the most difficult numbers to roll in the game. If any of these four numbers appears on the next throw, your Horn bet wins. The Horn consists of individual bets on each of the four winning numbers, so it is advisable to wager an amount that is divisible by four.
For example, if you wager $40 on a Horn bet, the stickman will divide this amount into four individual bets of $10 each. If one of the four numbers appears on the next dice roll, that portion wins, but you lose the other three wagers. Even this is a favorable outcome compared to losing all four wagers.
The true odds of winning a Horn bet are 5 to 1. The payout you collect is reduced to create the house edge. How much you receive depends on which number is rolled. If 3 or 11 appears, you collect at a rate of 15 to 1. If 2 or 12 appears, the payout is 30 to 1. The overall house advantage for the Horn bet is 12.5%. Accordingly, if you place 100 Horn bets of $4 each, with $1 on each number, your theoretical expected loss is $50.
Hi-Lo on 2 and 12
When placing a Hi-Lo wager, you are betting on 2 and 12 simultaneously. If one of these two numbers appears on the next throw of the dice, you win. If any other number appears, you lose. Keep in mind that this bet is not always displayed on the layout. If you are interested in trying it, you should ask whether it is available. If it is, the stickman will position your chips at the intersection between the two numbers in the central area of the layout. The bet gets its name from the fact that 2 is the lowest possible result with a pair of dice, while 12 is the highest possible result.
The house edge and odds for this wager are again unfavorable. They match those for Yo-Leven and Ace Deuce, meaning that you have two winning combinations, 1-1 and 6-6, out of 36. The house pays 15 to 1 instead of the true odds of 17 to 1. The house edge for the Hi-Lo bet is 11.11%, which means that if you place 100 bets of $5 each, your theoretical expected loss is $55.55.
Hop Bet
The Hop bet is one of the most complicated wagers in craps and is normally not displayed on the table layout. This “secret” wager gives craps players the opportunity to collect substantial payouts, which is precisely what makes it appealing to many gamblers. This is a single-roll bet, meaning that the number you are backing must appear on the next dice roll. In other respects, the Hop resembles Hardway and Easyway bets.
You are betting that the next toss of the dice will result in a given number, but the number must be rolled in a specific way. For example, you can make a Hop bet on a hard 10, meaning that the required dice combination is 5-5. If 5-5 appears on the next roll, you receive a payout of either 29 to 1 or 30 to 1, depending on the casino. The house edge for a 29-to-1 payout is 16.67%, while a 30-to-1 payout carries a house edge of 13.89%. No other dice combination adding up to 10 will win. The true odds of a hard 10 appearing are 35 to 1.
Similarly, you may make a Hop bet on an easy 10 consisting of a combination of 6-4 or 4-6. If one of these two permutations appears on the next toss, you will collect a payout of 15 to 1, for a house edge of 11.11%, or 14 to 1, for a house edge of 16.67%. The payout again depends on the casino’s rules.
Boxcars
Boxcars is a popular proposition bet among casual players and one that is incredibly difficult to win. Other names for this bet include Midnight and Cornrows. When placing a Boxcars bet, the player is wagering that the next roll will result in a 12, with a 6 showing on each die.
The chance of this happening is low because only one combination results in a roll of 12 (6-6). The true odds of rolling this combination on any given throw are 35 to 1, whereas the payout is reduced to 30 to 1. The house has a large profit margin on this bet, with an edge of 13.89%.
Whirl Bet
Also known as the World bet, the Whirl bet combines a Horn wager with the Any 7 bet. As explained earlier, the Horn bet is itself a combination wager that covers 2, 3, 11, and 12. The Any 7 bet wins whenever the shooter throws any combination totaling 7 on the next toss.
The true odds of winning the Whirl bet are 2 to 1, but the casino payouts are more complex because they depend on which of the five winning numbers, 2, 3, 7, 11, or 12, is rolled. Winners are paid at odds of 26 to 5 if 2 or 12 is rolled. The payout is 11 to 5 if the shooter throws a 3 or an 11.
If a 7 is rolled, the bet results in a push, with a payout of 0 to 1. The Any 7 portion serves as a hedge in this case. You break even when a 7 is rolled. The house edge for the Whirl bet is 13.33%.
Hardways
Hardways are a subgroup of proposition wagers whose outcomes may be resolved after multiple rolls of the dice. They attract plenty of action from casual bettors and require the shooter to roll a given even number, 4, 6, 8, or 10, the “hard” way. In other words, the dice must show a pair such as 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, or 5-5. If the shooter rolls a 7 or rolls the chosen number the “easy” way, such as 3-1 for a 4 or 6-4 for a 10, the Hardway bet loses.
The probability of rolling any specific number the hard way is 1 in 36, or approximately 2.77%. The true odds of a 6 or an 8 being rolled the hard way before the shooter rolls it the easy way or throws a 7 are 10 to 1. Meanwhile, the casino offers a payout of 9 to 1 and secures an edge of 9.09% over players. The true odds of rolling a hard 4 or hard 10 are 8 to 1. The house offers odds of 7 to 1 if your 4 or 10 wins the hard way, giving it an edge of 11.11%.
This wager offers no strategic benefit to the player. Some gamblers use it for tipping, while others place it occasionally when feeling lucky.
Should You Make Proposition Bets?
As exciting as they may be, proposition bets should rarely be placed, if at all. They can be fun to make, but their steep house edges can quickly eat away at your budget if you overdo them. The house edge ranges from 9.09% to 16.67% for proposition bets, making them some of the worst wagers not only in craps but in table games generally.
If you still insist on making proposition bets occasionally, make sure you take them down as soon as they win. Otherwise, the dealer will leave your initial stake on the layout for the next roll. It is unwise to push your luck with these wagers.