Craps Bets

The game of craps is quite simple and straightforward, indeed, given that players have learned the nuts and bolts about it. What may cause it to appear more convoluted to less experienced casino enthusiasts is the enormous variety of bets one can place. Offering around 40 different wager types, craps can be described as a sophisticated yet enthralling casino game.

In spite of the fact that the betting opportunities are so plentiful, most players, including some seasoned ones, prefer to stick to the rather basic wager types the game offers. The explanation of this is rather straightforward as these are the most comprehensible wager types that are featured at the craps betting layout. Yet, in order to make sure that you will fully understand the game, we recommend reading up on all available betting options craps provides.

• ✓ Line and Odds Bets
• ✓ Come Bets
• ✓ Place Bets
• ✓ Buy Bets
• ✓ Field Bets
• ✓ Lay Bets
• ✓ Big 6 and Big 8
• ✓ Proposition Bets
• ✓ Hardways
• ✓ Any 7 Bet
• ✓ Any Craps
• ✓ Snake Eyes
• ✓ Horn Bet
• ✓ Hop Bets
• ✓ Whirl Bet
• ✓ Boxcars
• ✓ Ace Deuce
• ✓ Yo-leven
• ✓ High-Lo

Line and Odds Bets

While playing craps, the most fundamental wager type gambling enthusiasts can go for are the Line bets. These include the Pass Line, Don’t Pass bets, Come, and Don’t Come bets. In addition to this, once players have opted for any of these wager types, they will be given the opportunity to take Odds on them, which is an additional wager that comes with no house edge attached to it.

The Pass Line bet is the very first bet type you need to focus your attention on if you are making your first steps in playing craps. Prior to rolling out the dice, the shooter will be prompted to go either for a Pass Line or a Don’t Pass bet, which is just the opposite wager type. What is special about such wagers is that they are to be found within the self-service area of the betting layout. What this means is that when players want to opt for any of these wagers, they will not need the assistance of the dealers as they simply need to move their chips to the outermost field of the craps table.

When you opt for a Pass Line bet, the outcomes that can be produced during the initial toss of the dice or the come-out roll are three. If you place a Pass Line bet and the shooter throws a natural, or a 7 or 11, you win. If he hits any of the craps numbers that include 2, 3, or 12, you automatically lose. For all the remaining values, the number the shooter rolls will become the point, which will bring the game into its second stage.

The game will continue until a 7 or the point number is not rolled out. In the first case, Pass Line bets will be settled as losing ones, while in the second, they will be winning ones. Winning Pass Line bets pay even money, which means that if you have staked $7 for example, you will get another $7. What makes this wager type so preferred by players is that during the come-out roll, Pass Line bets can win in eight ways as the ways in which a 7 can be rolled out are six, and the ways in which an 11 can land are two. The ways to lose are only four.

Something important gambling enthusiasts should be aware of is that as long as a point is established during the come-out roll, they will not be permitted to take down their Pass Line bet.

Going for a Pass Line bet will mean that you want to wager with the dice or betting right. Yet, players will be permitted to bet against the dice or to bet wrong by opting for a Don’t Pass bet. Such wagers are just the opposite of Pass Line bets, which means that a payout will be rewarded when the shooter rolls out any of the craps numbers aside from 12 as this will be considered a push. If a 7 or 11 is tossed out, Don’t Pass bets lose and the game ends. The edge the house has over players when they make a Don’t Pass bet is 1.36%.

Once a point is established, craps players will be enabled to take odds on the point or to lay a Free Odds bet. This is an additional wager that can be placed, provided that casino enthusiasts have already laid a Pass Line or Don’t Pass bet. Such wagers fall within the category of self-service bets, and the best thing about them is that no house edge is attached to them. What players should take into account is that the payout they will be offered will be determined by the point number they have bet on.

Come Bets

Although the Come bet resembles the Pass Line bet, the dissimilarity between the two bet types stems from the fact that Pass Line bets are made before the shooter has tossed the dice, while Come bets can only be made after the shooter has rolled out the dice and a point was established. In other words, gambling enthusiasts will not be allowed to opt for a Come bet during the come-out roll. Come bets are also self-service wagers and making such a bet involves moving the chips with the preferred denomination to the area from the table layout that is designed for this bet type. Once a point number is established, players will see the dealer moving their chips to the square point number box that corresponds to the total that was rolled out.

Something vital to remember is that while Pass Line points apply to all players at the table who have opted for that bet type, this does not apply to the Come point. Another important thing gambling enthusiasts should take into account is that they will be permitted to place as many Come bets as they prefer.

The Come bet works in the same way as Pass Line bets as the game will continue until a decision is made, which happens when the point number or a 7 is tossed out. If the dice show a 7 or 11, you win on the Come bet, and you lose if any of the craps numbers that include 2, 3, and 12 lands. Now, what happens if the shooter throws another value?

Although it might sound a bit strange and confusing to you, opting for a Come bet in practice means that you want to make a Pass Line bet on your own. Let’s assume that you have initially made a Pass Line bet, and 4 was established as a point number. A few rolls of the dice take place, and you decide to make a Come bet. What is special now is that the toss of the dice that will ensue will be a come-out roll for your Come bet. If we assume that the shooter now throws a 10, this will be the point number for your Come bet.

At this point, casino enthusiasts will be allowed to take Odds on their Come bet. You throw your Odds Bet in the Come box and tell the dealer that you want to make an Odds bet. Then, you will see that the dealer will position your chips above your Come bet, slightly offset. This should indicate that the chip stack at the bottom refers to the Come bet, while the chip stack at the top is the Odds bet.

Now, if the shooter rolls a 7 before the point number for the Come Bet, you lose the Come Bet and the Odds bet. If he rolls the number before a 7, players will get paid once for their winning Come bet and for their Odds bet.

If you want to find out what betting the wrong way is like, going for the Don’t Come bet might be the way to go. Don’t Come bets are also made as soon as a point is established by the shooter, and they will provide a payout if a 2 or 3 is tossed on the come-out roll, and lose if 7 or 11 lands. If 12 lands after you have made a Don’t Come bet, this will be a push.

Once a point is established, Don’t Come bets win if a 7 lands prior to the point number and lose if the point number lands first. Much like Don’t Pass bets, gambling enthusiasts will have the chance to take their wager whenever they prefer. Come and Don’t Come bets also pay even money, so players should expect to get a payout that is equal to the staked amount.

The edge the house has over players when they go for a Don’t Pass or Don’t Come bet is the same as in both cases, it is 1.36%.

Place Bets

The Place bet is a multi-roll bet that allows players to wager on any of the point numbers or 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. Place bets fall within the dealer’s area, which means that players should prepare the preferred chip denominations and request the wager so that the dealer could manage it.

Much like most other bets that are available at the craps table, Place bets are also laid against the 7. What this means is that whether you win or lose will be determined by the 7 and the number you have bet on. After making a Place bet, there are only two scenarios that can take place, more specifically, the place number to land first and your wager to win, and the 7 to show up and your stake to lose.

What is specific about the Place bets is that they rank among the so-called standing bets, which means that they will continue to be turned on until players do not decide to take them down of the table or they are not settled as losing ones. Yet, in most cases, players’ Place bet will be turned off as soon as a new come-out roll is kicked off. After every roll of the dice, you get the chance to increase or decrease such bets, or to remove them entirely.

In terms of the other totals that can be tossed out, they will not determine if you win or lose as ones they are rolled out, the game will simply continue.

When making a Place bet, the edge the house has over players is relatively low, which makes such wagers an option to consider when you decide to join the craps table. The payoffs casino enthusiasts will be offered if they make a winning Place bet on 4 or 10 are 9:5. The payoffs for a Place bet on 5 or 9 are 7:5, while players will be paid back 7:6 if they wager on 6 or 8, and their bet is settled as a winning one.

When the house edge is taken into consideration, it becomes clear that Place bets made on the 6 and 8 are the most advantageous for players. Next come wagers made on the 5 and 9, and last are the ones laid on the 4 and 10.

Depending on the casino they are playing at, gambling aficionados might be given the opportunity to opt for Place bets to lose. When going for this wager type, you bet that the shooter will roll out a 7 prior to the Place number. As players might expect, the payouts for such wagers will not be the same as for Place bets. If the chosen number is 6 or 8, players will be paid out 4:5. Picking 5 or 9 can bring players a payoff of 5:8 while betting on 4 or 10 might make for a payout of 5:11.

Buy Bets

Buy bets are also multi-shot wagers as it will take several rolls of the dice before their outcome is determined. Such bets have a lot in common with Place bets, but the subtle dissimilarity remains that winning Buy bets provide a payout at true casino odds, and when you make such a wager, you think that the number you have picked will be rolled out before a 7 has appeared. Another important thing about Buy bets players should bear in mind is that this betting opportunity is only available after a point is established and not during the come-out roll.

The catch is that when you opt for Buy bets, you will need to pay a 5% commission to the casino for offering you true odds. Needless to say, this commission will be taken so as to guarantee that the house will still make money off the bet you have made. What is important to take into account about the commission is that it will be estimated on the amount gambling enthusiasts prefer to bet rather than on the amount they have won. This might not always be the case as sometimes, the commission might be payable when you lay your Buy bet. It is of crucial importance to remember that if the commission should be paid upfront, the edge of the house will be boosted. Most of the time, the least amount players can put on the line when they opt for a Buy bet is the sum of the commission and the lower limit on the bets the table has.

Depending on the number you would like to bet on and the amount you wish to stake, Buy bets can be favorable to players. In fact, making a Buy bet on the 4 or 10 is a wiser choice than opting for a Place bet on these totals because of the payouts players will be offered. If you have made a Buy bet that is worth $10 on any of these numbers, you will receive $20 because the payouts for such wagers are 2:1. Naturally, Buy bets will improve as gambling enthusiasts upscale the staked amount. Of course, casino enthusiasts should not forget about the commission, which in this case will be $0.50. If the chosen number is 6 or 8, the payout players can expect is 6:5, while betting on 5 or 9 will award a payout of 3:2.

Buy bets also fall within the dealer’s area from the betting layout, and making such a wager involves leaving your chips on the table and requesting the preferred number. Much like Place bets, Buy bets can be laid, taken down, increased, or decreased at any point.

Field Bets

Field bets differ from standing bets due to the fact that a single roll determines if such wagers win or lose. The way in which these bets function is pretty comprehensible because players win if the number they have bet on appears the next time the dice are rolled and lose if that number does not land. If 5, 6, 7, or 8 is thrown, however, Field bets are losing ones. Gambling enthusiasts should have in mind that some casinos tend to swap the role of 5 and 9 in terms of winning and losing, which is the reason why they should check this out in advance.

You will see the Field Box right next to the Come Box, and it features the possible totals that include 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and 12. Field Bets are self-service bets, which means that you are placing them yourself, and you have the freedom to take them down from the craps table at any point. They are one-time bets, that pay even money, meaning that if you win, your winnings are equal to your bet. An important thing gambling enthusiasts should be aware of when their winning Field bets are concerned is that the dealer will position their winnings right next to their bet, and they will bear the responsibility to collect their chips. Remember that if you forget to do so, the dealer will take it for granted that you wish to make a subsequent bet and stake your original wager, together with your winnings. To avoid any confusion, players should always make sure that they are paying enough attention to the gameplay.

Depending on the casino you are playing at, you can get paid double or even triple your wager when you bet on the 2 or 12, and that total is rolled out. If the Field bet pays double when you bet on these values and they land, the edge the house will have over players will be 5.5%, while if it pays triple for these combinations, there will not be a built-in house advantage.

Lay Bets

Lay bets work in the opposite way to Buy bets because when casino enthusiasts opt for such a wager, they think that a 7 will land before any of the point numbers or 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 is thrown. One distinctive trait of Lay bets is that they can be placed during the come-out roll before a point is established or after that. The payoffs for winning Lay bets are offered at true odds, and they will be determined by the total players have bet on. Thus, if they have picked 4 or 10, the payoff will be 1:2, while if a 5 or 9 is rolled out, you will receive a payoff of 2:3. The payoffs for 6 and 8 against the 7, on the other hand, are 5:6. As players can see, the payoffs are the reversed payouts Buy bets provide.

Since Lay bets are opposite to Buy bets, the fact that a commission of 5% will be applied to your winnings should not surprise you. Most of the time, the vig will be calculated according to the amount players have snatched.

Another peculiarity of Lay bets is that they are not positioned within the self-service area of the betting layout, which means that assistance from the dealer will be needed in order to manage your bet. When you attract the attention of the dealer, you will need to relocate your chips to the Come area of the betting layout so that the dealer could move them to the point box that matches the point number you have settled on.

One dissimilarity between Buy and Lay bets is that Lay bets will remain turned on during the next game. This is not the case with Buy bets because they will be taken down during the come-out roll. Once you have placed a Lay bet, you will have the chance to take it down, increase it, or to decrease whenever you prefer. Yet, in most cases, players prefer to leave their Lay bets working during the come-out roll due to the fact that in such cases, the edge of the house is significantly lessened.

Big 6 and Big 8

Opting for any of these bet types is easily one of the most straightforward way of wagering on craps. Yet, the better part of the casino enthusiasts that are well-versed in playing craps avoid placing these bets because of the edge the house gains exceeds 9%.

In practice, making a Big 6 or Big 8 bet is the same as going for a Place bet for 8 or 6, but the most subtle difference stems from the payouts players will be offered. Big 6 and Big 8 will be resolved as losing ones if a 7 is tossed out first. If available, these wagers can be found within the self-service area, which means that no help from the dealer will be needed in order to manage them. What players should bear in mind about these wagers is that they pay even money, and can be placed whenever the player prefers.

Proposition Bets

There is no denying that usually, craps tables are full of action as they accommodate lots of people and allow for tons of betting opportunities. The available bet types are so diverse that they can keep casino enthusiasts entertained for hours on end. In spite of the fact that many craps veterans shy away from proposition bets, there are still lots of players that want to try something out of the common run, and potentially, to bag greater prizes.

Proposition bets are also referred to as center or prop bets, and are a type of craps bets the outcome of which is settled on the next roll or within several rolls of the dice. As it seems, many players prefer to stick to rather traditional bet types instead of opting for proposition bets because they give the casino a staggering advantage over players. Yet, what adds up to the thrill placing such wagers brings is that they offer significantly larger returns.

When speaking about the types of proposition bets, they can be grouped together depending on whether their outcome is settled during the next toss of the dice or they will be settled as losing or winning ones after a few shots. The latter type of proposition bets is also known as Hardways.

Hardways

Hardways are a type of proposition bets that allow casino enthusiasts to lay a bet that totals such as 4, 6, 8, or 10 will be tossed out the hard way, or in other words when both dice show one and the same value. In other words, players’ Hardway bet will provide a payout if they see a combination including 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, or 5-5. If the shooter rolls a 7 or that total in an easy way or in other words, when the dice show different values, Hardways will be settled as losing ones. For example, if you have bet on a hard 8, and the shooter rolls 5 and 3 or 6 and 2, you lose even though the value is the same because the total was rolled the easy way.

In spite of the fact that Hardways are featured in the middle of the betting layout of the craps table where other proposition bets are available, players should be aware that they rank among the so-called standing bets. What this means is that their outcome will be resolved after multiple rolls of the dice take place so that a decision could be made. Since they do not list among the one-roll bets, players will have the opportunity to lay, increase, decrease, or remove their Hardway bet whenever they feel like it.

When compared to some of the most fundamental bet types available at the craps table, Hardways have a dramatically higher house advantage. The payouts will be based on the number you would like to bet on as wagering on a hard 4 or 10 will bring payouts of 7:1, while wagering on a hard 6 or 8 can bring a payout of 9:1. Furthermore, gambling aficionados should remember that in the first case, the edge of the house will be 11.11%, but if they prefer to bet on 6 or 8, the advantage of the casino will be 9.09%.

Any 7 Bet

Another interesting proposition bet is Any 7, which allows players to wager that a 7 will be rolled out next. Any 7 wagers will provide a payout, no matter if the combination you will see is 3-4, 4-3, 2-5, 5-2, 6-1, or 1-6. If any other total is rolled out, Any 7 bets will be resolved as losing ones. Something vital that should be noted about such wagers is that they will not be repeated for multiple rolls and instead will be resolved within the next toss of the dice.

What players should keep in mind is that sometimes, in some casinos, this wager type can also be referred to as Big Red. Since this wager type is featured in the central section of the betting layout, this means that the stickman is the one that is responsible for the management of Any 7 bets. Successful Any 7 bets offer payouts of 4:1. The edge the house has over players who place an Any 7 bet is outrageous as it exceeds 16%, which comes to explain why most experienced craps players will advise against placing it.

Any Craps

As one might expect, Any Craps is a wager you make when you think that on the next roll, the dice will show any of the craps numbers that include 2, 3, and 12. This is yet another single-shot bet, which in other words means that it will not stand unresolved for multiple rolls of the dice. The most obvious reason why such stakes should be avoided is that the ways in which players can win are thin on the ground. The dice combinations that will bring players who have opted for an Any Craps bet a payoff include 6-6, 1-1, 1-2, and 2-1.

Most of the time, the least amount players are permitted to stake when they go for this bet type corresponds to the lowest chip denomination this craps table offers. Winning Any Craps bets offer a payout of 7:1, which means that for every $1 they put on the line, players will receive $7. The edge the house enjoys over players when they place an Any Craps bet is 11.11%.

Snake Eyes

Snake Eyes is one more single-shot proposition bet craps players can opt for. When you go for this wager type, you bet that a 2 will show on the next roll of the dice. Needless to say, the odds of the next roll of the dice resulting in this total are exceptionally low as the only combination that forms this value is 1-1. A payout of 30:1 awaits players who have made a winning Snake Eyes wager. Yet, they should not turn a blind eye to the house edge as it is 13.89%.

Horn Bet

The main reason why the Horn bet attracts the attention of casino enthusiasts is that it allows them to bet on 2, 3, 11, and 12 at the same time. As it seems, many craps novices erroneously consider that Horn bets are single bets. In fact, it is just the other way around as when players opt for this bet type, they will place four individual wagers on the above-mentioned numbers. Depending on the casino you are playing at, the area dedicated to such wagers might be labeled Horn bets, or instead, there might be individual sections reserved for each of the numbers.

Thus, if we assume that you have decided to stake $5 on a Horn bet, this will mean that the amount will be divided between the above-mentioned numbers, and ultimately, you will have staked $1.25 per number. If a 3 is tossed on the next roll of the dice, players will be provided with a payout for the bet they have made on that total, and will lose the amount wagered on the other three totals. Needless to say, these totals might not land next time the shooter throws the dice at all, and if this is the case, you will lose the $5 you have wagered.

The payoffs players will receive will hinge upon the number that will appear. If players hit an 11 or 3, they will get a payout of 15:1. If the number that hits is either 12 or 2, the payoff will be 30:1.

Hop Bets

This is a type of proposition bets that are laid on a specific dice combination and the outcome of which is settled within a single-shot. If you would like to opt for this wager type, you should be aware that in some casinos, you will not be able to see them on the betting layout of the craps table. Hop bets allow gambling enthusiasts to wager that the value they have picked will be rolled out in a specific way. What this means is that depending on the preferred combination, your Hop bet can have one way or two ways to win.

If we assume that you have bet on a 10 to be formed the easy way, you will win if a 4 and 6 are thrown during the next round. With such Hop bets, each dice should display a different value, but it does not matter which dice shows what value. When the combinations with one way to win are concerned, they are also known as Hardways, which means that both dice should display one and the same value. In our case, our Hop bet will be a winning one, given that the combination you have rolled is 5-5.

What players should be mindful of is that when they wager on a combination that is roled out the hard way, the payoffs they will be offered will be 30:1. Hop bets wit two ways to win, on the other hand, will provide a payout of 15:1. In the first case, the house has an edge of 16.67%, while in the second, it will have an edge of 11.11%.

Perhaps, at this point, you may wonder what is the difference between Hop and Hardway bets. As we mentioned above, Hardways are standing craps bets, which means that they will remain turned on until a decision is made. This is not the case with Hop bets, because whether you win or lose will be determined on the next toss fo the dice.

Whirl Bet

Whirl bet is one more single-shot bet that allows players to combine their Horn and Any Seven bets. In practice, when you opt for a Whirl bet, you will make five independent wagers because when you go for an Any Seven bet, you bet that a 7 will be rolled out, while when you make a Horn bet, the numbers your stake covers include 2, 3, 11, and 12. Thus, if you make a $5 Whirl bet, you will stake $1 on each of these values. As you might expect, if any of these combinations hits, you will get a payout that for that particular combination. For example, if a 2 hits, the wagers on the 7, 3, 11, and 12 will be losing ones.

The payoff is another important thing craps players should pay special attention to as when the 7 is concerned, it is 4:1, but when it comes to the other numbers, the payoff will coincide with the one offered for Horn bets, which makes things a bit more complicated. Before you lay a Whirl bet, keep in mind that the house will have an edge of 13.33%.

Boxcars

When gambling enthusiasts want to make a Boxcars bet, they bet that a 12 will be rolled out on the next toss of the dice. An important detail players should keep in mind is that there is just one combination that results in this total, and this is 6-6. The payout a winning Boxcars bet will deliver is 30:1.

Ace Deuce

Ace Deuce is a proposition bet that resembles Boxcars, but this time, gambling enthusiasts bet that a 3 will land on the next roll of the dice. Once again, winning such a wager might not be that easy because there are only two dice combinations that result in this total. More specifically, Ace Deuce bets will be resolved as winning ones, provided that you see 1-2 or 2-1 landing. If a 3 is rolled next, craps mavens will get paid 15:1. Placing an Ace Deuce gives the house an edge of 11.11%.

Yo-leven

As you may expect from its name, Yo-leven is a proposition bet, which allows players to bet that an 11 will show up next time the shooter throws the dice. Such wagers can win in just two ways because 6-5 and 5-6 are the only combinations that result in this total being rolled, which makes Yo-leven a high-risk craps bet. Going for a Yo-leven bet gives the house an edge of 11. 11%, while the payoff that will be lavished upon players if their wager wins is 15:1. What this means is that for every $1 they wager, casino enthusiasts will be offered $15, which comes to explain why Yo-leven bets are such an alluring option in the eyes of craps lovers.

The name of this wager type should not surprise players as the total is said in this way so as to avoid any confusion, which can arise when the numbers 7 and 11 are pronounced.

High-Lo

When you opt for this wager type, you bet that the total that will be thrown next will be either 2 or 12. What is specific here is that you are making a wager on these totals simultaneously. High-Lo bets are resolved as winning ones, provided that a 2 or 12 lands on the next dice toss, but of any other total appears, you will lose the staked amount. As you might already know, 2 and 12 are the rarest combinations that can show up because there is just one combination for each total or 1-1 and 6-6. As it might have already hit you, the odds coincide with those of Ace Deuce and Yo-leven.

Opting for a High-Lo bet gives the house an advantage of 11.11%, and you will be paid out 15:1 if any of these totals lands next. Players should not get overly surprised if they do not see this wager type displayed on the betting layout. In the event that such bets are accepted by the casino, you will see that the stickman will place your chips on the line between 2 and 12.