Playing Best Odds in Craps Craps is arguably among the most well-loved casino games and has already developed into a staple for the bulk of the casinos. If played correctly, craps ranks among the casino games with the lowest house advantage in the gambling world, which undoubtedly renders it an appealing option for gambling enthusiasts.
Casino Craps Odds
Knowing the mathematical odds of the dice achieving a certain outcome is the essence of the game. If you are going to play for money, then try and remember these odds.
For a description of the kind of bets you can make playing Craps, see instructions from a real casino or dice-play's Craps guide. If you want to understand more about how odds work, see dice odds.
You will be at a slight disadvantage with the Pass Line bet since the odds of the dice winning are only 970 times out of 1980. The edge against the dice passing works out as 1.414%.
The following table illustrates the bets found on Vegas/Nevada, Atlantic City, etc., Bank Craps tables. Bets in red can be made in other ways at better odds.
Bet | True Odds | Pay-off | House Edge % |
Pass Line/Come Bet | 251 to 244 | 1 to 1 | 1.414 |
Don't Pass/Don't Come Bet | 976 to 949 | 1 to 1 | 1.402 |
Pass Line Odds/Come Bet Odds/Buy Bets (5% commission) | |||
Numbers 4 or 10 | 2 to 1 | 2 to 1 | 4.76 |
Numbers 5 or 9 | 3 to 2 | 3 to 2 | 4.76 |
Numbers 6 or 8 | 6 to 5 | 6 to 5 | 4.76 |
Don't Pass Odds/Don't Come Bet Odds/Lay Bets (5% commission) | |||
Numbers 4 or 10 | 1 to 2 | 1 to 2 | 2.44 |
Numbers 5 or 9 | 2 to 3 | 2 to 3 | 3.23 |
Numbers 6 or 8 | 5 to 6 | 5 to 6 | 4.0 |
Field Bets | |||
3, 4, 9, 10, 11 | 5 to 4 | 1 to 1 | 2.78 |
2, 12 | 2 to 1 | ||
Place Bets | |||
Numbers 4 or 10 | 2 to 1 | 9 to 5 | 6.7 |
Numbers 5 or 9 | 3 to 2 | 7 to 5 | 4.0 |
Numbers 6 or 8 | 6 to 5 | 7 to 6 | 1.52 |
Hardways | |||
6 or 8 | 10 to 1 | 9 to 1 | 9.09 |
4 or 10 | 8 to 1 | 7 to 1 | 11.1 |
One Roll Bets | |||
Any 7 | 5 to 1 | 4 to 1 | 16.9 |
Any craps | 8 to 1 | 7 to 1 | 11.1 |
2 craps or 12 craps | 35 to 1 | 30 to 1 | 13.9 |
3 craps or 11 | 17 to 1 | 15 to 1 | 11.1 |
Horn Bet (3 or 11) | 3.75 to 1 | ||
Horn Bet (2 or 12) | 7.5 to 1 | ||
Big 6 or 8 | 6 to 5 | 1 to 1 | 9.09 |
British casinosare tightly regulated and pay better odds on some bets. The following table illustrates the differing bets found in British casinos.
Bet | True Odds | Pay-off | House Edge % |
Hardways | |||
4 or 10 | 8 to 1 | 15 to 2 | 5.56 |
6 or 8 | 10 to 1 | 19 to 2 | 4.55 |
Place Bet: 4 or 10 | 2 to 1 | 19 to 10 | 3.33 |
2 craps or 12 craps | 35 to 1 | 33 to 1 | |
There is no Big 6 or 8 | - | - | ------ |
- | - | ------ |
Bar 1-2 Some greedy casinos (on cruise ships perhaps) bar 1-2 and not 1-1 or 6-6. This gives them a greater edge on Don't Pass/Don't Come bets.
Bet | True Odds | Pay-off | House Edge % |
Don't Pass/Don't Come | 976 to 840 | 1 to1 | 4.40 |
There are 36 possible outcomes of two dice. The following tables show the true odds for the specified outcome of the dice.
(A) This column gives the number of possible ways of making the dice total.
(B) This column gives the odds against making the dice total in a single roll.
(C) This column gives the odds against rolling the dice total before a 7.
(D) These columns give the odds against making the higher dice total before the lower dice total. e.g. 12 before 6 = 5 - 1. For making the lower number before the higher, reverse the odds. e.g. 6 before 12 = 1 - 5.
Dice | A | B | C | D> | > | |||||||||
12 | 1 | 35 - 1 | 6-1 | 12 | ||||||||||
11 | 2 | 17 - 1 | 3-1 | 2-1 | 11 | |||||||||
10 | 3 | 11 - 1 | 2-1 | 3-1 | 3-2 | 10 | ||||||||
9 | 4 | 8 - 1 | 3-2 | 4-1 | 2-1 | 4-3 | 9 | |||||||
8 | 5 | 6 - 1 | 6-5 | 5-1 | 5-2 | 5-3 | 5-4 | 8 | ||||||
7 | 6 | 5 - 1 | - | 6-1 | 3-1 | 2-1 | 3-2 | 6-5 | 7 | |||||
6 | 5 | 6 - 1 | 6-5 | 5-1 | 5-2 | 5-3 | 5-4 | 1-1 | 5-6 | 6 | ||||
5 | 4 | 8 - 1 | 3-2 | 4-1 | 2-1 | 4-3 | 1-1 | 4-5 | 2-3 | 4-5 | 5 | |||
4 | 3 | 11 -1 | 2 -1 | 3-1 | 3-2 | 1-1 | 3-4 | 3-5 | 1-2 | 3-5 | 3-4 | 4 | ||
3 | 2 | 17 - 1 | 3-1 | 2-1 | 1-1 | 2-3 | 1-2 | 2-5 | 1-3 | 2-5 | 1-2 | 2-3 | 3 | |
2 | 1 | 35 - 1 | 6-1 | 1-1 | 1-2 | 1-3 | 1-4 | 1-5 | 1-6 | 1-5 | 1-4 | 1-3 | 1-2 | 2 |
Hardway Odds of making a number as a double, before a 7 or as another combination.
Hardway | Odds |
4 (2 + 2) | 8 - 1 |
6 (3 + 3) | 10 - 1 |
8 (4 + 4) | 10 - 1 |
10 (5 + 5) | 8 - 1 |
Odds against rolling a specified double are 35 - 1
Odds against rolling a specified combination of two differing numbers are 17 - 1
Odds against rolling craps are 8 - 1
This is the most powerful bet in all of craps. In order to play the free odds bet, you must have wagered on the pass line bet or the come bet. If the shooter has not rolled a craps number (2, 3, or 12) or a 7 or 11, then there must be a point number established (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10). Once the point has been established, players can have access to the pass odds bet or come odds bet (also just known as free odds).
Players may wager on the free odds bet in multiples of their original pass/come bet amount. Most casinos allow multiples of 1x, 2x, or 3x. Casinos in Las Vegas for example will allow players to wager 10x, 50x and even 100x odds bets. The rule of thumb is this: The more money you bet on the odds bet, the lower the house edge becomes in your overall pass/come bet that you originally made.
The odds bet itself pays out true odds, meaning there is a 0% (yes zero) house edge. There is not a single game you will ever find at the casino that will offer no house edge. It is as if you are betting head or tails on the flip of a coin. This means totally fair odds. This bet wins when the shooter rolls the point number before a 7.
Remember, the number 7 is the most frequently rolled number. Then 6 and 8 are the next two frequent, followed by 9 and 5, then 4 and 10 with the least frequent of the point numbers. The 6 and 8 pay out 6:5 or $6 for every $5 wagered. 5 and 9 pay out 3:2. 4 and 10 pay out 2:1 odds. Note that these payouts are only for the odds bet. The original Pass/Come line bet will still be paid 1:1 if it wins.
I will explain the bet using the image below. First I made a pass line bet and the shooter rolled a 4 on the come out roll. The number 4 become the point number (noted by the puck that now says 'ON'). Then the dealer moved my chips up to that area of the layout and I made a 1x multiplier free odds bet (so there are two $88 chip stacks now), which gets placed right next to the chips that the dealer moved up there. I will win both bets if the dealer rolls another 4.