Odds For Craps
CRAPS ODDS
Craps Payouts Which bets are the best on Craps Odds. Continued from online craps odds part 1. Again, when it comes to playing online craps, the numbers you roll are out of your control and can only be determined by luck, but understanding the odds of rolling the numbers can help you make the right play and teach you which bets are the best ones to choose based on the odds.
Odds describes the number of times something won’t happen next to the number of times it will happen. If an event is determined to have 1 to 1 odds, that means the event has an equal chance of occurring or not occurring. Craps is played with a pair of dice. Since each die has six sides there are six possible outcomes. Two dice makes 6×6 and therefore there are 36 possible combinations on each roll.
- Here we will discuss the different craps odds payouts starting from the two numbers that are the hardest to throw: two and twelve. There is only one combination of the two dice that can result in these figures, namely 1 and 1, and 6 and 6. Thus, the craps true odds.
- Craps odds bets yield rewards that are perfectly proportioned to the risk assumed when placing them. If the odds are 2 to 1 against an outcome (such as rolling a 4 before a 7), then the house pays 2 to 1 on a.
Since only one combination can give you a total of 12 (6 + 6), the probability of this on any given roll is one in thirty-six.
In order to become a more confident player, it can be helpful to know the odds of any number being rolled before a 7. For example, the odds against rolling a 5 before a 7 using two dice are 6 to 4. We get these odds because there are six ways to make the 7 vs. four ways to make the 5.
To figure this out, take the number of ways a 5 can be made with two dice (1 + 4, 2 + 3, 3 + 2 and 4 + 1) for a total of four ways. Then, compare this to the total number of combinations that two dice can make, which is thirty-six.
Now, we have a four in thirty-six, or one in nine, chance that a 5 will come up on any given roll. To express these odds, you would say the odds against rolling a 5 are 8 to 1. We say this because there are eight chances of not rolling a 5 vs. one chance of rolling a 5 for a total of nine rolls. This determines the ‘true odds’ of rolling a 5.
What is the house edge?
The house edge is a built-in mathematical advantage the casino has over the player in a game. Think of it as the amount of profit the casino earns – a percentage of a player’s original bet.
The house edge in craps varies based on the different bets available, but the game is among those with some of the lowest house edges in the casino. In fact, some bets in craps have no house edge at all. Of course, for other bets the house edge can go as high as 16.67%.
No matter how you bet, the longer you play the less likely you are to walk away a winner. Anyone can win, but it’s not a good strategy to try to win back the money you’ve lost. This is more likely to lead to further losses.
Below is a summary of the most popular craps bets with their true odds and respective payouts, or odds paid. These bets are popular because of their favourable odds and lower house edge, compared to other craps bets.
The following shows you the true odds for popular craps bets, alongside their standard payouts, which include the house edge. Keep in mind, payouts are standard and will vary depending on the casino. The house edge ensures that over time, players lose more money than they win.
Pass Line/Come Bet
Actual or “True” Odds: 251 to 244 Odds Paid or Payout: 1 to 1 House Edge: 1.41%
Don't Pass/Don't Come Bar
Actual or “True” Odds:
244 to 251
Odds Paid or Payout:
1 to 1
House Edge:
1.36%
Pass Odds/Come Odds
Actual or “True” Odds:
2 to 1 on 4 or 10, 3 to 2 on 5 or 9, 6 to 5 on 6 or 8
Odds Paid or Payout:
2 to 1 on 4 or 10, 3 to 2 on 5 or 9, 6 to 5 on 6 or 8
House Edge:
0%
Don't Pass Odds/Don't Come Odds
Actual or “True” Odds:
1 to 2 against the 4 or 10, 3 to 2 against the 5 or 9, 6 to 5 against the 6 or 8
Odds Paid or Payout:
1 to 2 against the 4 or 10, 3 to 2 against the 5 or 9, 6 to 5 against the 6 or 8
House Edge:
0%
Place Bets
Actual or “True” Odds:
2 to 1 on 4 or 10, 3 to 2 on 5 or 9, 6 to 5 on 6 or 8
Odds Paid or Payout:
9 to 5 on 4 or 10, 7 to 5 on 5 or 9, 7 to 6 on 6 or 8
House Edge:
6.67% on 4 or 10, 4% on 5 or 9, 1.52% on 6 or 8
Can I increase my chances of winning?
The true odds in craps are based on mathematical probability. Nothing you can do will affect the outcome of the dice. Even if you stick to bets where the true odds are higher, there’s no guarantee of rolling a winning outcome.
Ready To Play?
Perhaps more than any other casino game, craps is a game that is concerned with the odds. Or at the very least, you should be when you play.
In other words, understanding the odds is paramount to understanding craps itself and you can’t possibly beat any game until you truly understand it. That means understanding the odds of every roll of the dice, and both the true odds of every bet and the odds each bet pays out.
Read on for a complete look at craps and the odds involved, from the odds on the outcome of each roll to details about each available bet, the true odds, payout, and house edge.
How to play craps
Before you look at the odds in detail you should have a basic understanding of how to play craps.
Craps begin with wagering on the Pass Line and Don’t Pass Line. Then, the first shooter rolls the dice on the come-out roll.
Pass Line bets are paid 1:1, and Don’t Pass Line bets lose if the shooter rolls a 7 or 11 on the come-out roll.
Don’t Pass Line bets are paid 1:1 if the shooter rolls a 2 or 3, and push on a 12 on the come-out roll. Pass Line bets lose on any 2, 3, or 12. Here, the shooter craps out, a new shooter is chosen, and the game begins anew.
If the outcome of the come-out roll is any other number, that number becomes the point.
Once a point is established, betting opens up and the shooter rolls again until they hit the point or roll a 7 to crap out.
Craps betting
Here’s a list of the available bets and payouts:
- Pass Line — Pass Line bets are paid 1:1 if the shooter rolls a 7 or 11 on the come-out roll and lose if the shooter rolls a 2,3, or 12. Pass Line bets also pay 1:1 if a point is established and hit. Pass Line bets lose if a point is established and a 7 is rolled before it is hit.
- Don’t Pass — Don’t Pass bets are paid 1:1 if the shooter rolls a 2 or 3 on the come-out roll, push on 12, and lose if the shooter rolls a 7 or 11. Don’t Pass bets also pay 1:1 if a point is established and a 7 is rolled before it is hit. Don’t Pass bets lose if a point is established and hit.
- Come — Works exactly like a Pass Line bet, but placed after a point is established.
- Don’t Come — Works exactly like a Don’t Pass bet, but placed after a point is established.
- Pass Line Odds — If you bet on the Pass Line, once a point is established you can bet on the Pass Line Odds up to the maximum allowed in the game. If the shooter rolls the point this bet pays 2:1 if the point is 4 or 10, 3:2 if the point is 5 or 9, and 5:6 if the point is 6 or 8.
- Don’t Pass Odds — If you bet on Don’t Pass Line, once a point is established you can bet on the Don’t Pass Odds up to the maximum allowed in the game. If the shooter rolls a seven this bet pays 1:2 if the point is 4 or 10, 2:3 if the point is 5 or 9, and 5:6 if the point is 6 or 8.
- Hard Ways (4, 6, 8, or 10) — Double twos and fives pay 7:1. Double threes and fours pay 9:1.
- Place Bets — Bet that a specific number (4, 5, 6, 8, or 10) will be rolled before seven after a point is established. The numbers 4 and 10 pay 9:5, 5, and 9 pay 7:5, and 6 and 8 pay 7:6.
- Lay Bets — Bet that a 7 will be rolled before a specific number (4, 5, 6, 8, or 10). The numbers 4 and 10 pay 5:11, 5, and 9 pay 8:5, and 6 and 8 pay 7:5.
- Field — Bet that any 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12 will be hit on the next roll. Any 3, 4, 9, 10, or 11 pays 1:1 and 2 or 12 pays 2:1.
- Any Craps — Bet that a 2, 3, or 12 will be hit on the next roll. Pays 7:1.
- Any 7 — Bet that a 7 will be hit on the next roll. Pays 4:1.
- Aces — Bet that a 2 will be hit on the next roll. Pays 30:1.
- Midnight/Boxcars — Bet that a 12 will be hit on the next roll. Pays 30:1.
- Ace-Deuce — Bet that a 3 will be hit on the next roll. Pays 15:1.
- Yo/Eleven — Bet that an 11 will be hit on the next roll. Pays 15:1.
The dice
Craps are played with two six-sided dice. That means each roll has 36 possible outcomes.
This includes 11 possible dice totals, 2 through 12. There are 36 combinations of these dice totals possible.
There are only one possible 2 and 12, two possible 3s and 11s, three possible 4s and 10s, four possible 5s and 9s, five possible 6s and 8s, and six possible 7s.
Knowing the total possible outcomes and how many times each dice total as possible allows you to work out the odds of each possible roll.
What you’ll find is the odds of each possible roll are as follows:
- 2 – 35:1 (1/36 possible outcomes)
- 3 – 17:1 (2/36 possible outcomes)
- 4 – 11:1 (3/36 possible outcomes)
- 5 – 8:1 (4/36 possible outcomes)
- 6 – 6.2:1 (5/36 possible outcomes)
- 7 – 5:1 (6/36 possible outcomes)
- 8 – 6.2:1 (5/36 possible outcomes)
- 9 – 8:1 (4/36 possible outcomes)
- 10 – 11:1 (3/36 possible outcomes)
- 11 – 17:1 (2/36 possible outcomes)
- 12 – 35:1 (1/36 possible outcomes)
The true odds
Once you know the odds of each possible roll you can figure the true odds of each bet. The true odds are the probability of each roll’s outcome.
The difference between the true odds and the payout on each bet is the house edge the casino enjoys on that bet. The lower the house edge, the better the bet is for you as a player. The higher the house edge, the more money the casino will ultimately make on the bet.
Only the Pass Line Odds and Don’t Pass Odds pay true odds, meaning these two are the only bets in craps with no house edge.
Craps odds table
The following table shows you the true odds, payout, and house edge involved with most bets in a craps game:
Bet | Pays | True Odds | House Edge |
---|---|---|---|
Pass Line/Come | 1:1 | 251:244 | 1.414 |
Don’t Pass/Don't Come | 1:1 | 976:949 | 1.36 |
Pass Line Odds 4 or 10 | 2:1 | 2:1 | 0 |
Pass Line Odds 5 or 9 | 3:2 | 3:2 | 0 |
Pass Line Odds 6 or 8 | 5:6 | 5:6 | 0 |
Don't Pass Odds 4 or 10 | 1:2 | 1:2 | 0 |
Pass Line Odds 5 or 9 | 2:3 | 2:3 | 0 |
Pass Line Odds 6 or 8 | 5:6 | 5:6 | 0 |
Hard Ways 6 or 8 | 9:1 | 10:1 | 9.09 |
Hard Ways 4 or 10 | 7:1 | 8:1 | 11.1 |
Place Bets 4 or 10 | 9:5 | 2:1 | 6.7 |
Place Bets 5 or 9 | 7:5 | 3:2 | 4.0 |
Place Bets 6 or 8 | 7:6 | 6:5 | 1.52 |
Any craps | 7:1 | 8:1 | 11.1 |
Any 7 | 4:1 | 5:1 | 16.9 |
Aces | 30:1 | 35:1 | 13.9 |
Midnight/Boxcars | 30:1 | 35:1 | 13.9 |
Ace-Deuce | 15:1 | 17:1 | 11.1 |
Yo/Eleven | 15:1 | 17:1 | 11.1 |
Craps: Understanding the odds
In craps, understanding the odds means understanding the game, and being able to tell a good bet from one that works in the casino’s favor instead of yours.
Once you know the probability of each outcome on each roll of the dice you can figure out the true odds on every bet. Remember, the lower the house edge, the better the bet.
That said, most people agree casinos are entitled to some house edge. After all, that house edge is what makes running a craps game profitable for the casino. Without it, there would be no game. In other words, you should be willing to accept a small house edge on most bets. You should probably avoid bets with a large house edge.
Unfortunately, in craps, the bets with the biggest house edge offer the biggest payouts. That leaves it up to you to decide if it’s worth it to pay that steep house edge for the chance to get lucky and win big at craps.
Fortunately, craps offer several bets with a relatively small house edge most gamblers consider fair.
Maximum odds
The payouts on the Pass Line Odds and Don’t Pass Odds are the same as the true odds, meaning these bets have no house edge at all. That makes the Pass Line Odds and Don’t Pass Odds the most attractive bet in any casino, online or off.
Best Bets In Craps And Why
Casinos allow you to bet the Pass Line Odds and Don’t Pass Odds up to a maximum multiple of your original Pass Line or Don’t Pass bets. You may see craps table games advertised as having “5x Odds on Craps,” “10x Odds on Craps,” or even up to “100x Odds on Craps.”
Many craps players judge a craps game on the maximum they can bet on these zero-house-edge bets. The bigger the better, as placing a bet with no house edge gives you the best chance to beat the house.
The maximum odds available on most online craps games sit between 3x and 6x.
Craps strategy and the odds
In craps, knowing the odds, understanding the odds, and using this knowledge to your benefit are three different things.
Payout Odds For Craps
Once you understand the game, and know and understand the odds, you can use this knowledge to your benefit by employing certain strategies:
Basic craps strategy
Basic craps strategy involves sticking to simple bets with a low house edge. That means betting the Pass Line and Don’t Pass exclusively.
Playing the odds
Take basic craps strategy a step further by betting the Pass Line Odds and Don’t Pass Odds behind your Pass Line and Don’t Pass bets.
Once the point is established, betting the Pass Line Odds and Don’t Pass Odds up to the maximum allowed is always a good idea because there is no house edge. You won’t find a better bet in the entire casino.
They call them ‘Hard Ways’ for a reason
Hard Ways 6 or 8 pays 9:1 but the true odds are 10:1. Hard Ways 4 or 10 pays 7:1 but the true odds are 8:1. That makes the house edge anywhere from 9-11% on these bets. That’s hard to beat over the long haul, making the Hard Ways a bit of a sucker’s bet.
Odds For Craps Table
Don’t let the allure of the big payday sway you when you know the true odds of rolling doubles are much bigger.
Basic Odds For Craps
Indecent proposition
Just like the Hard Ways, you should never let the allure of the big payday offered by props sway you. The true odds of hitting most props are much higher. That 30:1 or 33:1 you might get on Aces or Boxcars might be tempting, but you’ll be staring down the game’s biggest house edge at almost 14%.
The true odds of rolling double sixes or aces is 35:1 and until craps games start paying that, these bets should be avoided. You’re much better off sticking to the basics, unless you’re willing to make the bet more than 30 times to test the odds and try to get lucky in the short term.