Craps Odds Explained

Craps is one of the most player-friendly games in the casino. By this, we mean that it’s one of the casino games with the lowest house edge.

Understanding the odds in craps and how each bet works is essential to the game. It allows you to move across the board at the right time, thus increasing your chances of winning.

We looked deeper at the odds for each of the bets that you can place at the craps table. There is a craps odds strategy that you can implement, which means you need to know what you are doing.

Craps Odds Overview: Edge, Odds, Payouts by Bet Type

Pass Line Bet

• House Edge: 1.41% (low)
• Odds: 251 to 244
• Pays: 1 to 1

The pass is the most common bet in the game. Pretty much every player at the craps table will entertain this bet at some point, and it's here that you see the most action.

You need to know if the pass bet is on a come-out roll or not. The board will include a marker that will usually say "on" or "off". On would represent a come out, off would not.

The first roll of the dice decides the point. However, if the first roll is a 7 or an 11, the table wins on pass bets paid out at even money. If the roll is a 2, 3, or 12, then your bet will lose. Any other number sets the point for that game.

Once the point has been set, the market will flip to "on." The dice will continue to roll until they land on the number designated as the point for that game. If they hit that number, the table wins, again paying out at even money. If a 7 is rolled, then your bet loses, and the game resets.

It's widely advised not to make a pass bet after the come-out roll. You are within the rules to do so, but the value of your wager will decrease, reducing the house edge on the pass. It's always best to wait until the game has reset.

Don’t Pass (Don’t Come)

• House Edge: 1.36%
• Odds: 976 to 949
• Pays: 1 to 1

The don't pass bet is the opposite of the pass bet, as the name would suggest. You are betting on opposite results.

So, for this, you win if you roll a 2 or a 3; 7 and 11 lose. If a 12 is rolled, then the bet is regarded as a push. You will keep rolling for this bet until the point line is hit or a 7 lands.

The weird thing about this bet is that you are generally betting against the rest of the table. Most will be on the pass (come) bet, so when you win, most players will lose. This doesn't have the same effect online, but it can be fun in live dealer casino games.

The odds and house edge are almost identical for the pass and don't pass bets.

Taking the Odds

• House Edge: Zero
• Odds: 
  • 4 and 10, 2 to 1
  • 5 and 9, 3 to 2
  • 6 and 8, 6 to 5
• Pays: Same as Odds

"The Odds" is a unique bet in any casino, let alone craps. This is because this bet has zero house edge. By this, we mean that the odds that they offer on this bet are fair and true.

The bet is a side bet tied to the point. You are betting on the outcome of a number before a 7 is rolled. The player can be on a range of outcomes, grouped into sets with different odds. 

A key thing to note about the odds bet is that you will be limited on the amount that you can bet. The main reason the house does this is that it doesn't make any money from the bet. It doesn't act as a deterrent as such, but it does try to limit the action.

Place Bets

• House Edge: 
  • 6 and 8, 1.52%
  • 5 and 9, 4.00%
  • 4 and 10, 6.67%
• Odds: 
  • 7 to 6 on 6 and 8
  • 7 to 5 on 5 and 9
  • 9 to 5 on 4 and 10
• Pays: 
  • 6 to 5 on 6 and 8
  • 3 to 2 on 5 and 9
  • 2 to 1 on 4 and 10

Place bets are made up of a series of numbers across the board. These include 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. The player can bet on these numbers as a single bet, and if they appear before a 7 is rolled, then the player wins.

These are pretty simple bets, which makes them very popular. Each number has its own odds attached. The odds are based on the likelihood that the number will be drawn, and the most likely number has the lowest odds.

The house edge on all of these bets ranges, but the best value comes from the 6 and 8 bet, where the edge is just 1.52%.

Lay Bets

• House Edge: 
  • 6 and 8, 2.27%
  • 5 and 9, 2.00%
  • 4 and 10, 1.67%
• Odds: 
  • 7 to 6 on 6 and 8
  • 7 to 5 on 5 and 9
  • 9 to 5 on 4 and 10
• Pays: 
  • 6 to 5 on 6 and 8
  • 3 to 2 on 5 and 9
  • 2 to 1 on 4 and 10

The lay bet works opposite to the place bet. The easiest way to look at it is that you are betting on the place bet to lose.

Essentially, you are betting that the 7 will appear before a given range of numbers. The groups and the odds offered are the same as the place bet, but in reverse.

The main difference in pricing is that these come with a commission. The commission charged will vary from casino to casino. Generally, it's around 5%, and this is based on a win-only. Some casinos apply the win-only commission to the 4 and 10 bet.

The commission then alters the house edge on these bets ever so slightly. The safe craps strategy of the two would be to take on the place bet over the lay bet.

Big 6 and 8

• House Edge: 9.09%
• Odds: 6 to 5
• Pays: 1 to 1

The Big 6 and 8 bet is the same as the 6 and 8 bet from the place bets above. For this, you are choosing one of the numbers to be rolled before a 7.

The craps odds strategy for this bet is one of the worst you can get. The reason is that this bet on its own pays even money. The same bet in the place bet pays 7 to 6.

The other bet on this, in the place bets, is much better.

Field Bets

• House Edge: 2.27%
• Odds: 5 to 4
• Pays: 1 to 1, except a 2 (2 to 1) and 12 (3 to 1)

Field bets are where you bet on a number that the next roll will be. This includes 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. Any 5, 6, 7, or 8 will mean that you lose the bet.

The bet pays even money on all numbers except 2 and 12. The 2 pays 2 to 1, and the 12 pays at 3 to 1. It's worth noting that the odds for these can change. Some casinos only pay 2 to 1 on both results, which doubles the house edge from 2.78% to 5.56%.

Hard Bets

• House Edge: 
  • 6 and 8, 9.09%
  • 4 and 10, 11.11%
  • 2, 13.89%
• Odds: 
  • 6 and 8, 10 to 1
  • 4 and 10, 8 to 1
  • 2, 35 to 1
• Pays: 
  • 6 and 8, 9 to 1
  • 4 and 10, 7 to 1
  • 2, 30 to 1

Hard bets are where you bet on the two numbers rolled on the dice to be the same. This means that you have 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 as the possible winning outcomes for this bet.

You will lose if a 7 is rolled or a 5-3 or 6-2 is rolled. Your hand stays live with any other non-winning combination.

Summary: Craps Odds

As you can see, the range of bets that you can place in craps is extensive. The odds on offer for each bet can also seem quite overwhelming, especially if you are new.

But you don't need to know all of the odds assigned to each bet. You can drip them into a safe craps strategy and then start including more bets as you become more comfortable.

You can use this article as a good starting block to then take your strategy to the next level. Need more information? See our explanation of the craps table for beginners for terminology and basics, then try out what you’ve learned by looking below for available online casinos in your state.