Craps Bets: Everything You Need to Know

Although craps is essentially a pretty simple game, the
number of different bets that can be placed does often confuse
new players. You can actually play the game without knowing most
of them, as long you understand the basics of how the game
works. However, it’s advisable to have at least some idea of
all the wagers and how they work.

On this page we have explained each of the craps bets that
you can place. These can be divided into three separate
categories: line bets, single roll bets, and multi-line bets.
If you aren’t familiar with the fundamental rules of craps, we
would suggest reading our
main craps
page where we explain how to play the game.

Line Bets

Line bets are the most commonly placed wagers in craps, and
the pass line bet and the don’t pass bet in particular are
integral to the game. A shooter will always have to make either
a pass line bet or a don’t pass bet before they make their
come-out roll, and in some casinos players will be forced to
place one of these bets if they want to make any other wagers.

Pass Line Bet

This is placed before a come-out roll, and pays out even
money if it wins. It wins when the come out roll is 7 or 11, and
loses when the roll is 2, 3, or 12. If any other number is
rolled a point is established at that number and the pass line
bet stays on the table. If the point number is rolled again, the
bet wins. If a 7 is rolled before the point number, the bet
loses.

Don’t Pass Bet

This is essentially the opposite of the pass line bet. It’s
also placed before a come out roll, and pays even money too, but
it loses when the roll is 7 or 11 and wins when the roll is 2 or
3. If the come out roll is a 12, the bet is a push (neither won
nor lost). As above, when a point is established it stays on the
table. It wins if a 7 is rolled before the point number, and
loses if the point number is rolled before a 7.

Taking The Odds

This is a follow up wager to a pass line bet, after the point
has been established. It wins if the point number is rolled
before a 7, and loses if a 7 is rolled before the point number.
Because a 7 is statistically the most likely number to be
rolled, casinos offer higher than even pay-outs on this bet. For
a point number of 6 or 8, the pay-out is 6:5. For 5 or 9, the
pay-out is 3:2. For 4 or 10, the pay-out is 2:1.

Taking the odds technically has a house edge of zero, so
casinos place a limit on how much you can wager on this,
relative to the size of your pass bet.

Laying the Odds

This is a follow up wager to a don’t pass bet after the point
is established. In the same way that the pass line wager is
essentially the opposite to a don’t pass wager, laying the odds
is essentially the opposite of taking the odds. It loses if the
point number is rolled before a 7, and wins if a 7 is rolled
before the point number. The pay-outs are the same as taking the
odds, but reversed. So for a point number of 6 or 8 the pay-out
is 5:6, for 5 or 9 it’s 2:3 and for 4 or 10 it’s 1:2.

Come Bet

The come bet could essentially be described as a pass line
bet that’s placed after the come out roll. The first roll after
the placing of a come bet determines the number that’s to be
used as the point for this wager. If that number is rolled
before a 7, the come bet wins. If a 7 is rolled first, it loses.
You can also take the odds on a come bet.

Don’t Come Bet

This is the opposite of a come bet, and it’s
essentially a don’t pass bet that is placed after the come out
roll. As above, the first roll subsequent to such a wager being
placed establishes the point for the wager. If a 7 is rolled
first, the wager wins. If the relevant point is rolled first,
the wager loses. You can lay the odds on a don’t come bet too.

Single Roll Bets

As the name suggests, these are wagers that are determined by
a single roll of the dice. You are quite simply betting on the
result of that roll. The house edge is quite high in these
wagers, but the odds are higher than previously mentioned
wagers, and many players are attracted to them. They are also
referred to as proposition bets, and include the following.

Field: This wager covers the numbers 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and
12. You’ll win if any of them are rolled. It pays even money,
although some casinos pay it out at 2:1 if a 2 or 12 is rolled

On the Hop: This is a bet on any specific combination of dice
for the next roll. For example, 5 and 1 or 2 and 3. This pays
out at 15:1 unless you have bet on a double, in which case it
pays out at 30:1

Any Craps: A bet on 2, 3, or 12 being rolled. Pays out
at 7:1

Snake Eyes/Aces: A wager on double one being rolled. Pays out
at 30:1

Seven: Needs a seven to be rolled to win. Pays out at 4:1

Yo: Requires the shooter to roll 11. Pays out at 15:1

Multi Roll Bets

These are wagers that aren’t necessarily settled on the
first roll and can take several rolls to be resolved. For
example, a hard way bet is a wager that the shooter will throw a
specific number (4, 6, 8, or 10) the hard way (meaning as a
double) before throwing the corresponding number the easy way
(not as a double) or a seven. Other multi roll bets are as
follows.

Easy Way: Basically the opposite of a hard way wager. You are
betting that the shooter will throw a specific number (4, 6, 8,
or 10) the easy way before throwing a seven.

Big 6: A wager that the shooter will throw a 6 before he
throws a 7.

Big 8: A wager that the shooter will throw an 8 before he
throws a 7.