The Hop Bet in Craps: How It Works, Payouts, and the Real House Edge
Jake WilfredMost craps bets let you wager on a total. The 6. The 8. The 7. The hop bet lets you wager on the exact way that total appears. Not just “a 6,” but specifically 4+2. Not just “an 8,” but specifically 5+3. It’s the most precise bet on the craps table, and also one of the most expensive.
A hop bet is a one-roll proposition wager on a specific dice combination appearing on the very next throw. If you call “hop the 3-2” and the dice land 3+2 or 2+3, you win. Any other combination, even another way to make 5 (like 4+1), loses. Easy hops (two different numbers) pay 15:1 with an 11.11% house edge.
Hard hops (pairs like 3+3) pay 30:1 with a 13.89% house edge. The hop isn’t printed on most table layouts. You won’t find a box for it. You call it verbally and the stickman handles it. This guide covers every hop bet combination, the exact math, how to call it, and whether it deserves any of your chips.
- The hop bet is a one-roll wager on a specific two-dice combination (e.g., 4+2, not just “a 6”)
- Easy hops (two different numbers like 5+3) pay 15:1 with an 11.11% house edge
- Hard hops (pairs like 4+4) pay 30:1 with a 13.89% house edge
- The hop is not printed on most craps layouts; you call it verbally to the stickman
- There are 36 possible dice combinations; an easy hop wins on 2 of them, a hard hop wins on just 1
- Hopping the 7 covers all six 7-combinations as separate bets, which is just an expensive version of the Any Seven bet
What Is a Hop Bet in Craps?
A hop bet is a one-roll proposition bet on a specific pair of numbers showing on the dice. You’re not betting on a total. You’re betting on the exact combination that produces the total.
Here’s the distinction. If you place the 8, you win whenever 8 appears, regardless of how the dice land: 2+6, 3+5, 4+4, 5+3, or 6+2. That’s five ways to win across multiple rolls. A hop bet on “5-3” only wins if the dice show 5+3 or 3+5 on the very next throw. Two ways out of 36. One roll. Done.
The hop is the craps equivalent of betting on a single number in roulette. Maximum precision. Maximum payout. Maximum house edge.
The hop bet doesn’t appear on most craps table layouts. There’s no designated box or area for it. To make a hop bet, you toss your chips to the center of the table and verbally call out the combination: “hop the 4-2,” “hop the hard 6,” or “hopping 3-1.” The stickman acknowledges the bet and places your chips accordingly. If you’re not familiar with the craps terminology the crew uses, our glossary will help.
You can hop any of the 36 possible dice combinations. Every pair of numbers that two six-sided dice can produce is available. Some players hop specific combinations. Others hop all the ways to make a given total (which is just a more expensive version of a standard bet on that total). The versatility is part of the appeal. The cost is the reason most experienced players pass on it.
Hop Bet Payouts and House Edge: Easy Hops vs. Hard Hops
The hop bet divides into two payout tiers based on whether the combination uses two different numbers or a matching pair.
Easy Hops (Two Different Numbers)
An easy hop bets on a combination like 5+2, 4+3, or 6+1, where the two dice show different faces. Because the same pair of different numbers can appear in two orientations (e.g., 5+2 or 2+5), an easy hop wins on 2 out of 36 combinations.
Payout: 15:1. True odds: 17:1. House edge: 11.11%.
Hard Hops (Matching Pairs)
A hard hop bets on a pair: 1+1, 2+2, 3+3, 4+4, 5+5, or 6+6. Since there’s only one way to roll a specific pair, a hard hop wins on 1 out of 36 combinations.
Payout: 30:1. True odds: 35:1. House edge: 13.89%.
| Hop Type | Example | Winning Combos | Payout | True Odds | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy Hop | 5+2 (or 2+5) | 2 of 36 | 15:1 | 17:1 | 11.11% |
| Hard Hop | 3+3 | 1 of 36 | 30:1 | 35:1 | 13.89% |
Notice that the hard hop has the same payout and house edge as the standalone snake eyes bet (1+1) and the boxcars bet (6+6). That’s because those named bets are just hard hops with their own spots on the layout. The easy hop matches the house edge of the yo eleven bet (11.11%), which makes sense since the yo is essentially an easy hop on 5+6.
You call “hop the 4-2” and toss $1 to the stickman. The shooter rolls a 6 made of 4+2. You win at 15:1 = $15 profit plus your $1 back. Total handed to you: $16. If the shooter had rolled a 6 made of 3+3, 5+1, or 1+5, you’d lose. Only the exact combination 4+2 (or 2+4) pays.
You call “hop the hard 8” and toss $1 to the stickman. The shooter rolls 4+4. You win at 30:1 = $30 profit plus your $1 back. Total: $31. If the shooter had rolled 5+3, 3+5, 6+2, or 2+6 (all totaling 8 but not the hard way), you’d lose the dollar.
Every Possible Hop Bet Listed
There are 36 dice combinations on two dice, which means 21 distinct hop bets (6 hard hops on pairs plus 15 easy hops on different-number combinations). Here’s the complete list, organized by total.
| Total | Hop Combination | Type | Payout | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1+1 | Hard | 30:1 | 13.89% |
| 3 | 2+1 | Easy | 15:1 | 11.11% |
| 4 | 3+1 | Easy | 15:1 | 11.11% |
| 4 | 2+2 | Hard | 30:1 | 13.89% |
| 5 | 4+1 | Easy | 15:1 | 11.11% |
| 5 | 3+2 | Easy | 15:1 | 11.11% |
| 6 | 5+1 | Easy | 15:1 | 11.11% |
| 6 | 4+2 | Easy | 15:1 | 11.11% |
| 6 | 3+3 | Hard | 30:1 | 13.89% |
| 7 | 6+1 | Easy | 15:1 | 11.11% |
| 7 | 5+2 | Easy | 15:1 | 11.11% |
| 7 | 4+3 | Easy | 15:1 | 11.11% |
| 8 | 6+2 | Easy | 15:1 | 11.11% |
| 8 | 5+3 | Easy | 15:1 | 11.11% |
| 8 | 4+4 | Hard | 30:1 | 13.89% |
| 9 | 6+3 | Easy | 15:1 | 11.11% |
| 9 | 5+4 | Easy | 15:1 | 11.11% |
| 10 | 6+4 | Easy | 15:1 | 11.11% |
| 10 | 5+5 | Hard | 30:1 | 13.89% |
| 11 | 6+5 | Easy | 15:1 | 11.11% |
| 12 | 6+6 | Hard | 30:1 | 13.89% |
For the complete payout structure of every bet on the table, including how hops compare to their multi-roll counterparts, see our craps payout chart.
How to Place a Hop Bet
The hop bet follows the same placement process as all center-table proposition bets, with one key difference: you must specify the exact combination verbally.
Toss your chips toward the center of the table before the next roll. Call out your combination clearly. Standard calls include: “hop the 5-3,” “hop the hard 10,” “hopping 6-1,” or “hop the 4-2.” The stickman catches your chips, acknowledges the bet, and places them in the proposition area with a marker or position indicator.
The bet resolves on the very next throw. If your exact combination appears, the stickman announces it and the dealer on your side pays you. If any other combination appears, even one that produces the same total, your chips are swept.
Be precise with your call. Saying “hop the 6” is ambiguous because the 6 can be made five ways (5+1, 4+2, 3+3, 2+4, 1+5). The stickman needs to know which specific combination you want. Say “hop the 4-2” or “hop the hard 6” so there’s no confusion. If you want all five combinations of the 6, you’d need to place five separate hop bets, which costs $5 and produces the same total coverage as a one-roll bet on the 6 total, but at a much higher combined cost. For proper table communication, see our craps etiquette guide.
Hopping the 7: A Common (and Expensive) Move
Some players “hop the 7,” which means placing easy hop bets on all three combinations that produce a 7: 6+1, 5+2, and 4+3. Since each is an easy hop, each pays 15:1. The total cost is $3 (one dollar per combination).
If any 7 appears, one of your three hop bets wins $15 while the other two lose $2. Net profit: $15 – $2 = $13 on a $3 total bet. That’s effectively a 13:3 payout, or about 4.33:1.
Compare that to the Any Seven bet, which covers all six combinations of 7 (remember, 6+1 and 1+6 are different physical outcomes but the same combination for betting purposes) for $1 and pays 4:1. The Any Seven’s house edge is 16.67%.
Hopping the 7 (three separate $1 easy hops) and betting $1 on Any Seven cover the same outcome but at different costs. The hop approach costs $3 per roll with an 11.11% edge per unit. Any Seven costs $1 per roll with a 16.67% edge. Per dollar at risk, the hop is cheaper (11.11% vs. 16.67%). But you’re putting $3 in action versus $1. Your total expected loss per roll is actually higher with the hop ($0.33) than with Any Seven ($0.17). Cheaper per dollar, more expensive per roll. This is an important distinction.
Hop Bets vs. Hardways: What’s the Difference?
Players often confuse hop bets with hardways bets because both can involve pairs. The difference is fundamental: timing.
A hardways bet is a multi-roll wager. It stays active until the hard number (the pair) appears, the easy number appears, or a 7 rolls. A hard 8 bet (4+4) might stay active for 5, 10, or 20 rolls before it resolves.
A hard hop on 4+4 resolves on one roll. If 4+4 appears on the very next throw, you win. If anything else appears, you lose immediately. No carry-over.
| Feature | Hard Hop (e.g., 4+4) | Hardway Bet (e.g., Hard 8) |
|---|---|---|
| Resolves | One roll | Multiple rolls |
| Wins On | 4+4 on the next throw only | 4+4 before 7 or easy 8 |
| Payout | 30:1 | 9:1 |
| House Edge | 13.89% | 9.09% |
| Win Probability Per Roll | 1/36 = 2.78% | N/A (multi-roll) |
The hard hop pays much more (30:1 vs. 9:1) because it has to hit on one specific roll. The hardway gives you multiple chances to win but pays less per hit and carries a lower house edge per resolved bet. If you like the idea of a pair hitting on a specific throw, the hard hop is your bet. If you want a standing bet that stays alive across multiple rolls, the hardway is the standard option.
Is the Hop Bet Worth Making?
Let’s measure the hop against the table’s best bets and the proposition bets it sits alongside.
A $1 easy hop costs you 11.11% per dollar. The pass line costs 1.41%. Free odds cost 0%. Place bets on 6 and 8 cost 1.52%. The hop is roughly 7 to 8 times more expensive per dollar than the table’s core bets.
Among proposition bets, the easy hop’s 11.11% matches the yo eleven, Hi-Lo, any craps, and C and E. The hard hop’s 13.89% matches snake eyes and boxcars. The hop isn’t the worst proposition bet (that title belongs to Any Seven at 16.67%), but it’s firmly in the expensive category.
- Maximum precision: you choose the exact dice combination, not just the total
- 15:1 or 30:1 payouts deliver strong returns on a $1 bet when they hit
- Available on any combination, giving you flexibility no other single bet provides
- Can be placed on any roll, regardless of game phase
- 11.11% to 13.89% house edge, roughly 8 to 10 times the pass line cost
- Easy hops win on just 2 of 36 outcomes (5.56%); hard hops win on 1 of 36 (2.78%)
- Not printed on the layout, requiring verbal communication that can lead to errors or confusion
- Betting multiple hops to cover a total is more expensive than using the equivalent standard bet
- Every dollar on a hop is a dollar not earning 0% on free odds
The hop belongs in the same category as every other center-table proposition: entertainment money only. A $1 hop on a specific throw that “feels right” can add excitement for a tiny cost. Hopping combinations on every roll creates a steady, expensive drain on your bankroll.
If you want to try hop bets, set a firm session limit: $5 to $10 total for the entire session. That gives you 5 to 10 individual $1 hops across an entire shooter’s turn or two. When the hop budget is gone, stop. Your core money should always be on the pass line with max odds and place bets on 6 and 8. See our craps strategy guide for the complete approach to building your bet selection.
The Hop Bet: Precision Betting at a Premium Price
The hop is craps distilled to its most precise form. One combination. One roll. 15:1 or 30:1 if it hits. It’s the sharpshooter’s bet on a table full of shotgun blasts. And like all precision tools, it costs more to operate.
At 11.11% to 13.89%, the hop sits alongside the most expensive standard wagers on the craps table layout. It doesn’t belong in your core strategy. It doesn’t belong in your regular bet rotation. It belongs in that small, separate pocket of your session budget marked “fun money.” Build your game around the best craps bets and let the occasional $1 hop add a moment of drama when the feeling strikes.
Practice the calls on our free craps simulator so you sound like a regular when the stickman looks your way at the casino.
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Hop Bet FAQs
A hop bet is a one-roll proposition bet on a specific two-dice combination. You’re betting on the exact way the dice land, not just the total. For example, “hop the 5-3” wins only if the dice show 5+3 or 3+5 on the next throw. Easy hops (two different numbers) pay 15:1. Hard hops (pairs) pay 30:1.
Easy hops (combinations with two different numbers, like 4+2) pay 15:1 with an 11.11% house edge. Hard hops (pairs like 3+3) pay 30:1 with a 13.89% house edge. A $1 easy hop that hits returns $16 total ($15 profit + $1 back). A $1 hard hop that hits returns $31 total. Full payout details are in our craps payout chart.
Toss your chips toward the center of the table and call out the specific combination: “hop the 4-2,” “hop the hard 10,” or “hopping 6-1.” The stickman catches your chips and places the bet. The hop isn’t printed on most table layouts, so verbal communication is required. Be precise about which combination you want.
A hardway bet is a multi-roll wager that stays active until the hard number, the easy number, or a 7 appears. A hard hop is a one-roll bet that wins only if the pair shows on the very next throw. Hardways pay 9:1 (hard 6/8) or 7:1 (hard 4/10) with a 9.09% to 11.11% house edge. Hard hops pay 30:1 with a 13.89% house edge.
No, not mathematically. The house edge is 11.11% for easy hops and 13.89% for hard hops. Compare that to the pass line at 1.41% or free odds at 0%. The hop works as a rare $1 entertainment bet. It shouldn’t be part of your core craps strategy.
Yes. Hopping the 7 means placing three separate $1 easy hops on 6+1, 5+2, and 4+3. If any 7 appears, one hop wins $15 while the other two lose $2. Net profit: $13 on $3 wagered. The per-unit house edge (11.11%) is lower than Any Seven (16.67%), but your total expected loss per roll is higher because you’re risking $3 instead of $1.
