Craps Bets Explained: Every Wager on the Table, From Best to Worst
Jake WilfredThe craps table offers more than 30 different bets. Some cost you less than $1.50 per $100 wagered. Others burn through $16.67 for the same $100. The difference between a smart craps player and an expensive one isn’t luck; it’s knowing which bets deserve your chips and which ones are a tax on excitement.
This guide covers every craps bet explained in plain language: how each one works, what it pays, the house edge, and whether it belongs in your game.
We’ll start with the multi-roll bets that form the backbone of every solid craps strategy and work through the one-roll proposition bets that the casino loves and your bankroll doesn’t. If you’re still learning how to play craps, start there first, then come back here to understand every wager on the table layout.
- The pass line (1.41%), don’t pass (1.36%), and free odds (0%) are the foundation of smart craps play
- Free odds is the only bet in any casino with a 0% house edge; always take maximum odds behind your line bet
- Place bets on 6 and 8 (1.52% house edge) are the best supporting bets after the core line bets
- Center-table proposition bets carry house edges from 9.09% to 16.67% and should be used sparingly, if at all
- The Big 6 and Big 8 pay even money on the same outcome that place bets on 6/8 pay 7:6; never make this bet
- Understanding which bets are multi-roll vs. one-roll helps you evaluate risk per dollar wagered
Multi-Roll Bets: The Core of Smart Craps Play
Multi-roll bets stay active across multiple throws of the dice. They’re not resolved on a single roll. Instead, the outcome depends on a sequence: either a specific number appears before a 7, or the reverse. These bets carry the lowest house edges on the table and form the foundation of every winning craps strategy.
The Pass Line Bet
The pass line bet is the most popular wager in craps and the starting point for every beginner. Place your chips on the Pass Line before the come-out roll. A 7 or 11 on the come-out wins even money. A 2, 3, or 12 loses. Any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) becomes the point. You win if the point repeats before a 7; you lose if the 7 comes first.
House edge: 1.41%. Payout: 1:1.
You place $10 on the pass line. Come-out roll is a 9. The point is now 9. The shooter rolls a 5, then a 4, then a 9. Point made. You win $10 (even money). If the shooter had rolled a 7 before the 9, you’d lose your $10.
The Don’t Pass Bet
The don’t pass bet is the mirror image. You win on 2 or 3 on the come-out, push on 12, and lose on 7 or 11. After the point is set, you win if the 7 appears before the point. House edge: 1.36%, the cheapest line bet available. Payout: 1:1.
The trade-off is social. You’re betting against the shooter and the rest of the table. Some players consider this “dark side” betting. There’s nothing wrong with it mathematically; it’s slightly better than the pass line. See our don’t pass guide for the full breakdown and etiquette considerations.
The Come Bet
The come bet works identically to the pass line but can be placed after the point is established. It acts as your personal “second pass line.” A 7 or 11 on the next roll wins. A 2, 3, or 12 loses. Any other number becomes your come point, and the dealer moves your bet to that number’s box. You win if your come point repeats before a 7. House edge: 1.41%. Payout: 1:1.
Come bets are the building blocks of the Three Point Molly strategy, which keeps three numbers active at all times for a combined edge below 0.50%.
The Don’t Come Bet
The don’t come bet mirrors the come bet the same way don’t pass mirrors the pass line. Place it after the point. Win on 2 or 3, push on 12, lose on 7 or 11. After a don’t come point is established, you win if the 7 appears first. House edge: 1.36%. Payout: 1:1.
The pass line, don’t pass, come, and don’t come are the four cheapest resolved-bet wagers on the table (1.36% to 1.41% house edge). If you never made another type of bet, you’d be playing smarter than 90% of craps players. Add free odds behind each of these, and you’ve built the most cost-effective position possible.
The Free Odds Bet
The free odds bet is the single most important wager on the craps table and the only bet in any craps casino with a 0% house edge. It must be placed behind an active pass line, don’t pass, come, or don’t come bet.
Taking odds (on pass/come) pays at true mathematical odds: 2:1 on 4/10, 3:2 on 5/9, 6:5 on 6/8. Laying odds (on don’t pass/don’t come) pays the inverse: 1:2 on 4/10, 2:3 on 5/9, 5:6 on 6/8. The casino takes zero margin.
| Odds Multiplier | Combined House Edge (Pass + Odds) | Expected Loss Per $1,000 |
|---|---|---|
| No odds | 1.41% | $14.10 |
| 1x | 0.85% | $8.50 |
| 2x | 0.61% | $6.10 |
| 3x-4x-5x | 0.37% | $3.70 |
| 10x | 0.18% | $1.80 |
Always take maximum odds. This is the golden rule of craps. Your flat bet (pass line or come) carries the house edge. Your odds bet carries nothing. The more of your total action that sits in odds, the less you pay the house overall. Bet minimum on the line, maximum on the odds. A $10 pass line bet with $50 in odds costs you less per dollar than a $60 pass line bet with no odds.
Place Bets
Place bets let you bet on a specific number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) to appear before a 7. You don’t need to go through the pass line or come-out process. Just tell the dealer “place the six for twelve dollars” and you’re active immediately.
| Number | Payout | House Edge | Recommended? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 or 8 | 7:6 | 1.52% | Yes, excellent supporting bet |
| 5 or 9 | 7:5 | 4.00% | Consider buy bet instead |
| 4 or 10 | 9:5 | 6.67% | No; buy it instead (1.67% with vig on win) |
Place bets on 6 and 8 are the best supporting bets on the table. Bet in multiples of $6 so the 7:6 payout divides cleanly. Avoid placing the 4 or 10; buy them instead for better odds.
Buy Bets
Buy bets pay at true odds minus a 5% commission (vig). On the 4 and 10, this is always better than a place bet: buy bet house edge is 4.76% with vig on every bet, or just 1.67% if the casino charges vig only on wins. Compare that to the 6.67% place bet on the same numbers.
Always buy the 4 and 10. Always place the 6 and 8. The 5 and 9 depend on whether the casino charges vig on every bet or only on wins. Check before you play.
Not sure which casinos charge vig on wins only? Ask the dealer: “Do you collect vig on buy bets up front or only on wins?” This single question can cut your house edge on 4/10 buy bets from 4.76% to 1.67%. Our buy bets guide covers the full math.
Lay Bets
Lay bets are the reverse of buy bets. You’re betting the 7 will appear before a specific number. You pay a 5% vig on the potential win amount. Lay bets are used by dark-side players who want action on specific numbers while betting against them.
House edge with vig on every bet: 2.44% (4/10), 3.23% (5/9), 4.00% (6/8). With vig on wins only, the edges drop further.
Big 6 and Big 8
The Big 6 and Big 8 pay even money when 6 or 8 appears before a 7. The place bet on the same numbers pays 7:6. Identical outcome, worse payout. House edge: 9.09% versus 1.52% for the place bet.
Never bet Big 6 or Big 8. The place bet on 6/8 covers the exact same outcome and pays 7:6 instead of 1:1. The Big 6/8 exists on the layout because it catches uninformed players. A $6 place bet on the 6 pays $7 when it hits. A $6 Big 6 bet pays $6. Same number, $1 less profit, and a house edge six times higher. Now you know.
Hardways Bets
Hardways bets are multi-roll wagers on rolling a specific pair (hard 4 = 2+2, hard 6 = 3+3, hard 8 = 4+4, hard 10 = 5+5) before either a 7 or the “easy way” version of that number appears.
Hard 6 and Hard 8 pay 9:1 with an 9.09% house edge. Hard 4 and Hard 10 pay 7:1 with an 11.11% house edge. These are standing bets that stay active across multiple rolls until they win, lose to a 7, or lose to the easy way. They’re popular with casual players but expensive per dollar wagered. Full details in our hardways guide.
One-Roll Bets: High Risk, High House Edge
One-roll bets (also called proposition bets) resolve on the very next throw. Hit or miss. They live in the center of the table layout, controlled by the stickman. They carry the highest house edges on the table.
The Field Bet
The field bet covers numbers 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and 12 in a single roll. It pays 1:1 on most of those numbers, with 2:1 on the 2 and 12 (some tables pay 3:1 on the 12). Despite covering 7 numbers versus 4 losing numbers (5, 6, 7, 8), the losing numbers have more dice combinations: 20 losing combos vs. 16 winning ones.
House edge: 5.56% at standard tables (2:1 on both 2 and 12). 2.78% at triple-12 or triple-2 tables.
The field bet is the anchor of the Iron Cross strategy, which pairs it with place bets on 5, 6, and 8 to cover every number except 7.
You bet $10 on the field. The shooter rolls a 12. You collect $30 (3:1 payout). The shooter rolls a 9. You collect $10 (1:1). The shooter rolls a 6. You lose $10. Two wins and one loss, but the field resolves every single roll. That’s 3 decisions in 3 throws, which makes the per-dollar cost add up faster than multi-roll bets.
Any Craps
The any craps bet covers the 2, 3, and 12 on the next roll. Pays 7:1. House edge: 11.11%. Three winning combinations out of 36. Sometimes used as a come-out “insurance” bet against the pass line losing on craps numbers, though this hedge costs more than it saves.
Any Seven
The Any Seven bet is the worst standard wager on the craps table. One roll. Pays 4:1. True odds: 5:1. House edge: 16.67%. Six winning combinations, but the payout shortchanges you by one full unit per cycle. Avoid it completely. Our Any Seven guide shows exactly why.
Yo Eleven
The yo eleven bet is a one-roll wager on the number 11. Pays 15:1. True odds: 17:1. House edge: 11.11%. Two ways to roll an 11 out of 36 combinations. The name “yo” comes from dealers saying “yo-eleven” to avoid confusion with “seven” on the noisy floor.
Snake Eyes and Boxcars
Snake eyes (the 2) and boxcars (the 12) are mathematical twins. Each has one winning combination out of 36. Both pay 30:1. True odds: 35:1. House edge: 13.89% each. The Hi-Lo bet covers both at 15:1 with an 11.11% edge, a cheaper option if you want action on the extremes.
Horn Bet
The horn bet splits four units across the 2, 3, 11, and 12. One unit each. Net payout on 2 or 12: 27:4. Net payout on 3 or 11: 12:4. Blended house edge: 12.50%. Minimum bet: $4 (splits four ways).
Whirl/World Bet
The whirl bet adds an Any Seven unit to the horn, making it five units covering 2, 3, 7, 11, and 12. Rolling a 7 produces a push (break even). Blended house edge: 13.33%. Minimum: $5. Despite covering the 7, the whirl is more expensive than the horn alone because the Any Seven portion (16.67% edge) drags the average up.
C and E Bet
The C and E bet splits two units: one on Any Craps (2, 3, 12) and one on Eleven (11). Must be bet in even amounts. House edge: 11.11% on both halves. It covers the same four numbers as the horn but with a different split structure and a lower blended cost.
If you insist on center-table action, the C and E bet (11.11% blended edge) is cheaper than the horn (12.50%) or whirl (13.33%). It covers the same horn numbers for less. Better still: skip center-table bets entirely and put that money into free odds behind your pass line. Zero house edge beats 11% every time.
Other Proposition Bets
The hop bet lets you bet on a specific dice combination appearing on the next roll (e.g., 3-2 or 4-4). Hard hops (pairs) pay 30:1; easy hops pay 15:1. House edges range from 11.11% to 13.89%.
Side bets like the fire bet (pays up to 999:1 for hitting 6 different point numbers) and All Tall Small (pays 34:1 or 174:1 depending on the component) are multi-roll wagers with high house edges (~7.76% for ATS, ~20.83% for the fire bet). They’re locked in once placed. Fun to hit, expensive to play.
The Complete Craps Bets House Edge Comparison
Here’s every standard craps bet ranked by house edge, from cheapest to most expensive. This is your decision-making cheat sheet.
| Bet | Type | Payout | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Odds | Multi-roll | True odds | 0% |
| Don’t Pass / Don’t Come | Multi-roll | 1:1 | 1.36% |
| Pass Line / Come | Multi-roll | 1:1 | 1.41% |
| Place 6 or 8 | Multi-roll | 7:6 | 1.52% |
| Buy 4/10 (vig on win) | Multi-roll | 2:1 | 1.67% |
| Lay 4/10 (vig on win) | Multi-roll | 1:2 | 1.67% |
| Field (triple 2 or 12) | One-roll | Varies | 2.78% |
| Place 5 or 9 | Multi-roll | 7:5 | 4.00% |
| Buy 4/10 (vig always) | Multi-roll | 2:1 | 4.76% |
| Field (standard) | One-roll | Varies | 5.56% |
| Place 4 or 10 | Multi-roll | 9:5 | 6.67% |
| All Tall Small | Multi-roll | 34:1 / 174:1 | ~7.76% |
| Big 6 / Big 8 | Multi-roll | 1:1 | 9.09% |
| Hard 6 / Hard 8 | Multi-roll | 9:1 | 9.09% |
| C and E | One-roll | Varies | 11.11% |
| Any Craps | One-roll | 7:1 | 11.11% |
| Yo Eleven | One-roll | 15:1 | 11.11% |
| Hi-Lo | One-roll | 15:1 | 11.11% |
| Hard 4 / Hard 10 | Multi-roll | 7:1 | 11.11% |
| Horn | One-roll | Varies | 12.50% |
| Whirl/World | One-roll | Varies | 13.33% |
| Snake Eyes / Boxcars | One-roll | 30:1 | 13.89% |
| Any Seven | One-roll | 4:1 | 16.67% |
| Fire Bet | Multi-roll | Up to 999:1 | ~20.83% |
For the complete payout amounts on every number, see our craps payout chart and odds page.
Common Craps Betting Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
New players lose more money from bad bet selection than from bad luck. Here are the most frequent mistakes.
Ignoring the Free Odds Bet
The free odds bet sits right behind your pass line chips. It costs 0%. Yet a shocking number of players skip it entirely and scatter money across the center of the table at 11% to 16%. Every dollar in odds is a dollar working for free. Every dollar on a proposition bet is a dollar the casino expects to keep 11 cents or more from.
Playing the Big 6/8 Instead of Placing
We covered this above, but it bears repeating. The Big 6/8 at 9.09% versus the place bet on 6/8 at 1.52% is a six-fold difference in cost for the identical outcome. There’s no scenario where the Big 6/8 makes sense.
Chasing Losses With Proposition Bets
After a few losing pass line bets, it’s tempting to throw $5 on the horn or hardways hoping for a quick recovery. These bets carry house edges 7 to 12 times higher than the pass line. Chasing losses with expensive bets accelerates losses; it doesn’t reverse them. Stick to your bankroll management plan.
The concept of “hedging” your pass line bet with an any craps bet or Hi-Lo on the come-out sounds logical: protect against the 2, 3, and 12. But the math doesn’t support it. The hedge costs more in expected value than the pass line losses it prevents. Every hedge on a craps table raises your total expected loss. That’s one of the most persistent craps myths out there.
How to Build a Bet Selection That Actually Works
Knowing every bet is useful. Knowing which ones to combine is what matters. Here’s a practical framework.
For beginners: Pass line + max free odds. One bet. 0.37% combined edge with 3x-4x-5x odds. Practice on our free craps simulator until the rhythm is automatic.
For intermediate players: Pass line + max odds + place bets on 6 and 8. Two to three numbers working. Combined edge around 0.8%.
For multi-number players: The Three Point Molly (pass line + two come bets, all with max odds). Three numbers at ~0.37%.
For action lovers: The Iron Cross (field + place 5, 6, 8). Wins on 30/36 outcomes. Blended edge ~3.87%. Fun for short sessions.
Print or screenshot the house edge table from this page. Bring it to the casino. Before you place any bet, check the edge. If it’s above 2%, ask yourself: “Is this entertainment money or strategy money?” There’s nothing wrong with a $1 fire bet for fun. There’s everything wrong with thinking it’s a good investment. The line between entertainment bets and strategy bets is the most important distinction at the craps table.
Every Craps Bet at a Glance: Know What You’re Paying
The craps table is a menu with 30+ items. Some are filet mignon (free odds at 0%). Some are marked-up bottled water (Big 6/8 at 9.09%). The difference between a great session and an expensive one comes down to where your chips land. Stick to pass line, don’t pass, come, don’t come, free odds, and place bets on 6 and 8. That’s six bets out of 30+, and they cover everything you need to play smart, profitable craps for the rest of your life. Everything else on the table is optional seasoning. Treat it that way, and your bankroll will thank you session after session.
Best Online Craps Casinos (Last Updated April 2026)
Craps Bets Explained FAQs
The pass line (1.41%), don’t pass (1.36%), and free odds (0%) are the best bets. Place bets on 6 and 8 (1.52%) are the best supporting wagers. For a complete ranking, see our best craps bets guide.
The Any Seven bet carries the highest house edge of any standard wager at 16.67%. The fire bet is even higher at ~20.83%, though it’s a side bet not available at all tables. Among multi-roll bets, the Big 6/Big 8 (9.09%) is the worst because the place bet on the same numbers costs just 1.52%.
The free odds bet is the only wager in any casino with a 0% house edge. It’s placed behind a pass line, don’t pass, come, or don’t come bet after a point is established. It pays at true mathematical odds with no casino margin. Most tables allow 3x-4x-5x odds, which drops the combined house edge to approximately 0.37%.
Both bet on a specific number appearing before a 7. Place bets pay fixed odds (7:6 on 6/8, 7:5 on 5/9, 9:5 on 4/10). Buy bets pay at true odds minus a 5% commission. On the 4 and 10, buy bets are always better (1.67% with vig on wins vs. 6.67% for place bets). On the 6 and 8, place bets win (1.52% vs. 4.76%).
Never. The Big 6/Big 8 pays even money (1:1) while the place bet on the same 6 or 8 pays 7:6. Same outcome, better payout. The place bet has a 1.52% house edge versus 9.09% for the Big 6/8. There is no mathematical scenario where the Big 6/8 is the right choice.
A standard craps table offers over 30 different betting options, including pass line, don’t pass, come, don’t come, free odds, place bets (6 numbers), buy bets (6 numbers), lay bets (6 numbers), field, Big 6/8, hardways (4 bets), and numerous proposition bets like the horn, whirl, C&E, any craps, any seven, hi-lo, and individual number bets. You only need about 4 to 6 of them to play optimally.
