Snake Eyes in Craps: What It Means, the Bet, and the 30:1 Payout
Jake WilfredTwo tiny dots staring up from the felt. One on each die. That’s snake eyes in craps, the lowest possible roll you can throw and one of the rarest outcomes on two dice. There’s exactly one dice combination that produces a 2: both dice landing on 1. One chance out of 36. As a bet, snake eyes is a one-roll proposition wager that pays 30:1 with a 13.89% house edge.
It’s the identical twin of the boxcars bet (betting on 12) sitting at the opposite end of the number line. Same odds, same payout, same house edge. The name comes from the visual: two single dots on white dice look like a pair of beady snake eyes glaring at you from the table.
This guide covers what snake eyes means in craps, the bet’s exact math, how the 2 affects other wagers, and whether it deserves any of your chips.
- Snake eyes is a roll of 2 (1+1), the lowest total possible on two dice, with just 1 out of 36 combinations producing it
- The snake eyes bet pays 30:1 with true odds of 35:1, creating a 13.89% house edge
- On the come-out roll, snake eyes is a “craps” number that loses for pass line bettors and wins for don’t pass bettors
- The Hi-Lo bet covers both snake eyes and boxcars at a lower 11.11% house edge, making it the cheaper option for betting the extremes
- Snake eyes also wins on the field bet (typically 2:1 payout) and the any craps bet (7:1 payout), both with lower house edges
What Does Snake Eyes Mean in Craps?
Snake eyes is the craps term for rolling a total of 2, which requires both dice to land on 1. It’s also called “aces” or “eyeballs” at some tables. The nickname comes from the look of two single dots on white dice, which resemble a pair of narrow, beady eyes.
Out of 36 possible outcomes when rolling two dice, exactly one produces a 2. That makes it tied with the boxcars (12) as the rarest roll on the table. You’ll see snake eyes once every 36 rolls on average, or about 2.78% of the time.
The number 2 carries specific meaning depending on the game phase. On the come-out roll, it’s a “craps” number. Rolling a 2 on the come-out means pass line bets lose immediately, while don’t pass bets win. After a point is established, the 2 has no effect on line bets. It just appears, resolves any active side bets, and the shooter rolls again. For the complete game flow, check our how to play craps guide.
Snake eyes has also earned a reputation in popular culture as a symbol of bad luck, showing up in movies, songs, and books as shorthand for a terrible outcome. In actual craps play, whether it’s good or bad depends entirely on what you’ve bet. If you have a don’t pass bet on the come-out, snake eyes is your friend. If you have money on the pass line, it stings. And if you’ve got a $1 side bet on snake eyes itself, it just made you $30.
The Snake Eyes Bet: Odds, Payout, and House Edge
The snake eyes bet is a single-roll proposition bet that the next throw will produce a 2 (1+1). One roll settles everything. Hit it, and you collect. Miss it, and your chips are swept.
The math is straightforward.
True odds: 35 to 1 (35 losing combinations, 1 winning combination). Casino payout: 30 to 1. House edge: 13.89%.
All craps casinos withhold 5 units from the fair payout. A mathematically fair snake eyes bet would return $35 for every $1 wagered. You get $30 instead. That $5 gap across a 36-roll cycle is the casino’s margin.
You bet $1 on snake eyes for each of 36 consecutive rolls. Statistically, you’d win once, collecting $30. You’d lose 35 times, losing $35. Net result: down $5 on $36 in total action. That’s 13.89% of your money gone, matching the house edge exactly. Compare that to a pass line bet, where $36 in action costs you about $0.51 in expected loss.
Some tables show the snake eyes payout as “31 for 1” instead of “30 to 1.” These are the same thing. “For” includes your original bet in the total return; “to” shows only the profit. A $1 bet at “31 for 1” returns $31 total ($30 profit + $1 back). A $1 bet at “30 to 1” returns the same $31 total. Don’t confuse the two formats. This labeling trick appears across all center-table proposition bets.
How to Place a Snake Eyes Bet
The snake eyes bet lives in the center of the craps table layout, grouped with other proposition bets. You’ll see it labeled as “2” or “Aces” on the felt.
Toss your chips toward the center of the table before the next roll. Call out “snake eyes” or “aces” or simply “the two.” The stickman catches your chips and places them in the 2 section, positioned to indicate which player owns the bet.
The bet resolves on the very next throw. If both dice show 1, the stickman calls “aces, snake eyes!” and the dealer pays you 30:1. Any other outcome, and your chips are gone. You can place another snake eyes bet on the following roll if you want continuous action.
You don’t need to say “snake eyes” at the table. In fact, some players prefer calling it “aces” since the terminology is cleaner and more precise. The stickman will understand either call. What matters is that you speak clearly and get your chips to the center before the dice leave the shooter’s hand. For more on communicating with the crew, see our craps etiquette guide.
Where Else Snake Eyes Shows Up on the Craps Table
The number 2 doesn’t just appear in the snake eyes proposition bet. It interacts with several other wagers on the layout. Understanding these connections helps you see the full picture.
The Come-Out Roll
On the come-out, a 2 is a “craps” number. Pass line bets lose immediately. Don’t pass bets win. It’s one of only four outcomes (2, 3, 7, 11) that resolve the come-out before a point is established, with 12 being a push for don’t pass bettors.
The Field Bet
The 2 is one of seven winning numbers on the field bet. At most tables, the 2 pays 2:1 on the field (some tables pay 3:1). The field’s overall house edge is 5.56% at standard tables or 2.78% at triple-2/triple-12 tables. Both are much lower than the snake eyes bet’s 13.89%.
The Any Craps Bet
The any craps bet covers the 2, 3, and 12. It pays 7:1 with an 11.11% house edge. If you like betting on craps numbers but want better odds than the standalone snake eyes wager, any craps is the more efficient container.
The Hi-Lo Bet
The Hi-Lo bet covers both the 2 and the 12 in a single wager, paying 15:1 with an 11.11% house edge. If you want action on both extremes of the dice, the Hi-Lo costs you 2.78% less per dollar than betting snake eyes and boxcars individually.
The Horn Bet and C&E
Snake eyes is one of the four numbers covered by the horn bet (2, 3, 11, 12) and the “C” portion of the C and E bet. Both carry house edges lower than the standalone snake eyes bet.
| Bet That Covers the 2 | Payout on a Roll of 2 | House Edge |
|---|---|---|
| Snake Eyes (standalone) | 30:1 | 13.89% |
| Hi-Lo (2 or 12) | 15:1 | 11.11% |
| Any Craps (2, 3, or 12) | 7:1 | 11.11% |
| Horn Bet (2, 3, 11, 12) | 27:4 net | 12.50% |
| C and E (2, 3, 11, 12) | 3:1 net | 11.11% |
| Field Bet (2 among 7 numbers) | 2:1 (or 3:1) | 5.56% (or 2.78%) |
If the number 2 is your focus, you have several ways to get action on it. The standalone snake eyes bet offers the biggest payout per dollar (30:1) but carries the steepest house edge (13.89%). Every other bet that covers the 2 gives you a lower payout but a lower cost.
Snake Eyes vs. Boxcars: The Mirror Image Bets
Snake eyes (the 2) and boxcars (the 12) are mathematical twins. Both have exactly one dice combination producing them. Both pay 30:1. Both carry a 13.89% house edge. The only difference is which end of the number spectrum they sit on.
You bet $5 on snake eyes. If 1+1 appears, you collect $150 profit plus your $5 back. You bet $5 on boxcars. If 6+6 appears, you collect $150 profit plus your $5 back. Same numbers, same math, same probability. Each shows up once in every 36 rolls. The only question is which one hits first.
If you want both, the Hi-Lo bet covers them together at a lower combined house edge of 11.11% versus 13.89% for each individually. The trade-off is a lower payout per hit (15:1 instead of 30:1), but you’re paying nearly 3 percentage points less in house edge. For the full math on every payout, see our craps payout chart.
Is Betting on Snake Eyes Worth It?
Let’s be direct about the math first, then talk about the human side.
At 13.89%, the snake eyes bet is one of the most expensive standard wagers on the craps table. For every $100 you put in action, you can expect to lose $13.89 over time. The pass line costs $1.41 per $100. Free odds cost $0. The gap is massive.
- 30:1 payout turns a $1 chip into $31 in your hand
- Instant resolution: one roll, done, no waiting
- At $1 per bet, the absolute cost is trivially low
- The rarity of the roll (once per 36 throws) makes winning feel genuinely special
- 13.89% house edge, among the highest on the standard craps layout
- You lose 97.22% of the time (35 out of 36 rolls)
- True odds are 35:1 but the casino only pays 30:1, a 5-unit shortfall per cycle
- Money on snake eyes could be earning 0% on free odds instead
- Betting it every roll creates a silent bankroll drain
The verdict mirrors every other center-table proposition: snake eyes belongs in the “fun money” category. A $1 bet here and there adds a little seasoning to your session. Making it a habit costs you more per hour than you’d spend on the table’s best bets.
Cheaper Ways to Get Action on the 2
If snake eyes calls to you, there are vehicles that deliver the 2 at a lower house edge.
The field bet covers the 2 alongside six other numbers (3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12) at a 5.56% house edge (2.78% at triple-pay tables). You won’t get 30:1 when the 2 hits, but you’ll get 2:1 or 3:1 while also winning on six additional outcomes. It’s dramatically cheaper per dollar.
The Hi-Lo bet covers both the 2 and the 12 for 15:1 at 11.11%. If you’d typically bet snake eyes and boxcars separately ($2 total at 13.89% each), a single $1 Hi-Lo gives you the same coverage at a lower combined cost.
The any craps bet covers the 2, 3, and 12 at 7:1 with 11.11%. It wins three times as often as snake eyes alone, though the payout is smaller per hit.
None of these alternatives are “good” bets compared to the pass line or free odds. But they’re all less expensive than the standalone snake eyes bet. If you’re going to bet on the 2 regardless, pick the vehicle that costs you the least. The field bet at a triple-2 table (2.78% edge, 3:1 on the 2) is the best deal available. See the full edge comparison in our craps payout chart.
Snake Eyes in Craps Culture
Beyond the math, snake eyes holds a special place in gambling folklore. The image of two single dots on white dice has become a universal symbol for bad luck, risky decisions, and worst-case outcomes. You’ll find references to snake eyes in movies, music, and literature spanning decades. Our craps in pop culture article covers how the game has influenced entertainment.
At the table itself, snake eyes generates reactions. On the come-out roll, it draws groans from pass line bettors and quiet satisfaction from don’t pass players. Some superstitious players consider it a bad omen for the rest of the shooter’s turn. Others think it “gets the craps out early” and clears the way for good numbers. Neither belief has any mathematical basis, of course. Each roll is independent, and the dice carry no memory of what they just showed. That’s one of the most persistent craps myths at any table.
In crapless craps, a variant offered at some casinos, the 2 doesn’t lose on the come-out roll. Instead, it becomes a point number that the shooter must repeat before a 7. This changes the 2’s role significantly, though the variant’s overall house edge (5.38%) is much higher than standard craps (1.41% on the pass line).
Snake Eyes: The 30:1 Long Shot at the Bottom of the Dice
Snake eyes is craps at its most extreme. One combination out of 36. A 2.78% chance. A 30:1 payout that turns a $1 chip into $31 in your pocket. It’s the mirror image of boxcars on the opposite end of the spectrum, sharing the same math, the same rarity, and the same 13.89% price tag.
Know what it costs. Bet it small. Bet it rarely. And build your real strategy around the bets where the house edge is measured in fractions of a percent, not double digits. Your core money belongs on the pass line with maximum odds, with maybe some place bets on 6 and 8 for extra coverage. Practice the full game on our free craps simulator and save the snake eyes call for the moments when a dollar’s worth of excitement is exactly what the table needs.
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Snake Eyes FAQs
Snake eyes is the craps term for rolling a 2 (both dice showing 1). The name comes from the visual resemblance of two single dots to a pair of snake eyes. It’s also called “aces” or “eyeballs.” On the come-out roll, snake eyes is a craps number that loses for pass line bettors and wins for don’t pass bettors.
The odds of rolling snake eyes are 1 in 36, or approximately 2.78%. There’s exactly one dice combination that produces a 2: both dice landing on 1. The true odds against it are 35 to 1.
The snake eyes bet pays 30:1 (sometimes listed as “31 for 1,” which is the same thing). A $1 bet returns $30 in profit plus your original $1 back. The true odds are 35:1, and the gap between true odds and the payout creates the 13.89% house edge. Full payout details are in our craps payout chart.
No, not mathematically. The 13.89% house edge makes it one of the most expensive standard bets on the table. For comparison, the pass line has a 1.41% edge and free odds carry 0%. Snake eyes works as a rare $1 fun bet, but it shouldn’t be part of your regular craps strategy.
It depends on your bets. On the come-out roll, snake eyes wins for don’t pass bettors and loses for pass line bettors. After a point is set, it has no effect on line bets. As for luck, every roll is statistically independent. Rolling snake eyes doesn’t influence what comes next. That belief is a common craps myth. The dice have no memory.
