Craps Betting Guide
What this guide covers
Craps has one of the largest betting menus of any casino table game, and this guide walks through every major bet type in one place — what it wins on, what it pays, and roughly how good a value it represents relative to the table's best option. For the foundational mechanics these bets are built on, see craps rules explained; for how to combine bets into a coherent session approach, see craps strategy guide.
The line bets: pass line and don't pass
The pass line is the table's foundational bet — wins on a come-out natural (7 or 11), loses on come-out craps (2, 3, or 12), and then wins if the established point repeats before a 7. It pays even money (1:1) and carries a house edge of 1.41%, among the best at the table. Don't pass is its mirror opposite, winning on come-out craps (except the barred number, typically 12, which pushes) and winning during the point phase if a 7 appears before the point repeats, paying even money with a very slightly better house edge of 1.36%. See pass line vs don't pass bets for the fuller comparison between these two.
Come and don't come bets
A come bet, placeable any time after a point is established, functions exactly like a fresh pass line bet using the next roll as its own personal come-out: natural wins, craps loses, any other number becomes that come bet's own point. It pays even money with the same 1.41% house edge as pass line. Don't come mirrors don't pass in the same way, at 1.36%. Multiple come and don't come bets can be active simultaneously, each tracking an independent point. See come bet vs don't come bet for full mechanics.
Odds bets: the best value at the table
Once a point is established, both pass line/come and don't pass/don't come bets can be backed with an additional odds bet, paying true mathematical odds with zero added house edge — the only bet in the entire casino that carries no house advantage whatsoever. Pass line odds pay based on the point: 2:1 on points of 4 or 10, 3:2 on points of 5 or 9, and 6:5 on points of 6 or 8. Don't pass odds pay the inverse of these ratios. See how craps odds bets work for the complete mechanics and typical maximum multiples.
Place bets
Place bets wager on a specific number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) repeating before a 7, placeable and removable at any time. Payouts are adjusted from true odds to build in a house edge: 9:5 on 4 or 10 (6.67% house edge), 7:5 on 5 or 9 (4.0% house edge), and 7:6 on 6 or 8 (1.52% house edge) — making place bets on 6 and 8 specifically among the better-value bets outside the line/odds combination. See place bets explained for the complete payout table and sizing considerations.
Buy bets
A buy bet functions like a place bet but pays true odds (the same 2:1, 3:2, and 6:5 ratios as pass line odds, depending on the number) rather than the adjusted place-bet payout, in exchange for a commission — typically 5% of the bet, usually charged upfront. This trade-off makes buy bets on 4 and 10 specifically better value than the equivalent place bet, since the commission costs less than the payout adjustment it replaces; buy bets on 5, 6, 8, and 9 are generally worse value than simply placing those numbers instead. See buy bets explained for the full commission math.
Lay bets
A lay bet is the inverse of a buy bet — wagering that a 7 appears before a specific number, paying true odds (the inverse ratios: 1:2 on 4 or 10, 2:3 on 5 or 9, 5:6 on 6 or 8) minus a commission, typically calculated on the potential winnings rather than the stake. Lay bets are the "don't"-side equivalent of buy bets and carry generally low house edges, particularly on 4 and 10. See lay bets explained for the complete structure.
The field bet
The field is a one-roll bet covering 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and 12 — winning if the very next roll lands on any of these numbers, losing on 5, 6, 7, or 8. It pays even money on most of its covered numbers, with a boosted payout (typically 2:1 or 3:1) on 2 and 12 specifically to compensate for the field covering fewer numbers than it excludes. Despite covering seven distinct numbers, the field carries a house edge around 2.7% to 5.5% depending on the specific boosted-payout structure a table uses, since the excluded numbers (5, 6, 7, 8) are collectively more probable than the covered ones.
Proposition bets: any craps, any seven, and more
The center of the table holds several one-roll proposition bets: "any craps" (wins on 2, 3, or 12, pays 7:1, house edge around 11%), "any seven" (wins only on 7, pays 4:1, house edge around 16.7% — one of the worst bets at the table), and individual number bets like "hop bets" wagering on a specific exact roll combination. See proposition bets explained for the full menu and why these carry such dramatically higher house edges than line bets.
Hardway bets
Hardway bets wager that a specific total (4, 6, 8, or 10) will be rolled as two matching dice (a "hard" way — hard 8 is 4-4) before that total is rolled any other way (an "easy" way, like 5-3 for an 8) or before a 7 appears. Hard 4 and hard 10 pay 7:1 (house edge 11.1%); hard 6 and hard 8 pay 9:1 (house edge 9.09%). These are persisting bets that stay active across multiple rolls until resolved, unlike most other proposition bets.
The "big 6" and "big 8" bets
Big 6 and Big 8 wager that 6 or 8 (respectively) repeats before a 7, paying even money — functionally similar to a place bet on the same number, but at worse odds, since a place bet on 6 or 8 pays 7:6 for a 1.52% house edge while Big 6/8 pays only even money for a 9.09% house edge. These bets have become less common at modern tables specifically because they're strictly worse than the equivalent place bet, and experienced players avoid them entirely in favor of placing the same numbers instead.
Horn bets and world bets
A horn bet combines four proposition bets (2, 3, 11, and 12) into a single wager split evenly across all four, paying out according to whichever number hits while losing the rest of the combined stake. A "world" or "whirl" bet adds a bet on 7 to the horn combination. Both carry high combined house edges, generally in a similar range to individual proposition bets, and are typically favored by players who enjoy the wide-net excitement of covering several long-shot numbers in a single bet rather than players optimizing purely for value.
Full payout and house edge reference table
| Bet | Payout | House edge |
|---|---|---|
| Pass line / Come | 1:1 | 1.41% |
| Don't pass / Don't come | 1:1 | 1.36% |
| Pass line odds (4, 10) | 2:1 | 0% |
| Pass line odds (5, 9) | 3:2 | 0% |
| Pass line odds (6, 8) | 6:5 | 0% |
| Place 6 or 8 | 7:6 | 1.52% |
| Place 5 or 9 | 7:5 | 4.0% |
| Place 4 or 10 | 9:5 | 6.67% |
| Field (standard) | 1:1 (2:1/3:1 on 2,12) | ~2.7%-5.5% |
| Big 6 / Big 8 | 1:1 | 9.09% |
| Hard 6 or 8 | 9:1 | 9.09% |
| Hard 4 or 10 | 7:1 | 11.1% |
| Any craps | 7:1 | ~11.1% |
| Any seven | 4:1 | 16.67% |
This table alone tells most of the story of craps strategy: bets cluster into a clear "good value" group (line bets and odds) and a clear "poor value" group (most proposition and hardway bets), with place bets on 6 and 8 sitting as a reasonable middle option. See craps house edge explained and best craps bets by house edge for the fuller math and ranked comparison.
How to physically place each bet type
Pass line and field bets are placed by putting chips directly in the correspondingly labeled area in front of your position. Don't pass, place, buy, and lay bets typically require the dealer to position your chips correctly on the layout (rather than you reaching across the table yourself), since the specific numbered boxes for these bets extend across the full width of the table, not just the section nearest you. Proposition and hardway bets in the center are usually handled by the stickman, who takes your chips (or, for call bets, your verbal instruction) and places them for you. Online, every bet type is placed with a simple click or tap on the corresponding labeled area, removing this physical-reach consideration entirely.
Placing bets online specifically
Online craps software typically presents every bet type described in this guide through clearly labeled clickable areas, with a chip selector determining stake size. RNG formats let you place, adjust, or remove eligible bets (place, buy, lay) freely between rolls at your own pace, while live dealer formats operate on a fixed betting window matching the physical table's rhythm. See how to play craps online for the fuller mechanics of getting started online.
Combining bets: common structures
Many players combine a pass line bet with full odds as their entire betting approach, which requires understanding just two of the bet types covered in this guide. More active players add place bets on 6 and 8 (a reasonable, moderate-house-edge addition), or run multiple come bets each with their own odds to keep more numbers "covered" simultaneously. See craps strategy guide for how experienced players structure these combinations across a full session.
Bets to treat with genuine caution
Any seven, at nearly 17% house edge, is close to the worst-value bet at the table and is worth specifically avoiding regardless of how tempting its 4:1 payout looks. Hardway bets, Big 6/8, and most other center-table proposition bets sit in a similarly poor-value range, all well above 9% house edge — multiple times worse than the line bets and odds that form the foundation of sound craps play. None of these bets are prohibited or "wrong" to play occasionally for variety, but understanding their actual cost is essential before betting them seriously or repeatedly.
Why some players still choose higher-house-edge bets
Despite the math clearly favoring line bets and odds, proposition and hardway bets remain popular specifically because of their outsized potential payout relative to stake, and the genuine excitement of a big one-roll win. This isn't irrational if you understand and accept the trade-off — a small, deliberate allocation of your session budget toward high-payout proposition bets, alongside a primary strategy built on pass line and odds, is a legitimate way to add variance and excitement without abandoning sound overall value.
Combining odds with come bets for broader coverage
A common intermediate approach involves placing a pass line bet with odds, then adding one or two come bets (also backed with odds once their points establish) to have several numbers actively working in your favor simultaneously, rather than just the single point number. This spreads your action across more of the board without resorting to the poor-value place, proposition, or hardway bets, keeping your overall house edge close to the excellent line-and-odds baseline while adding more simultaneous action.
Reading a bet's true cost per roll
Because different bets resolve over different numbers of rolls on average (a proposition bet resolves in one roll; a place bet might take several rolls to resolve either way), comparing house edge figures alone doesn't fully capture how quickly you're likely to lose money betting one type versus another. A bet with a high house edge that resolves in a single roll costs you that edge once; a similar-edge bet left standing across many rolls compounds that cost repeatedly. This is a more advanced consideration covered further in craps house edge explained, but it's worth knowing even at a betting-menu level that "house edge per bet" and "house edge per hour" aren't quite the same measurement.
Worked example: pass line with full odds
Suppose you bet $10 on the pass line, and the come-out roll establishes a point of 6. You back this with $30 in odds (a 3x multiple, common at many tables for this point). If the shooter rolls a 6 before a 7, your pass line bet wins $10 at even money, and your odds bet wins $36 at 6:5 (since $30 × 6/5 = $36), for a total profit of $46 on a $40 total stake. Because the odds portion carries zero house edge, a larger odds multiple relative to your pass line bet directly lowers your blended overall house edge for the combined wager — this is the single most impactful lever available to any craps player.
Worked example: place bets on 6 and 8 together
A common intermediate approach is placing both 6 and 8 simultaneously, covering two of the three most probable point numbers with a single round of bets. At $6 each (avoiding the rounding issue that smaller stakes can create on the 7:6 payout), a win on either number pays $7, while a 7 appearing loses both bets simultaneously. This gives you two numbers "working" for you at a combined house edge of 1.52% per bet — a reasonable, moderate-complexity addition to a pass-line-and-odds foundation.
Worked example: the field bet across several rolls
Betting $10 on the field wins $10 at even money if a 3, 4, 9, 10, or 11 appears, wins $20 or $30 (2:1 or 3:1, depending on the table's specific payout structure) if a 2 or 12 appears, and loses entirely on a 5, 6, 7, or 8. Because this is a one-roll bet, it must be re-placed each time you want it active — unlike place or come bets, there's no "standing" version of the field that persists automatically across multiple rolls without you re-committing chips.
Hop bets in detail
A hop bet wagers on one specific exact combination appearing on the very next roll — for example, betting that the dice land showing exactly a 3 and a 5 (as opposed to any combination totaling 8). Hop bets on a "hard" combination (matching numbers, like 4-4) typically pay 30:1, while hop bets on an "easy" combination (non-matching, like 3-5) typically pay 15:1, reflecting the different underlying probabilities of each specific combination. These are among the highest-house-edge bets on the entire table and are almost never part of a value-focused approach, existing purely for players seeking a specific, large-payout long shot.
The C&E bet
The C&E bet combines "any craps" and "eleven" into a single wager split evenly across both, paying out according to whichever occurs while losing the rest. It functions similarly to a horn bet in spirit — a single chip covering multiple long-shot proposition outcomes — and carries a similarly high combined house edge, making it a variety bet rather than a value-focused one.
Comparing craps' bet menu to roulette's
Players coming from roulette will notice craps' betting menu is structured quite differently: roulette's bets are almost all resolved on a single spin with fairly uniform house edge across bet types (aside from a couple of specific exceptions), while craps spreads its bets across a much wider house-edge range — from 0% (odds) up to nearly 17% (any seven) — and many bets persist across multiple rolls rather than resolving immediately. This wider spread is exactly why understanding the full betting menu matters more in craps than in roulette, where nearly any standard bet carries similar value.
How table position affects which bets you can place easily
At a physical table, your position relative to the layout affects how easily you can reach certain betting areas — pass line and field bets, positioned along the table's outer edge, are easy to place yourself from any position, while numbered place-bet boxes and center proposition areas typically require dealer or stickman assistance regardless of where you're standing. This physical consideration disappears entirely online, where every bet type is equally accessible via a click or tap regardless of any notion of "table position."
How odds multiples affect your overall blended house edge
Because odds bets carry zero house edge, increasing your odds multiple relative to your flat pass line bet mathematically lowers your combined house edge across the total amount wagered — a pass line bet alone sits at 1.41%, but pass line plus 5x odds blends down to roughly 0.33% overall, since a much larger proportion of your total stake is now sitting in the zero-edge odds portion. This relationship is worth understanding quantitatively, not just qualitatively — see craps house edge explained for the full calculation.
Vig and commission payment timing
For buy and lay bets specifically, whether the commission (vig) is charged upfront regardless of outcome or only when the bet wins meaningfully affects the bet's real value — a bet charged vig only on wins is mathematically better for the player than one charged vig regardless of outcome, since a loss doesn't compound with an additional commission cost. This detail varies by casino and is worth checking directly rather than assuming a standard practice applies universally.
Building a bet menu around your session goals
Different bet combinations suit different session goals: a player prioritizing the lowest possible cost per hour of play should lean heavily on pass line plus maximum odds, minimizing exposure to anything else. A player prioritizing covering more numbers simultaneously (for a more active, engaged feel) might add place bets on 6 and 8 or run multiple come bets. A player prioritizing occasional large payouts for excitement might allocate a small, capped portion of their budget to proposition or hardway bets specifically for that purpose. None of these approaches is wrong — they simply optimize for different things, and understanding the full bet menu lets you choose deliberately rather than by accident.
Why understanding every bet type matters even if you won't use most of them
A craps table's fast pace and the terminology called out by dealers and stickmen (particularly at a live or physical table) references bets across the entire menu, not just the ones you personally have active. Understanding what "hard eight" or "yo" (slang for an 11) means when called out, even if you never place those specific bets yourself, makes following the game considerably easier and less intimidating — this comprehension benefit is a real, practical reason to read through the full betting menu even as a pass-line-only player.
Common terminology for specific numbers
Craps has developed its own slang for specific rolls, largely inherited from its historical Hazard-game origins: 11 is often called "yo" or "yo-leven" (specifically to avoid confusion with 7 when called out loudly on a noisy table), 2 is "snake eyes," 12 is "boxcars," and a hard 4 is sometimes called "little Joe." None of this terminology affects the underlying bets or payouts — it's purely traditional table language — but recognizing it helps when following along at a live or physical table where dealers and other players use these terms constantly.
How bet availability differs slightly between RNG and live formats
Most standard bet types covered in this guide are available in both RNG and live dealer online craps, though the exact menu of proposition and hop bets offered can vary by specific software provider — some platforms offer a simplified proposition menu, particularly on mobile, while others replicate the full physical-table menu in detail. If a specific niche bet (a particular hop bet combination, for instance) matters to you, checking a platform's specific bet menu before committing to it is worth doing, since this is one of the few areas where online and physical craps can genuinely differ in what's available.
Understanding minimum bet requirements across different bet types
Table minimums typically apply distinctly to different bet categories — a table might have a $10 minimum for pass line and come bets, but a lower or higher minimum specifically for place bets, and proposition bets are sometimes allowed at smaller increments than the table's main minimum given their one-roll nature. This means your total minimum required action at a given table can be more nuanced than a single posted number suggests, and checking the specific rules card (or the equivalent information screen online) for each bet category you're planning to use avoids surprises.
Bet limits and how they interact with odds multiples
Beyond the standard bet-size maximums, odds bets specifically are capped by a multiple of your original pass line or come bet (covered in craps rules explained), not by a flat dollar maximum the way most other bets are — meaning a larger initial pass line bet directly unlocks a larger maximum odds bet behind it. This is worth factoring into your initial bet sizing if maximizing your zero-edge odds exposure is a specific goal for your session.
A note on don't-side betting menus
Every "do" bet covered in this guide (pass line, come, place, buy) has a corresponding "don't" bet (don't pass, don't come, and the lay bet as the don't-side equivalent of place/buy) betting against the same outcome. The don't side generally carries marginally better house edge figures, but requires betting against the shooter and the table's shared excitement — a social and psychological consideration as much as a mathematical one. See pass line vs don't pass bets and come bet vs don't come bet for the fuller comparison of do-side versus don't-side play across the betting menu.
Bringing it all together before your next session
With the full betting menu covered, the practical takeaway is straightforward: build your session around pass line (or don't pass) plus odds as the foundation, add place bets on 6 and 8 if you want more numbers actively working, and treat proposition, hardway, and hop bets as an optional, deliberately small allocation for variety rather than a core strategy. This structure captures nearly all of the table's genuine value while still leaving room for the parts of craps that make it distinctively exciting compared to lower-variance table games.
Frequently asked questions
What's the single best-value bet at a craps table? Odds bets (placed behind pass line, don't pass, come, or don't come) carry zero house edge — the only bet anywhere in a standard casino with no built-in house advantage.
Is the pass line a good bet for beginners? Yes — at 1.41% house edge, it's one of the best-value bets at the table and requires understanding just one core rule to play confidently.
Why do place bets on 6 and 8 have a much better house edge than place bets on 4 and 10? Because 6 and 8 are individually more probable to roll than 4 and 10, the payout adjustment needed to build in a house edge is proportionally smaller for those numbers.
Should I ever bet the proposition bets in the middle of the table? They carry considerably higher house edges (often 9%-17%) than line bets, so they're best treated as an occasional, deliberately small addition for variety rather than a core part of your strategy.
What's the difference between a place bet and a buy bet on the same number? A buy bet pays true odds in exchange for a commission, while a place bet pays adjusted (lower) odds with no commission — buy bets are typically better value specifically on 4 and 10.
Is the field bet a good value bet? It's middling — its house edge (roughly 2.7%-5.5% depending on the specific payout structure) is considerably better than most proposition bets but worse than line bets and odds.
Can I combine multiple bet types in a single round? Yes — there's no rule limiting how many different bet types you can have active simultaneously, constrained only by table limits and your own bankroll.
Why is "any seven" considered such a bad bet? Its 16.67% house edge is among the worst at the table, since a 7 is the single most probable total on any given roll, making the 4:1 payout considerably too low relative to its actual likelihood.
Do buy and lay bets always charge commission upfront? Commission timing (upfront versus only on a win) varies by casino policy — check the specific table's rules, since this affects the bet's real-world value even when the underlying odds are identical.
Is Big 6/8 ever better than placing the same number? No — Big 6/8 pays only even money for a 9.09% house edge, while placing the same number pays 7:6 for a 1.52% house edge; there's no scenario where Big 6/8 is the better choice.
What does increasing my odds multiple actually do to my overall house edge? It lowers your blended house edge across your total wagered amount, since a larger share of your stake sits in the zero-edge odds portion rather than the 1.41%-edge pass line portion.
Are hop bets ever a good value choice? Not in expected-value terms — they carry some of the highest house edges on the table, and are best understood as a small, deliberate long-shot bet rather than a value play.
Does every online craps platform offer the full bet menu described here? Most core bets are universal, but niche proposition and hop bet menus can vary by software provider, particularly on mobile-simplified interfaces — check a specific platform's bet menu if a niche bet matters to you.
Why do dealers and other players use slang like "yo" or "boxcars"? It's traditional craps table terminology, largely inherited from the game's historical origins, that helps distinguish similar-sounding numbers when called out loudly — it doesn't affect the underlying bets or payouts.
