Craps Payouts and Odds: What Every Bet on the Table Pays
- 3 numbers behind every Craps bet
- Craps payout chart
- Free odds explained
- The best bets in Craps
- Bets to avoid
- How to work out your Craps payout
- Craps payouts FAQs
A craps table is loud. Chips are flying, dice are bouncing, and someone at the other end is screaming about how mama didn’t raise no quitter. To top it off, the felt shows a baffling array of lines and numbers. You might even think you need a decoder to play.
You don’t.
The truth is, every number on the craps table, from the payout to the odds, is easy to read once you get a few key points down.
Craps is special because it offers some of the best-value bets in the casino, as well as some of the worst. Once you finish this guide, you’ll be able to clock them both at a glance.
For each bet, you’ll understand three figures:
- What a bet pays (payout)
- What it should pay (true odds)
- The gap between them (house edge)
You’ll find a full chart that includes the lowest house edge bets, the bets to avoid, and the one wager that has no house edge at all.
You’ll even know how to play craps at home, bringing your newfound knowledge to the red-checkered tablecloth instead of the felt.
The Three Numbers Behind Every Craps Bet
You only need to learn three numbers to understand almost every bet: the payout odds, the true odds, and the house edge.
Payout odds tell you what the casino pays when your bet wins. If a wager pays 30 to 1, you’ll win $30 for every $1 you bet, plus your original dollar back.
True odds tell you what the actual odds of that bet landing are, and that is based on dice probabilities.
There are 36 different combinations between two dice. Some totals are more common than others.
A 7 can be rolled six different ways, making it the most likely total, and the main character in every craps game. Meanwhile, the 2 and 12 each have just one combination, making them the rarest. The other numbers fall somewhere in between.
Now, take the gap between the casino payout and the odds of actually winning that bet, and you have yourself the house edge.
For example, there’s only one way out of 36 combinations to roll a 2, and that’s if you roll 1-1. Therefore, the true odds say it should pay 35 to 1 (35:1), yet casinos pay 30 to 1 (30:1). That difference is the house edge.
The chart below puts all three figures side by side. Once you know what each column means, you can be the slick player at the table, sizing up every craps bet at a glance. When the recognition finds you, just remember where you started.
Craps Payout Chart: Every Bet, Every Number
If you’re only going to bookmark one craps reference, make it this one.
One quick note before you dive in: a payout ratio like 3 to 2 (3:2) means you win $3 for every $2 you wager. The first number is what the casino pays you. The second is what you put on the craps table.
Standard casino payouts are shown below. Individual tables may use slightly different payouts, especially for Field bets and proposition bets.
| Bet | Payout | True Odds | House Edge |
| Pass Line | 1:1 | 251:244 | 1.41% |
| Don’t Pass | 1:1 | 976:949 | 1.36% |
| Come | 1:1 | 251:244 | 1.41% |
| Don’t Come | 1:1 | 976:949 | 1.36% |
| Free Odds (behind Pass/Come): 4 or 10 | 2:1 | 2:1 | 0.00% |
| Free Odds (behind Pass/Come): 5 or 9 | 3:2 | 3:2 | 0.00% |
| Free Odds (behind Pass/Come): 6 or 8 | 6:5 | 6:5 | 0.00% |
| Lay 4 or 10 | 1:2 | 2:1 | 2.44% (if commission is charged on win) |
| Lay 5 or 9 | 2:3 | 3:2 | 3.23% (if commission is charged on win) |
| Lay 6 or 8 | 5:6 | 6:5 | 4.00% (if commission is charged on win) |
| Place 6 or 8 | 7:6 | 6:5 | 1.52% |
| Place 5 or 9 | 7:5 | 3:2 | 4.00% |
| Place 4 or 10 | 9:5 | 2:1 | 6.67% |
| Field (2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12) | 1:1 (2 & 12 pay 2:1 or 3:1, depending on rules) | Varies | 5.56% |
| Big 6 / Big 8 | 1:1 | 6:5 | 9.09% |
| Hard 6 / Hard 8 | 9:1 | 10:1 | 9.09% |
| Hard 4 / Hard 10 | 7:1 | 8:1 | 11.11% |
| Any Craps (2, 3 or 12) | 7:1 | 8:1 | 11.11% |
| Yo (11) | 15:1 | 17:1 | 11.11% |
| Snake Eyes (2) | 30:1 | 35:1 | 13.89% |
| Boxcars (12) | 30:1 | 35:1 | 13.89% |
| Any Seven | 4:1 | 5:1 | 16.67% |
Free Odds: The One Bet the House Has No Edge On
Every bet in every casino game has a house edge, aka a mathematical advantage leaning toward the casino. That is…except for one. Introducing: craps Odds bets, shaking hands with a 0% house edge.
But before you run off and put odds on every coffee cup, glove compartment, and sock drawer, we must tell you that you can’t just put them just anywhere, anytime.
You can only place an odds bet after a point is established and only behind an existing Pass Line, Come, Don’t Pass, or Don’t Come bet.
Odds Payouts
The payout depends on the point number and how likely it is to roll.
A point of 4 or 10 can only be made three ways before a 7, so Odds pay 2:1.
A 5 or 9 can be made in four ways, so they pay 3:2.
A 6 or 8 has five winning combinations, so they pay 6:5.
Those payouts match the dice probabilities to a T, which is why the house edge is zero, zilch, nada.
Don’t Side Odds Betting
The “Don’t” side works the same way in reverse. You’re betting that a 7 arrives before the point. Since a 7 is the most likely number to roll, you risk more than you stand to win. For example, against a point of 4, the payout is 1:2. You risk $20 to win $10.
3x, 4x, 5x, Odds
You’ll also see tables advertised as 3x-4x-5x odds. That tells you the maximum Odds Bet the casino allows behind your line bet.
Here’s how it works in practice.
Suppose you bet $10 on the Pass Line, the point becomes 6, and you add $50 in Odds. If the shooter rolls another 6 before a 7, your Pass Line bet wins $10, while your Odds Bet pays 6:5, earning $60. That’s $70 in total winnings, plus your original $60 stake returned.
The Lowest-Possible House Edge
After all of this celebrating the zero-house-edge odds bet, there is one tiny caveat. While the odds bet doesn’t have a house edge, the original line bet—the Pass line, Come bet, etc.—does.
Even so, taking the maximum Odds allowed redistributes more of your money onto a wager with no house edge, so the combined house edge plummets to the lowest available in craps.
That’s still something to celebrate, so no parties will be canceled on this caveat’s behalf.
The Best Bets in Craps
The best bets in craps are listed below, ranked from absolute best to pretty much best. Take it away, gentlemen:
- Free Odds (0.00%): The only bet with no house edge. Add it behind an existing line bet after a point is established, as described in the previous section.
- Don’t Pass / Don’t Come (1.36%): These have a lower house edge than the Pass side because, after a point is established, you’re betting on a 7 to roll before the point repeats, which is the most likely outcome. The downside is that you’re betting against the rest of the table.
- Pass Line / Come (1.41%): The classic craps bets. Their house edge is only a hair higher than the Don’t side, making them excellent long-term choices without the social heat.
- Place 6 or 8 (1.52%): The best non-line bets with the two most likely numbers to roll aside from 7.
One honorable mention is the Buy Bet on the 4 or 10. If the casino charges the commission only when you win, buying those numbers has a lower house edge than placing them. If they charge the commission upfront, skip it.
The trusty combo that’s always included in the best craps strategies is to place the maximum free odds behind your line bet, which is described in detail in the previous section.
The Bets That Look Exciting and Cost the Most
Every industry has something flashy that the insiders know is just hype. Shout out to Erewhon Sacred Water.
In craps, that’s the bets in the middle of the table:
- Any seven: 16.67%
- Snake eyes: 13.89%
- Boxcars: 13.89%
- Horn & Whirl: 12.50%/13.33%
- Any craps: 11.11%
- The Hardways: 9.09% on the Hard 6 and 8, 11.11% on the Hard 4 and 10
- Big 6 and Big 8: 9.09%. TRAP ALERT. You’re making the same bet as a Place Bet on the same numbers, but receiving a worse payout.
- Field bet: 5.56% when both 2 and 12 pay 2:1; 2.78% when either pays 3:1. The extra payouts on 2 and 12 aren’t enough to overcome how often the other numbers lose.
But hey, look. We’re not here to be party poopers. If these bets make the game more fun for you, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying them. You wouldn’t be the only one at the table doing so. As long as you understand the odds, you’re free to build your own adventure.
Just decide on a budget before your first roll and only play with money you’re comfortable losing. If gambling stops feeling like entertainment, help is available through the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700 or ncpgambling.org.
How to Work Out a Craps Payout in Your Head
You can quickly crunch a craps payout just like the rest of ‘em. It takes a few seconds once you know the trick.
- Find the payout ratio. If a bet pays 7:6, think in groups of 6. If it pays 3:2, think in groups of 2.
- Divide your bet by the second number in the ratio. A $12 bet with a 7:6 payout contains two $6 units.
- Multiply by the first number in the ratio. Two units x $7 = $14.
- The same trick works for every payout. A $10 Buy Bet on the 4 pays 2:1, so each $1 unit pays $2. Ten units x $2 = $20.
Remember that you should calculate based on the payout odds, not the true odds, as that reflects what you’ll actually receive.
Take the Chart to the Table
If you remember only three ideas, make them these:
- Back the line
- Take the Odds Bet
- Stay away from the middle of the table
That’s it—the Colonel’s secret recipe.
Craps looks intimidating until you realize most of the game comes down to understanding a handful of numbers and bets. The rest is just noise, including random whoop-whoops and groans. It’s all part of the experience.
The dice are still random, but your decisions no longer are. Keep this chart handy, trust the math, and put it to work the next time you play craps for real money.
FAQs
What are the payouts in craps?
Craps payouts range from 1:1 on basic line bets to 30:1 on proposition bets like Snake Eyes and Boxcars. See the payout chart above for the complete list of bets, payouts, true odds, and house edges.
How do I calculate a craps payout?
Break your bet into the units shown in the second number of the payout ratio, then multiply by the first number. For example, a $12 Place Bet on the 6 pays 7:6, so it contains two $6 units. 2 x 7 = 14, so it pays $14.
What is the best bet in craps?
The Free Odds Bet is the best bet in craps because it has a 0.00% house edge. Since you must place it behind a line bet, pairing it with a Pass Line, Come, Don’t Pass, or Don’t Come bet offers the lowest house edge.
If you’re looking for the best standalone wager, the Don’t Pass and Don’t Come bets offer the lowest house edge at 1.36%.
Which craps bets should I avoid?
The highest-edge bets are Any Seven (16.67%), Snake Eyes (13.89%), Boxcars (13.89%), Any Craps (11.11%), and the Hardways (9.09%-11.11%). Also skip the Big 6 and Big 8, since they have the same odds of winning as a Place Bet on those numbers but pay less.
Does the free odds bet really have no house edge?
Yes. The Free Odds Bet pays the true mathematical odds of the dice, so the casino has no built-in advantage on that wager. That said, you can only place odds behind a line bet, which does have a house edge. Still, doing so significantly reduces the house edge to the lowest in craps.
Why do the 4 and 10 pay more than the 6 and 8?
Because there are fewer possible combinations to roll a 4 and 10. There are only three combinations, compared with five ways to roll a 6 or 8. The less likely numbers pay more.
Are craps payouts the same at every casino?
Most standard payouts are the same, but some rules vary by casino, including Field Bet payouts, Buy Bet commissions, and maximum Odds limits. Always check the table rules before placing your first bet.
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