Introduction

A craps player who makes sucker bets is facing a house edge higher than 0.8%. A video poker player who is just guessing rather than using a strategy card is likewise getting worse odds. This doesn't apply to games that have no strategy, like roulette and slot machines, where you generally get the same odds no matter how you play. The house edge is quite reasonable in these two cases. Another addition to the best craps bets selection is the lay wager against four or ten. In this instance, the house edge equals 2.44 percent, which is a bit higher than other bets but it is still entirely manageable and can bring success. Bets & Their House Edge The house edge in craps varies considerably, from nothing at all, to a whopping 13.9% and how much you'll forfeit to the house over time all boils down to the bets you. The house edge is known to all. There is no doubt it affects the player in a negative way and the longer you play the greater the guarantee you will lose all your money. It is conventional wisdom you should not make a bet with a greater than 2% HA. The house edge does not guarantee you will lose as we all know.


One argument that comes up a lot is how to quantify the house edge in craps. Normally the house edge is defined as the ratio of expected loss to the initial bet. However, how do you treat bets, like the place bet for example, when many rolls may be required to resolve the bet and the player can take it down anytime? Is it a push or should we assume the bet will stay on the table until resolved?

Personally, I prefer to define the house edge in craps on a 'per bet resolved' basis. However, for those who disagree, I present this page, which defines the house edge all three ways.

Multi-Roll Bets


The following table shows the house edge of all the bets in craps which may take multiple rolls to resolve. The house edge is shown three ways: per bet made, per bet resolved, and per roll.

Craps House Edge

Bet Pays Expected RollsHouse Edge
Per Bet Made
House Edge
Per Bet Resolved
House Edge
Per Roll
Pass 1 to 1 3.38 1.41% 1.41% 0.42%
Don't Pass 1 to 1 3.47 1.36% 1.40% 0.40%
Taking Odds 6 and 8 6 to 5 3.27 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Taking Odds 5 and 9 3 to 2 3.60 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Taking Odds 4 and 10 2 to 1 4.00 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Laying Odds 6 and 8 5 to 6 3.27 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Laying Odds 5 and 9 2 to 3 3.60 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Laying Odds 4 and 10 1 to 2 4.00 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Place 6 and 8 7 to 6 3.27 0.46% 1.52% 0.46%
Place 5 and 9 7 to 5 3.60 1.11% 4.00% 1.11%
Place 4 and 10 9 to 5 4.00 1.67% 6.67% 1.67%
Big 6 and 8 1 to 1 3.27 2.78% 9.09% 2.78%
Don't Place 6 and 8 4 to 5 3.27 0.56% 1.82% 0.56%
Don't Place 5 and 9 5 to 8 3.60 0.69% 2.50% 0.69%
Don't Place 4 and 10 5 to 11 4.00 0.76% 3.03% 0.76%
Buy 6 and 8 * 23 to 21 3.27 1.46% 4.76% 1.46%
Buy 5 and 9 * 29 to 21 3.60 1.32% 4.76% 1.32%
Buy 4 and 10 * 39 to 21 4.00 1.19% 4.76% 1.19%
Buy 6 and 8 ** 23 to 20 3.27 0.69% 2.27% 0.69%
Buy 5 and 9 ** 29 to 20 3.60 0.56% 2.00% 0.56%
Buy 4 and 10 ** 39 to 20 4.00 0.42% 1.67% 0.42%
Lay 6 and 8 * 19 to 25 3.27 1.22% 4.00% 1.22%
Lay 5 and 9 * 19 to 31 3.60 0.90% 3.23% 0.90%
Lay 4 and 10 * 19 to 41 4.00 0.61% 2.44% 0.61%
Lay 6 and 8 ** 19 to 24 3.27 0.69% 2.27% 0.69%
Lay 5 and 9 ** 19 to 30 3.60 0.56% 2.00% 0.56%
Lay 4 and 10 ** 19 to 40 4.00 0.42% 1.67% 0.42%
Hard 6 and 8 (US) 9 to 1 3.27 2.78% 9.09% 2.78%
Hard 6 and 8 (AU) 19 to 2 3.60 1.39% 4.55% 1.26%
Hard 4 and 10 (US) 7 to 1 4.00 2.78% 11.11% 2.78%
Hard 4 and 10 (AU) 15 to 2 4.00 1.39% 5.56% 1.39%

Footnotes:

House Edge Craps Bets Online

* Commission always paid

House Edge Craps Bets Youtube

** Commission on win only
AU Australia rules
Bets US United States rules

Let me add two more things, based on frequent reader comments:

  1. Some of these bets may not exist anywhere on earth. For example, I've never seen a casino with buy bets on a 5, 6, 8, and 9 where the commission was payable on a win only. Nevertheless, I don't know the rules of every craps table on earth. I also know that if I omit such bets, somebody will write in and take me to task for the omission.
  2. The table above assumes wins are calculated exactly. In other words, no rounding up or down. Let me make it perfectly clear that you can lower the house edge if the dealers will round a win up or a commission down. A common one is a 5% commission on a $25 bet is $1.25. If the casino rounds that down to $1, then that cuts the commission to 4%. Finding other situations is an exercise left up to the reader.

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Single-Roll Bets


The following table shows the house edge of all the bets in craps which are always resolved in a single roll, except the field. Thus, there can be only one way to define the house edge.

Craps House Edge

Bet Pays Probability
Win
House Edge
2, 12, and all 'hard' hop bets 33 2.78% 5.56%
2, 12, and all 'hard' hop bets 32 2.78% 8.33%
2, 12, and all 'hard' hop bets 31 2.78% 11.11%
2, 12, and all 'hard' hop bets 30 2.78% 13.89%
2, 12, and all 'hard' hop bets 29 2.78% 16.67%
3, 11, and all 'easy' hop bets 16 5.56% 5.56%
3, 11, and all 'easy' hop bets 15 5.56% 11.11%
3, 11, and all 'easy' hop bets 14 5.56% 16.67%
Any craps (2, 3, or 12) 7 11.11% 11.11%
Any craps (2, 3, or 12) 7.5 11.11% 5.56%
Any seven (US) 4 16.67% 16.67%
Any seven (AU) 4.5 16.67% 8.33%

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Field


  • If the field bet pays 2 to 1 on both the 2 and 12, then the house edge is 5.56%.
  • If the field bet pays 2 to 1 on the 2 and 3 to 1 on the 12, then the house edge is 2.78%.
  • If the field bet pays 3 to 1 on the 2 and 2 to 1 on the 12, then the house edge is 2.78%.
  • If the field bet pays 3 to 1 on both the 2 and 12, then the house edge is 0.00%.

Internal Links

House Edge Craps Bets Reviews

  • How the house edge for each bet is derived, in brief.
  • The house edge of all the major bets on both a per-bet made and per-roll basis
  • Dice Control Experiments. The results of two experiments on skillful dice throwing.
  • Dice Control Advantage. The player advantage, assuming he can influence the dice.
  • Craps variants. Alternative rules and bets such as the Fire Bet, Crapless Craps, and Card Craps.
  • California craps. How craps is played in California using playing cards.
  • Play Craps. Craps game using cards at the Viejas casino in San Diego.
  • Number of Rolls Table. Probability of a shooter lasting 1 to 200 rolls before a seven-out.
  • Ask the Wizard. See craps questions I've answered about:
  • Simple Craps game. My simple Java craps game.

House Edge Craps Bets 2020


Written by: Michael Shackleford