Craps has more distinct wagers than any other casino game, and their costs range across a factor of infinity: free odds take nothing at all, while any 7 takes 16.67% of every unit you put on it. Most players never see this comparison laid out.
The table below ranks every bet on a standard layout. Click any row for the full derivation, the rule variations that change the number, and when the bet is worth making.
| Bet | Payout | House edge |
|---|---|---|
| Free odds | True odds | 0.00% |
| Don't Pass | 1:1 | 1.36% |
| Don't Come | 1:1 | 1.36% |
| Pass Line | 1:1 | 1.41% |
| Come | 1:1 | 1.41% |
| Place 6 or 8 | 7:6 | 1.52% |
| Lay against 4 or 10 | 1:2, 5% of the win | 1.67% |
| Field (3:1 on 12) | 1:1 / 2:1 / 3:1 | 2.78% |
| Place 5 or 9 | 7:5 | 4.00% |
| Buy 4 or 10 | 2:1, 5% of the bet | 5.00% |
| Field (2:1 on both) | 1:1 / 2:1 | 5.56% |
| Place 4 or 10 | 9:5 | 6.67% |
| Hard 6 or hard 8 | 9:1 | 9.09% |
| Big 6 or Big 8 | 1:1 | 9.09% |
| Hard 4 or hard 10 | 7:1 | 11.11% |
| Any craps | 7:1 | 11.11% |
| 3 or 11 | 15:1 | 11.11% |
| 2 or 12 | 30:1 | 13.89% |
| Any 7 | 4:1 | 16.67% |
The short version
Four bets are worth playing. Free odds at exactly 0%, Don't Pass and Don't Come at 1.36%, Pass Line and Come at 1.41%, and placing the 6 or 8 at 1.52%. Everything else on the table costs more: the lay against the 4 or 10 about 1.2 times the Pass Line, the field that pays 3 to 1 on the 12 about twice, and every other bet here at least two and a half times.
Two bets are traps with a cheaper twin. Big 6 and Big 8 cost 9.09% for a wager that costs 1.52% if you ask the dealer to place it instead. Buying the 6 or 8 costs 5.00% to improve a price that was already good at 1.52%.
One bet depends entirely on a house rule. The field is either 2.78% or 5.56% depending on whether one of the 2 or 12 pays 3:1. Read the layout.
How to read a house edge
A house edge is the average loss per unit wagered, over the long run. A 1.41% edge on the Pass Line means that for every $100 in Pass Line action, the house expects to keep about $1.41. It says nothing about any single session.
Two figures matter alongside it. Bets resolved per hour determines how many times the edge is applied, a one-roll proposition grinds far faster than a line bet that waits for a point. And total money at risk matters more than the headline percentage, which is why adding free odds at 0% lowers your blended cost even though it changes no individual number.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the best bet in craps?
- Free odds, at exactly 0% house edge. It is the only wager in a casino where the house has no mathematical advantage, but it requires a line bet first.
- What is the worst bet in craps?
- Any 7, at 16.67%. True odds are 5:1 and the house pays 4:1.
- Is Don't Pass really better than Pass Line?
- Yes, 1.36% against 1.41%. The gap is small and you are betting against the rest of the table, which is why most players choose the Pass Line anyway.
- Which numbers should I place?
- The 6 and 8 at 1.52%. Placing the 5 or 9 costs 4.00% and placing the 4 or 10 costs 6.67%, though buying the 4 and 10 reduces that to 5.00%.
- Do these house edges vary between casinos?
- The line bets and place bets are standard almost everywhere. The field varies by a factor of two, Big 6 and Big 8 vary by jurisdiction, and the maximum odds multiple varies a great deal. Those three are worth checking before you sit down.
Corrected on 19 October 2026: this page said everything beyond those four bets costs at least two and a half times the Pass Line. Its own table has the lay against the 4 or 10 at 1.67% and the field paying 3 to 1 on the 12 at 2.78%, about 1.2 and 2 times the Pass Line's 1.41%.
Every figure on this page is computed from the 36 outcomes of two dice using exact rational arithmetic, then checked against published reference values before publication. Where a number depends on a house rule, the rule is named. Payouts vary between casinos, so read the felt before you bet.