How it works
A hard 8 means the dice show 4-4. If an 8 arrives as 5-3 or 6-2 — the easy ways — the bet loses, and it also loses to any 7. So you need one specific combination before several others.
The maths
Take hard 8. There is one way to roll 4-4, four ways to roll an easy 8, and six ways to roll a 7. So the bet wins in 1 case out of 11 relevant outcomes and loses in 10. True odds are 10:1; the house pays 9:1.
Hard 4 is worse in payout terms: one way to roll 2-2, two easy ways, six ways to make a 7. That is 1 in 9, so true odds of 8:1 against a 7:1 payout.
| Bet | Payout | True odds | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hard 4 | 7:1 | 8:1 | 11.11% |
| Hard 6 | 9:1 | 10:1 | 9.09% |
| Hard 8 | 9:1 | 10:1 | 9.09% |
| Hard 10 | 7:1 | 8:1 | 11.11% |
Why 6 and 8 are cheaper than 4 and 10
Counterintuitively, the harder number to hit is the better bet. Hard 6 and hard 8 have more easy ways to beat them, which lengthens the true odds to 10:1, and the house pays a proportionally closer 9:1. On hard 4 and 10 the true odds are only 8:1 and the 7:1 payout is proportionally further away.
The verdict
At 9.09% and 11.11% these are six to eight times the cost of the Pass Line. They are standing bets, so the money sits at risk across many rolls. If you enjoy them, keep them small and treat the outlay as entertainment rather than strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the house edge on hardways?
- 9.09% on hard 6 and hard 8, and 11.11% on hard 4 and hard 10.
- Why is hard 6 cheaper than hard 4?
- Because its true odds are 10:1 against a 9:1 payout, a proportionally smaller shortfall than hard 4's 8:1 true odds against a 7:1 payout.
- Do hardways stay up between rolls?
- Yes, they are standing bets. They remain at risk until the number hits hard, hits easy, or a 7 rolls. They are normally off on the come-out unless you say otherwise.
- Are hardways ever a good bet?
- Not on the mathematics. The best of them costs 9.09% against 1.41% for the Pass Line.
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.