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 less 5% | 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 less 5% | 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 at least two and a half times the Pass Line.
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.
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.