How it works
You place the number at any time and it wins if that number rolls before a 7. There are 3 ways to make a 4 and 6 ways to make a 7, so the bet wins with probability 1/3, or 33.33%.
Where the edge comes from
True odds on this number are 2:1. The house pays 9:5. That shortfall, and nothing else, produces a house edge of 1/15 = 6.6700%.
How it compares
| Bet | Payout | True odds | House edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place 4 or 10 | 9:5 | 2:1 | 6.67% |
| Buy 4 or 10 | 2:1 less 5% commission | 2:1 | 5.00% |
| Free odds on 4 | 2:1 | 2:1 | 0.00% |
Free odds on the same number pay identically to true odds and cost nothing, which is why a line bet with maximum odds is a better route to the same exposure than placing the number outright, whenever it is available to you.
When it makes sense
At 6.67% this is the worst of the place bets and roughly four times the cost of placing the 6 or 8. Buying the number instead reduces the edge to 5.00%, which is why buying 4 and 10 is standard practice and buying 6 and 8 is not.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the house edge on placing the 4 & 10?
- 6.67%, arising entirely from the gap between the 9:5 payout and the 2:1 true odds.
- Can I take a place bet down?
- Yes. Unlike the Pass Line, place bets are not contract bets and can be removed, increased or turned off at any time.
- Is placing better than buying this number?
- Buying costs 5.00% against placing at 6.67%, so buying is the better bet.
- Are place bets working on the come-out roll?
- By default they are off on the come-out, but you can ask the dealer to leave them working. Say so clearly before the roll.
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.