Craps Odds: Best Bets, Payouts & Strategy Tips

What are the Odds in Craps

At its heart, craps is a game of chance centered around the roll of two dice. The "odds" in craps refer to the probability of certain dice combinations appearing and the corresponding payouts offered by the online casino for bets on these outcomes. Grasping odds in craps is fundamental because it allows you to understand the risk and reward associated with each wager you can make. Not all bets are created equal; some offer significantly better chances for the player than others.

The Difference Between True Odds and Payout Odds

It's crucial to distinguish between "true odds" and "payout odds." True odds craps represent the actual statistical probability of an event occurring. For example, the true odds of rolling a specific number reflect how many ways it can be made versus how many ways other outcomes (like rolling a seven) can occur.

"Payout odds," on the other hand, are what the casino actually pays you if your bet wins. The difference between true odds and craps odds payout is where the casino makes its profit – this is known as the house edge. For instance, if the true odds of an event are 2:1 (meaning it's twice as likely to lose as to win), but the casino pays 9:5, the casino has a built-in advantage.

🔍 Let’s start with a crucial distinction:

• True odds reflect the actual mathematical probability of a bet winning.
• Payout odds are what the casino pays you when that bet wins.

The casino profits by paying less than the true odds — this is how the house edge is created. For example:

• Rolling a 4 or 10 has true odds of 2:1.
• But most bets only pay 9:5 or even less on that result.

This difference is what keeps the casino profitable.

Why Understanding Odds Is Key to Smarter Betting

When you understand which bets have a lower house edge (meaning the payout odds are closer to the true odds), you can strategically choose wagers that give you a better chance of stretching your bankroll and potentially winning in the long run. It transforms gambling from pure luck into a more calculated risk. This information is essential for beginners learning the basics and experienced players seeking to sharpen their strategy.

📈 Knowing the odds in craps helps you:

• Avoid bad bets with massive house edges.
• Choose bets with fairer payouts.
• Stack your odds by making strategic combinations, like Pass Line + Odds.

Simply put: understanding craps betting odds is the difference between gambling and smart play.

Overview of House Edge in Craps

🏛️ House edge refers to how much the casino expects to win over time. The house edge is a term you'll hear a lot. In craps, the house edge varies dramatically from one bet to another. Some bets have a very low house edge, making them favorable for players, while others have an extremely high house edge and are best avoided. Understanding this variance is key to improving your craps odds of winning.

Here’s a quick comparison of popular bets:

💡 As you can see, some craps table odds give you a better shot than others. 

Don’t Pass Bet

A mirror of the craps pass line odds, but you're betting against the shooter.

• True Odds: 976:949
• House Edge: ~1.36%

💡 How it works:

1. Win if the come-out roll is 2 or 3.
2. Lose on 7 or 11.
3. Push on 12.
4. Once a point is set, win if a 7 comes before the point number.

This is slightly better than Pass Line in terms of edge, but less popular due to "cheering against the table."

Come and Don’t Come Bets

🌀 These bets follow the same rules as Pass/Don’t Pass but can be made after the come-out roll.

• Odds: Identical to Pass/Don’t Pass
• Strategy tip: Great for adding bets during the game

These allow you to apply true odds craps logic mid-round, helping you spread risk or press your bets strategically.

Free Odds Bets (Best Bet in Craps)

If you’re looking for the best odds in craps, this is it. The Free Odds Bet (or simply odds bet craps) is placed in addition to a Pass, Don't Pass, Come, or Don't Come bet after a point is established. What makes it so powerful?

0% House Edge Explained

Yes — 0% house edge. Casinos do not take a profit on the Odds Bet itself.

Why? Because they pay you the true odds, meaning there's no mathematical advantage for the house. But there's a catch: you must first place a line bet (Pass/Don't Pass) before you're allowed to add Free Odds behind it.

🎯That’s why combining a low-edge bet (like Pass Line) with Free Odds is considered the smartest move at the craps table games. 

Payouts by Point Number

The payout depends on which point is established. Here's a full breakdown:

📝 Example: You place a $10 Pass Line bet and the point is 6. You add $20 in Free Odds. If 6 rolls before 7, you win:

• $10 (Pass Line)
• $24 (Free Odds: $20 × 6/5)

This bet is loved by pros and newcomers alike because it maximizes payout with no house cut.

Place Bet Odds

Place Bets let you bet on specific point numbers (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) at any time, unlike line bets that depend on the come-out roll.

Place Bets on 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10

These bets are flexible and often used when players want to control exactly which numbers they’re wagering on.

You win if your chosen number rolls before a 7.

True Odds vs. Payout Odds for Each Number

Place bets do not pay true odds, which is why they carry a house edge.

Here’s a table showing the comparison:

🔍 You’ll notice:
The higher the difference between true and payout odds, the worse the house edge becomes.

House Edge by Number

• ✅ Best place bets: 6 or 8
• ⚠️ Worst: 4 or 10

 If you’re placing numbers, stick to the middle of the board.

Field Bet Odds

The Field Bet is one of the most tempting wagers for beginners due to its flashy layout and instant payout. But while it looks exciting, the math behind it tells a different story.

What Numbers Win in the Field

The Field Bet is a one-roll bet. You win if the next roll is one of the following:

• Winning numbers: 2️⃣, 3️⃣, 4️⃣, 9️⃣, 🔟, 11️⃣, or 12️⃣
• Losing numbers: 5️⃣, 6️⃣, 7️⃣, or 8️⃣

That’s 7 winning outcomes out of 16 possible combinations — not bad at first glance, but wait…

Payouts and House Edge (Usually ~5.56%)

Most casinos pay:

• Even money for 3, 4, 9, 10, or 11
• 2:1 for 2
• 2:1 or 3:1 for 12 (varies by table)

Let’s look at the math in a table:

📉 Standard Field Bets usually have a 5.56% house edge, but this can be lower or higher depending on 2 and 12 payouts.

Impact of 2:1 or 3:1 on 2 and 12

Casinos that pay 3:1 on either the 2 or the 12 (or both) reduce the house edge. For example:

• If 3:1 is paid on either the 2 or the 12 → house edge drops to ~2.78%
• If both pay 3:1 → house edge drops even further

So if you’re tempted by this bet, always check the payout table first. 

Proposition Bet Odds (Worst Bets)

Proposition bets are located in the center of the craps table. They may seem exciting, offering huge payouts for small wagers — but they’re statistical traps. 

These bets are almost always one-roll outcomes and carry the highest house edge in the game.

Examples: Any 7, Any Craps, Hardways, Horn Bets

Here are some of the most common prop bets:

• Any 7 – Wins if the next roll is 7
• Any Craps – Wins on 2, 3, or 12
• Hardways – Betting a pair (e.g. double 4 for a hard 8) before the soft combo or a 7 rolls
• Horn Bet – Combined bet on 2, 3, 11, and 12
• Yo (11) or Snake Eyes (2) – Exact number bet

Sounds fun? The catch is in the odds.

Payouts vs. Actual Probabilities

Let’s compare the payout odds vs. true odds for popular prop bets:

😱 Many of these bets pay far less than the true odds, giving the house a massive edge.

House Edge Can Exceed 16%

To put it in perspective:

• Slot machines often have a house edge of ~5–10%
• Proposition bets in craps can go beyond 16%

In other words, these are some of the worst bets in any casino game.

🧠 Smart craps players avoid proposition bets unless they're playing for fun with small stakes.

Comparison Table of Craps Bets and Odds

Understanding how each craps bet stacks up is crucial for building a winning strategy. Below is a side-by-side comparison of key bets, showing how they differ in payouts, true odds, and house edge.

Bet Type / Payout / True Odds / House Edge

✅ Best bets: Free Odds, Pass/Don’t Pass, Come/Don’t Come
⚠️ Riskier bets: Place bets on 4/5/9/10, Field bet
❌ Worst bets: Proposition bets (especially Any 7 and Horn bets)

Best Value Bets vs. High-Risk Bets

From the table, it's clear that:

Best Value Bets: The undisputed champions are Free Odds bets, as they have a 0% house edge. When combined with Pass Line, Don’t Pass, Come, or Don’t Come bets, they significantly lower the overall house edge of your wagers. The Pass Line and Don’t Pass bets themselves, followed by Place bets on 6 and 8, offer the next best value.

High-Risk Bets: Proposition bets like Any 7, Any Craps, and most Hardways, along with the standard Field bet, carry substantially higher house edges. These are considered high-risk because, statistically, they are much less favorable to the player over time, despite their attractive (but improbable) payouts. Understanding these craps winning odds helps in bet selection.

🧠 Use this table as your quick-reference strategy guide at the table or online!

Tips for Using Odds in Your Strategy

Knowing the craps number odds is just the start — applying them correctly is what separates smart players from losing ones. Below are the most effective ways to improve your results using odds in craps.

Stick to Low House Edge Bets

Focus your bets on the safest zones of the table:

• Pass Line and Come Bets (~1.41% house edge)
• Don’t Pass and Don’t Come (~1.36% house edge)
• Free Odds Bets (0% house edge)

📌 These bets give you the best odds in craps while reducing your long-term losses.

Take Maximum Free Odds When Available

Most casinos allow free odds multipliers:

• 1x, 2x, 3x, 5x, or even 10x behind your Pass/Come/Don't Come bets
• Some offer 100x odds at special tables!

Always take the maximum odds you can afford. Since they come with no house edge, this improves the overall value of your original bet.

For example:

• Bet $10 on the Pass Line
• Add 3x odds ($30)
• Your effective house edge drops from 1.41% to around 0.47%

That's a massive difference in the long run.

Avoid One-Roll Proposition Bets

These are pure traps — while they look exciting with flashy payouts like 30:1, the true odds are always worse than what you're paid.

Skip:

• Any 7
• Horn Bet
• Hardways (unless you’re just having fun)

📉 These bets can burn through your bankroll quickly.