Odds On Pass Line

Michael: I think we're ready to start playing. There's lots of bets on the table and we're going to talk about them one at a time. First, let's talk about the pass bet, which is a bet that probably 90% of the players make. The reason Craps is such a popular game, is that the table is generally winning and losing at the same time. When the pass bet wins, chances are almost everyone at the table is winning, you're happy at the same time and that excitement feeds on itself and it makes the game that much more fun. How to send a super chat.

• Odds On Pass Line Bet
• Don't Pass Line Odds

Get your bet ready then put it right here on the pass line. Now the first roll is called a come out roll. On a come out roll, a seven or 11 is going to win, two, three or 12 is going to lose, and anything else will establish what's called a point. We'll talk about a point when we get to it. Dan, please give Angela the dice and don't short stick her.

In order to play the free odds bet, you must have wagered on the pass line bet or the come bet. If the shooter has not rolled a craps number (2, 3, or 12) or a 7 or 11, then there must be a point. A pass line bet wins if the value of the come-out roll is 7 or 11 and loses if it's 2, 3, or 12. If it's any other value, then a point is established at that value, and the pass line wager remains on the. The 6 and 8 pay out 6:5 or $6 for every $5 wagered. 5 and 9 pay out 3:2. 4 and 10 pay out 2:1 odds. Note that these payouts are only for the odds bet. The original Pass/Come line bet will still be paid 1:1 if it wins. I will explain the bet using the image below. First I made a pass line bet and the shooter rolled a 4 on the come out roll.

Dan: [laughs] I don't do that, I'm a gentleman. Here we go. Take two dice with one hand. Yo eleven, play the line.

Michael: The reason he said, 'Yo.' when he popped and 11 was rolled, is because seven and 11 rhyme. Lest there be any misunderstanding before he says, '11,' he says 'Yo' as to clarify this is an 11.

Dan: On the come out roll, when the puck is off you win on a 11 or a seven, a yo or a seven. Your money's placed next to your Pass line bet and what you do is you pick up the chip and you put it in your rack.

Michael: Now we're ready for another come out roll.

Dan: Eight the hard way, mark the eight.

Michael: The point is now an eight and Dan is going to put this chip here on the eight. Now it's no longer a come out roll, what you want to do now is roll an eight and not roll a seven. You're going to keep throwing the dice no matter how long it takes until you either get a seven or an eight. Now at this point of the game, seven's become bad. On the come out roll they're good, but now they become bad. We're ready to roll again and try to get an eight.

Dan: Five, no field five.

Michael: Nothing happens on the five and Dan is going to give you the dice again.

Dan: Seven out, line away.

Michael: Seven out, you lost.

Dan: The dealer takes the Pass line bet and he brings it into the house now.

Michael: Make a new Pass line bet. I'm going to say another come out roll.

Dan: On the come out roll after a seven out, you are given five dice. If you had the previous eight and you were going to try for a new number, you would keep the same two dice because they're lucky because they've just won. Two dice, one hand.

Michael: We want a seven or 11 and a two, three or 12 will lose.

Dan: Nine center.

Michael: Okay, so Dan is going to mark the nine with that puck. So now you're going to try to roll a nine before a seven. Let me use this opportunity to explain another bet. Craps is the only table game in the casino that has a bet with no house advantage and in this it's called ‘The odds.' You can make this after a point is established, you put the bet right here behind the Pass line bet in this area. What this is, it's an additional wager that a nine will be rolled before a seven.

Mathematically speaking, the seven is more likely rolled than the nine, so what they're going to do is, if this wins, they're going to give you more odds. In this case, the chances of rolling a nine before a seven are 40%, so fair odds on that would be to pay three to two. They're going to allow you to bet up to four times this bet here, so let's take full advantage of the odds and bet $20.00 on the odds.

Dan: Five, no field.

Michael: Nine.

Dan: Seven out, nine away. All of this is taken up.

Michael: Okay, let's try again.

Question 1

Angela: Then on the pass line?

Michael: Yes, it's a new come out roll, so bet on the pass line. Seven or 11.

Dan: Three, crap line in.

Michael: We lost, so Dan's going to take our money and make a new Pass line bet.

Dan: Seven, pay the line. That's when the seven is good.

Question 2

Angela: You can do this as many times as you roll that seven or 11? There's no limit on this?

Michael: Yes, and if the table had multiple players, you're going to keep throwing the dice until you seven out. Which means that there was a point established and then you roll the seven. It's still your turn.

Angela: Alright.

Dan: Six, easy, no fear.

Michael: Yes, okay.

Angela: [laugh]

Dan: Here we go, we have a point.

Michael: Let's make an Odds bet, and in the case of a six, you're allowed to bet five times the Pass line bet at most casino's. Now, the general rule that most casino's follow on how much you can bet on the odds, is if the point is a six or an eight, it's five times, five or a nine, it's four times and a four or a 10, it's three times. The way you can know they do that is, there will usually be a sign over there explaining how much you can bet on the odds and it'll say, 'Three X, four X, five X.' Some casinos allow more, some less but three, four, five is the norm here in Las Vegas. All right, try to roll a six.

Dan: Dice are out, shooters looking for the six. Four easy, pay the field. Three crap, come away.

Michael: Again, nothing happens until it's a six or a seven.

Dan: 10, the hard way.

Question 3

Angela: What does 'The hard way' mean?

Michael: 'The hard way' means that you rolled two of the same number. For example, you rolled two five's. There are only two ways you can roll a 10, a five and a five or a four and a six. Mathematically speaking, it's easier to roll a four and a six than two fives. In fact, it's twice as easy to roll a 10 with a four and a six. Because you rolled it the way that's less likely, they call it 'the hard way' because it's harder to roll a 10 that way.

Angela: Okay.

Odds On Pass Line Bet

Dan: Six, easy.

Michael: Yay, you won.

Dan: Pay the lot. The dealer pays the odds first and the pass line.

Michael: Notice how your $25.00 bet here, paid $30.00. With Odds bets, it going to pay six to five on a point of a six or eight, three to two on a point of five or nine, and two to one on a four to 10. Those are mathematically fair odds with no pass advantage. We're ready for a new come out roll.

Question 4

Angela: Just the pass line?

Michael: Yes, we start with just the pass line and this time, I'm going to explain Come bets after the point is established.

Dan: Dice are out. Six easy, mark the six.

Michael: Okay, so the point is six. Dan is going to put that puck on the six so we can remember what the point is. You can back that up with $25.00 on the odds. The last time, it took a while for you to roll a six or a seven, so there are lots of bets you can make in addition to the pass line and the odds, to make the game more exciting so it doesn't take so long to resolve a bet. A good bet you can make at this time is called, 'The Come bet.'

You're going to put a bet there, and the way this works is exactly like the Pass line bet, but it's made when it's not a come out roll. The next time you roll the dice, if it's a seven or 11, this will win, two, three or 12, it'll lose. Anything else will establish, shall we say, a different point for the purposes of this bet. Let's see what happens.

Dan: Six easy, winner pay the line.

Michael: You won the Pass line bet.

Dan: Now what happens is the Come bet goes up to the point of six where she is.

Michael: Now you have two bets on the table. You've got your Pass line bet for a new roll, and you got that bet on a six there, which is from your previous Come bet. Now on this roll, the seven or 11 will cause this to win but a seven would cause that to lose.

Dan: That seven's out. The seven's are described in two terms, if it's a good seven it's called a winner's seven and it pays on the pass line but the bad seven, is called a seven out because you're out of your money.

Michael: Well, let's roll the dice and see what happens.

Dan: Seven, pay the line. Workers, pay the line and this seven down.

Michael: I know it's a little confusing, but this bet won because it was a come out roll and seven or 11's win on a come out roll. That bet on the six lost because there was already a point established for the purposes of that Come bet and the seven caused that to lose. Let's try it again just to make sure it's clear.

Dan: Five, no field. Mark the five.

Michael: Alright, so make your Odds bet on the five, which will be $20.00. Let's make a $5.00 Come bet.

Dan: Five, winner pay the line.

Michael: Another winner.

Angela: [laugh]

Michael: Dan paid you three to two odds on the five, on the Odds bet and the pass line won you the money. Take your winnings and a new come out roll.

Dan: Eight easy. Mark the eight.

Michael: I would recommend making an Odds bet on the eight, which would be $25, because it's five times the Pass line bet on six or eight and a Come bet.

Michael: No roll.

Dan: Sure roll, no roll.

Michael: If the dice don't hit the other side of the table, then the dealer will generally say, 'No roll' and not that it won't count.

Dan: Right. No call, no roll.

Dan: Two crap aces come away.

Michael: The Come bet is going to lose, so let's make a new Come bet.

Dan: Six easy.

Michael: Now, you've established the point of six for purposes of that Come bet, and much like the Pass line bet you back that up with odds too. Take out $25 for the Odds spent on that and she would put this in the Come area and she would say, 'Odds on the six,' right?

Dan: Right.

Angela: Odds on the six.

Michael: Because you're not allowed to make that bet yourself. Now let's make another Come bet. You can make as many as you want.

Dan: You'll win on an eight or a six.

Michael: Yes, exactly. An eight will cause the Pass line bet to win, a six will cause that Come bet to win.

Dan: Now this is an interesting situation. She's got a point to six and a new Come bet. What happens is she rolls a six? She both wins and then goes back up to the six, and they call that, 'Off and On.' What would happen is this bet would win when she has an equal Come bet waiting to come up, so we would pay 35 right here and say, 'Off and On.'

This 25 will win 30 and the Flat bet will win five. $35 dollars will be placed next to your Come bet, and you'll pick up 35 bucks, if you can roll a six.

Michael: My head is spinning.

Angela: I know. Hopefully we roll a six and then that happens.

Michael: Let's see what happens.

Angela: Six. [laughs]

Dan: Six, the hard way.

[laughs]

Dan: Alright, so what happens is the dealer cuts out $35.There's 35. Stacks it up next to your Come bet and says, 'Off and on.'

Michael: Just so that I understand it. She won $35 on that Come bet and the odds, and you are assuming that -- the last Come bet is becoming a new -- shall we say a new bet, and you're assuming she wants to back that up with the odds. You're basically only paying her the winnings assuming that she wants to keep her Odds bet.

Dan: That is the assumption.

Michael: She would have to state if she wanted to do anything else.

Dan: Right. She would pick up the money and she can say, 'Take my odds down'. She can't say take my Come point of six down because once it's up it has to stay up except for the odds.

Dan: Five. No fever five.

Michael: Okay. You hit another point. Dan's going to move that over to the cash register. I always like to back up my Pass and Come bets with the odds because there's no house advantage, so in this case it's $20. You would say, 'Odds on the five.'

Angela: Odds on the five.

Dan: You may go up.

Michael: Let's keep doing it. Let's make another Come bet.

Dan: Eight. Winner easy.

Michael: Eight. You won the Pass line bet.

Dan: The puck is off, and this goes up to eight. Now, what happens if she rolls a come out seven?

Don't Pass Line Odds

Michael: If she rolls a seven on the come out roll, her Come bets are going to lose, but those Odds bets on the five and the six will push. There is a rule in Craps that any Odds bets on a come out roll are turned off, they're not active. If she were to role a five or a six, she would not win on those Odds bets either.

Dan: She'd win on her Flat bet.

Michael: Yes, she wins on the Flat bet. The rule in Craps on come out rolls is that the odds on Come bets, Place bets and Buy bets are automatically turned off because sevens are supposed to be good on a come out roll. You are allowed to turn those bets on and off at any time that you want, but they just assume that the player's going to want them off on a come out roll. And she has the prerogative to say, 'No leave them on', but most players do not enforce that right.

Dan: Right.

Michael: Collect your wins and the odds too.

Dan: No action on the odds.

Michael: A five, six would cause those two to win. I think the eleven would be the best. Okay, let's see what happens.

Angela: Right. Let's see what we can do.

Dan: Nine, seven. Mark the nine.

Michael: Okay. You hit another point. First let's back up the Pass line bet with $20 and odds. We want to make an Odds bet on the eight which we rolled before, so let's bet $25 for the odds on your previous Come bet.

Angela: Odds on eight.

Michael: Let's make a new Come bet.

Angela: Okay.

Dan: Eight, easy.

Michael: You just won a Come bet.

Dan: She wins 35.

Michael: Right. Your odds spent on the eight wins 30, because 20 pays three to two which is 30, and the Come bet itself pays even money, so five for that. A total of 35 in winnings as -- and as has happened last time, he's going to assume that you want to keep the Odds bet on the new Come bet that was placed on the eight. Collect you winnings and we're making a new Come bet.

Dan: Nine, seven. Pay the line.

Michael: Alright. You won the pass line.

Dan: She's got four Come bets or four Come points up. Let's see what happens.

Michael: Okay, so, pick up the Odds bet too, because it's a come out roll.

Angela: Eight is hard to get.

Michael: Four.

Dan: Four Easy. Rock the four.

Michael: We have now five numbers covered. Okay, so first, let's make our Odds bet on the pass line which is 15 and we also want to make an Odds bet on the nine, so that's going to be 20.

Angela: Odds on nine.

Michael: Let's make a new Come bet. Now we've got lots of numbers covered at the table. A four, five, six, eight or nine are going to cause one of our bets to win. However, if we roll a seven, everything's going to lose. Now state now it's really important to stay away from the seven.

Angela: [laughs] No pressure. [laughs] All right, let's see what we got.

Dan: Eight.

Michael: Eight. Our eight bet wins. That 25 on the odds is going to pay 30, the five on the Come bet itself will pay five. So that's going to be 35. Again, Dan's going to assume we want to keep those odds up, and we're making a new Come bet.

Dan: Seven out. No way. However, she does win somewhere.

Michael: On the last Come bet. At least you won one bet.

Question 5

Angela: Collect them both?

Michael: Yes.

Dan: Yes.

Michael: Okay, so it's a new come out roll, and let's use this opportunity to talk about a new bet. Let's talk about the Don't Pass bet.

Craps is a much easier game to learn than most people think. The basic premise is simple: you are betting on the outcome of the roll of two dice. The only thing that makes the game confusing is all the different types of bets you can place.

Most of these bets are straightforward, but it's just the fact that there are so many of them that make the game a little complicated. You don't need to know how each one works to enjoy playing the game, so it's not like you have to learn them all before you start playing.

The bets we would say you absolutely must understand are the pass line and don't pass wagers, the come and don't come wagers, and the odds bets. We explain these in detail below, and also provide information on all the types of bets. Here is a list of the bets we discuss below:

• Pass Line & Don't Pass Wagers
• Come & Don't Come Bets
• Odds Bets
• Place Win
• Place Lose
• Buy
• Lay
• Big 6 and Big 8
• Hardways
• Field
• Proposition Bets

The pass line and don't pass wagers are the most commonly placed bets in craps and also the most straightforward. A shooter will usually have to place one of them before making their come-out roll; and in some casinos, players must make one of them if they also want to place other wagers. These bets have to be placed before the come-out roll, and they both pay out at even money (1:1) when they win.

A pass line bet wins if the value of the come-out roll is 7 or 11 and loses if it's 2, 3, or 12. If it's any other value, then a point is established at that value, and the pass line wager remains on the table until the point is rolled again or 7 is rolled. If the point is rolled, the wager wins; if 7 is rolled, the wager loses.

A don't pass wager wins if the value of the come-out roll is 2 or 3 and loses if it is 7 or 11. If the value is 12, then the bet is pushed, neither winning nor losing. Just like the pass line bet, it remains on the table if a point is established. The don't pass wager loses if the point is rolled again and wins if a 7 is rolled.

Come & Don't Come Bets

These wagers are very similar to the pass line and don't pass bets, the main difference being that they are placed after the point is established rather than before. They can be a little confusing, so please make sure you fully understand the concept before placing them.

If the first roll after you have placed a come bet is a 7 or 11, then you win your wager. If a 2, 3, or 12 is rolled, then you lose. If any other number is rolled, this is the point for your come wager. So if a 5 is rolled, for example, then 5 becomes your point. Your wager stays in place and will win if a 5 is rolled again, and lose if a 7 is rolled. A come bet may be thought of as a personalized pass line bet, where the point number is established on the first roll after it has been placed.

By the same token, a don't come bet is like a personalized don't pass bet. It will lose if a 7 or 11 comes up on the first roll after you place it, and win if a 2 or 3 is rolled. Any other number establishes the point for your don't come wager, which will then stay in place until it either wins or loses. It will win if a 7 is rolled, and lose if the point is rolled.

Both of these bets are paid out at even money (1:1) when they win.

Odds bets are a bit like side bets that can be made after a point is established. They are essentially extensions of each of the four bets mentioned above. There are four different types:

• Pass Line Odds
• Don't Pass Odds
• Come Odds
• Don't Come Odds

You would place a pass line odds bet to complement your pass line bet following a point being established. It pays if the point is then rolled before a seven, and loses if a seven is rolled. The big advantage of this type of bet is that it's paid out at true odds when it wins i.e. there's no house edge. The payouts vary, depending on what the point is.

When you place a pass line odds bet, you are said to be 'taking the odds.' Because there's no house edge, the amount you can stake is limited. Typically, you can stake up to three times the amount on your original pass line wager, but some casinos allow more.

A don't pass odds bet is placed to complement a don't pass bet. It pays if a seven is rolled before the point, and loses if the point is rolled first. Bets of this type are also paid out at true odds with no house edge and, again, the payouts vary depending on what the point is.

You are said to be 'laying the odds' if you place a don't pass odds bet. The amount you can stake is limited in the same way as a pass line odds bet. Come odds and don't come odds bets are based on exactly the same principle. They just use the point that is established following a come or don't come bet.

Place win bets can be made after a come-out roll when a point has been established. They can be on any of the numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, and they win if the number chosen is rolled before a 7. The payouts vary depending on which number you have chosen.

These are basically the opposite of place win bets. They can be on the same choice of numbers (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10), but with a place lose, you win if a 7 is rolled before the number you have chosen. The payouts again vary depending on which number is chosen.

A buy bet is largely the same as a place win in that you are betting on a specific number to be rolled before a 7. The difference is that the payouts are higher, with the trade-off that you have to pay a 5% commission. At some casinos, this commission is payable when you place your stake, and at others it's only payable if you win. The payouts once again vary based on which number has been chosen.

A lay bet is the opposite of a buy bet, and also comes with a 5% commission. With this wager, you are betting on a 7 being rolled before a specific number, in the same way as a place lose. It offers higher payouts than a place lose, which vary depending on the number chosen.

These bets are very straightforward, and both pay even money (1:1) if successful. A big 6 wins if any 6 is thrown before a 7, and a big 8 wins if any 8 is thrown before a 7.

Hardways

When a number is rolled as a double, it's said to have been rolled the hard way. A hard 8, for example, is a double 4. That is how wagers of this type get their names. They are pretty simple and are based on certain doubles being rolled before a 7.

You can bet on any of a hard 4, a hard 6, a hard 8, or a hard 10. If the relevant hard number is rolled before a 7, you win the bet. As with some other wagers, the payouts are determined by the number bet on.

Field

A field bet is always settled on the next roll. It will win if a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12 is rolled and lose if 5, 6, 7, or 8 is rolled. It pays 1:1 unless a 2 or 12 is rolled, in which case it pays double (2:1).

There are several different proposition bets available in craps, all of which are settled on the next roll. We explain each of these below.

It's worth mentioning that proposition bets come with higher payouts than previously mentioned options. The house edge is also higher, however, and players are generally advised to avoid them for this reason. However, there's nothing wrong with using them if you're willing to accept more risk in exchange for potentially bigger rewards.

• Any 7 (Payout 4:1). Wins if 7 is rolled next.
• Any 11 (Payout 15:1). Wins if 11 is rolled next.
• Any Craps (Payout 7:1). Wins if any of 2, 3 or 12 is rolled next.
• Ace Deuce (Payout 15:1). Wins if 3 is rolled next.
• Aces (Payout 30:1). Wins if 2 is rolled next.
• Boxcar (Payout 30:1). Wins if 12 is rolled next.