Below I've featured some of the more basic craps bets, and in most cases they
are actually among the more popular bets by players at a craps table (maybe
because these bets are also the smarter bets to make). In reality, the best
bets in the game of craps are actually the best bets to be found compared to
any other game in the casino. These include the Pass Line bet, all bets that
involve "free odds", the don't pass, the come bet, the don't come,
and place bets on either the 6 or 8.
The Pass Line Bet
The Pass Line bet is usually made before the "come-out roll" (first
roll at the start of a new round of betting) and is quite possibly the popular
bet made at the craps table. To bet the pass line, you place your bet just inside
the wide band labeled 'pass line' that runs around the outer edge of the playing
area on the table. This bet wins if the shooter rolls a 7 or an 11 on the come-out
roll, and loses if the shooter rolls a 2, 3, or 12 on the come-out roll. If
the shooter rolls any other number, that number then becomes the 'point' number.
The shooter and others that are betting on the pass line will want the shooter
to roll the "point" again before they roll a 7 (because they win each
time this happens). So the shooter keeps rolling, and if they manage to hit
the point again, pass line (as well as a few other bets) win! After the point
has been established but at the instant a seven is rolled, the shooter has 'sevened
out' and the pass line bettors lose; the round of betting ends at this time.
The Don't Pass Line Bet
This bet is the opposite of the Pass Line bet detailed above. A "Don't"
bet means basically that you are betting against the shooter or "against
the dice". Thus, when pass line bettors and the shooter win, don't pass
bettors lose, and when they lose, the don't pass bettors win.
Free Odds
Free odds can be taken on the Pass Line, Don't Pass, Come, and Don't Come bets.
You can only place free odds bets on the table after you have placed certain
negative expectation bets (in order to back these bets with better odds). For
example, if you place a pass line bet for $5, and the table allows for free
odds up to 10 times, you can place $50 of free odds behind your original $5
bet. In effect, this lowers the original house edge of the pass line bet (since
winning and losing on the free odds bet is coupled to winning or losing the
pass line bet, or whichever bet you back with free odds). The amount by which
the edge is lowered can be significant, and increases the more you are allowed
to place odds. Not many casinos offer 10x odds, as doing so would bring the
house edge of a fully backed pass line bet down to somewhere around 0.18%. Always
always take advantage of free odds bets if available.
The Come Bet
This bet is the similar to the Pass Line bet, but it is made only after the
point is set. There is no such thing as a come bet on the come out roll, because
it would be exactly the same as a Pass line bet. The come bet is definitely
the easiest to find on the craps table, with a major portion of the felt at
the center of each end dedicated to it and labelled in big letters - C
O M E. If the shooter hits their come point before a seven is rolled,
they win; if they roll a seven first, they lose.
The Don't Come Bet
The don't come bet is the exactopposite of the come bet. The don't come bet
must be made after a point is set by the shooter. If a 7 or 11 is rolled the
don't come bet loses, if a 2 or 3 is rolled it wins, and a 12 is a standoff.
Otherwise a come point is set and the don't come bet will win if a 7 is rolled
before the come point is repeated, and lose if the come point is repeated before
a 7 is rolled.
The Place Bet
The place bet is made after a point has been established. You can bet on any
of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 (any except the one which has been set to the point
for that round). The bet is basically that the placed number will be rolled
before a seven is rolled. Since some numbers are more likely to be hit than
others, not all place bets are equal. The two which have a reasonably low house
edge are placing the 6 and placing the 8. Try not to confuse it with the Big
6/8 bets which pays back a lot less.
The Field Bet
Playing the field is another popular bet. To make it, find the box with the
word 'field' written in it there along with a lot numbers. Placing a field bet
means you're betting that the next roll will be a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12.
The field bet pays even money for 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11, and usually 2 to 1 for
a 2 or 12. Some casinos pay 3 to 1 for 2 or 12 (but not usually for both, just
one or the other). The Field Bet
Although the field bet is often thought to be one of the smarter bets in craps,
its house edge doesn't actually compare to the edge that you get on a pass line
bet with odds. The fields house edge is approximately 5.56%.