How to win at Craps with Place Bets on 6 & 8 only.
Today we continuing our recent series on craps betting strategies. We’ve already talked about two unique systems, or betting patterns, known as the 3 Point Molly and the Iron Cross. This time we’ll take a look at a cheaper craps system that offers similar odds of winning.
Craps players have dozens of options with all the different combinations to play. On many multi-roll bets, they also have the option of taking the bet down before a decision is reached. If you place the 6 for example, and the shooter rolls neither a winner 6 nor a loser 7, the bet stays in action.
In short, the object is to set equal wagers on Place 6 and Place 8. At a table with $5 minimums, it will cost as little as $12 to set up ($6 per bet). You won’t be tossing out another $12 per roll, either. Best of all, it offers a house edge of just 1.52%; worse than strategy-based blackjack, but far better than roulette, and similar to baccarat.
That is, of course, the simple explanation. Keep reading to find out why this is one of the better ways to safely manage your bankroll, and ensure maximum entertainment for your wagering dollars.
The 4 and 10 pay 9-5, true odds 10-5, yielding a house edge of 6.66%. The 5 and 9 pay 7-5, true odds are 7.5-5 (house edge 4%). The 6 and 8 pay 7-6, true odds are 6-5 (house edge 1.51%. Player pays 5% 'vigorish' to get true odds on all numbers. Only the 4 and 10 make buy bets worthwhile. They reduce the house edge to 4.76%. Warning: betting increments on the place bets are different from the proper betting increments on the odds bets. The following are the payouts for each point Place bet on 4 or 10. Any increment of $5; If the bettor is going to bet $20 or more on the place bet of 4 or 10, the bettor is better of ‘buying’ the 4 or 10. Place bet on 5 or 9.
How to Win at Craps with Place Bets on 6 & 8
Place Bets are wagers that can be made on a specific number. They’re often referred to as Point or Box numbers, because they’re the only numbers that can be established as a point on the shooter’s come out roll. They include 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10.
The odds associated with each Place Bet number varies. The following chart shows the true odds, payout, and resulting house edge for each. Examine closely, and you’ll see why Place Bets on 6 and 8 are the only viable options for this craps betting strategy.
Roll | True Odds | Payout | House Edge |
4 | 2-to-1 | 9-to-5 | 6.67% |
5 | 3-to-2 | 7-to-5 | 4.00% |
6 | 6-to-5 | 7-to-6 | 1.52% |
8 | 6-to-5 | 7-to-6 | 1.52% |
9 | 3-to-2 | 7-to-5 | 4.00% |
10 | 2-to-1 | 9-to-5 | 6.67% |
Lowest House Edge on 6 and 8
Because the 6 and 8 payout closest to the true odds, they offer the lowest house edge of 1.52% All other Place Bets present terrible odds of 4% to 6.67%. As every gambler knows, the lower the edge, the better the chance of winning.
6-Unit Increments Only!
The chart also shows why we must place these wagers in increments of $6. Place Bets on 6 and 8 pay 7-to-6, meaning for every 6 units wagered, a win will pay 7 units. If you were to place a $5 wager, you would get only $5 in return since the boxman rounds payouts to the nearest dollar. Suffice to say, $6 bets are critical to the value of this strategy.
Place Bets Ride It Out
Unlike Field Bets, which last for a single roll, Place Bets remain on the table until the shooter craps out (rolls a 7). If the shooter rolls a 3, a 9, a 5, another 3, a 12, a 4, a pair of 10s and then finally rolls an 8, you still win. All of those previous rolls mean nothing. Your bet is never removed unless a 7 rolls, in which case you lose them both.
Even when you win on 6 or 8, the bet stays in play. You will receive the winnings, but the bet doesn’t come down until a 7 is rolled, or you tell the boxman to remove it (your bet is returned).
Odds of Crapping Out
Last but not least, let’s take a look at the odds of rolling a 6 or 8, versus crapping out with a 7.
- 6: The odds of rolling a 6 are 13.89%
- 7: The odds of rolling a 7 are 16.67%
- 8: The odds of rolling an 8 are 13.89%
Technically, the 7 has the higher odds of rolling. However, since you’re betting on 6 and 8, you combine these odds for a 27.78% chance of winning, versus 16.67% chance of losing. That leaves a 55.55% chance of any other number rolling (i.e. nothing happens).
While that sounds like incredible odds, let’s remember each win brings you a 7-unit payout, while each loss results in a 12-unit decline. Thus, all in all, you have a 1.52% house edge to compete with, which comes out to a negative expectation of $1.52 per $100, or a loss of $0.18 per $12.
As always, the casino has the advantage, so you can’t expect every time that you’ll win at craps with Place Bets on 6 and 8. But expecting to lose $0.18 each time the shooter craps out offers a whole lot of entertainment value on a budget bankroll. With a little luck and responsibility on your part (i.e. knowing when to walk away), you just might come away with some extra change in your pocket!
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Best Bets In Craps And Why
Up until a few years ago, the frumpy little Casino Royale – its attached hotel is a Best Western – offered craps players a deal they couldn’t resist. The brightly lit marquee seen above the Casino Royale on the Las Vegas Strip flashed the words “100x Odds on Craps” – yep, you read that correctly.
The independently owned casino right in the heart of Las Vegas Boulevard has always resisted the creeping corporatization, and it doesn’t even charge guests that ghastly “Resort Fee” to pinch pennies. Eventually though, even the Casino Royale did away with its 100x craps tables, opting instead for the watered down 3x-4x-5x structure on the Odds bet that has swept through The Strip like a plague.
But before I get ahead of myself, let me bring the readers who are wondering why this Odds bet is so important up to speed.
How House Edge Applies to Craps
Whether you visit Las Vegas to roll the bones regularly, or find yourself learning craps online through an casino online, knowing how to navigate the maze of available wagers is crucial.
I mean, just get a load of this lengthy list of common craps bets below to get a glimpse into the classic dice game’s complexity:
Payouts and House Edge Rates for Common Craps Bets
BET/RULES | PAYOUT | HOUSE EDGE |
Odds – 4, 10 | 2 to 1 | 0.00 percent |
Odds – 5, 9 | 3 to 2 | 0.00 percent |
Odds – 6, 8 | 6 to 5 | 0.00 percent |
Don’t Pass / Don’t Come | 1 to 1 | 1.36 percent |
Pass / Come | 1 to 1 | 1.41 percent |
Place 6, 8 | 7 to 6 | 1.52 percent |
Field (3:1 on 12) | 1 to 1 | 2.78 percent |
Place 5, 9 | 7 to 5 | 4.00 percent |
Field (2:1 on 12) | 1 to 1 | 5.56 percent |
Place 4, 10 | 9 to 5 | 6.67 percent |
Big 6, 8 | 1 to 1 | 9.09 percent |
Hard 6, 8 | 9 to 1 | 9.09 percent |
Any Craps | 7 to 1 | 11.11 percent |
Hi-Lo (2 or 12) | 15 to 1 | 11.11 percent |
3; Yo-leven (11); Easy hops | 15 to 1 | 11.11 percent |
2; 12; Hard hops | 30 to 1 | 13.89 percent |
Any Seven | 4 to 1 | 16.67 percent |
As you can see, craps bets can largely be divided into two groups – reasonable plays and longshots designed for suckers.
Don’t get me wrong now, I’m prone to splash around on exotic bets like the Any Craps or Hard Way when inspiration strikes – but only occasion.
No, the best craps players out there typically stick to the first half of the list by default, especially that Odds bet which carries no house edge whatsoever.
That’s kind of a misnomer, as you can’t place an Odds bet without first putting up an “ante” of sorts on either the Pass Line or Don’t Pass Line. And with those base bets carrying house edge rates of 1.41 percent and 1.36 percent, respectively, you’ll always have a hill to climb even on the 0.00 percent Odds wager.
Here’s how it works… after placing your Pass Line (or Don’t Pass for “dark side” specialists), the shooter will establish a point number more often than not. With a point number now set, the Odds bet allows you to back your base bet up with a second wager that pays out according to true odds (hence the name).
Those true odd payouts – 2 to 1 on points of 4 and 10; 3 to 2 on 5 or 9; and 6 to 5 on 6 or 8 – really do hold a null house edge of 0.00 percent.
And as you might’ve suspected by now, betting as much as you can on the Odds is a great way to lower craps’ overall house edge:
House Edge on Craps Odds Bet (by Odds Limit)
ODDS (TAKEN) | PASS LINE | DON’T PASS |
0x | 1.41 percent | 1.36 percent |
1x | 0.848 percent | 0.682 percent |
2x | 0.606 percent | 0.455 percent |
Full Double Odds | 0.572 percent | 0.431 percent |
3x | 0.471 percent | 0.341 percent |
3x-4x-5x | 0.374 percent | 0.273 percent |
5x | 0.326 percent | 0.227 percent |
10x | 0.184 percent | 0.124 percent |
20x | 0.099 percent | 0.065 percent |
100x | 0.021 percent | 0.014 percent |
See that last entry for 100x on the Odds? With a house edge of just two-tenths of a percent, players who score 100x – you’d be able to bet $1,000 on Odds with a $10 base bet – enjoy some of the best odds in all of casino gambling.
On that note, the following list highlights six casinos on The Strip where sharp craps players can still enjoy high limits on the Odds and other perks.
1 – The Cromwell Hotel & Casino
If you visited The Strip at any point between 1979 and 2007, you know The Cromwell as its previous incarnation Barbary Coast.
The building eventually became Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall, a rough and tumble joint straight out Las Vegas’ glory days.
Bill’s gave way to The Cromwell in 2014, and while the casino resort has blossomed into a full-scale boutique establishment offering the height of luxury, it did retain one element of that gamblin’ spirit – 100x Odds.
Yep, four tables found at the Cromwell offer the only 100x craps still alive and kicking in Las Vegas.
Craps Place Bets
The minimum bet here is a bit higher than the standard at $25 per rolling session, but that’s a small price to pay for the ability to go “all-in” on the best bet in craps.
The Cromwell also caters to sharp gamblers by offering 3 to 2 payouts and double-deck games in blackjack, single-zero European roulette wheels, and commission free EZ baccarat.
2 – Stratosphere Casino, Hotel & Tower
Famous for its “Space Needle” like tower stretching high into The Strip’s skyline, the Stratosphere also has the lowest-stakes craps game around.
You can enjoy 10x Odds – the highest offered on The Strip outside of from The Cromwell – for just a $5 minimum base bet. Folks who like to play a bit bigger will also find a pair of tables with a $10 minimum and 10x Odds.
You’ll also come across a gimmick game known as “Crapsless Craps,” which purports to give players a helping a hand by removing losing outcomes from the come out roll. Instead of “crapping” out on a 2, 3, or 12 on the come out roll, Pass Line bettors in Crapsless Craps simply set those numbers as the point.
But knowledgeable craps players avoid this sucker game at all costs, as it balloons the house edge on Pass Line wagers from 1.41 percent to 5.38 percent.
3 – Bellagio Hotel & Casino
One of the glitziest and most glamorous casinos in the world, let alone The Strip, the Bellagio is a true Las Vegas icon.
The tables here only offer 3x-4x-5x Odds, which lets you bet 3x on points of 4 and 10, 4x on points of 5 or 9, and 5x on points of 6 or 8.
That’s basically the standard on The Strip, aside from The Cromwell and Stratosphere of course, so the Bellagio makes the cut for its sheer beauty and grandeur. Simply put, every gambler should spend at least one day strolling through the Bellagio’s rarified air.
And while you’re there, hit the eight $25 minimum tables or the lone $10 table and let the dice fly.
4 – Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
I always advise my craps playing buddies who are stubborn about The Strip to stay at Bally’s.
Four tables here have a low limit of just $5 and 3x-4x-5x Odds, while higher-rollers can up the ante to $15 on a single table.
5 – Wynn Las Vegas
Combined with its sister casino Encore, the Wynn offers a level of luxury to rival even the Bellagio.
This place is gorgeous inside and out, and the nine craps tables with 3x-4x-5x Odds with limits ranging from $10 to $100 paint a pretty picture too.
6 – Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino
The $5 limit craps tables with 3x-4x-5x Odds at the Westgate aren’t anything special, but whenever you can dabble in dice before hitting the world’s largest sportsbook (the aptly named SuperBook), no gambler worth their salt would pass up that opportunity.
Conclusion
Craps, like any casino game, comes down to the player’s contributions. If you stick with longshot exotics and let casinos offer bad limits on the Odds bet, the mess you make of your bankroll is your own fault. On the other hand, by searching for the best Odds limits and playing a snug, sensible game, craps on The Strip can still be a profitable proposition when the dice cooperate.