Craps Side Bets

Fire Bet

The Fire Bet rewards players based on the number of different points a shooter can achieve before rolling a seven. Check out my comprehensive guide on this topic. Fire Bet for the rules rules and analysis.

Different Doubles

The Different Doubles bet offers payouts based on how many unique doubles a shooter rolls prior to hitting a seven. For further details, please refer to my dedicated page. Different Doubles for the rules rules and analysis.

Ride the Line

You can find more information about this specific side bet on my site. Ride the Line page.

Muggsy's Corner

This simplistic side bet secures a win when the come out roll results in either a seven or a 'point-7', which is when the point is established and a seven follows on the next roll. For a detailed look at the rules and analysis, head to my page. Muggsy's Corner .

Hard Rockin' Dice

This trio of side bets, first branded as the Hot Hand, is available at Hard Rock Cincinnati. They payout based on specific total combinations rolled before a seven appears. Visit my page for in-depth information. Hard Rockin' Dice for more information.

Fielder's Choice

These three bets function similarly to the Field bet, determining the outcome based on a single roll. Winning field numbers are categorized into three distinct groups. For additional details, please see my dedicated page. Fielder's Choice .

Low Dice, High Dice

This pair of bets relies on the sum of the rolled dice in a single throw. The 'Low Dice' bet offers 1 to 1 payouts for totals between 3 to 6, and 5 to 1 for a total of 2. Conversely, the 'High Dice' bet pays 1 to 1 for totals between 8 to 11, and 5 to 1 for a total of 12. The subsequent return table for Low Dice indicates a house edge of 5.56%. The High Dice bet mirrors this configuration, maintaining the same house edge.

Card Craps

In certain areas, particularly in California, outcomes of bets may not solely rely on dice. In a variation called 'Card Craps', 24-card decks featuring ranks from ace to six in all four suits are utilized. By drawing two cards, players simulate a dice roll. If the drawn suits differ, the 'roll' stands. If they match, however, the roll doesn’t count for any craps bets. The odds presented for all craps bets remain equivalent to those applicable when using actual dice.

Additionally, there's a unique bet referred to as the 'No Call'. This bet pays 3 to 1 if the two drawn cards share the same suit; otherwise, it results in a loss. The house edge varies based on the quantity of 24-card decks employed, as illustrated below.

Midway Bet

I've been informed that the Showboat in Atlantic City features a Midway bet, located where the Big 6 and Big 8 typically reside, allowing bets on totals of 6 to 8 in the upcoming roll. A hard 6 or 8 pays 2 to 1, while all other outcomes that yield a total of 6 to 8 pay 1 to 1. The table below clarifies that the house edge is 5.56%.

Bonus Craps/Small, Tall, & All/Diceology/Lucky Roller

Bonus Craps comprises a series of three side bets known as Small, Tall, and All. Here's a quick overview of each bet:

• Small - This bet wins when all totals between 2 and 6 are achieved before rolling a 7.
• Tall - With this bet, players win if all totals between 8 and 12 are rolled prior to a 7.
• All - Players win this bet if they roll all totals between 2 and 12, excluding a 7, before hitting a 7.

Due to its popularity, this bet has inspired imitations under the titles Diceology and Lucky Roller.

For all the details, please visit my Bonus Craps page.

Four Rolls no Seven

I've heard that Sam's Town in both Las Vegas and Shreveport offers this particular bet. A win occurs if the shooter rolls four times without hitting a seven, with victorious outcomes paying even money. The odds are as follows.

Golden Dice Challenge

The 'Golden Dice Challenge' is a side bet available in craps at the MGM Grand in Detroit. The payout is determined by how many wins the player secures on the pass line before rolling a seven-out. A win happens when the player rolls either a 7 or 11 on the come-out roll, or by successfully making a point. Rolling a 2, 3, or 12 on the come-out roll does not influence this side bet. The maximum payout is set at $5,000.

The following return table illustrates the payouts, associated probabilities, and return amounts for each event, based on a $1 bet.

Assuming the limit for a top payout is $5,000, the subsequent details present the house edge for varying bet amounts.

7 Point 7

The 7 Point 7 is a side bet in craps, which was introduced at the Orleans Casino in Las Vegas at the end of 2008. It's also recognized at the Hard Rock in Macau under the title 'Double Trip Seven.' This bet is successful if the player rolls a seven on the come-out roll or suffers from a 'point 7', signifying a seven-out on the second roll. The accompanying table indicates a house edge of 5.56%.

Sharp Shooter

The 'Sharp Shooter' is a side bet in craps that I noticed at the Hooters Casino in Las Vegas back in March 2009. I have since learned that it was removed from the offerings in 2014.

This bet is placed when a new shooter takes over the dice, with payouts dependent on how many times they successfully establish a point. The following table breaks down the payouts for various point totals and their probabilities. Payouts have been presented in a 'to one' format for uniformity with the rest of this discussion. The lower right cell showcases a house edge of 21.87%.

Double Trip Seven

I first observed this bet at City of Dreams in Macau in August 2009. It is essentially identical to the... 7 Point 7 bet already described.

Point Seven

I caught wind of this side bet during the 2009 Global Gaming Expo and later again in June 2010 at the Las Vegas Hilton. The game is licensed by Casino Gaming LLC. It's a side wager placed on the come-out roll. If the player rolls a point on the first throw, followed by a seven on the second, the bet pays 7 to 1, with all other outcomes resulting in a loss. The associated table indicates a house edge of 11.11%.

Replay

The Replay is a craps side bet I recognized at Boulder Station on September 16, 2010. It pays out if the shooter establishes their point at least three times prior to rolling a seven-out. For my thorough breakdown, please refer to my dedicated page. Replay side bet .

Twice as Nice

Twice as Nice is a side bet that has been showcased in an undisclosed casino in Biloxi. It wins if the shooter rolls any given pair, including totals of 2 and 12, twice before rolling a seven. For instance, scoring a hard 10 two times before hitting a 7 results in a payout of 6 to 1. The subsequent table illustrates a house edge of 29.40%.

Earning 7 to 1 would incur a house edge of 19.31%, while an 8 to 1 win would correspond to a 9.22% house edge.

Pete and Repeat

Pete and Repeat have also been encountered at the same unidentified casino in Biloxi. This bet triumphs if any total is rolled two times before a seven, with payouts providing even odds. The table below presents a house edge of 5.79%.

Double D

In April 2012, I learned about this side bet being available at Harrington Raceway casino in Harrington, Delaware. A win occurs if the shooter scores at least four unique doubles prior to sevens out. 'Come out' rolls do not count toward this. The table following shows all the potential outcomes, payouts (expressed in a 'to one' format), probabilities, and returns. The bottom right cell presents a house edge of 14.71%.

Broad Bar 12

In April 2012, I observed this side bet being played at the Harrington Raceway in Delaware. It functions similarly to a place bet, winning on any double except for 6-6 and losing on a seven. The return table reveals a house edge of 1.52% for each resolved bet.

Hot Roller

On December 27, 2013, a member of my Wizard of Vegas forum I previously noted this bet at Dover Downs casino, Delaware. Later, on June 30, 2023, I observed the bet firsthand at the Golden Nugget in Laughlin, NV.

This wager depends on the total number of 'completed points' the shooter manages before rolling a seven. A point is considered complete when the shooter rolls that total in every conceivable combination. For example, to complete a point of eight the shooter must roll a combination of 2 and 6, 3 and 5, as well as 4 and 4. Below are the comprehensive rules.

1. Bets can be made exclusively on a come-out roll.
2. The resolution of the bet occurs once the shooter rolls a seven.
3. The payout correlates with the number of 'completed points' achieved by the shooter.
4. To complete a point, the shooter has to roll the desired total in every possible combination. Below is a list detailing every possible way to achieve each total.
   • 4: 1+3, 2+2
   • 5: 1+4, 2+3
   • 6: 1+5, 2+4, 3+3
   • 8: 2+6, 3+5, 4+4
   • 9: 3+6, 4+5
   • 10: 4+6, 5+5
5. To secure a win, the player must successfully complete at least two distinct points. The table below illustrates the payouts associated with different numbers of completed points.

The subsequent table presents probabilities and their contributions to returns across all potential outcomes. The lower right cell indicates a house edge of 7.50%. While there may be worse things to wager on in craps, this remains an option.

My analytical approach involved a random simulation of 28 billion resolved bets.

Repeater

Repeater consists of a series of craps side bets I came across at Suncoast casino in Las Vegas on April 6, 2015. In this game, the player is tasked with rolling a particular number for a set number of times before hitting a seven. For bets involving totals from 2 to 6, the player needs to roll that specific number as many times as the number itself. For instance, rolling five fives before a seven is necessary for winning the bet on five. For totals between 8 and 12, the requirement shifts to rolling the total 14 minus whatever that total is. For example, for an 11, a player must roll the number 11 three times (14-11) prior to rolling a seven.

The following outlines the payouts for each specific bet:

• 2: 40 for 1
• 3: 50 for 1
• 4: 65 for 1
• 5: 80 for 1
• 6: 90 for 1
• 8: 90 for 1
• 9: 80 for 1
• 10: 65 for 1
• 11: 50 for 1
• 12: 40 for 1

The corresponding table below illustrates the winning probabilities and house edges for each type of bet.

During my visit to Caesars Palace, I noticed they incorporated a 'Dealer Envy' win to the same pay table I observed at Suncoast. The downstream table lists the return statistics for players and dealers together with the overall totals.

It's important to note that players can achieve parallel outcomes by parlaying place or buy bets. Below is a comparative chart that reflects the advantages of either approach. Here, I’ve assumed a buy bet placed on 4 with a commission applicable on wins only (yielding effective odds of 59 for 20), alongside a place bet on 5 paying out 7 to 5, and a place bet on 6 with a payout of 7 to 6.

Observe how the house edge is lower on the 4 and 6 with place or buy bets, while it is slightly higher on the 5.

According to the patent application Regarding the Repeater Bets, alternative variations are outlined below:

• Variant 1: Come-out rolls do not count. In this variant, players can only face a loss from 'seven out', while any numbers rolled on a come-out roll do not aid the player either. The patent application implies that standard numbers from come-out rolls don’t offer assistance, which raises the question of why a player would want to turn off repeater bets when they cannot suffer a loss on come-out rolls.
• Variant 2: Players may also bet on totals of 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12. The requirements for a win and the number of rolls needed remain identical to their mirror totals below seven. For example, if a player bets on eights, they must roll a total of 6 eights to win, which offers a payoff of 90 for 1.
• Variant 3: Similar to Variant 2, players can place bets on totals of 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12. Nonetheless, in this variation, players must again roll the specified number that many times before a seven to secure a win. For instance, betting on eight necessitates rolling a total of 8 eights before rolling a seven for a victory. The resulting odds under this variant are detailed below.

Under 7, Over 7

During my visit to the New York, New York casino on January 6, 2017, I came across an interesting pair of side bets known as over and under 7. You can easily find these bets in the previous location of the Big 6 and 8 bets. Both of these bets offer even money payouts and are successful if the subsequent roll results in a number greater or lesser than 7. Interestingly, if the total equals 7, both bets will lose. The odds of winning one of these bets stand at 15 out of 36 possibilities, which equates to a winning chance of 41.67%. However, the casino advantage is rather steep at 16.67%, which is quite significant.

Hard Way Place Bets

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On May 30, 2017, I observed that the Orleans casino in Las Vegas featured place bets specifically for the hard ways on their craps tables. A winning scenario occurs if a given hard way, like a pair of fives (5-5), is rolled before a total of seven is achieved. Each successful bet in this category pays out at a rate of 5 to 1.

The table below illustrates the return on these bets, highlighting a casino edge of 14.29%, while excluding situations where the rolls do not affect winnings or losses.

Internal Links

• Understanding how the house edge for these bets is calculated is crucial. , in brief.
• The house edge of all the major bets This calculation is done both for each individual bet placed as well as on a per-roll basis.
• Dice Control Experiments. I conducted two experiments focusing on skilled dice tossing techniques.
• Dice Control Advantage. This analysis considers the player's potential advantage in cases where they can influence the outcome of the dice rolls.
• Craps variants We also explore alternative gameplay rules and betting options, such as the Fire Bet, Crapless Craps, and Card Craps.
• California craps There is a unique version of craps played in California that utilizes playing cards instead of dice.
• Play Craps In San Diego, the Viejas casino offers a fascinating version of craps that is based on card gameplay.
• Number of Rolls Table I analyzed the probability of a shooter successfully rolling the dice anywhere from 1 to 200 times before hitting a seven-out.
• Consult the Wizard. Take a look at various craps-related questions I’ve addressed regarding:
  • The dice
  • Probability
  • Free Odds bets
  • Other bets
  • Craps FAQ
  • Craps in general
• Simple Craps game. My simple Java craps game.

External Links

• Las Vegas craps survey — The maximum odds bet permitted in each casino.

Written by: Michael Shackleford