Craps Part 2 - Pass Line Odds Come

Michael: I believe we are all set to begin the game. There are several bets placed on the table, and we will discuss each one individually. To start, let's focus on the pass bet, which is a wager about 90% of players typically make. One of the main attractions of Craps is that the outcomes at the table often involve both winning and losing simultaneously. When someone wins on the pass bet, it's likely that a majority of players at the table are also winning, creating a shared sense of joy that enhances the overall energy and enjoyment of the game.

Place your bet right here along the pass line. The first roll is known as the come out roll. In this initial roll, rolling a seven or eleven will result in a win, while two, three, or twelve will lead to a loss. Any other number rolled sets what is called a point, which we will discuss in more detail later. Dan, please pass the dice to Angela and ensure you don’t end up short sticking her.

Dan: [chuckles] I never do that; I pride myself on being a gentleman. Let’s get started. Use one hand to grab the two dice. Yo eleven, place your bets on the line.

Michael: The reason Dan says ‘Yo’ when an eleven is rolled is due to the rhyming nature of seven and eleven. To avoid any potential confusion before he announces ‘eleven,’ he uses ‘Yo’ as a cue to clarify that it is indeed an eleven.

Dan: During the come out roll, if the puck is not in play, you win with an eleven or a seven, often referred to as a yo or a seven. Your chips should be placed next to your Pass line bet, and then you'll pick up your winning chip and place it in your rack.

Michael: Now, we are prepared for another come out roll.

Dan: Eight the hard way, mark the eight.

Michael: The point has now been established as eight, and Dan will position the chip to denote that. It’s no longer a come out roll; your goal now is to roll an eight, avoiding a seven at all costs. You must keep rolling the dice until you hit either a seven or an eight. At this stage in the game, rolling a seven is unfavorable. Previously, during the come out roll, a seven was beneficial, but the dynamic shifts here. Now, we’re set to roll again and aim for that eight.

Dan: Five, no field five.

Michael: Nothing significant happens with the roll of five, and now Dan will pass the dice back to you.

Dan: Seven out, line away.

Michael: Seven out, you lost.

Dan: The dealer will now remove the Pass line bet, taking it into the house.

Michael: Place a new Pass line bet. I'm going to signal that we have a fresh come out roll coming up.

Dan: After a seven out on the come out roll, players are given five dice. If you intended to aim for a new number after your previous eight, you’ll keep those same two dice since they’re lucky after winning. Just take two dice, one hand.

Michael: We're hoping to roll a seven or eleven, while two, three, or twelve will result in a loss.

Dan: Nine center.

Michael: Now, Dan is going to mark the nine with that puck. Your objective is to roll a nine before rolling a seven. Allow me to explain another betting option available here. Craps is unique among table games in that it features a wager with no house edge, called ‘The odds.’ Once a point is set, you can place this additional bet right behind the Pass line bet in the designated area, betting on the likelihood of rolling a nine before a seven.

Statistically, rolling a seven is more likely than rolling a nine. Thus, to make it appealing for players, if your bet on the nine wins, they’ll pay you better odds. The probability of hitting a nine before a seven is 40%, which means fair odds would pay out at three to two. They allow you to place a bet up to four times this amount, so let's maximize our chance and wager $20.00 on the odds.

Dan: Five, no field.

Michael: Nine.

Dan: Seven out, nine is unreachable. All bets are taken up.

Michael: Okay, let's try again.

Question 1

Angela: Then on the pass line?

Michael: Indeed, it's time for a new come out roll, so let's bet on the pass line again. We want seven or eleven.

Dan: Three, crap line in.

Michael: We lost this round, so Dan is collecting our chips and preparing for a new Pass line bet.

Dan: Seven, pay the line. That’s when seven is a favorable outcome.

Question 2

Angela: So, can we keep playing this repeatedly as long as we roll a seven or eleven? There’s no limit on the number of times we can do this?

Michael: Correct! If there are multiple participants at the table, the dice will continue to be passed until you roll a seven out, meaning that a point was set and then you hit a seven. It’s still your turn to roll the dice.

Angela: Alright.

Dan: Six, easy, no fear.

Michael: Yes, okay.

Angela: [laugh]

Dan: Here we go, we have a point.

Michael: Let's place an Odds bet, particularly when the point is six, where it’s common at most places to bet up to five times your Pass line bet. Traditionally, if your point is a six or eight, you can bet five times; four or ten sees a maximum of three times, while five or nine is capped at four times. Casinos usually display a sign indicating the odds, stating ‘Three X, four X, five X.’ Some places offer more flexibility, while others are more restrictive, but three, four, and five bets are pretty standard in Las Vegas. Now, let’s aim to roll a six.

Dan: Dice are out; the shooter’s targeting the six. Rolling a four is easy, but the field is still vulnerable. Rolling a three is unfortunately a bust.

Michael: As expected, we won’t see any results until we roll either a six or a seven.

Dan: 10, the hard way.

Question 3

Angela: What does \"The hard way\" mean?

Michael: When someone mentions \"the hard way,\" it refers to rolling two of the same number, like two fives. Only two combinations can yield a total of ten: either two fives or a four and a six. Statistically, rolling a four and six is twice as likely than getting two of the same number. Because rolling ten via the less likely method is needed, it’s termed 'the hard way.'

Angela: Okay.

Dan: Six, easy.

Michael: Yay, you won.

Dan: Please pay the full amount. The dealer settles the odds before any payments on the pass line bets.

Michael: Take note of how your $25.00 wager brought in $30.00. For Odds bets, payouts are based on the point: six or eight yields six to five, five or nine pays three to two, and for points of four or ten, it’s two to one. These are statistically fair odds with no advantage to the house. We’re ready for a new come out roll.

Question 4

Angela: Just the pass line?

Michael: Yes, we will start with only the pass line bet, and this round, I’ll dive into Come bets after establishing the point.

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

Michael: Now that we have established the point as six, Dan will mark it with a puck for easy reference. You can back that up with an $25.00 wager on the odds. Previously, it took time to roll either a six or a seven, leading us to another betting strategy known as the Come bet, which can increase excitement in the game and help with faster outcomes.

What this entails is placing a bet in the Come area when it’s not a come out roll. On the next dice roll, rolling a seven or eleven results in a win, while a two, three, or twelve is a loss. Any other number will set a new target, acting similarly to the previous point for this specific wager. Let’s see what unfolds.

Dan: Six easy, winner pay the line.

Michael: You won the Pass line bet.

Dan: Now, what occurs is your Come bet advances to the point of six where it currently stands.

Michael: Now you have two active bets on the table. One is your Pass line bet for the upcoming roll, and the other is your bet on six originating from your last Come bet. On this roll, hitting seven or eleven will lead to a win; however, rolling a seven could cause a loss for your Come bet.

Dan: That seven has rolled out. The seven can be interpreted in two ways: if it’s a winning seven, it’s acknowledged as a winner’s seven, rewarding you on the pass line; but if it leads to a loss of your wager, it's considered a seven out.

Michael: Let's roll the dice and see how this plays out.

Dan: Seven, pay the line. Workers, please settle the line bet and note this seven has been rolled.

Michael: I understand it might be somewhat complicated, but this particular wager won due to its nature as a come out roll; therefore, a seven or eleven grants you a win. However, your bet on six resulted in a loss, as it was a pre-established point for that Come bet, with the seven leading to that loss. Let's attempt it again to ensure clarity.

Dan: Five, no field. Mark the five.

Michael: Alright, we're making an Odds bet on five for $20.00 and also placing a $5.00 Come bet.

Dan: Five, winner pay the line.

Michael: Another winner.

Angela: [laugh]

Michael: Dan provided you with three to two odds for your five Odds bet, and the pass line won you some money. Collect your winnings and prepare for a new come out roll.

Dan: Eight easy. Mark the eight.

Michael: I suggest you place an Odds bet on eight for $25, as it allows for five times your Pass line bet when the point is an eight, along with your Come bet.

Michael: No roll.

Dan: Sure roll, no roll.

Michael: Should the dice fail to land on the opposing side of the table, the dealer will typically declare a ‘No roll’ indicating it’s not counted.

Dan: Right. No call, no roll.

Dan: Two crap aces come away.

Michael: The Come bet has unfortunately lost, so we’ll initiate a new Come bet.

Dan: Six easy.

Michael: Now you have the point of six established for this Come bet, and similarly to the Pass line bet, you can bolster it with an Odds bet too. Withdraw $25 for the Odds placed on that, and you should put this in the Come section, stating, 'Odds on the six,' is that correct?

Dan: Right.

Angela: Odds on the six.

Michael: That’s right; you cannot make that bet on your own. Now let’s proceed to make another Come bet. There’s no limit to how many you can place.

Dan: You’ll win on an eight or a six.

Michael: Precisely. Rolling an eight will mean a win for your Pass line bet, while rolling a six results in a win for that Come bet.

Dan: This situation is intriguing. She has a point on six along with a new Come bet. Should she roll a six, it results in a win for both. The bet will revert back "Off and On." Thus, if this bet hits the same, you’ll yield 35 right here and declare, 'Off and On.' This $25 bet gains $30, and the Flat bet reaps $5. A total of $35 will be adjacent to your Come bet, and you can collect that if you successfully roll a six.

Angela: Absolutely. Let’s hope we roll a six, and then we can claim those winnings.

Michael: My head is spinning.

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Michael: Let’s see what happens.

Angela: Six. [laughs]

Dan: Six, the hard way.

[laughs]

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Dan: That is the assumption.

Michael: I think we're all set to begin playing. We've got a lot of bets on the table, and we'll discuss each one individually. Let's start with the pass bet, a wager made by about 90% of players. The appeal of Craps lies in its simultaneous chances for both winning and losing. When the pass bet is successful, it's likely that nearly everyone at the table is celebrating, which heightens the excitement and enjoyment of the game.

Prepare your bet and place it on the pass line. The initial roll is known as the come out roll. In this phase, rolling a seven or eleven results in a win, while rolling a two, three, or twelve leads to a loss, and any other number sets what we call a point. We will get into details about the point soon. Dan, please hand the dice to Angela and remember not to short stick her.

Dan: [laughing] I assure you I won't, I pride myself on being a gentleman. Here we go. Grab the two dice using one hand. Yo eleven, place it on the line.

Dan: Five. No fever five.

Michael: The reason he exclaims, \"Yo,\" when eleven is rolled is that seven and eleven rhyme. To avoid any confusion right before he announces the number, he says 'Yo' to indicate that it's an eleven.

Angela: Odds on the five.

Dan: You may go up.

Dan: For the come out roll, when the puck is off, winning occurs with an eleven or a seven, a yo or a seven. Your money is positioned next to your pass line bet, and what you do next is lift the chip and place it in your rack.

Dan: Eight. Winner easy.

Michael: We are now set for another come out roll.

Michael: The current point is now eight, and Dan will position this chip here to signify the eight. It’s important to note that this isn’t a come out roll anymore; your aim now is to roll an eight while avoiding a seven. You will continue rolling the dice regardless of how long it takes until either a seven or an eight is rolled. At this juncture in the game, rolling a seven becomes unfavorable. During the come out roll, it was advantageous, but now it’s detrimental. Ready to roll again to try for an eight.

Michael: The five roll yields no results, so Dan will hand the dice back to you.

Dan: She’d win on her Flat bet.

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

Dan: Right.

Michael: Place a new Pass line bet, as I’m suggesting a fresh come out roll.

Dan: No action on the odds.

Dan: Following a seven out during the come out roll, you will receive five dice. If you had the previous eight and were aiming for a new number, you would retain those same two dice since they’ve brought you good luck by winning. Two dice, one hand.

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

Dan: Nine, seven. Mark the nine.

Michael: We’re looking for seven or eleven, with two, three, or twelve being losses.

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: Alright, Dan will mark the nine with that puck. Now your goal is to roll a nine before rolling a seven. Allow me to take this chance to explain another type of bet. Craps stands out as the sole table game in the casino that offers a wager with no house advantage, known as 'The odds.' You can place this once a point is established; you position the bet right behind the Pass line bet in its designated area. This represents an additional wager that a nine will come up before a seven does.

Dan: Nine, seven. Pay the line.

Michael: Alright. You won the pass line.

From a mathematical perspective, rolling a seven is more probable than rolling a nine, hence if this bet wins, it will offer greater odds. In this instance, the chance of rolling a nine before a seven is at 40%, so the fair odds for a win would be a payout of three to two. You’re allowed to bet as much as four times this wager, so let’s capitalize on those odds and place a $20.00 bet on them.

Dan: Seven out, nine's off. This round concludes.

Angela: Eight is hard to get.

Michael: Four.

Dan: Four Easy. Rock the four.

Michael: Yes, it’s a new come out roll, so place your bet on the pass line. Seven or eleven.

Angela: Odds on nine.

Michael: We didn’t succeed, so Dan is taking our stake and will place a new Pass line bet.

Dan: Seven, pay the line. That’s when seven is favorable.

Dan: Eight.

Angela: So, you can keep rolling every time you hit a seven or eleven? There’s no cap on this?

Michael: Exactly, and if multiple players are at the table, you’ll keep rolling the dice until you seven out, which signifies that a point has been set, and then you roll a seven. It’s still your turn.

Michael: Now, let's place an Odds bet. For the six, you can wager up to five times the Pass line bet in most casinos. The standard rule across most casinos about how much you can bet on the odds is five times for a point of six or eight, four times for five or nine, and three times for four or ten. It’s generally indicated by a sign over there that lays out how much you can bet on the odds, marked as “Three X, four X, five X.” While some casinos might permit more or less, three, four, and five are commonly accepted here in Las Vegas. Alright, now let’s attempt to roll a six.

Question 5

Angela: Collect them both?

Michael: Yes.

Dan: Yes.

Dan: Dice are out; the shooter is aiming for the six. It’s a four easy, pay the field. Three crap, let it be.

Written by: Michael Shackleford