At this point, you know how every important bet at craps works. You could playa sharp, sophisticated game with a strong chance of winning strictly on the basis of exploiting the bets you already know about without bothering to learn anything about the many other bets that are available at craps. In fact, you might be better off not knowing anything about the other bets since, without exception, these other wagers are all strictly sucker bait.
Payoffs and Percentages at Craps Wagers
BET PAYOFF P.C. PASS or COME 1 to 1 1.414 PASS of COME 1 to 1 plus true odds .8 (Single odds) PASS or COME 1 to 1 plus true odds .6 (Double odds) PASS or COME 1 to 1 plus true odds .4 (TRIPLE ODDS) DON'T -PASS or COME 1 to 1 1.402 DON'T -PASS or COME 1 to 1 plus true odds .8 (SINGLE ODDS) DON'T -PASS or COME 1 to 1 plus true odds .6 (DOUBLE ODDS) DON'T-PASS or COME 1 to 1 plus true odds .4 (TRIPLE ODDS) PLACE 6 or 8 7 to 6 1.5 PLACE 5 or 9 7 to 5 4 PLACE 4 or 10 9 to 5 6.7 BUY BET true odds minus 5 percent 4.7 LAY 6 or 8 5 to 6 minus 5 percent 4 charge LAY 5 or 9 2 to 3 minus 5 percent 3.2 charge LAY 4 or 10 1 to 2 minus 5 percent 2.4 charge THE FIELD 1 to 1 (double on 2 and 12) 5.5 1 to 1 (double on 2, triple on 12) 2.7 BIG 6/BIG 8 1 to 1 9.09 HARDWAY 6 or 8 9 to 1 9.09 HARDWAY 4 or 10 7 to 1 11.1 ANY-SEVENT 4 to 1 16.7 ANY-CRAPS 7 to 1 11.1 2 or 12 30 to 1 13.9 29 to 1 16.7 3 or 11 15 to 1 11.1 14 to 1 16.7 HARDWAY HOP 30 to 1 13.9 29 to 1 16.7 OTHER HOPS 15 to 1 11.1 14 to 1 16.7
1.THE FIELD
The large box on either side of the layout containing the numbers 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, II, and 12 is for the field bet. Wagers are made by placing the chips in this box, and winnings are paid off in the same space. That means that they must be claimed before the next roll, or both the original bet and the payoff will count as a new field bet. A player who bets the field is wagering that one of these numbers will come up on the very next roll. If it does, he will be paid off. If the number is a 2 or a 12, he will be paid off at 2 to I. All the other numbers pay even money. However, if a 5, 6, 7, or 8 is rolled, the bet will be lost.
This wager is deceptively appealing to the novice because there are many numbers on which he can win, but only a few on which he can lose. If you remember what I taught you about the ways in which each number can be made, you should have noticed that the few numbers that lose for the field bettor are those that are rolled most often. In fact, there are more ways of rolling those few numbers than there are ways of rolling all the winning numbers. Number 7 can be rolled six ways. Numbers 6 and 8 can each be rolled five ways.
Number 5 can be rolled four ways. Since there are only thirty-six combinations that can be rolled with two dice, this gives the house twenty ways to win against the player's sixteen ways. Even though you get paid double on 2 and 12, that still means twenty units lost for every eighteen won. This gives the house an edge of 5.5 percent, far too high for you to have a real chance of winning over the long run. In the northern Nevada and downtown Vegas clubs, the 2, or in some cases the 12, pays 3 to I instead of double. Whatever payoff policy the casino follows will be marked off on the layout with a circle around each field number that pays more than even money and a notation around the circle stating the payoff odds. With a triple payoff on 2 or 12, the house edge is cut to only 2.7 percent. This is a big improvement. Nevertheless, it is still more than three times as high as the low edge you face on line bets with odds. see more > > >
