Craps Game Odds
Be the next shooter at Club Dice
Craps is a unique casino game in that it offers over 100 different bets. If you've ever studied a craps table layout, then you probably noticed many different areas in which to place your chips. You can make bets on what number you predict will be thrown next, how that number will be created as a combination of the dice, what number or numbers won't come up next, and so on. With such a variety of bets available and the fact that a pair of dice may yield 36 different numerical combinations, it is easy to see how the odds can vary quite a bit. Some bets offer good odds - even better than straight blackjack - while others are downright lousy. So why is it that Nevada casinos take in about $16 for every $100 wagered when the house edge is only around 1%? The truth is that most Craps players play on instinct. Sure, in a game where each roll of the dice is independent from all previous rolls, it truly is sort of a guessing game. But, guessing will only get you so far. You need to know what the payouts are for different bets, and odds of those bets to occur. Hopefully, the next time you play you will do so knowing which bets carry the best odds, and which ones to avoid at all costs.
Ways to arrive at totals, based on different dice combinations
|
Dice Total
|
Combinations
|
Ways Possible
|
Odds
|
|
2
|
1:1
|
1
|
1 in 36
|
|
3
|
1:2, 2:1
|
2
|
2 in 36
|
|
4
|
1:3, 2:2, 3:1
|
3
|
3 in 36
|
|
5
|
1:4, 2:3, 3:2, 4:1
|
4
|
4 in 36
|
|
6
|
1:5, 2:4, 3:3, 4:2, 5:1
|
5
|
5 in 36
|
|
7
|
1:6, 2:5, 3:4, 4:3, 5:2, 6:1
|
6
|
6 in 36
|
|
8
|
2:6, 3:5, 4:4, 5:3, 6:2
|
5
|
5 in 36
|
|
9
|
3:6, 4:5, 5:4, 6:3
|
4
|
4 in 36
|
|
10
|
4:6, 5:5, 6:4
|
3
|
3 in 36
|
|
11
|
5:6, 6:5
|
2
|
2 in 36
|
|
12
|
6:6
|
1
|
1 in 36
|
Simple observation of this chart shows us that seven(7) is the most likely outcome with a 6 in 36 probability while snake eyes and twelve are the least likely with 1 in 36 probabilities. The house advantage is built into each number bet by the payout odds.
Payout Odds
The following chart shows some of the common bets in Craps, what each bet's payout is for winning, and the edge the house has on each particular wager. The best bets on the table are the pass line point bets (with odds). These bets can be placed in addition to your come or pass line bets, and offer true odds for payouts, meaning the house has no advantage over the player. Single odds means you may make an additional wager equal to your original bet. Double odds means up to two times your bet and so on up to 100 times odds, offered, possibly, at only the famous Binion's Horseshoe casino in Las Vegas.
|
Bet
|
Payout Odds
|
House Edge
|
|
Pass Line
|
1 to 1
|
1.4%
|
|
Pass Line (single odds)
|
1 to 1
|
0.8%
|
|
Pass Line (double odds)
|
1 to 1
|
0.6%
|
|
Don't Pass Line
|
1 to 1
|
1.4%
|
|
Don't Pass Line (single odds)
|
1 to 1
|
0.8%
|
|
Don't Pass Line (double odds)
|
1 to 1
|
0.6%
|
|
Come Bet
|
1 to 1
|
1.4%
|
|
Pass Line point 4 or 10 (w/odds)
|
2 to 1
|
0%
|
|
Pass Line point 5 or 9 (w/odds)
|
7 to 5
|
0%
|
|
Pass Line point 6 or 8 (w/odds)
|
7 to 6
|
0%
|
|
Field: 3, 4, 8, 10, or 11
|
1 to 1
|
5.5%
|
|
Field: 2 or 12 (double odds)
|
2 to 1
|
5.5%
|
|
Field: 2 or 12 (triple odds)
|
3 to 1
|
2.8%
|
|
Any 7
|
5 to 1
|
16.67%
|
|
Any craps (2, 3, or 12)
|
7 to 1
|
11.11%
|
|
Any 2 or 12
|
30 to 1
|
13.89%
|
|
Any 3 or 11
|
15 to 1
|
11.11%
|
|
Don't Pass Line point 4 or 10
|
1 to 2 (5% vig)
|
2.44%
|
|
Don't Pass Line point 5 or 9
|
2 to 3(5% vig)
|
3.23%
|
|
Don't Pass Line point 6 or 8
|
5 to 6 (5% vig)
|
4.00%
|
|
Big 6 or Big 8
|
1 to 1
|
9.09%
|
|
Hardways 6 or 8
|
9 to 1
|
9.09%
|
|
Hardways 4 or 10
|
7 to 1
|
11.11%
|
|
Place 4 or 10
|
9 to 5
|
6.67%
|
|
Place 5 or 9
|
7 to 5
|
4.00%
|
|
Place 6 or 8
|
7 to 6
|
1.52%
|
Other bets that yield reasonably decent odds for players include the Pass Line and Don't Pass Line bets, where the house has only a 1.4% edge and less if you're playing with single or double odds. The Place Bet of 6 or 8 is also worthy of your chips because it only carries a 1.52% advantage for the casino. The payout on this bet is only 7 to 6, so you won't win a lot very quickly. I recommend sticking with the Pass Line and Come bets with odds.
Bets to Avoid
The chart also shows that a good many craps bets hold a steep edge for the house, and should not be played unless your goal is to lose money. The most likely outcome of the dice is 7, so you might logically deduce that this is a safe bet to make, right? Well, it's actually the worst on the table, carrying a 16.67% house edge. Why is this? Consider the number of ways to make a seven: 1+6, 2+5, 3+4, 4+3, 5+2, and 6+1. That makes six ways that the dice can combine to total seven, giving you a 6 out of 36 (or reduced to 1 in 6) probability of a 7 on the next roll. However, the casino knows this, so the payout odds have been shifted to 5 to 1, thus creating the 16.67% advantage. Other bets to avoid include any craps (2, 3, or 12), any 2 or 12, and any 3 or 11 which, at 30 to 1 payout odds might seem like it would be okay, but it isn't. Even those high payout odds fail to compensate for the actual likelihood of its occurrence. Another bet that some casinos have actually removed from tables, due to its poor odds for the player, is the Big 6 and Big 8 bets. On the table, the area for this bet is large, and can be tempting for the inexperienced player to just toss a couple chips into during the heat of the moment. Beware of the Big 6 and Big 8! They are identical to Place Bets of 6 and 8, meaning you're betting that a 6 or 8 will come up before a 7. But unlike Place Bets, they only pay out at 1 to 1. So, instead of the house having a mere 1.52% edge, it jumps to over 9%. Most Atlantic City casinos have done Craps players a small favor in removing the Big 6/8 betting areas from table layouts. Next time you're in Las Vegas, Detroit, or playing on the internet, be sure to stick with the bets that have the best odds.
Keno Game Odds
Chester the Jester calls the balls at The Gaming Club (net's first casino - 1995).
Generally speaking, the game of keno does not offer very good odds for the player. This, however, is a comparison between keno and other games found at casinos. It might be unfair to examine keno in this context, since it bears little resemblance in terms of odds or actual game play to most card and table games. It might be better compared to state lotteries because that is basically how the game it set up. A player picks nine to fifteen numbers out of 80 to come up, with twenty numbered balls being drawn. The more numbers matched means higher stake won, with all of your numbers coming up winning the jackpot. Because there are so many numbers involved (over twice as many as a roulette wheel), the odds are literally sky high - also similar to lotteries. Depending on where you play, the house edge can vary between 25 and 40 percent. Winning a keno jackpot is on pace with winning a state lottery jackpot, where the odds regularly climb into the millions.
Keno at Land Casinos
Usually, keno games found at land casinos start at $2 a ticket and have you pick nine numbers out of 80. The odds of you picking all nine are a little more than 1.3 million to one, and jackpots usually cap out at $250,000. The allure of the game is largely rooted in the potentially large reward for small amount wagered. So why do casinos have Keno if it carries such poor odds?
Casinos have Keno games for a couple reasons:
To diversify their selection of games. It appeals to a different type of player than the craps or baccarat player because anyone can understand its simple rules. As you would expect, it's popular with lottery buffs.
It makes a nice profit for the house. Keno lounges usually occupy a considerable amount of space on the casino floor. To ensure a decent monetary return per square foot, casino operators require a hefty house advantage.
Keno at Online Casinos
Playing Keno at online casinos is almost identical to the version found at land casinos with a few exceptions:
Players choose a minimum of ten numbers, sometimes as many as fifteen.
The jackpots usually aren't as high as $250,000.
Tickets can be purchased for as little as $1.00
The time in between games is short, so you can play more games in less time.
|
