Craps Appendix 4 — Side Bets

Last update: Nov. 20, 2008

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Here are some side bets on craps I have seen through the years.

• Fire Bet
• Crapless Craps
• Low Dice, High Dice
• Card Craps
• Midway Bet
• Small, Tall Bet
• All Bet
• Four Rolls no Seven
• Golden Dice Challenge
• 7 Point 7

Some casinos offer a "Fire Bet" that pays if the shooter makes at least 4 different points. The following table shows two different pay tables I have heard of. Pay Table A was convered from a "for one" to a "to one" basis. The probabilities are based on a random simulation, and thus are subject to a small degree of error. The lower right corners show house edges of 20.83% and 24.70%

Crapless Craps

In my ten commandments of gambling I advise that you avoid gimmicks and this is an illustrated example. Some casinos in Mississippi proudly boast of "crapless craps." In this game the player can not lose a pass bet on the come out roll. If any number other than a 7 is rolled on the come out roll it becomes the point. What you are giving up is the sure winner of 11 on the come out roll. To the mathematically challenged it may seem a good deal, that you are only giving up 1 sure winner for 3 sure losers. The catch is that the probability of hitting a point of 2 or 12 is only 1/7, and the probability of hitting a point of 3 or 11 is only 1/4. So the player is not gaining much on the 2, 3, and 12 since they will likely lose anyway, but is giving up a sure winner on 11 for only a 1/4 chance of winning. Overall the house edge on the pass bet in crapless craps is 373/6930 =~ 5.382%.

Crapless craps does offer free odds of 6-1 on the 2 and 12, and 3-1 on the 3 and 11. The following table shows the combined house edge by combining the pass line and the odds:

You can also make place bets on the 2, 3, 11, and 12. The 2 and 12 pay 11-2 with a house edge of 7.143%. The 3 and 11 pay 11-4 with a house edge of 6.250%. There is no don't pass bet in this game.

You can also make buy bets. On points of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 the odds are the same as regular craps. The following table shows the odds on the 2, 3, 11, and 12. One reader claims they only charge the commission on wins in Mississippi but I'll list it both ways.

The Hard Rock in Las Vegas and Texas Treasure casino cruises offer a pair of side bets based on the total of the dice in one throw. The "Low Dice" bet pays 1 to 1 on totals of 5 to 6 and 5 to 1 on a total of 2. The "High Dice" pays 1 to 1 on totals of 8 to 11 and 5 to 1 on a total of 12. The following return table on the Low Dice bet shows the house edge is 5.56%. The High Dice bet is the opposite so has the same house edge.

Card Craps

In some jurisdictions, namely California, dice alone may not determine the outcome of a bet. In the game of "Card Craps" 24-card decks are used each consisting of ranks ace to six in all four suits. Two cards are drawn to simulate the roll of the dice. If the suits are different the "roll" stands. If the suits are different the roll is ignored for all crap bets. The odds on all crap bets are the same as if dice were used.

However there is an extra bet call the "No Call." This bet pays 3 to 1 if the two cards are suited, otherwise it loses. The house edge depends on the number of 24-card decks used as shown below.

Midway Bet

The Showboat in Atlantic City I'm told has a "Midway" bet in the normal location of the Big 6 and Big 8 on a total of 6 to 8 in the next roll. A hard 6 or 8 pay 2 to 1, and all other totals of 6 to 8 pay 1 to 1. The following table shows the house edge is 5.56%.

Small, Tall Bet

I hear that Sam's Town in both Las Vegas and Shreveport offer these bet. The Small bet wins if the shooter rolls a 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 before rolling a seven. The Tall bet wins if the shooter rolls an 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 before rolling a seven. A win pays 34 to 1, or 35 for 1. The odds on both bets are the same as follows. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 7.76%.

All Bet

I hear that Sam's Town in both Las Vegas and Shreveport offer this bet. The All bet wins if the shooter rolls a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 before rolling a seven. A win pays 174 to 1, or 175 for 1. The odds are as follows. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 7.99%.

Four Rolls no Seven

I hear that Sam's Town in both Las Vegas and Shreveport offer this bet. The bet wins if the shooter can go four throws without rolling a seven. A win pays 1 to 1. The odds are as follows.

Golden Dice Challenge

The "Golden Dice Challenge" is a craps side bet found at the MGM Grand in Detroit. The bet pays according to the number of pass line wins the player has before a seven-out. For purposes of the side bet, a win may be made either by rolling a 7 or 11 on the come out roll, or making a point. Rolling a 2, 3, or 12 on the come out roll does not affect the bet. I have conflicting information about a maximum win, but I believe it to be $5000.

The following return table shows the pays, probabilities, and return from each event, based on a $1 bet.

Assuming the maximum win is $5000 the following is the house edge for various bet amounts.

7 Point 7

7 Point 7 is a craps side bet, which debuted at the Orleans casino in Las Vegas, in late 2008. The bet wins if the player gets a 7 on the come out roll, or the infamous “point 7,” where the player sevens out on his second roll. The following table shows a house edge of 5.56%.

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