Craps Bets

There are some bets that you should avoid when playing craps. There is no other term that we can use for this type of bets other than "bad bets". This is because the house advantage is very high on these bets. You are advised not to include such bets in your craps strategy. On the other hand these bets play their part in making the game more fun and more exciting.

The Field Bet

When placing a Field bet you are actually betting that the shooter will get a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12 on his next roll. Here is the problem with the Field bets. Usually the game only lasts about one roll. And your Field bet applies to the next roll. Chances are that the next roll may not even occur. If you are lucky enough to win a Field bet then you will be paid even money for the central numbers and sometimes the payout ratio is 2-to-1 if 2 or 12 come up. You will even get a 3-to-1 payout ratio for 2 and 12, but you will not be paid even money for the central numbers.

The Lay Bet

When you are placing a Lay bet you are actually betting against the shooter. You will win if the shooter loses his Pass line bet. Most players believe that the player placing "against the dice" bets will bring bad luck to those that want to place "with the dice" bets. Just like all other superstitions this is not based on facts. Better not say anything about it though since gamblers can be very superstitious.

When placing a Lay bet you are betting that a 7 will come up before a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. You will win if the shooter rolls a 7 before any of these numbers. 7 has the best probabilities of coming up, so you have good chances of winning such a bet. The casino does not lose by letting you place such bets. Usually it charges a 5% commission on all winning lay bets. You will receive a payout ratio of 1-to2 for a winning a lay bet on a 4 or 10, a payout ratio of 2-to-3 for a winning lay bet on a 5 or 9 and a 5-to-6 payout ratio for a winning lay bet on a 6 or 8. The only reason why we have included these bets in the bad category is because of the commission the house charges.

Proposition bets

You will find the Proposition betting area in the middle of the craps table, a bit to the right. This area is slightly separated from the rest on the betting areas. The Proposition bets are some of the more exotic bets that you can place at the craps table. There are several Proposition bets that you can place but there are pictures drawn on the table for each of them. These pictures are usually representations of the dice combinations or dice totals that you must get in order to win the bet.

Let's take a "hardway bet" for example. In the Proposition betting area you will see a square labeled 9-to-1. In this square you will see a picture of two 3's. You will win the bet if you will get a dice combination of two 3's or if you will get a dice total of 6, but before the shooter rolls a 7. The dice total of six need not be made up of two 3's. It can be any other dice combination that adds up to a 6.

Here are some other proposition bets:

• Yo 11

This is a next roll bet. You are betting that the shooter will get an 11.

• Any Craps

This is also a next roll bet. You are betting that the shooter will get a 2, 3, or 12 on his next roll.

• Any Seven

This is a next roll bet. You are betting that the shooter will get a 7 on his next roll.

• Midnight

This is a next roll bet. You are betting that the shooter will get a 12 on his next roll.

• Horn Bet

This is a next roll bet. You are betting that the shooter will get a 2, 3, 11 or 12. This bet applies to all those four numbers.

• Hardways

You will win if the shooter will roll a "hard total" before a "soft total" or a 7. Hard totals mean that you will get a dice total of 6, but this dice total is made up of two 3's. Soft totals mean that you have rolled a 4 and a 2, or a 5 and a 1. These dice also add up to a six, but this is known as a soft total.

You can only play hardway bets on 4, 6, 8, and 10. If you decide to place such bets remember that you are betting that you will get a hard total before a soft total or a 7.

The Buy bets

Buy bets and Place bets are very much alike. You can actually place a Buy bet on the same numbers as a Place bet. You will win if your number will be rolled out before a 7. The chances of you winning such a bet are actually very good. The catch is that you have to pay 5% of these winnings to the casino. Because of this some craps players dislike the idea of placing a Buy bet, while others are very much in favor of it. As a matter of fact, Buy bets have better odds for 4 and 10, but Place bets have better odds for the other numbers.