Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Craps Odds Bets

Craps is one of the top casino games when it comes to betting variety. The craps table features dozens of wagers, which makes for exciting play when you combine bets. Of course, some wagers are better than others in terms of the house edge. You should stick closely to bets that give you the strongest chance to win. Odds bets (a.k.a. free odds) are the premier wager in this game. In fact, free odds is the top bet in the entire casino. What makes the odds so great? And how do you place this wager, given that it isn’t even listed on the table? Keep reading as I discuss everything you need to know about craps odds in terms of placing this bet, the house edge, where you find this wager, and the potential downsides. Las Vegas is the top destination for free odds since it features several casinos that offer 10x odds or better. Vegas’ Cromwell Hotel & Casino offers up to 100x odds and a $5 minimum pass line and don’t pass line bets. This setup allows you to make a $5 minimum wager and get the full 100x odds for an additional $500. Main Street Station is the next best option because they allow up to 20x odds along with $5 minimum pass line/don’t pass line wagers. Sin City also features several casinos that offer 10x odds, such as El Cortez, Golden Gate, Plaza, Red Rock, Stratosphere, and The D. You can also play craps online. If you go that route, here’s a terrific list of the best craps online casinos out there. So, what is the odds bet in craps? There’s a good chance you’ve seen a craps odds bet already but don’t fully understand it. Well, you’ve come to the right place. In short, an odds bet in craps is a side bet placed after a point is thrown. An odds bet isn’t something that you can place right away. Instead, you need to make a common bet like pass line or don’t pass line, then put odds behind one of these wagers. This process sounds confusing when considering that the free odds are dependent on another bet. But it’s worth the hassle when considering that the odds don’t have a house edge. An odds bet is paid at your true odds of winning (explained in next section). This differs from other craps wagers, usually paid slightly less than your true odds. The main thing you should know is that a craps odds bet is a side wager that has no house edge. You get an equal payout to what your odds are. People who are new in the casino might not be aware of little things like this. They also might not know the difference between craps and baccarat.

Comparing Craps vs. Baccarat – Which Game Should Gamblers Play at Casinos?

The craps vs. baccarat debate can be decided purely off which game you prefer more. Baccarat is a bit easier to understand, but you can learn craps by playing just a few games. Craps is better in the social department, but baccarat should lead to more...

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The easiest way to start the process of making an odds wager is by placing a pass line or don’t pass line bet first. Therefore, it pays to understand how pass line and don’t pass line wagers work. Here’s a closer look at each of these bets. Once you thoroughly understand the pass line and don’t pass line bets, it makes learning free odds easier. After making a pass line/don’t pass line bet, you must wait for a point number to be established. If your initial wager wins or loses on the come out roll, then you won’t be able to back it with odds. When a point is established, you place your free odds above the original pass line or don’t pass line wager. Notify the dealer when doing so to prevent any confusion. When you put odds behind the pass line, you’re “taking” odds. Here are the payouts for taking odds. When you put odds behind the don’t pass line, you’re “laying” odds. Here are the payouts for laying odds. It’s important to have an in-depth understanding of any casino game you play. You’ll have a hard time making money if you make uneducated decisions. Check out this guide below for more craps basics. Not as many people put free odds behind come and don’t come bets. Nevertheless, you can place odds behind both wagers. The process works almost the same as with pass line and don’t pass line bets. The only difference is the nature of come and don’t come. Come and don’t come bets have the same rules as pass line and don’t pass line, respectively. The exception, though, is that you must wait for a point number to be established before making either of these wagers. Here’s an example of making a come bet.

• The shooter rolls a 4, thus establishing a point.
• You make a come wager.
• The shooter’s next roll now becomes the come out roll for your come bet.
• The shooter tosses a 6, thus establishing a point.
• You take odds on the 6, meaning that your potential payout and true odds are both 6:5.

Essentially, come and don’t come are like your own personal pass line and don’t pass line wagers. You can make these bets after the shooter’s initial point has been established and back them with odds. Many players stick to the backing pass line and don’t pass line with free odds because it’s easy to do so at the start of a new shooter’s round. But the methodology for backing come and don’t come bets with odds is almost the same. You just need to deal with more chaos since you’re doing so in the middle of a shooter’s turn. When you do back come and don’t come bets with odds, place your chips above the respective space. Also, notify the dealer so they don’t mistake your free odds for another come or don’t come wager. Odds bets are expressed as a multiple of the original wager that they’re placed behind. Taking 2x odds on a $5 pass line bet would make your overall wager worth $15 (5 + 10). The advantage of larger free odds is that you lower the house edge on your combined bet. Odds don’t carry a house advantage, but the initial bets do. Therefore, it pays to make bigger odds bets and take full advantage of the lower house edge. The following table shows how much the house edge decreases when you take or lay higher odds. The amount of odds that you can bet is limited by what a casino is willing to offer. You can’t make an odds wager worth 100x if the casino’s max is 3x free odds. This is why it pays to look for casinos that offer the most generous odds. You also want a low minimum bet so that you’re not risking much against the house edge. If one casino features a $10 minimum bet and another offers a $5 minimum wager, you should choose the latter. The second casino ensures that less of your overall bet faces a house advantage. Yes, free odds are available in many online craps games. You simply need to know which game providers offer free odds and play at internet casinos that feature their software. Betsoft and Playtech are the top two providers in terms of craps odds because they both allow up to 3x odds. These odds pale compared to what’s offered in the top Las Vegas craps games. But note that you can make smaller minimum bets online. Most game developers offer $1 minimum wagers on pass line, don’t pass line, come, and don’t come. Therefore, you can place one of these bets along with 3x odds for just $4. Serious craps players would rather have the higher odds featured at land-based casinos. But low rollers appreciate being able to play so cheaply with free odds involved. Check out our list of best rated online casinos if you’d like to find somewhere suitable to play. You wouldn’t think that there’d be any drawbacks to a bet with no house edge. But there are a few concerns worth noting. The first dilemma is that you actually need the bankroll to back your wagers with odds. Every craps player would love the benefits that come with odds ranging from 10x to 100x. The problem, though, is that it costs much more to place these bets. Here’s an example. The upside of this scenario is that you’ve got $105 on a bet with a 0.099% house edge. The downside is that the odds are still slightly against you. Some players might embrace the ability to make such a large bet on a near coin-flip situation. But remember that you’re taking a considerable risk, even with a wager that barely has a house edge. Another downside is that casinos don’t offer comps on free odds. Casinos use rewards to compensate players for part of their theoretical losses. Comp rates are typically only 0.1% on total wagers. This means you’d only get $1 in comps for every $1,000 wagered. Nevertheless, you’re still receiving something back on your play. But free odds aren’t eligible for comps because they don’t make any money for casinos. Despite the drawbacks covered above, odds wagers are still worth making. This is the only bet in the casino that doesn’t have a house edge. Nevertheless, some craps players don’t place odds bets for one or more reasons. The most obvious reason is that these gamblers don’t know that free odds exist. I’ve covered free odds in depth through this post. But not everybody will read this post or other resources covering free odds. Another reason why players don’t take advantage of these bets is because odds cost money. Some gamblers would rather place 12 pass line bets rather than two pass line wagers that are backed with 5x odds. The cost is the same; the only difference is that you’re guaranteed more overall action and entertainment when making 12 pass line wagers. Finally, some players don’t realize that the odds are void of a house edge. If they knew about this aspect, they might be more apt to make odds bets. If you’re going to play craps, then you might as well make odds bets, too. Free odds are the only chance you have of placing wagers without a house edge. The process for making odds bets is tougher than a normal wager. You must wait for a point to be established and then notify the croupier when you bet odds. But it’s well worth the effort, considering you can dramatically lower the house edge with free odds. This brings up another point: you must consider the odds you’re comfortable with. Some players would rather place a lot of pass line or don’t pass line bets than put more risk into a single wager. If you’re worried about blowing through your bankroll too quickly, then at least consider smaller odds. Backing bets with 2x or 3x odds lowers the house edge significantly while still allowing you to stretch your bankroll. Low rollers will feel right at home with online craps, which offer $1 minimum bets combined with 1x-3x odds. High rollers should consider heading to Vegas, where odds range from 10x-100x. Whatever the case may be, every craps player should keep odds in mind so that they can boost their chances of winning. By playing at online casinos, you can get a lot of good practice before your next trip to the casino. You also don’t have to follow these five craps etiquette rules when you’re playing online. Now that you know more about craps odds and bets, it’s time to make sure you know the game’s terminology. Here’s our guide to craps terms you won’t want to miss. Footnotes:

• Las Vegas casino information is pulled from Trip Advisor.