www.USAPlayers.comCraps Casino Games Craps Buy Bets
Craps Buy Bets are somewhat controversial in that some people completely shun them while other wouldn’t think of any other type of bet. A Buy Bet is easy to make and it does come with the advantage that you get paid according to true odds. On the backside, you have to pay the casino a commission and if you are not in a winning streak you might lose more than if you where just to place a regular bet. By learning more about this online gambling bet you can use it when it is the best choice and simply shun it when it is just another way for the USA online casinos to make a profit on your shoulders.
The buy bet is similar to the place bet in that the number you buy must come up before a 7 does. The odds are higher for a buy bet. 2:1 on a 4 or 10 buy, 3:2 for a 5 or 9, or 6:5 for a 6 or 8. The catch is, you have to pay a 5% commission on any bets you buy (often called a 'vig'). These bets are similar to the Place Bets with different pay offs. A Buy Bet can be placed at any time on any of the points. This bet wins if the point is rolled before a 7. Pay offs are the same as the odds but casinos take a 5% vig on the bet. Wins pay 2 to 1 (4 or 10), 3 to 2 (5 or 9) and 6 to 5 (6 or 8). The opposite to.
How it works
With the craps Buy Bet you bet that one number will come up before 7. To make this type of craps bet you will have to pay the casino a commission which usually stays around 4% to 5%. When you play in a land-based casino you make up with the dealer before you make the bet how much and when you will be charged the commission. You’d be surprised how flexible this can be so make sure to ask before you go with any pre-printed information handed to you, as it might not be able to be trusted.
The Numbers You Can Buy
You can’t make a craps Buy Bet on all numbers. There are six different numbers to bet on and they can be paired up in three groups according to their odds. The first set is 4 and 10 which come with regular place odds of 9:5. The second pair is 5 and 9 which normally have the odds 7:5 and the last set is 6 and 8 with the odds 7:6. When you make a craps Buy Bet on these numbers you get true odds which gives you 2:1 for 4 and 10, 3:2 for 5 and 9 and 6:5 for 6 and 8.
The Commission For Craps Buy Bets
The commission for a craps Buy Bet is often called a Vigorish in land-based casinos. The Vigorish is usually 5% but it can still have a different impact depending on how you bet. Say that you bet $20 on one of the six numbers mentioned above. You will have to pay the casino $1 for each Buy Bet that you make and this could add up to a lot. If you are placing many bets, let us give you some tips, you want to play in a casino that takes the commission only if you win and not on each bet you make. Online this is almost always the case and you don’t need to think about it so much. Plan a strategy and go with it.
When to make a Buy Bet
Only experience can tell you if craps Buy Bets are for you but there is one case when all experts will tell you that the Buy Bet is recommended and that is for the bet on numbers 4 and 10. The true odds 2:1 will give you a great advantage so it would be a shame to make this a regular Place Bet.
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Introduction
One argument that comes up a lot is how to quantify the house edge in craps. Normally the house edge is defined as the ratio of expected loss to the initial bet. However, how do you treat bets, like the place bet for example, when many rolls may be required to resolve the bet and the player can take it down anytime? Is it a push or should we assume the bet will stay on the table until resolved?
Personally, I prefer to define the house edge in craps on a 'per bet resolved' basis. However, for those who disagree, I present this page, which defines the house edge all three ways.
Multi-Roll Bets
The following table shows the house edge of all the bets in craps which may take multiple rolls to resolve. The house edge is shown three ways: per bet made, per bet resolved, and per roll.
Craps House Edge
Bet | Pays | Expected Rolls | House Edge Per Bet Made | House Edge Per Bet Resolved | House Edge Per Roll |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pass | 1 to 1 | 3.38 | 1.41% | 1.41% | 0.42% |
Don't Pass | 1 to 1 | 3.47 | 1.36% | 1.40% | 0.40% |
Taking Odds 6 and 8 | 6 to 5 | 3.27 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Taking Odds 5 and 9 | 3 to 2 | 3.60 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Taking Odds 4 and 10 | 2 to 1 | 4.00 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Laying Odds 6 and 8 | 5 to 6 | 3.27 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Laying Odds 5 and 9 | 2 to 3 | 3.60 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Laying Odds 4 and 10 | 1 to 2 | 4.00 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Place 6 and 8 | 7 to 6 | 3.27 | 0.46% | 1.52% | 0.46% |
Place 5 and 9 | 7 to 5 | 3.60 | 1.11% | 4.00% | 1.11% |
Place 4 and 10 | 9 to 5 | 4.00 | 1.67% | 6.67% | 1.67% |
Big 6 and 8 | 1 to 1 | 3.27 | 2.78% | 9.09% | 2.78% |
Don't Place 6 and 8 | 4 to 5 | 3.27 | 0.56% | 1.82% | 0.56% |
Don't Place 5 and 9 | 5 to 8 | 3.60 | 0.69% | 2.50% | 0.69% |
Don't Place 4 and 10 | 5 to 11 | 4.00 | 0.76% | 3.03% | 0.76% |
Buy 6 and 8 * | 23 to 21 | 3.27 | 1.46% | 4.76% | 1.46% |
Buy 5 and 9 * | 29 to 21 | 3.60 | 1.32% | 4.76% | 1.32% |
Buy 4 and 10 * | 39 to 21 | 4.00 | 1.19% | 4.76% | 1.19% |
Buy 6 and 8 ** | 23 to 20 | 3.27 | 0.69% | 2.27% | 0.69% |
Buy 5 and 9 ** | 29 to 20 | 3.60 | 0.56% | 2.00% | 0.56% |
Buy 4 and 10 ** | 39 to 20 | 4.00 | 0.42% | 1.67% | 0.42% |
Lay 6 and 8 * | 19 to 25 | 3.27 | 1.22% | 4.00% | 1.22% |
Lay 5 and 9 * | 19 to 31 | 3.60 | 0.90% | 3.23% | 0.90% |
Lay 4 and 10 * | 19 to 41 | 4.00 | 0.61% | 2.44% | 0.61% |
Lay 6 and 8 ** | 19 to 24 | 3.27 | 0.69% | 2.27% | 0.69% |
Lay 5 and 9 ** | 19 to 30 | 3.60 | 0.56% | 2.00% | 0.56% |
Lay 4 and 10 ** | 19 to 40 | 4.00 | 0.42% | 1.67% | 0.42% |
Hard 6 and 8 (US) | 9 to 1 | 3.27 | 2.78% | 9.09% | 2.78% |
Hard 6 and 8 (AU) | 19 to 2 | 3.60 | 1.39% | 4.55% | 1.26% |
Hard 4 and 10 (US) | 7 to 1 | 4.00 | 2.78% | 11.11% | 2.78% |
Hard 4 and 10 (AU) | 15 to 2 | 4.00 | 1.39% | 5.56% | 1.39% |
Footnotes:
* Commission always paid
** Commission on win only
AU Australia rules
US United States rules
Let me add two more things, based on frequent reader comments:
- Some of these bets may not exist anywhere on earth. For example, I've never seen a casino with buy bets on a 5, 6, 8, and 9 where the commission was payable on a win only. Nevertheless, I don't know the rules of every craps table on earth. I also know that if I omit such bets, somebody will write in and take me to task for the omission.
- The table above assumes wins are calculated exactly. In other words, no rounding up or down. Let me make it perfectly clear that you can lower the house edge if the dealers will round a win up or a commission down. A common one is a 5% commission on a $25 bet is $1.25. If the casino rounds that down to $1, then that cuts the commission to 4%. Finding other situations is an exercise left up to the reader.
Single-Roll Bets
The following table shows the house edge of all the bets in craps which are always resolved in a single roll, except the field. Thus, there can be only one way to define the house edge.
Craps Rules Buy Betting
Craps House Edge
Bet | Pays | Probability Win | House Edge |
---|---|---|---|
2, 12, and all 'hard' hop bets | 33 | 2.78% | 5.56% |
2, 12, and all 'hard' hop bets | 32 | 2.78% | 8.33% |
2, 12, and all 'hard' hop bets | 31 | 2.78% | 11.11% |
2, 12, and all 'hard' hop bets | 30 | 2.78% | 13.89% |
2, 12, and all 'hard' hop bets | 29 | 2.78% | 16.67% |
3, 11, and all 'easy' hop bets | 16 | 5.56% | 5.56% |
3, 11, and all 'easy' hop bets | 15 | 5.56% | 11.11% |
3, 11, and all 'easy' hop bets | 14 | 5.56% | 16.67% |
Any craps (2, 3, or 12) | 7 | 11.11% | 11.11% |
Any craps (2, 3, or 12) | 7.5 | 11.11% | 5.56% |
Any seven (US) | 4 | 16.67% | 16.67% |
Any seven (AU) | 4.5 | 16.67% | 8.33% |
Craps Rules Buy Bets
Field
- If the field bet pays 2 to 1 on both the 2 and 12, then the house edge is 5.56%.
- If the field bet pays 2 to 1 on the 2 and 3 to 1 on the 12, then the house edge is 2.78%.
- If the field bet pays 3 to 1 on the 2 and 2 to 1 on the 12, then the house edge is 2.78%.
- If the field bet pays 3 to 1 on both the 2 and 12, then the house edge is 0.00%.
Internal Links
- How the house edge for each bet is derived, in brief.
- The house edge of all the major bets on both a per-bet made and per-roll basis
- Dice Control Experiments. The results of two experiments on skillful dice throwing.
- Dice Control Advantage. The player advantage, assuming he can influence the dice.
- Craps variants. Alternative rules and bets such as the Fire Bet, Crapless Craps, and Card Craps.
- California craps. How craps is played in California using playing cards.
- Play Craps. Craps game using cards at the Viejas casino in San Diego.
- Number of Rolls Table. Probability of a shooter lasting 1 to 200 rolls before a seven-out.
- Ask the Wizard. See craps questions I've answered about:
- Simple Craps game. My simple Java craps game.
Written by: Michael Shackleford