Craps is one of the most exciting games in a casino. It can add energy to the entire casino floor. That is because craps is one of the best games to play in terms of the house edge, which allows for more winners.
However, there are many terrible bets on the craps felt and at live and online casinos. All these bets can also be found at crapless craps tables. Here are a few that should be avoided to increase your chances of winning.
Big red
Big red is the any seven bet by the stickman. It is a one roll bet with a house edge of 16.67%. Big red ties for the worst bet on the craps table. It is also a bet that may make players instantly dislike you if it is in the middle of a roll.
A way to make this bet with a smaller house edge is to hop all the 7’s. This means you are betting 6-1, 5-2 and 4-3. This lowers the house edge to 11.11%.
Hop bets
A hop bet is when the player tries to predict the exact roll of both dice. Examples of hop bets are the 2, 3, 11 and 12 in the center of the table. Most casinos will let you hop any number as long as the wager is made clearly while the dice are still in the middle of the table.
Hop bets that only have one outcome pay 30/1 and have a house edge of 13.89%. These are sometimes called hardways. Hop bets that have two outcomes pay 15/1, and have a house edge of 11.11%.
Horn bet
The horn bet covers the 2, 3, 11 and 12. When betting equal amounts on each, the house edge is 12.5%. When one of the numbers is high, meaning it has an extra chip on it, the house edge can go up or down slightly. If the high chip is on the 2 or 12, the house advantage is 12.78%. If a chip is high on the 3 or 11, the house edge is 12.22%.
World or whirl bet
The world bet, sometimes called a whirl, places equal amounts on the 2, 3, 7, 11 and 12. The bet is decided on one roll. On a $5 bet, $1 is placed on all five of these bets. The house edge on this wager is 13.33%.
Any craps
The any craps bet includes the 2, 3 and 12. It pays 7/1. The house edge is 11.11%. Any craps bets are decided on one roll.
Hardway bets
A hardway bet is one where the player wins if the number is rolled the hard way, as in doubles, before it is rolled another way, or the 7 comes. There are four hardway bets. These are available on the 4, 6, 8 and 10. The hard 6 and 8 have a house edge of 9.09%. The house advantage on the hard 4 and 10 is 11.11%.
Big 6 and big 8
Some craps tables have a big 6 and big 8 in the corner of the hook. These are the same type of bet as placing the 6 or 8, meaning it wins if the number is called before a 7 is rolled. However, there is a major difference that makes betting the big 6 and big 8 much worse than placing it. That is the even money payout. Placing these numbers pays 7 for every 6 wagered.
If the shooter makes the number, and you bet it on the big 6 or big 8, as opposed to placing the 6 or 8, the house edge is 9.09%. If you placed these numbers instead, the house edge is only 1.52%. That makes the house advantage on big 6 and big 8 about six times worse than placing it.
As low limit craps games vanish, so does the big 6 and big 8. That is because the bets were typically added to the table to allow players to make bets on 6 and 8 for $5 or less. However, it is always better to get another dollar out for a better payout.
Additional source: I used this page at Wizard of Odds to verify some of my math.
