The Craps Odds Bet Explained: True-Odds Payouts Behind the Line

The odds bet in craps is an extra wager you can add behind a pass line, don't pass, come or don't come bet once a point has been set. It pays at the true mathematical odds of that point being made or missed, so it carries no house edge of its own. It is the only bet on a standard craps layout with that property, which is why players call it "free odds", even though the money added is very much at risk.

Where the odds bet fits in a round

A pass line bet begins on the come-out roll. A 7 or 11 wins straight away, a 2, 3 or 12 loses, and any of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 becomes the point. The shooter then keeps rolling until either the point repeats, which wins for the pass line, or a 7 appears, which loses. Odds can only be added during this second phase. The chips sit on the felt just behind the line bet, hence the name "betting behind the line". Each area of the felt is described in the map of the craps table and its terms.

Taking odds on the pass line

Backing a pass line bet with odds is called taking odds. The payout depends on how hard the point is to repeat before a 7:

Each payout mirrors the ratio of losing ways to winning ways, so over the long run the odds portion neither gains nor loses on average. The ways are taken straight from the two-dice probability chart.

Laying odds on the don't side

Players on don't pass or don't come can lay odds, backing the 7 to arrive before the point. Because the 7 is the likelier result, the payout is smaller than the stake:

• Point 4 or 10: lay 2 to win 1
• Point 5 or 9: lay 3 to win 2
• Point 6 or 8: lay 6 to win 5

Laying odds is just as edge-free as taking them. It simply feels different: you risk more to win less, in exchange for winning more often.

How much odds a table allows

The casino caps odds as a multiple of the line bet. Common formats include:

• Single or double odds: up to 1× or 2× the line bet on any point.
• 3-4-5x odds: up to 3× on 4 and 10, 4× on 5 and 9, 5× on 6 and 8. Each cap is set so that a winning odds bet returns exactly six times the line bet, which keeps the dealers' sums simple.
• Higher multiples, such as 10×, at some tables.

Some tables also prefer odds in amounts that pay out cleanly, for example multiples of 5 on the 6 and 8 so the 6-to-5 payout comes to whole chips. Dealers will usually suggest the right figure.

What odds do to the overall edge

The pass line on its own carries an edge of about 1.41 percent, and don't pass about 1.36 percent. Adding odds does not remove that margin. It adds money that carries none, so the margin measured per unit wagered across the whole bet shrinks.

In money terms, the expected loss is still set by the line bet alone. The odds bet only increases the amount in play, which means wider swings in both directions. The house edge explainer covers why a long-run percentage and the result of one evening can look so different.

Common mistakes with odds

• Thinking odds make craps profitable. They lower the margin on the total wagered, but the line bet underneath still loses on average.
• Forgetting come-bet odds are usually off on the come-out. By custom, odds on come bets do not work on the next come-out roll unless you ask for them to be on.
• Treating the line bet like the odds. Pass line odds can be reduced or taken down at any time; the pass line bet itself stays in place until it is decided.
• Stretching the budget. Maximum odds on every point can multiply the money on the table several times over. Choose a level the session budget can carry.

Quick answers

Is the odds bet marked on the table?

No. There is no printed box for it. The chips sit behind the line bet or, for come bets, are stacked by the dealer on top of the come bet with a slight offset.

Can you take odds without a line bet?

No. The odds bet exists only as an add-on to a pass, don't pass, come or don't come bet.

Can you add odds on the come-out roll?

Not to the pass line, since no point exists yet. The option opens as soon as a point is marked.

Craps is a game for adults, and the clearest way to keep it in proportion is to fix the night's spending before the first roll and treat it as the price of an evening out. Betting rules vary by country and state, so check the ones that apply to you.