All Craps Side Bets Explained

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It wins if the shooter throws any specific pair, including a total of 2 and 12, twice before a seven. It pays if the shooter makes the same point at least 3 times before sevening out. The following table shows what each number of points made pays and the probability. The bet is made when a new shooter takes the dice, and pays according to how many times he makes a point. The “Sharp Shooter” is a side bet in craps spotted at the Hooters casino in Las Vegas in March, 2009.
Side bets are popular because they offer high payouts and add an extra layer of excitement to craps tables. Most of them offer several RNG and live dealer craps tables, so I suggest you check the game rules and betting range. After a few losing pass line bets, it’s tempting to throw $5 on the horn or hardways hoping for a quick recovery. Many players enjoy placing side bets in craps because they introduce extra excitement and a chance for bigger payouts beyond the core gameplay. Craps is a really fun game that’s different from most other casino games, and australian pokies payid it comes with a high RTP of over 99% (if you’re using Odds bets). Craps can feel intimidating at first, but once you understand all the bets on the table, it’s actually one of the simpler games in the casino.
Skeptics point out that no controlled study has proven it works in casino conditions. See our best craps bets for the complete ranking. It must be placed behind a pass line, don’t pass, come, or don’t come bet. Strategy can’t change the house edge on any individual bet, but it can dramatically reduce how much of your money is exposed to high-edge bets. Start with a pass line bet at table minimum and take maximum free odds after the point is set. That’s the entire craps strategy playbook in one paragraph. Here’s the honest truth about craps strategy in 2026.
Progressive betting systems (Martingale, d’Alembert, Fibonacci) are popular in craps forums and terrible in practice. Controlled shooting must work within these rules, not around them. If you consistently short-throw (dice don’t reach the wall), the boxman will warn you and potentially take the dice away.
Bonus Craps (also called Small, Tall, All) is actually three different bets. The catch is that hitting even four unique points is uncommon. Pick based on whether you want quick action or that slow-building tension. Five side bets give you decent payouts without completely destroying your bankroll.
The casino’s Craps games also teach you about each title’s rules, payout, and odds, so you can learn while you play. Chips at Bovada’s RNG craps tables range from $1–$500, which should please beginners and experienced players alike. Yo bets are among the riskiest single-roll bets in craps, since 11 is the second-most infrequently rolled number. Hardways involve betting whether the shooter will roll two 2s, two 3s, two 4s, or two 5s before a 7 hits. That makes them much harder to hit than low-risk bets like pass lines that give the player multiple rolls to win.
The prop bets in craps have the lowest RTP and the highest house edge, so I suggest you avoid them and stick to the main bets and Odds bets. Proposition bets are a broader category that includes many different side bets, so I’ll explain the most popular ones. Hard bets are wagers that a “double” will be rolled before either a 7 or the same total rolled in an ‘easy’ way.
Full details in our hardways guide. They’re popular with casual players but expensive per dollar wagered. A $6 place bet on the 6 pays $7 when it hits. The free odds bet is the single most important wager on the craps table and the only bet in any craps casino with a 0% house edge. The craps table offers more than 30 different bets.