Course contents
Best Bets, Ranked
Ranked by house edge, free odds wins at 0%, pass/don't pass follow near 1.4%, and any-seven sits dead last at 16.67% — this lesson turns that math into a shortlist you can actually use.
You've seen the house edge numbers in understanding house edge and the payouts in the full odds table. This lesson compresses both into a practical ranking, so you can decide what to bet without doing math at the table.
Rank | Bet | House edge | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Free odds | 0% | Always add if available |
2 | Don't pass | ~1.36% | Excellent base bet |
3 | Pass line | ~1.41% | Excellent base bet |
4 | Place 6 or 8 | ~1.52% | Solid secondary bet |
5 | Field (best rules) | ~2.7% | Fine occasionally |
6 | Place 5 or 9 | ~4.0% | Use sparingly |
7 | Place 4 or 10 | ~6.67% | Weak, prefer odds instead |
8 | Hard 6 or 8 | ~9.09% | Long-shot, small stakes only |
9 | Hard 4 or 10 | ~11.1% | Long-shot, small stakes only |
10 | Any seven | ~16.67% | Worst bet on the table |
Your core strategy in one sentence: bet pass line (or don't pass), back it with maximum free odds, and skip the proposition bets in the center of the table.
Place bets on 6 and 8 are the best secondary option because those numbers hit often — 5 ways each out of 36 — and the payout structure keeps the edge low. Place bets on 4 and 10 look tempting because they pay 9:5, but they only have 3 ways to hit, so the edge balloons.
If you remember one ranking from this course, remember that free odds is the only bet with zero edge — everything else costs you something per bet.
The field bet deserves a specific caution: its house edge swings widely by casino because payout rules for 2 and 12 differ (some pay double, some pay triple on one or both). Always check the posted payout before betting the field, since a "generous" field can still run over 5% edge with unfavorable rules.
Proposition bets and hardways occupy the bottom of this list for a reason: their payouts look big (7:1, 9:1, even higher), which is exactly what makes them profitable for the casino relative to how rarely they hit. They're not irrational to bet occasionally for entertainment, but they shouldn't form the core of how you play. If you're curious whether stacking several bets at once — like the 3-Point Molly — changes any of this math, it doesn't.
This ranking isn't a guarantee of winning — house edge always favors the casino over time regardless of bet choice. It's a guide to losing less on average while you play, and to spending your bankroll where the math is least against you. The next two lessons cover strategy systems and why none of them beat this table, no matter how they're marketed.
Sources
- Wizard of Odds: Craps House Edge Appendix (retrieved July 2026)
- VegasInsider: Craps Odds, True Odds, Payouts & Best Bets (retrieved July 2026)
- Casino.com: Craps Odds, Payouts & House Edge (retrieved July 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What is the single best bet in craps?
The free odds bet, with a 0% house edge (VegasInsider). It's only available as a backup to a pass/don't pass or come/don't come bet, so you can't make it on its own.
What is the worst bet in craps?
Any seven, at 16.67% house edge. It's a tempting one-roll bet because 7 is the most common single number, but the payout doesn't come close to compensating for the true odds against it.
Why do Big 6 and Big 8 still exist if they're a bad bet?
Some casinos keep Big 6 and Big 8 on the layout because newer players don't always know that place 6 and place 8 cover the identical numbers at a much lower house edge (1.52% versus 9.09%). It's a legacy bet that survives mostly on unfamiliarity.
Does ranking by house edge tell me which bet will win most often?
No. House edge measures long-run cost per dollar wagered, not win frequency. A bet can have a low house edge and still lose more often than it wins, or vice versa; the two measures are related but not identical.
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