A hard way bet in craps is when a player bets that the number 4, 6, 8 or 10 will appear on the dice, but only if the same two numbers are rolled on each. So for 4, it would be two 2s, for 6, two 3s, for 8 two 4s and ten two 5s.

If a player bets on Hard 6 for example and the roller rolls a 5 and a 1, or a 4 and a 2, or hits a total of seven on the dice, then the player loses the bet. He can only win this bet if both dice show 3.

The odds that the dealer pays out at for Hard 4 or Hard 10 are 7/1, with the payout odds for hitting Hard 6 or Hard 8 9/1.

The reason for the difference in odds is that there are more ways to lose a Hard 6 or Hard 8 bet than there are a Hard 4 or a Hard 10 bet.

When you watch a game of craps it is tempting to think that these odds offer good value for money as you’ll often notice that the dice will come up with a pair of the same number seemingly frequently. Also the fact that hard way bets stand, until the player rolls that number, or a seven, seems to make them good value.

However, the fact these bets offer longer odds than most craps bets should tell you something, chiefly that they don’t offer long term good betting odds for the player and that the house edge for these bets is generally the highest of all craps bets.

What this means is that the house has more chance of winning, than you do compared to almost all other craps bets.

A hard way bet is fine to use once in a while, but should not form a regular part of a profitable craps strategy.

The key to winning at craps is to know the odds of different bets, and put your money on the bets with the best winning odds.  Here are the best and worst bets in craps.

Best bets in craps

• Place the 6 or 8.  These two Place bets have decent odds, and a lower house edge than most other bets.  If you Place a 6 or 8 to win, the house has a 1.52% edge.  If you Place a 6 or 8 to lose, the house has 1.82%, which is still reasonable.
• Lay against 4 or 10. The house has a slightly bigger edge on this one, at 2.44%  It is still one of the best bets on the table.
• Place a 5 or 9 to lose. Another decent bet, the house edge comes in at 2.5% for this one.
• Field bets with 3 to 1. Usually field bets have a 2 to 1 payout, and that’s not a good bet.  However, some casinos offer 3 to 1 payouts. In this case, the house edge is 2.78%, and this is not a bad bet to make.

Worst craps bets

• Big 6 and Big 8. These are even money bets, but your odds are less than even, giving the house a 9.09% edge. You are better off making a Place bet on the 6 or 8 instead.
• Field bets with 2 to 1. If the casino only offers 2 to 1 payouts on field bets, that means the casino has a 5.6% edge.  That makes this one of the worst bets you can make.
• Come and Don’t Come bets. There are a few reasons to stay away from these. You have to get the same number thrown twice in order to win. You lose when a 7 appears on the first roll, and the bet only pays even money.
• Hard ways and Proposition bets. The odds for these are not good, and the casino has a big edge on them.  These bets are typically made by people who are new to craps.

The Field Bet is one of the most popular wagers at a craps table. It’s easy to do, simple to understand, and it can give you a quick win. Here is what you need to know.

Making a field bet

You just put your chips in the part of the table labeled Field. The person with the dice makes their throw. If you win, the dealer will put your winning chips next to your original chips. You can either let it ride for another roll, or pick up your winnings.

How you win the bet

When you look at the Field area of the table, you will see a set of numbers written there:  1, 2, 4, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Those are your seven winning numbers.  When the shooter next throws, if the total of the dice is one of those numbers, then you win.

How you lose the bet

If the shooter’s next throw is one of the numbers which is not listed in the Field part of the table (5, 6, 7 or 8), then you lose the bet.

The payouts for the bet

For most throws, if you win a field bet, you get even money. If you made a $10 bet, then you win $10.  The exceptions are if the shooter throws a 2 or a 12. In this case, you usually win double your bet, so you’d win $20. In some casinos, they triple your bet for a 2 or a 12.

How the odds work

At first glance, it seems like you would have great odds on this bet. There are 7 different numbers that will give you a win, while there are only 4 different numbers that will make you lose. However, if you look at the different dice combinations that add up to those numbers, the situation is different. There are really 16 combinations of dice that will give you a win, and 20 combinations that will mean a loss.