- The big 6 and big 8 bets in craps are situated at both ends of the craps table. The big 6 bet is a wager predicting that a 6 will be rolled out before a 7. While the big 8 bet predicts that an 8 will be rolled before a 7. It is important to note that if any other number is rolled, it will not affect the overall result of the dice roll.
- A bet on Big 6 or Big 8 is a bet that the shooter will roll a 6 or 8 before rolling a 7. There are 5 ways to make a 6 (or an 8), and there are 6 ways to make a 7. So the odds are 6 to 5. But since the Big 6 (or Big 8) bet pays off at even money, the house has a huge edge—9.09%.
ANSWER: Place bets on 6 and 8 and the Big 6 and 8 bets work in much the same way. If the shooter rolls your number, you win, and if he rolls a 7 you lose. No other numbers matter in deciding the bets. The difference is that winners on the place bets pay at 7-6 odds, provided you bet in multiples of $6.
If you have some experience playing craps, you must have noticed the Big Six and Big Eight, that are to be found at both ends of the table.
Experienced players have learned to be cautious when it comes to these bets because if you do not use them properly, you expose your bankroll to significant risk. Yet, the bet seems attractive at a first glance because apart from 7, the other two numbers that are frequently rolled are 6 and 8.
CasinoCruise
Sign Up100% up to
$/€100
Royal Panda
Sign Up100% up to
$/€200
+ 10 Spins
Vegas Hero Casino
Sign Up100% up to
€200
+ 50 Spins
BitStarz Casino
Sign Up100% up to
€100
+ 180 Spins
Basically, the player bets that either 6 or 8 will be rolled before 7 is rolled. Similarly to the pass line bet, the player is required to place the desired amount of chips into the designated area on the table and keep their fingers crossed that their numbers will be rolled.
The big 6 is a wager that 6 will be rolled before 7.
The dice are rolled as many times as necessary until the player wins or loses. If 7 comes out before 6, you lose. The big 8 wagers are processed in the same manner. Players bet that 8 will be rolled before 7. In case any other number is rolled, the dice are rolled again. If 8 is actually rolled before 7, you win, but if the opposite scenario occurs, you lose your wager.
However, it is important to know that there is a significant difference in payouts between the place bet and the Big Six and Eight. The payout for a place bet on the 6 and 8 is 7:6, while the payout for the big 6 and 8 is 1:1.
In other words, a payout 1:1 means that you lose 6 bets for every 5 bets you win. The same applies to the place bets but the 7:6 payout makes it possible to keep more of your chips as you lose one of them for every 66 chips you wagered. If you wager on the Big Six and Eight, you lose one chip per every 11 wagered.
If you place bets on 6 and 8, the house edge reaches a modest 1.5%, but it jumps to a solid 9% when you bet on the Big Six and Eight. Despite being located in different areas on the layout, the two bets are practically the same. Wolf quest login.
Players who do not have enough experience in playing craps seem to be lured by the big 6 and 8 bets because of the relatively high probability of rolling these numbers. However, it seems impractical to opt for the Big Six and Eight bet and give the house a 9% advantage instead of making the same bet as a place bet and enhance your chances of turning a profit.
The dealer controls the place bet and places it in the designated area, which basically eliminates any arguments related to the players who get paid. In most cases, players are not well-informed about the difference between these bets.
Many players wonder about whether these bets are effective on the come out roll.
Well, there is not a definite answer to that question. The Big Six and Eight are always working, but that statement is not always applicable to the place 6 and 8. It depends on the casino you have chosen, as some do not offer such a bet. For example, Atlantic City-based casinos do not offer the Big Six and Eight bet and offer only place bets.
Introduction
One argument that comes up a lot is how to quantify the house edge in craps. Normally the house edge is defined as the ratio of expected loss to the initial bet. However, how do you treat bets, like the place bet for example, when many rolls may be required to resolve the bet and the player can take it down anytime? Is it a push or should we assume the bet will stay on the table until resolved? Online social games no download.
Personally, I prefer to define the house edge in craps on a 'per bet resolved' basis. However, for those who disagree, I present this page, which defines the house edge all three ways.
Multi-Roll Bets
The following table shows the house edge of all the bets in craps which may take multiple rolls to resolve. The house edge is shown three ways: per bet made, per bet resolved, and per roll.
Craps House Edge
| Bet | Pays | Expected Rolls | House Edge Per Bet Made | House Edge Per Bet Resolved | House Edge Per Roll |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pass | 1 to 1 | 3.38 | 1.41% | 1.41% | 0.42% |
| Don't Pass | 1 to 1 | 3.47 | 1.36% | 1.40% | 0.40% |
| Taking Odds 6 and 8 | 6 to 5 | 3.27 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Taking Odds 5 and 9 | 3 to 2 | 3.60 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Taking Odds 4 and 10 | 2 to 1 | 4.00 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Laying Odds 6 and 8 | 5 to 6 | 3.27 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Laying Odds 5 and 9 | 2 to 3 | 3.60 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Laying Odds 4 and 10 | 1 to 2 | 4.00 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Place 6 and 8 | 7 to 6 | 3.27 | 0.46% | 1.52% | 0.46% |
| Place 5 and 9 | 7 to 5 | 3.60 | 1.11% | 4.00% | 1.11% |
| Place 4 and 10 | 9 to 5 | 4.00 | 1.67% | 6.67% | 1.67% |
| Big 6 and 8 | 1 to 1 | 3.27 | 2.78% | 9.09% | 2.78% |
| Don't Place 6 and 8 | 4 to 5 | 3.27 | 0.56% | 1.82% | 0.56% |
| Don't Place 5 and 9 | 5 to 8 | 3.60 | 0.69% | 2.50% | 0.69% |
| Don't Place 4 and 10 | 5 to 11 | 4.00 | 0.76% | 3.03% | 0.76% |
| Buy 6 and 8 * | 23 to 21 | 3.27 | 1.46% | 4.76% | 1.46% |
| Buy 5 and 9 * | 29 to 21 | 3.60 | 1.32% | 4.76% | 1.32% |
| Buy 4 and 10 * | 39 to 21 | 4.00 | 1.19% | 4.76% | 1.19% |
| Buy 6 and 8 ** | 23 to 20 | 3.27 | 0.69% | 2.27% | 0.69% |
| Buy 5 and 9 ** | 29 to 20 | 3.60 | 0.56% | 2.00% | 0.56% |
| Buy 4 and 10 ** | 39 to 20 | 4.00 | 0.42% | 1.67% | 0.42% |
| Lay 6 and 8 * | 19 to 25 | 3.27 | 1.22% | 4.00% | 1.22% |
| Lay 5 and 9 * | 19 to 31 | 3.60 | 0.90% | 3.23% | 0.90% |
| Lay 4 and 10 * | 19 to 41 | 4.00 | 0.61% | 2.44% | 0.61% |
| Lay 6 and 8 ** | 19 to 24 | 3.27 | 0.69% | 2.27% | 0.69% |
| Lay 5 and 9 ** | 19 to 30 | 3.60 | 0.56% | 2.00% | 0.56% |
| Lay 4 and 10 ** | 19 to 40 | 4.00 | 0.42% | 1.67% | 0.42% |
| Hard 6 and 8 (US) | 9 to 1 | 3.27 | 2.78% | 9.09% | 2.78% |
| Hard 6 and 8 (AU) | 19 to 2 | 3.60 | 1.39% | 4.55% | 1.26% |
| Hard 4 and 10 (US) | 7 to 1 | 4.00 | 2.78% | 11.11% | 2.78% |
| Hard 4 and 10 (AU) | 15 to 2 | 4.00 | 1.39% | 5.56% | 1.39% |
Footnotes:
* Commission always paid
** Commission on win only
AU Australia rules
US United States rules
Let me add two more things, based on frequent reader comments:
- Some of these bets may not exist anywhere on earth. For example, I've never seen a casino with buy bets on a 5, 6, 8, and 9 where the commission was payable on a win only. Nevertheless, I don't know the rules of every craps table on earth. I also know that if I omit such bets, somebody will write in and take me to task for the omission.
- The table above assumes wins are calculated exactly. In other words, no rounding up or down. Let me make it perfectly clear that you can lower the house edge if the dealers will round a win up or a commission down. A common one is a 5% commission on a $25 bet is $1.25. If the casino rounds that down to $1, then that cuts the commission to 4%. Finding other situations is an exercise left up to the reader.
Single-Roll Bets
The following table shows the house edge of all the bets in craps which are always resolved in a single roll, except the field. Thus, there can be only one way to define the house edge.
Craps House Edge
| Bet | Pays | Probability Win | House Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2, 12, and all 'hard' hop bets | 33 | 2.78% | 5.56% |
| 2, 12, and all 'hard' hop bets | 32 | 2.78% | 8.33% |
| 2, 12, and all 'hard' hop bets | 31 | 2.78% | 11.11% |
| 2, 12, and all 'hard' hop bets | 30 | 2.78% | 13.89% |
| 2, 12, and all 'hard' hop bets | 29 | 2.78% | 16.67% |
| 3, 11, and all 'easy' hop bets | 16 | 5.56% | 5.56% |
| 3, 11, and all 'easy' hop bets | 15 | 5.56% | 11.11% |
| 3, 11, and all 'easy' hop bets | 14 | 5.56% | 16.67% |
| Any craps (2, 3, or 12) | 7 | 11.11% | 11.11% |
| Any craps (2, 3, or 12) | 7.5 | 11.11% | 5.56% |
| Any seven (US) | 4 | 16.67% | 16.67% |
| Any seven (AU) | 4.5 | 16.67% | 8.33% |
Field
- If the field bet pays 2 to 1 on both the 2 and 12, then the house edge is 5.56%.
- If the field bet pays 2 to 1 on the 2 and 3 to 1 on the 12, then the house edge is 2.78%.
- If the field bet pays 3 to 1 on the 2 and 2 to 1 on the 12, then the house edge is 2.78%.
- If the field bet pays 3 to 1 on both the 2 and 12, then the house edge is 0.00%.
Big 6 Or 8 Craps
Internal Links
- How the house edge for each bet is derived, in brief.
- The house edge of all the major bets on both a per-bet made and per-roll basis
- Dice Control Experiments. The results of two experiments on skillful dice throwing.
- Dice Control Advantage. The player advantage, assuming he can influence the dice.
- Craps variants. Alternative rules and bets such as the Fire Bet, Crapless Craps, and Card Craps.
- California craps. How craps is played in California using playing cards.
- Play Craps. Craps game using cards at the Viejas casino in San Diego.
- Number of Rolls Table. Probability of a shooter lasting 1 to 200 rolls before a seven-out.
- Ask the Wizard. See craps questions I've answered about:
- Simple Craps game. My simple Java craps game.
Big 6 8 Craps
6 And 8 Craps Strategy
Written by: Michael Shackleford