Craps Part 2 - Pass Line Odds Come

Michael: I think we're ready to start playing. There's lots of bets on the table and we're going to talk about them one at a time. First, let's talk about the pass bet, which is a bet that probably 90% of the players make. The reason Craps is such a popular game, is that the table is generally winning and losing at the same time. When the pass bet wins, chances are almost everyone at the table is winning, you're happy at the same time and that excitement feeds on itself and it makes the game that much more fun.

Get your bet ready then put it right here on the pass line. Now the first roll is called a come out roll. On a come out roll, a seven or 11 is going to win, two, three or 12 is going to lose, and anything else will establish what's called a point. We'll talk about a point when we get to it. Dan, please give Angela the dice and don't short stick her.

Dan: [laughs] I don't do that, I'm a gentleman. Here we go. Take two dice with one hand. Yo eleven, play the line.

Michael: The reason he said, "Yo." when he popped and 11 was rolled, is because seven and 11 rhyme. Lest there be any misunderstanding before he says, “11,” he says "Yo" as to clarify this is an 11.

Dan: On the come out roll, when the puck is off you win on a 11 or a seven, a yo or a seven. Your money's placed next to your Pass line bet and what you do is you pick up the chip and you put it in your rack.

Michael: Now we're ready for another come out roll.

Dan: Eight the hard way, mark the eight.

Michael: The point is now an eight and Dan is going to put this chip here on the eight. Now it's no longer a come out roll, what you want to do now is roll an eight and not roll a seven. You're going to keep throwing the dice no matter how long it takes until you either get a seven or an eight. Now at this point of the game, seven's become bad. On the come out roll they're good, but now they become bad. We're ready to roll again and try to get an eight.

Dan: Five, no field five.

Michael: Nothing happens on the five and Dan is going to give you the dice again.

Dan: Seven out, line away.

Michael: Seven out, you lost.

Dan: The dealer takes the Pass line bet and he brings it into the house now.

Michael: Make a new Pass line bet. I'm going to say another come out roll.

Dan: On the come out roll after a seven out, you are given five dice. If you had the previous eight and you were going to try for a new number, you would keep the same two dice because they're lucky because they've just won. Two dice, one hand.

Michael: We want a seven or 11 and a two, three or 12 will lose.

Dan: Nine center.

Michael: Okay, so Dan is going to mark the nine with that puck. So now you're going to try to roll a nine before a seven. Let me use this opportunity to explain another bet. Craps is the only table game in the casino that has a bet with no house advantage and in this it's called ‘The odds.’ You can make this after a point is established, you put the bet right here behind the Pass line bet in this area. What this is, it's an additional wager that a nine will be rolled before a seven.

Mathematically speaking, the seven is more likely rolled than the nine, so what they're going to do is, if this wins, they're going to give you more odds. In this case, the chances of rolling a nine before a seven are 40%, so fair odds on that would be to pay three to two. They're going to allow you to bet up to four times this bet here, so let's take full advantage of the odds and bet $20.00 on the odds.

Dan: Five, no field.

Michael: Nine.

Dan: Seven out, nine away. All of this is taken up.

Michael: Okay, let's try again.

Question 1

Angela: Then on the pass line?

Michael: Yes, it's a new come out roll, so bet on the pass line. Seven or 11.

Dan: Three, crap line in.

Michael: We lost, so Dan's going to take our money and make a new Pass line bet.

Dan: Seven, pay the line. That's when the seven is good.

Question 2

Angela: You can do this as many times as you roll that seven or 11? There's no limit on this?

Michael: Yes, and if the table had multiple players, you're going to keep throwing the dice until you seven out. Which means that there was a point established and then you roll the seven. It’s still your turn.

Angela: Alright.

Dan: Six, easy, no fear.

Michael: Yes, okay.

Angela: [laugh]

Dan: Here we go, we have a point.

Michael: Let's make an Odds bet, and in the case of a six, you're allowed to bet five times the Pass line bet at most casino's. Now, the general rule that most casino's follow on how much you can bet on the odds, is if the point is a six or an eight, it's five times, five or a nine, it's four times and a four or a 10, it's three times. The way you can know they do that is, there will usually be a sign over there explaining how much you can bet on the odds and it'll say, “Three X, four X, five X.” Some casinos allow more, some less but three, four, five is the norm here in Las Vegas. All right, try to roll a six.

Dan: Dice are out, shooters looking for the six. Four easy, pay the field. Three crap, come away.

Michael: Again, nothing happens until it's a six or a seven.

Dan: 10, the hard way.

Question 3

Angela: What does "The hard way" mean?

Michael: "The hard way" means that you rolled two of the same number. For example, you rolled two five's. There are only two ways you can roll a 10, a five and a five or a four and a six. Mathematically speaking, it's easier to roll a four and a six than two fives. In fact, it's twice as easy to roll a 10 with a four and a six. Because you rolled it the way that's less likely, they call it "the hard way" because it's harder to roll a 10 that way.

Angela: Okay.

Dan: Six, easy.

Michael: Yay, you won.

Dan: Pay the lot. The dealer pays the odds first and the pass line.

Michael: Notice how your $25.00 bet here, paid $30.00. With Odds bets, it going to pay six to five on a point of a six or eight, three to two on a point of five or nine, and two to one on a four to 10. Those are mathematically fair odds with no pass advantage. We're ready for a new come out roll.

Question 4

Angela: Just the pass line?

Michael: Yes, we start with just the pass line and this time, I'm going to explain Come bets after the point is established.

Dan: Dice are out. Six easy, mark the six.

Michael: Okay, so the point is six. Dan is going to put that puck on the six so we can remember what the point is. You can back that up with $25.00 on the odds. The last time, it took a while for you to roll a six or a seven, so there are lots of bets you can make in addition to the pass line and the odds, to make the game more exciting so it doesn't take so long to resolve a bet. A good bet you can make at this time is called, “The Come bet.”

You're going to put a bet there, and the way this works is exactly like the Pass line bet, but it's made when it's not a come out roll. The next time you roll the dice, if it's a seven or 11, this will win, two, three or 12, it'll lose. Anything else will establish, shall we say, a different point for the purposes of this bet. Let's see what happens.

Dan: Six easy, winner pay the line.

Michael: You won the Pass line bet.

Dan: Now what happens is the Come bet goes up to the point of six where she is.

Michael: Now you have two bets on the table. You've got your Pass line bet for a new roll, and you got that bet on a six there, which is from your previous Come bet. Now on this roll, the seven or 11 will cause this to win but a seven would cause that to lose.

Dan: That seven's out. The seven's are described in two terms, if it's a good seven it's called a winner's seven and it pays on the pass line but the bad seven, is called a seven out because you're out of your money.

Michael: Well, let's roll the dice and see what happens.

Dan: Seven, pay the line. Workers, pay the line and this seven down.

Michael: I know it's a little confusing, but this bet won because it was a come out roll and seven or 11's win on a come out roll. That bet on the six lost because there was already a point established for the purposes of that Come bet and the seven caused that to lose. Let's try it again just to make sure it's clear.

Dan: Five, no field. Mark the five.

Michael: Alright, so make your Odds bet on the five, which will be $20.00. Let’s make a $5.00 Come bet.

Dan: Five, winner pay the line.

Michael: Another winner.

Angela: [laugh]

Michael: Dan paid you three to two odds on the five, on the Odds bet and the pass line won you the money. Take your winnings and a new come out roll.

Dan: Eight easy. Mark the eight.

Michael: I would recommend making an Odds bet on the eight, which would be $25, because it’s five times the Pass line bet on six or eight and a Come bet.

Michael: No roll.

Dan: Sure roll, no roll.

Michael: If the dice don’t hit the other side of the table, then the dealer will generally say, “No roll” and not that it won’t count.

Dan: Right. No call, no roll.

Dan: Two crap aces come away.

Michael: The Come bet is going to lose, so let’s make a new Come bet.

Dan: Six easy.

Michael: Now, you’ve established the point of six for purposes of that Come bet, and much like the Pass line bet you back that up with odds too. Take out $25 for the Odds spent on that and she would put this in the Come area and she would say, “Odds on the six,” right?

Dan: Right.

Angela: Odds on the six.

Michael: Because you’re not allowed to make that bet yourself. Now let’s make another Come bet. You can make as many as you want.

Dan: You’ll win on an eight or a six.

Michael: Yes, exactly. An eight will cause the Pass line bet to win, a six will cause that Come bet to win.

Dan: Now this is an interesting situation. She’s got a point to six and a new Come bet. What happens is she rolls a six? She both wins and then goes back up to the six, and they call that, “Off and On.” What would happen is this bet would win when she has an equal Come bet waiting to come up, so we would pay 35 right here and say, “Off and On.”

This 25 will win 30 and the Flat bet will win five. $35 dollars will be placed next to your Come bet, and you’ll pick up 35 bucks, if you can roll a six.

Michael: My head is spinning.

Angela: I know. Hopefully we roll a six and then that happens.

Michael: Let’s see what happens.

Angela: Six. [laughs]

Dan: Six, the hard way.

[laughs]

Dan: Alright, so what happens is the dealer cuts out $35.There’s 35. Stacks it up next to your Come bet and says, “Off and on.”

Michael: Just so that I understand it. She won $35 on that Come bet and the odds, and you are assuming that -- the last Come bet is becoming a new -- shall we say a new bet, and you’re assuming she wants to back that up with the odds. You’re basically only paying her the winnings assuming that she wants to keep her Odds bet.

Dan: That is the assumption.

Michael: She would have to state if she wanted to do anything else.

Dan: Right. She would pick up the money and she can say, “Take my odds down’. She can’t say take my Come point of six down because once it’s up it has to stay up except for the odds.

Written by: Michael Shackleford