What is a craps odds calculator?
A craps odds calculator shows the chance of making the point, what the pass line and free odds bets pay, and the house edge on your bets together. With a point of 6, there are 5 ways to roll a 6 and 6 ways to roll a 7, so the point is made 5 times in 11, or 45.5%. A pass line bet alone has a house edge of 1.41%. Adding a 1x odds bet lowers the edge on your total money at risk to 0.848%.
The odds bet is the one bet in a casino with no house edge of its own, because it pays at the true odds. That does not make craps a fair game. You can place it only after a pass line bet, and the pass line bet still carries an edge. The calculator shows how the odds bet dilutes the edge, but never removes it, so the expected result is still a loss.
How do you use the craps odds calculator?
- Enter the point. It is the number rolled on the come-out roll: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10.
- Enter your pass line bet. It is the flat bet you placed before the come-out roll.
- Enter the odds multiple. It is the odds bet as a multiple of the pass line bet, from 0 to 100. Many casinos cap it at 3x, 5x or 10x.
- Read the large number. It is the chance the point is made before a 7. The panel shows your odds bet, its payout, what you win or lose in each case, and the house edge.
Example: Point 6, pass line bet 10 units, odds bet 1x (10 units). The odds bet on 6 pays 6 to 5, so making the point wins 10 on the pass line plus 12 on the odds, a profit of 22. A 7 loses 10 plus 10, a loss of 20. The expected result once the point is set is 0.4545 x 22 – 0.5455 x 20 = -0.91 units.
How is the house edge in craps calculated?
On the come-out roll, a 7 or 11 wins (8 outcomes in 36), and a 2, 3 or 12 loses (4 outcomes in 36). Any other total becomes the point, which then wins if it is rolled again before a 7. The chance of making a point with w ways to roll it is w / (w + 6), because only the point and the 7 settle the bet. Adding it up, the pass line wins 244 times in 495, or 49.29%, and the house edge is 7 / 495 = 1.414%.
The odds bet pays 2 to 1 on a 4 or 10, 3 to 2 on a 5 or 9 and 6 to 5 on a 6 or 8. These are the true odds, so the odds bet has an expected value of zero. With an odds bet of m times the pass line bet, the house edge on the average total money wagered is (7 / 495) / (1 + 2m / 3). The 2/3 is the share of pass line bets that reach a point.
| Step | Working | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Ways to roll the point 6 | 5 (1+5, 2+4, 3+3, 4+2, 5+1) | 5 |
| Ways to roll a 7 | 6 | 6 |
| Chance of making the point | 5 / (5 + 6) | 45.5% |
| Profit if the point is made | 10 + 10 x 6/5 | +22 |
| Loss if a 7 comes first | 10 + 10 | -20 |
| Expected result once the point is set | 0.4545 x 22 – 0.5455 x 20 | -0.91 |
What are the odds for each point?
The points differ a lot in how often they are made. The 6 and 8 are the most likely because they have the most ways to roll, and the 4 and 10 are the least likely. The odds bet pays more for the harder points so that it stays fair.
| Point | Ways to roll | Odds of the point before a 7 | Chance of making it | Odds bet pays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 3 in 9 | 33.3% | 2 to 1 |
| 5 | 4 | 4 in 10 | 40.0% | 3 to 2 |
| 6 | 5 | 5 in 11 | 45.5% | 6 to 5 |
| 8 | 5 | 5 in 11 | 45.5% | 6 to 5 |
| 9 | 4 | 4 in 10 | 40.0% | 3 to 2 |
| 10 | 3 | 3 in 9 | 33.3% | 2 to 1 |
How much do free odds lower the house edge?
Each extra multiple of odds adds money that carries no edge, so the edge on your total money falls. The table shows the combined house edge on the pass line plus odds. The amount you lose in units still grows with the odds bet. Only the rate falls.
| Odds bet | House edge on total money wagered |
|---|---|
| No odds bet | 1.414% |
| 1x | 0.848% |
| 2x | 0.606% |
| 3x | 0.471% |
| 5x | 0.326% |
| 10x | 0.184% |
This is where craps players are often misled. A lower percentage does not mean a lower expected loss, because a 10x odds bet puts far more money in play. With a pass line bet of 10 units, the expected loss per pass line decision is about 0.14 units whether you take odds or not. The odds bet only adds more money at risk at no edge, so the expected loss per decision does not change, but the swings are much bigger. The roulette odds and payouts page shows how a flat edge compares in another game.
What about the don’t pass bet?
Betting against the shooter, on the don’t pass line, has a house edge of 1.36% when a come-out 12 is a tie. It is lower than the pass line only because of that tie rule. The edge is still a loss, and the bet is not a way to beat the game. This calculator covers the pass line and odds.
What does the calculator leave out?
- Other bets. Come, place, field and proposition bets are not covered.
- The come-out roll. It starts from a point already set.
- Casino rules. Odds limits, minimum bets and payout rounding vary.
- Commission. It does not take any from the odds bet.
- Streaks. Dice have no memory, so a hot or cold table has no effect on the maths.
- Your total loss. The percentage is an average, and one session can end far above or below it.
What mistakes do people make with craps odds?
- Thinking the odds bet costs nothing. It has no edge itself, but it is still money you can lose.
- Reading a lower percentage as a lower cost. Bigger odds bets mean bigger swings.
- Betting the proposition bets. Single-roll bets in the middle of the table carry some of the worst edges in the casino.
- Believing in systems. Changing bets, or the way you throw, does not change the house edge.
- Playing past a budget. The speed of the game makes losses build quickly.
What should you try next?
Change the odds multiple from 1 to 3 and watch the combined edge fall from 0.848% to 0.471%, while the money at risk rises. To see the chance of every dice total, use the dice probability calculator. To see what a regular session costs in expectation, use the expected loss calculator. To set limits before you play, read the Safer play toolkit.
How to read the result
The large number is the chance that the point is made before a 7, found by counting dice ways. The panel shows your odds bet, its true-odds payout, your total profit if the point is made and total loss if a 7 comes first, and the expected result once the point is set. It also gives the house edge on the pass line alone (1.41%) and on the pass line plus odds. A lower edge percentage does not mean a smaller expected loss.
How it is calculated
Chance of making a point with w ways to roll it = w / (w + 6), since only the point and a 7 settle it. Ways: 4 and 10 have 3, 5 and 9 have 4, 6 and 8 have 5. The odds bet pays 2 to 1, 3 to 2 or 6 to 5 (true odds). Pass line edge = 7 / 495 = 1.414%. With an odds bet of m times the pass line bet, the edge on the average total money wagered = (7 / 495) / (1 + 2m / 3).
Worked example
Worked example
Point 6, pass line bet 10, odds 1x (10). Chance = 5 / (5 + 6) = 45.5%. Profit if made: 10 + 10 x 6/5 = 22. Loss if a 7 comes first: 10 + 10 = 20. Expected result once the point is set = 0.4545 x 22 - 0.5455 x 20 = -0.91. The pass line edge is 1.41% and, with 1x odds, 0.848% of the average total wagered.
Limits
The calculator covers the pass line bet with free odds on a set point, using standard rules and true-odds payouts. It does not cover come, place, field, proposition or don't pass bets, odds limits that differ between casinos, or commission. It assumes fair dice and independent rolls. A lower house edge percentage does not mean a smaller expected loss, since the odds bet puts more money at risk. Results are averages over many bets and do not predict any one session.