Play Craps - A Short Cut For True Odds

by Larry Edell, published on Wednesday, October 3 2001

The odds for the numbers six and eight are the same, as are the odds for five and nine, and, four and ten. If you just subtract one from the smaller of these numbers and relate it to six (the number of times a seven rolls) you get the true odds. For example, to get the true odds for the four or ten, just subtract one from four to get three. So the true odds of the four or ten are 6:3, or 2:1. To get the true odds for the six or eight, subtract one from six to get five. So the true odds for the six or eight are 6:5. And finally, to get the true odds for the five or nine, subtract one from five to get four, so the odds are 6:4, or 3:2. If you have $10 on the come or pass line and your point is a five or nine, subtract one from five to get four. The true odds is 6:4, or 3:2 (bet $20, get $30). So for double odds you can add $20 odds to your $10 flat bet and win $10 from the flat portion and $30 from the odds portion, for a total of $40. If the point is four or ten, subtract one from four to get three. The true odds is 6:3, or 2:1 (bet $20, get $40). On double odds, you can add $20 to your flat $10 bet and win $10 on the flat portion and $40 to the odds portion, for a total of $50. The six or eight is a little different. If you subtract one from six you get five, which means the true odds are 6:5. If you have a flat bet of $10, you would be able to take $20 in odds, (on a 2X odds table) however, this would mean a $24 odds payout, which is awkward for most casinos. So, to even things up, most casinos let you place $25 in odds behind the 6 or 8, (which really gives you 2.5X odds instead 2X), giving you $10 for the flat portion and an even $30 for the odds portion, for a total win of $40. The short cut method works on don’t-come and don’t-pass bets as well, except the odds are reversed. This is because on the don’t side you have the advantage rather than the house, so you have to bet more to get less. If your flat bet is $10 and the point is five or nine, subtract one from five to get four, giving you odds of 4:6 (instead of 6:4), or 2:3. This means you have to bet $30 (on a 2X table) in odds to get a $20 payout, winning you a total of $30 ($10 flat + $20 odds). If the don’t number is four or ten, subtract one from four to get three, so the odds are 3:6, or 1:2. You would have to bet $40 in odds to get a $20 payout, winning you a total of $30 ($10 flat + $20 odds). For the don’t six or eight, subtract one from six to get five, so the odds are 5:6. You would have to bet $24 in odds to get a $20 payout, winning you a total of $30 ($10 flat + $20 odds). The next time you play craps, remember this simple method to calculate the true odds - this way, you’ll know what odds to give the dealers, and what the correct payoff should be! And, as always, good luck at the tables!