Standard craps place bet payouts have decimal equivalents of approximately 2.1667 on 6 or 8, 2.40 on 5 or 9, and 2.80 on 4 or 10, including the original stake. The corresponding house edges are 1.52%, 4.00% and 6.67%, calculated below for bets kept active until they win or lose. A place bet wins when your chosen number appears before 7; our craps rules guide explains how these bets fit into a round.
Craps place bet odds by number
The 6 and 8 offer the lowest house edge among standard place bets, although they pay less per winning stake than the other numbers.
A winning $6 place bet on 6 or 8 earns exactly $7 profit: $13 including the original stake, equivalent to decimal odds of approximately 2.1667. At the table, the original stake may remain active rather than being returned with the profit.
| Place number | Decimal payout equivalent | Example stake | Winning profit | House edge per resolution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 or 10 | 2.80 | $5 | $9 | 6.67% |
| 5 or 9 | 2.40 | $5 | $7 | 4.00% |
| 6 or 8 | ≈2.1667 | $6 | $7 | 1.52% |
OddsGuru calculations using the displayed payout assumptions and 36 equally likely outcomes from two fair dice. Each row applies to either number individually. The 2.1667 decimal equivalent is rounded; the dollar payouts shown are exact.
These are place bets to win. They are separate from the additional wager called an odds bet, which follows different payout rules.
For stakes that produce whole-unit payouts:
- Use multiples of $6 on 6 or 8.
- Use multiples of $5 on 4, 5, 9 or 10.
- Check the table minimum and how the casino platform handles fractional winnings.
Dice probabilities behind each place bet
A place bet’s winning probability depends on how many dice combinations produce its number compared with the combinations producing 7.
Two fair six-sided dice have 36 equally likely ordered outcomes. A 6 can appear as 1–5, 2–4, 3–3, 4–2 or 5–1. Seven has six combinations.
| Chosen number | Combinations producing it | Chance on the next roll | Chance of arriving before 7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 or 10 | 3 | 3/36 = 8.33% | 3/9 = 33.33% |
| 5 or 9 | 4 | 4/36 = 11.11% | 4/10 = 40.00% |
| 6 or 8 | 5 | 5/36 = 13.89% | 5/11 = 45.45% |
OddsGuru derivation: chance of winning before 7 = combinations for the selected number ÷ (those combinations + six combinations for 7). Figures are rounded.
The final column excludes rolls that settle neither side. With an active place bet on 6, a roll of 4 leaves the bet waiting. That is why its next-roll chance, 13.89%, differs from its chance of winning before 7, 45.45%.
These calculations assume the bet remains active until one of those two outcomes occurs. Taking it down earlier changes how long your money is exposed.
Place-bet house-edge calculation
House edge is the expected loss divided by the stake. Here, we measure it over a completed win-or-loss decision, rather than one roll.
For a $6 place bet on 6, the calculation is:
- Win probability: 5/11, earning $7 profit.
- Loss probability: 6/11, losing $6.
- Expected net result: (5/11 × $7) − (6/11 × $6) = −$1/11.
- Expected loss divided by stake: ($1/11) ÷ $6 = 1.515…%.
That is about $1.52 in expected losses per $100 of stakes carried through to resolution across many such bets. It does not predict the result of a $100 session.
The same method gives the other edges:
- 5 or 9: (0.60 × $5 − 0.40 × $7) ÷ $5 = 4%.
- 4 or 10: ((6/9 × $5) − (3/9 × $9)) ÷ $5 = 6.666…%.
Why the house edge differs between place bets
The edge differs because each payout falls short of its mathematically fair payout by a different amount.
For 6 or 8, a fair decimal payout would be 2.20, reflecting six losing combinations against five winning combinations. The standard place payout has a decimal equivalent of approximately 2.1667. For 4 or 10, the fair decimal payout would be 3.00, while the place payout is equivalent to 2.80.
This makes 6 and 8 the lower-cost choice within this bet type. Choosing 4 or 10 offers a larger winning payment, but carries a higher expected loss relative to the stake.
Whether a bet is active also matters. Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino’s published craps rules allow place bets to be reduced, removed or called “off,” meaning inactive. Its place bets are off on the come-out roll unless the player specifies otherwise.
Check those controls when comparing online and live craps formats. An inactive bet neither wins on its number nor loses to 7.
Do casinos rig the dice in craps?
The payout mathematics does not establish whether any particular game is fair. It shows that standard place bets already give the casino an expected advantage with fair dice.
A run of losses alone cannot establish manipulation. The calculations above assume independent rolls: previous results do not change the next roll’s probabilities. Increasing a stake after losses therefore increases the amount at risk without improving the underlying odds.
For the sequence of a round and the other available wagers, see our guide to playing craps.
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