Big 6 8 Craps Table
If you want to learn to play craps, you should start by learning how the craps table works.
It might seem intimidating at first, but it’s less complicated than you think.
And smarts craps players ignore most of the table, anyway.
Placing the 6 and 8. Consider a $6 place bet on the 6. There are only 11 happenings out of 36 in this universe that produce a decision: 5 wins x $7 and 6 losses of $6 for a net loss of 1 unit. Having bet 11 X $6 the loss is 1/66 or -1.51515%. However, consider a $6 place bet on BOTH the 6 and 8 simultaneously. Now we have a 16 possible game.
- Usually, the Big 6 and Big 8 bets are subject to the table minimum, but the dealers and floor person have allowed this bet, probably because the player has met the table minimum on other bets. Once the player has made his or her bet on either the Big 6 or Big 8 or both, the player will win if the corresponding number, that the player bet on.
- The reason people place big 6 and big 8 bets is that it is in a conspicuous spot on the lower corners of the online craps table. Betting the big 6 and big 8 is a sign to other players that you know little of the rules of craps If you want to play online craps, avoid the big 6 and big 8 bets. Tomas Hick, Strategic Analyst.
This post explains in detail for beginners what they need to know about placing bets on the craps table.
The Basics of the Craps Table
In casinos, craps is played at a table, usually one covered in green felt. The bets available are labeled on the felt. The table is also the playing surface for the game – you roll the dice on the same table where you place your bets.
Most of the best US casinos use a long table for craps – it’s 12 feet long, but it’s kind of rectangular. You’ll find smaller craps tables sometimes, but most casinos use the 12 feet long table because it accommodates more players – up to 16 people can play craps comfortably at a 12 feet long table.
The rail around the table is padded because a lot of people get tired of standing and want something to lean on. Craps isn’t like blackjack; you don’t sit on a stool at the craps table.
Each player has a rack where he can put his chips while he plays. That’s located next to the padded railing.
The green felt is considered the bed of the craps table, and it has (almost) all the bets available stenciled on it.
Also, the craps table isn’t really a flat table – it’s more like a big, rectangular bowl. This prevents the dice from rolling onto the ground. The walls inside the table are padded with rubber pyramids, which serve to further randomize the rolls of the dice.
If you’re the shooter, you’re required to roll the dice all the way to the pyramids on the other side of the table.
How the Bets Are Laid Out on a Craps Table
If you’ve never played before, you’ll think craps is too complicated because of all the different bets available on the layout.
But it’s easier than you think.
You can think of the table as having a side section and a center section. (Really, there are 2 side sections – one on either end of the craps table. They’re identical, though.)
You’ll see blocks with numbers and words in them in each section. Those are the bets you can place.
You should avoid the bets in the center section, which are the bets that the stickman will encourage you to make. I’ll explain the center section later, but for now, I want to focus on the section where you’ll be making the most bets if you’re a smart player.
The self-service bets – the bets you’re allowed to place for yourself – include the following bets:
- Pass
- Don’t Pass
- Come
- Don’t Come
- Field
- Big 6
- Big 8
These are the most basic bets in craps, and they have the lowest house edge – although Big 6 and Big 8 are the worst in this batch. (On some tables, those aren’t even in the self-service area at all.)
When one of these bets wins, the dealer puts your winnings on the table next to your bet. If you leave that money on the table, it goes back into action.
The other area in the side section is the dealer’s area. Here, you need to get the dealer to place your bet for you. This area includes the point boxes:
- 4
- 5
- Six
- 8
- Nine
- 10
You’ll notice that I spelled out 6 and 9. That’s how they’ll appear on the table so that players don’t get confused about which is which.
When a shooter sets a point, the dealer puts a puck in the appropriate box to signify the point for that game. These spots serve a 2nd purpose, too – you can ask the dealer to place Buy, Lay, and Place bets for you in those spots.
Come and Don’t Come are still self-service bets, but the odds bet for those must be handled by the dealer. The dealer uses the chips you bet on Come or Don’t Come to mark the number in those numbered boxes, and they put the odds bet next to the appropriate number, too.
The Center Section Is for Prop Bets, Which You Should NEVER Make
You’ll notice that the stickman, who’s running the center section of the craps table, acts like a carnival barker or one of those loud pitchmen you sometimes run into at a flea market. That’s because his job is to sell the worst bets on the craps table to the players.
The reason these are the worst bets on the table is because the house edge for ALL these bets is insanely high.
The house edge is a statistically expected loss that you’ll see over the long run with a specific kind of bet.
The pass line bet has a house edge of 1.41%, which is relatively low for a casino game. In fact, it’s one of the best bets in the casino.
But the house edge on the bets in the center of the table is 9% or higher.
Nonetheless, here you can place bets in this section if you want to.
To do so, you toss your chips to the center of the table to the stickman and announce what bet you want to place. Try to use some skill and deftness when you do this – you don’t want to knock someone else’s chips over, for example.
When you win one of these proposition bets, the chips are paid directly to you rather than just being placed on the table next to your original bet.
Examples of Proposition Bets and Their House Edge
Big 6 8 Craps Table Set
The hard way bets are bets on totals like 4, 6, 8, or 10.
But they only pay off if the shooter rolls that total “the hard way.”
This means that a total of 4 must be a pair of deuces, a 6 must be a roll with of both 3s, an 8 must consist of a couple of 4s, and a 10 must be made up of 5s.
Big 6 8 Craps Table Rules
The payout for a hard 6 or hard 8 is 9 to 1, and the payout for a hard 4 or 10 is 7 to 1.
The house edge for the hard 6 or hard 8 bet is 9.09%.
The house edge for the hard 4 or hard 10 bet is 11.11%.
I often suggest that many gambling writers make too much of a fuss about the house edge on casino games, but this is one instance where it’s a big deal.
You’re looking at a statistical advantage for the casino that’s 10 times as great on one bet over the other bet.
You should pay attention to that, for sure.
Just skip the proposition bets.
You’ll have just as much fun at the craps table, you’ll probably stay in action longer, and you’ll have a better chance of going home from the craps table a winner.
How to Get Used to the Craps Layout
The best way to get used to the game of craps is to play at an online casino, like those recommended on this site. All the casinos listed here offer free-to-play versions of their casino games. You play for “play-money” chips.
The big advantage of doing this is that you’re not risking any real money when you’re playing these free craps games.
It’s much better to learn without risking money if you can.
Conclusion
You need to know how the craps table and its layout work if you want to stand a chance at winning when shooting dice.
The best way to do that is to practice on a free game after reading through this quick tutorial.
The most important advice I offer in this post, though, is to stay away from those bets in the middle of the table. The house edge is just too high on those.
There’s no getting around it: Craps is one of the more difficult casino games for casino beginners to learn. But it’s also one of the most exciting casino games to play, and once you get the hang of it, you don’t have to think too hard about Craps game strategy – just roll the dice and see what happens, online or live.
To make Craps a bit simpler, we’ve got a new, streamlined online Craps layout here at Ignition's online casino. The Classic game version is still available, and many online players will prefer to keep it old-school, but if you’re new to Craps, online or live, consider starting with the newer casino game version. We’re going to use this new casino game version as a reference in this online Craps guide, which explains the various Craps bets and where they can be found on the Craps table. Once you understand how a Craps table works, it becomes much easier to play Craps for real money.
While this online Craps casino game guide will acquaint you with several of the most popular Craps bets, casino beginners may need a more in-depth Craps explanation, which you can find in our Beginners Guide to Craps.
Craps Table Basics
Before beginning to play online Craps games, it’s helpful to get a run-down of the Craps table game basics. On the welcome bar at the top of the online Craps casino game table, you can see your real money bankroll and how much you’re betting. The menu at the top left will take you to a set of online casino player controls where you can toggle the sound on and off, view the rules for Craps games, and make real money deposits. The different denominations of chips ($1 to $500) are available at the far left, along with a “REBET” button to speed up the game when you’re using a standard Craps bet size.
Where to Find the Pass Line, Don’t Pass Line
Big 6 8 Craps Tables
The middle section of the Craps casino game layout is where most of the magic happens. This is where you’ll find the basic line play bets, including with the Pass Line and Don’t Pass Bar. New Craps players are recommended to start with Pass Line wagers, where you’re betting on the shooter (you, in this case) to win. Drag and drop your online chips on the Pass Line, which is the bottom row on the casino Craps table. Then when you’re ready, roll the dice.
The Pass Line pays even-money if you land a 7 or 11, and loses with a 2, 3, or 12; rolling anything else results in a Point. If you establish a Point, you’ll see the ON/OFF button at the top of the layout flip to the ON side and slide across to the number you’ve rolled (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) to make it easy to remember. With Pass Line bets, you want to re-roll the Point—not a 7.
The Don’t Pass Bar is wedged between the Don’t Come Bar and the Don’t Pass Odds. This casino play bet is available only at the start of the round and pays when you land a 2 or 3 on the come-out. Rolling a 7 or 11 results in a loss, and a 12 is a push. All other numbers establish a Point Round, with the number you rolled being designated the Point number. To win your Don’t Pass bet during the Point Round, you must roll a 7; re-rolling the Point results in a loss.
Where are the Come, Don’t Come Bets?
Big 6 8 Craps Table Top
When a Point is established, Come bets become available. This even-money bet initiates a mini round, making the next roll a secondary come-out roll. Just like with the Pass Line, if the outcome is a 7, or 11, the Come bet pays immediately. A 2, 3, or 12 results in a loss. Rolling a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 starts a Point Round for the Come bet, where you want to re-roll the Point before rolling a 7.
The Don’t Come Bar follows the same rules as the Don’t Pass Bar, and is available only during a Point Round. If you bet the Don’t Come, the next roll (the secondary come-out roll) pays if you land a 2 or 3, loses if you land a 7 or 11, and ties with a 12. All other outcomes initiate a Point Round for the Don’t Come bet, at which point, you’re hoping to roll a 7 before rerolling the Point.
Ready to make a Come and Don’t Come bet? On the online Craps casino game board, look below the black puck that says OFF for the Don’t Come Bar. You can drag and drop chips onto the rectangle to wager on it. As for the Come bet, look right above the field for the row that says Come. Drop chips anywhere on that row during a Point Round. At Ignition, the allowable betting range is $1-$100 for individual Craps bets, including Come bets.
Where to Find Big 6 and Big 8 Bets
The Big 6 and Big 8 bets are located at the bottom-left corner of the Craps casino game table. These are two separate bets that pay even-money if you land a 6 or 8 (depending on which bet you take) before rolling a 7. These online Craps play bets are available once a Point is established.
Where to Find Odds Bets
With zero casino house edge attached, the play odds are the best Craps bet in the online house. These are available only during a Point Round, and bolster your Pass Line or Don’t Pass bet. When you get Pass Odds, they pay when you roll the Point, and lose when you roll a 7. With Don’t Pass Odds, they pay when you roll a 7, and lose if you re-roll the Point. The real money payout depends on the Point number.
Where to Find Place to Win and Place to Lose Bets
Place to Win and Place to Lose bets become available during the Point Round and can be removed after any roll. Place to Win involves choosing a Point number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) that you think will be rolled before a 7. Place to Lose involves choosing a Point number, and hoping that a 7 is rolled before that Point number.
The Place to Win and Lose betting rectangles are immediately above and below the Point numbers on the online Craps casino game board. Grab an online play chip and hover it over the top of the number, and you’ll see Place to Lose pop up; Place to Win will appear when you hover just below any of the Point numbers.
Where to Find Buy and Lay Bets
Buy and Lay online play bets are the same as Place to Win and Place to Lose except for the payout. Once a Point is established, you can Buy a number, which means you’re betting that the number purchased will be rolled before a 7. Laying a bet involves choosing a Point number and betting that a 7 will be rolled before that chosen number is rolled. Both bets pay at true odds, but charge a 5% commission at the time of purchase.
To take a Buy bet, drag and drop chips on the rectangle between the Come Bar and the Place to Win rectangle. When you hover over it, you’ll see BUY followed by whichever number you’re buying. As for the Lay bet, it’s in the rectangle above the Place to Lose area.
Where to Find Field Bets
Between the Come Bar and the Pass Line, you’ll see a rectangle that says FIELD. In the rectangle, there are numbers 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and 12, with DOUBLE written over the 2, and TRIPLE written over the 12. These are your Field bets.
A Field bet is a single-roll wager on one of the numbers included in the field being rolled next. It pays when a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12 is the next roll, and loses if a 5, 6, 7, or 8 is rolled next. If a 2 is rolled, the real money payout is doubled, and if a 12 is rolled, the real money payout is tripled. All other winning Craps play numbers result in a 1:1 payout.
Where to Find Proposition Bets
The Proposition bets are found in the bottom-right corner of the Craps play table, and they include both single-roll bets, which are resolved with a single roll of the dice, like Yo (11) and Any Craps (2, 3 or 12), and multi-roll bets, like the Hardway bets.
The Hardway online play bets are when you a roll a number with two identical dies. For example, rolling a 6 the hard way means rolling two Threes. Rolling 8 the hard way means rolling two Fours. Rolling 8 with a Five and Three is rolling it the easy way. You must roll the selected number the hard way in order to win; if you roll a 7, or roll the selected number the easy way, you lose. You keep rolling until one of these outcomes is achieved.
All other Craps play bets in the Proposition Bet section are single-roll bets that pay if you land the selected number on the next roll. Just drag and drop any number of Craps casino chips, up to the maximum $100, on the space that represents the bet you want to place, then hit the Roll button.
You’ll get a better understanding of how these Craps casino bets work by playing Craps in Practice Play mode for free. The more you understand the game, the more fun Craps is to play, so roll the bones and let us know what you think.