Field & proposition bets — the sucker bets.
The loud, colorful center of the craps table is engineered to be tempting. It's also where the house makes most of its money. This page decodes every one of them — the Field, the hardways, Any 7, and the rest — with the exact edge, so you can see precisely why a disciplined player never touches the middle.
1 · The Field bet
The trap that looks like a bargainThe Field is a one-roll bet that the next total is 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. Seven numbers — it feels like you're covering most of the table. You're not. The Field excludes 5, 6, 7, and 8, and those are the most common totals: 20 of the 36 combinations miss the Field entirely.
On the standard layout (2 pays 2:1, 12 pays 3:1, the rest even money) the house edge is 2.78%. On weaker layouts where 2 and 12 both pay only 2:1 it doubles to 5.56%. Either way it's a loser dressed as a deal. The "covers seven numbers" framing is the whole con — count the 36 combinations and it falls apart.
2 · Any 7 — the worst common bet
16.7%, and nothing else is closeAny 7 is a one-roll bet that the next total is 7. A 7 happens 6 times in 36 — true odds of 5:1. The bet pays only 4:1. That one-step shortfall is a 16.7% house edge — the steepest bet you'll routinely be offered anywhere on the table. Expected value: win 1/6 (×4), lose 5/6 (×1) → −1/6 ≈ −16.67%. There is no situation, system or "feel" that makes this bet acceptable. It is the single clearest example of why bet selection is the only skill in craps.
3 · The hardways
Fun to say, expensive to makeA "hardway" is a specific pair: Hard 8 = 4-4 only (not 6-2 or 5-3). It wins if the hard pair rolls before either the "easy" version of that number or a 7.
- Hard 6 / Hard 8 — pay 9:1, true odds 10:1 → 9.09% edge.
- Hard 4 / Hard 10 — pay 7:1, true odds 8:1 → 11.1% edge.
They're the noisy heart of a hot table and they cost 9–11% of every dollar through them. Skip.
4 · Other one-roll props
All high-edge, all skippable- Any Craps (2, 3, or 12 next roll) — pays 7:1, true odds 8:1 → 11.1% edge.
- Yo (11) — pays 15:1, true odds 17:1 → 11.1% edge.
- Ace-Deuce (3) / Aces (2) / Boxcars (12) — single-number one-rollers, all roughly 11–13.9%.
- C&E (Craps & Eleven) — a split prop, blended edge around 11%.
- Big 6 / Big 8 — like Place 6/8 but pays only even money instead of 7:6 → a needless 9.09% edge. Always Place the 6/8 instead; never bet Big 6/8.
5 · Full sucker-bet table
One look tells the whole story| Bet | Pays | True odds | House edge | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field (2:1 / 3:1 layout) | 1:1 / 2:1 / 3:1 | — | 2.78% | Skip |
| Hard 6 / Hard 8 | 9 : 1 | 10 : 1 | 9.09% | Skip |
| Big 6 / Big 8 | 1 : 1 | 6 : 5 | 9.09% | Skip |
| Hard 4 / Hard 10 | 7 : 1 | 8 : 1 | 11.1% | Skip |
| Any Craps | 7 : 1 | 8 : 1 | 11.1% | Skip |
| Yo (11) | 15 : 1 | 17 : 1 | 11.1% | Skip |
| Aces (2) / Boxcars (12) | 30 : 1 | 35 : 1 | 13.9% | Skip |
| Any 7 | 4 : 1 | 5 : 1 | 16.7% | Worst bet |
The rule that never fails: if a bet lives in the center of the table, a beginner shouldn't make it. The disciplined alternative is craps strategy basics.
6 · FAQ
Prop bet questionsWhat is the worst bet in craps?
Is the Field a good bet?
What's the hardways house edge?
Should I ever bet Big 6 or Big 8?
Feel why the center is a trap — on a real table.
Skipping the middle is the easiest edge in craps, and it sticks once you watch it. On LiveRoll you can play the smart game free — no signup, no real money — every roll a live MLB pitch instead of an RNG.
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