Craps Table Layout – Table and Betting/Payout Odds

Craps is played on a sunken table that is set up somewhat symmetrical. There are places to bet in the middle of the table. The right and the left sides of the table have identical betting areas. There are several different options for betting from the pass line, don’t pass, field bets, place areas, lay areas, one roll bets and several other betting areas.

One of the first areas that you will bet on is the Pass Line. The Pass line is the first area of betting going in from the side of the craps pit. Pass line bets can only be made on the come out roll. If a natural (7 or 11) is rolled you will be paid 1:1. If a 2, 3 or 12 is rolled you will lose your pass line bet. If any other number is rolled, that number will be the point number and must be rolled again before a 7 is rolled in order to win.

After a point is established you will want to put odds on your pass line bet, place this money in a stack behind the pass line bet. You will generally put two chips in the back for every chip you have on the pass line. The payouts for the odds bet will be higher than the pass line. If the point is 4 or 10 your payout is 2:1; for a 5 or 9 the payout is 3:2 and for a point of 6 or 8 your payout is 6:5.

On the opposite betting side of the Pass line is the ‘Don’t Pass’ Bar. This is where you would put money if you are betting that the shooter will roll a 7 before he rolls his point.

Another betting area is the Big 6 and Big 8 spot. Most seasoned craps players know that this is one of the biggest sucker bets on the table. Both are a single roll bet and you are betting that the next roll is either a 6 or an 8. This is an even money bet.

The field bet shows you exactly what the pay out is for your bet. Field bets are a single roll bet that the next roll is a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12. If the next roll is a 2 or 12 you will be paid 2:1 and if the roll is one of the other field numbers you will be paid even money. If the dice roll is a 5, 6, 7 or 8 you lose your field bet.

The come bet area, is similar to a place bet. If you are ‘come’ betting then you place your money in the area on the craps layout and the next number rolled will determine what you are betting on. The only way to not lose this come bet is to have the dice rolled and land on one of the place bet numbers or a natural number. Once a place number is rolled your bet will be put on the number and you can add odds to your bet. The main reason this bet is better than a standard place number bet is that you are lowering the house advantage.

All of the bets listed above can be seen on both sides of the craps layout, and bets are put on the layout according to your position at the table. For example if you are standing beside the stickman, your bets on the place bets will be at the bottom left corner of the bet area.

In the middle of the Craps layout, there are several other bets that you can make. Again, some of these bets are considered sucker bets because the odds are so low that you will actually win from them.

In the exact center of the table are the hard ways bets. The betting area is close to the box man and each of the four hard ways bets has the payout for that bet under a picture of the dice needed to win. Directly under the hardways bets are the one roll bets. These are also called ‘horn’ bets. Many players will only place one of these bets on a come out roll because it seems that more of the craps and natural numbers are rolled before a point is made. Each of these bets also has the payout ratio listed in the bet space.

There is one other betting area on a craps table and this is seen on both sides of the hard ways and one roll bet spaces. There are 7 sets of C & E circles fanning those betting areas. The C&E bet is also a single roll bet that is usually made before the come out roll. Payouts for those bets are the same as listed on the ‘one roll bet’ area.

Depending on where you are playing there may be slight differences in the craps table layout but for the most part all layouts look the same. If you have any questions about betting areas on the craps table, you can always ask one of the casino employees to explain or hit the help button online.