Craps Betting Odds Horn
The other bet to think about at the craps table is the odds bet. This is a bet you can only place after making one of the 4 bets I already mentioned and when the shooter has set a point. This is one of the only bets in the casino that has no house edge. It’s a break-even bet, but it can be expensive. Horn bets make craps fun! Most players start with a simple pass line bet where the house edge is a tiny 1.41 percent. A pass line bet wins when 7 or 11 is thrown on the first roll, loses when 2, 3, or 12 is thrown on the first roll and is in serious limbo when a 'point' is established should 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 total on the dice. For the basic Pass Line bet the house edge is 1.41. The idea is that you’ll lose on average 1.41% of whatever you’ve wagered when you play this bet. This is actually one of the best odds in craps. However, in a free odds bet there is no house edge. The odds aren’t stacked against you.
What is the Horn bet?
It is a single-roll bet type always placed by the stickman in the center section of the table's layout. A truly unique bet type, the Horn allows players to combine four individual wagers into one. The Horn covers all three Craps numbers (2,3 and 12) as well as the number 11.
Some seasoned craps players opt for incorporating the Horn bet into their betting pattern to diversify their gameplay and add more excitement to their session. Inexperienced players, however, are recommended to refrain from experimenting with this more exotic bet type as the Horn is a higher-risk bet.
It's largely considered one of the worst options to go for in a game of craps as the player's bet is actually divided equally into four individual, smaller stakes on four different numbers. The only advantage of the Horn is that it is a one-roll bet type so one would not have to wait for the dice throws, irrelevant to their bet to pass.
Horn bets can be placed and are accepted at every stage of the game.
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Craps novices are guided to become better acquainted with the Horn bet's essence, how it is divided and its odds prior to placing such stakes. Furthermore, this will help them avoid confusion as many beginners tend to mix up Horn bets with the so-called “Craps and Eleven” bet.
The Horn Bet in Action
If you place a $20 Horn bet, the sum will be divided equally between all four numbers and the stickman will respectively place four $5 chips on 2, 3, 11, and 12. Unlike the Any Craps bet which wins when any one of the Craps numbers is rolled, with the Horn bet, only the number that is thrown wins, the remaining three stakes you've placed will ultimately lose.
Let's better demonstrate how it works.
As players are required to place bets that are equally divisible by the number four, we will assume you've placed $20 “around the horn” to use the proper craps term, so that each of the four numbers 2, 3, 11 and 12 is covered with a $5 stake. The number 12 is rolled on the next dice throw, so you practically win with one of your individual stakes. As payouts for the Horn bet depend on the winning number and 12 pays out 30 to 1, you will collect a total of $150, plus your initial $5 stake on 12.
Unfortunately,
…your bets on the remaining three numbers 2, 3, and 11 will ultimately lose, causing you to part with your remaining $15. So it turns out, this is the most profitable option as you will win $155 and lose $15. Your net profit, in this case, will amount to $140. The tricky part is that if one of the following numbers 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 is thrown, you will lose your entire $20 stake and walk away empty-handed.
One important thing to remember is that players are advised to stick to whole numbers that are equally and easily divisible by four.
First of all, this will enable you to avoid fractions which are difficult to divide and subtract mentally. Then again, if you have placed say $5 “around the horn”, your payout (provided that you win) will be fractional as well.
However, there are no casino chips to represent cents, so the stickman will round down your profits to the nearest integer. If 12 is rolled, your $1.25 individual bet on this number will be multiplied by 30, so you win $37.50. Your other three $1.25 stakes will result in a $3.75 loss. Your net profits in this instance will amount to $33.75, but you will receive only $33.
The High Horn Bet
The High Horn is a subtype of the Horn bet and generally works in the same manner. The only difference is that the stake on one of the four numbers is doubled so that players actually place five individual bet units instead of four.
Please note, if you intend to place a High Horn, you should specify which of the four numbers you wish to place the extra unit on. This will be your “High” number.
Thus, instead of placing $20 “around the horn” with $5 bets on all four numbers, you are expected to put $25 on stake. This translates into the following division, $10 is placed on the number 12, for example, and the remaining $15 is divided equally between the remaining three numbers, 2, 3 and 11. If 12 is rolled, you will win twice as much money ($300). However, if any of the other numbers is rolled on the next dice, you lose your entire $25 stake.
The Whirl Bet
Also known as the “World” bet, this stake poses as an interesting combination between a Horn and an Any Seven bet, but is generally considered unprofitable and is to be avoided, especially by craps novices. The Whirl works in multiples of five bet units and actually consists of five independent bets, placed respectively on numbers 2, 3, 11, 10, and 7, meaning it is not a combination bet like the standard Horn.
A Whirl bet is won with only one of the numbers listed above, the remaining four numbers lose.
Let's assume you have placed a $5 Whirl bet, so you have five independent $1 stakes. If numbers 2 and 12 are thrown, you will be paid only $26 instead of $30 as $4 will be subtracted for the four losing numbers. Provided that 3 or 11 are rolled, players will collect only $11, instead of the usual $15 for the same reason. If the number 7 is rolled, your bet will result in a push as 7 pays 4:1, so you practically win nothing with this number.
Odds for the Horn Bet
Payouts for the Horn bet vary in accordance with the individual numbers, which in this case are paired. Numbers 2 and 12 pay out 30:1, while 3 and 11 pay 15:1.
Unfortunately, such payouts do not correspond to what players should actually collect, because the losses for the remaining three numbers should be subtracted from the payout.
From this, it follows that if you win with number 11 and have placed a $20 Horn bet, your $5 stake for 11 will be multiplied by 15, which makes for a $75 win in addition to your original $5 stake. But as you've lost $15 on the Craps numbers, it turns out your net profit amounts to $65 only.
The house edge for numbers 2 and 12, when combined for a Horn bet, amounts to 13.89%, while that for 3 and 11 is equal to 11.11%. This indicates players will lose respectively $13.89 and $11.11 for every $100 they spend placing Horn bets.
Conclusion
It certainly is not difficult to see why Horn bets are considered more risky and unprofitable. Sure, their payouts are higher, especially when compared with those of more basic bet types like the Pass and Come bets. However, players still lose a substantial amount of their overall wager since with Horn bets only one number wins while the remaining three lose. Add the higher built-in house advantage to the equation and it turns out Horn bets are a total waste of time or in this case, of both time and money.
That is why players are recommended to avoid this bet type altogether or resort to it only on rare occasions when they wish to diversify their betting pattern a tiny bit.
There are many different bets you can make on the craps table. This often confuses new players but in actual fact craps is not that complicated. In this section we outline all of the possible betting options and show you where those bets go on the table.
The Craps Table
Below is an example of a craps table. The image shows a half table layout as seen on the Microgaming online craps game. Tables at other casinos might look slightly different but the layouts are very similar.
The Different Bets
Pass Line
The most common craps bet. The Pass Line bet is made on the come out roll and wins if a 7 or 11 is rolled. If a 2, 3 or 12 is rolled the bet loses. If any other number is rolled the point is established. If the point is rolled before a 7 the bet wins. If a 7 is rolled the bet loses. Pays even money.
Pass Line Odds
Also known as 'Taking the Odds', the Pass Line Odds bet is an extra bet that can be made after a Pass Line bet is made and the point is established. In most cases this can be a multiple of your Pass Line bet. The bet wins if the point is rolled before a 7. This is one of the few best in the casino that has no house edge. The point determines the pay out with the most common being 2 to 1 (4 or 10), 3 to 2 (5 or 9) and 6 to 5 (6 or 8).
Don't Pass Line
The opposite bet to the Pass Line Bet. The Don't Pass bet wins if the come out roll is a 2 or 3 and loses if the come out roll is a 7 or 11. If a 12 is rolled this is a push. In the case of a push or if the point is established the dice continue to be rolled until either a 7 or the point is rolled. The bet wins if a 7 is rolled and loses if the point is roll. Wins pay even money.
Don't Pass Odds
Also known as 'Laying The Odds', this be is the opposite to Taking the Odds and wins if a 7 is rolled before the point. In most cases this bet can be a multiple of your Don't Pass bet. The pay out depends on the point with the most common being 1 to 2 (4 or 10), 2 to 3 (5 or 9) and 5 to 6 (6 or 8).
Come
The same as the Pass Line Bet with the exception that it can be made at any time after the point is established. The bet wins if a 7 or 11 is rolled and lose if a 2, 3 or 12 is rolled. If any other number is rolled this becomes your point. You win if your point is rolled before a 7. Pays even money.
Don't Come
The opposite of the Come bet and can be made at any time after the point is established. Wins if a 2 or 3 is rolled and loses if a 7 or 11 is rolled. If a 12 is rolled the bet pushes. If a point is established you win if a 7 is rolled before your point. Pays even money.
Place Bets
A bet made on 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 that can be made at any time. Wins if the number is rolled before a 7. This bet is the same as the odds bets but with lower pay outs. The standard pay outs are as follows 9 to 5 (4 or 10), 7 to 5 (5 or 9) and 7 to 6 (6 to 8)
Place Bets To Lose
A relatively rare betting option found at some land based casinos but quite common online. This bet is the opposite of the Place Bets. The bet can be made at any time and wins if a 7 is rolled before your number. Pay off are usually 5 to 11 (4 or 10), 5 to 8 (5 or 9), 4 to 5 (6 or 8).
Buy Bets
These bets are similar to the Place Bets with different pay offs. A Buy Bet can be placed at any time on any of the points. This bet wins if the point is rolled before a 7. Pay offs are the same as the odds but casinos take a 5% vig on the bet. Wins pay 2 to 1 (4 or 10), 3 to 2 (5 or 9) and 6 to 5 (6 or 8).
Lay Bets
The opposite to the Buy Bet. A Lay Bet can be placed on any point and wins if a 7 is rolled before the point. Due to the fact that a 7 being rolled is more likely the casinos take a 5% commission on the amount that can be won. Pay off are 1 to 2 (4 or 10), 2 to 3 (5 or 9) and 5 to 6 (6 or 8).
Big 6 and 8
A bet on Big 6 or Big 8 wins if a 6 or an 8 is rolled before a 7. These bets pay even money and should be avoided as you can make the same bet on the Place 6 or 8 and get better pay offs.
Field Bet
The Field betting areas is a big section on the craps table. A bet placed on the field wins if the next roll is a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10 or 11. If the next roll is a 3, 4, 9 or 11 you win even money. If a 2 or a 12 is rolled you win 2 to 1.
Hardways
There are four possible hardways bets (2-2, 3-3, 4-4 and 5-5). Hardways bets can be made at any time and win if the selected hardway rolls before a 7. The bet loses if a 7 is rolled or if the total is rolled with a different combination. Hardways 6 and 8 pay 9 to 1. Hardways 4 and 10 pay 7 to 1.
Craps Betting Odds Horn Chart
Any 7
Wins if a 7 is rolled and loses if any other number is rolled. Pays 4 to 1.
Any Craps
Wins is a 2, 3 or 12 is rolled and loses on any other number . Pays 7 to 1
Two Craps or Aces
Also known as Snake Eyes. Wins if a 2 is rolled and pays 30 to 1.
Twelve Craps or Two Sixes
Wins if a 12 is rolled and loses on all other numbers. Pays 30 to 1
Three Craps or Ace Deuce
Wins if a 3 is rolled and loses on all other rolls. Pays 15 to 1
Eleven or Six Five
Craps Betting Odds Horn Bracket
Wins if 11 is rolled and loses on all other rolls. Pays 15 to 1
Craps Betting Odds Horn Espn
Horn Bet
The Horn Bet is actually four bets in one. You are placing one betting unit on 2, 3, 11 and 12. If 3 or 11 is rolled wins pay 3.75 to 1. If 2 or 12 is rolled wins pay 7.5 to 1. Any other number rolled and the bet loses.