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CRA 226: All Tall Small Bet

A clear guide to the All Tall Small craps side bet, including winning numbers, reset rules, payout differences, and why pay-table wording matters.

CRA 226: All Tall Small Bet
Point Value
House Edge Often high; depends heavily on pay table
Difficulty Medium
Skill Ceiling Low

The All Tall Small bet is a craps side bet that wins if the shooter rolls a group of numbers before rolling a 7. Small usually needs 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Tall usually needs 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. All usually needs every Small and Tall number before the seven-out.

Quick Facts

  • It is a shooter-length side bet, not a one-roll bet.
  • Small normally needs 2 through 6 before a 7.
  • Tall normally needs 8 through 12 before a 7.
  • All normally needs all ten numbers: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12.
  • A 7 clears or loses the bet before completion.
  • Pay tables vary sharply by casino.
  • The bet is exciting because it creates a shared sweat, not because it is mathematically gentle.

Plain Talk

All Tall Small is one of the modern craps bonus bets. It sits away from the traditional Pass Line, Come, Place, and odds-bet structure. Instead of asking, “Will this point be made?” it asks, “Can this shooter roll a whole list of totals before a 7 shows?”

That changes the feeling of the table. A normal craps guide teaches the main game around come-out rolls, points, and seven-outs. All Tall Small turns the same dice into a checklist.

Small is the low side:

Small NumberDice Combinations
21
32
43
54
65

Tall is the high side:

Tall NumberDice Combinations
85
94
103
112
121

The 7 has six combinations, which is why it is the reset button. The Wizard of Odds dice probability page shows the 36 possible two-dice combinations behind that imbalance. The Wizard of Odds Bonus Craps analysis explains the All, Tall, and Small pay-table math, and the Massachusetts craps and mini-craps rules are a useful example of how approved table games separate formal base-game rules from added wager layouts.

This page is about the All Tall Small side bet. For standard bet probability, go to craps odds. For the main casino advantage ranking, read craps house edge.

How It Works

The exact markings vary by layout, but the normal idea is simple.

Bet PartWhat Must Happen Before 7Typical Feel
Small2, 3, 4, 5, 6 all appearLow-side checklist
Tall8, 9, 10, 11, 12 all appearHigh-side checklist
AllEvery Small and Tall number appearsLong-shot bonus

The shooter may make points, miss points, roll naturals, throw horn numbers, and continue. The bonus bet does not usually care whether the shooter wins the Pass Line on any single cycle. It tracks totals.

A clean example:

  1. Shooter begins.
  2. Player bets Small, Tall, and All.
  3. Shooter rolls 5. Small needs 2, 3, 4, and 6 now.
  4. Shooter rolls 9. Tall needs 8, 10, 11, and 12 now.
  5. Shooter rolls 6, 4, 3, 2. Small completes and pays.
  6. Shooter rolls 8, 10, 11, 12 before any 7. Tall completes and pays.
  7. If both groups complete before the 7, All completes and pays.

The exact “for one” versus “to one” wording matters. A payout of 30 for 1 means the stake is included in the return. A payout of 30 to 1 means the win is 30 units plus the original stake. Players often hear the bigger sound and miss the smaller math.

Craps Table Example

A player makes this bonus setup on a $15 table:

WagerAmount
Small$5
Tall$5
All$5
Total Bonus Action$15

The shooter rolls this sequence before the seven-out:

9, 5, 6, 4, 10, 8, 3, 11, 5, 6, 7

Small is missing 2, so Small loses. Tall is missing 12, so Tall loses. All also loses because both sides were not completed.

Now look at the emotional trap. The roll felt long. The player saw many numbers. The table got loud. But the bonus bet still lost because one rare number on each side failed to arrive.

That is why variance simulator thinking matters. A long roll is not the same as a completed checklist.

From the Casino Side:

All Tall Small adds excitement, but it also adds procedure. Dealers must mark numbers accurately, confirm late bets are not accepted after the required starting point, and clear losing bonus bets immediately when the 7 appears.

The boxman or floor supervisor cares about three things:

  • Was the bet booked before action began?
  • Were the numbers marked correctly?
  • Was the payout based on the posted table pay schedule?

Surveillance cares because the bet can create disputes. A player may say, “I had the Small,” after a long roll finishes. The crew needs clean placement, clear lammer movement, and a visible layout history. This is not just math. It is game protection.

Common Mistakes

  • Thinking All Tall Small is a low-edge bet because many rolls can happen before it loses.
  • Ignoring the difference between “to 1” and “for 1” payouts.
  • Believing a hot shooter makes the side bet mathematically better.
  • Forgetting that 7 is more common than any individual target number.
  • Betting all three parts automatically without checking the posted pay table.
  • Calling it a strategy when it is really a bonus gamble.
  • Confusing it with the Fire Bet, which tracks unique made points instead of rolled totals.

Hard Truth

All Tall Small makes the table louder. It does not make the dice kinder. The 7 still owns the road, and the missing 2 or 12 is usually where the dream dies.

FAQ

What numbers are Small in craps?

Small usually means 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. All must roll before a 7.

What numbers are Tall in craps?

Tall usually means 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. All must roll before a 7.

Does 7 count for All Tall Small?

No. A 7 usually ends or clears the bet before completion.

Is All Tall Small a good craps bet?

It is an exciting side bet, not a cost-control bet. Check the pay table before judging it.

Can the shooter make points while All Tall Small is active?

Yes. The side bet tracks totals rolled, not just points made.

Is All Tall Small the same as Fire Bet?

No. Fire Bet tracks unique point numbers made. All Tall Small tracks specific dice totals rolled.

Should beginners play All Tall Small?

Beginners can understand it, but they should treat it as a small entertainment wager, not a core strategy.

Deeper Insight

All Tall Small is popular because it lets almost everyone root for the same result. A Pass Line player, a Place bettor, and even a casual spectator can all understand “we still need the 12.” That shared suspense is powerful.

But the numbers are not symmetrical in the way players feel them. The low and high sets each contain rare totals. A 2 has one combination. A 12 has one combination. A 3 and 11 have two combinations each. Meanwhile, the 7 has six combinations and kills the run.

The bonus wager has a different psychological engine from normal craps. A Place 6 bet resolves against the 7 in a narrow race: 6 before 7. All Tall Small asks the shooter to survive many rolls and collect several targets. That can create huge excitement, but it also means the bet lives in high-variance territory.

Pay-table quality is everything. A layout that pays materially less than another layout can turn the same fun bet into a far worse value. Use the house edge calculator when comparing published payouts, and use the expected loss calculator to convert “just $5” into session cost.

Formula / Calculation

P(event) = favorable completed shooter sequences / all possible shooter sequences

Expected Value = (Probability of Win × Net Win) - (Probability of Loss × Stake)

Expected Loss = Total Amount Wagered × House Edge

A simplified dice reminder:

TotalCombinations
21
32
43
54
65
76
85
94
103
112
121

Formula Explanation in Plain English

The bet pays only when the shooter completes a required checklist before the most common total, 7, appears. The payout looks large because the event is hard to finish. If the payout is reduced, the casino edge rises fast.

Start with the full craps guide if you are still learning the table. For the base math behind every total, read craps odds and craps dice combinations. For the casino advantage side, use craps house edge with the craps odds calculator. If this bet feels exciting because the table is hot, read dice control myth and why low house edge does not mean safe.

Play smart. Gambling involves real financial risk. If the game stops being entertainment, it's time to stop playing.