Craps dice combinations matter because two six-sided dice create 36 ordered outcomes, and totals are not equally likely. Seven appears most often with 6 combinations. Six and 8 have 5 each. Five and 9 have 4 each. Four and 10 have 3 each. Those counts explain the point system, odds payouts, and many house edges.
Quick Facts
- Two dice create 6 × 6 = 36 ordered combinations.
- Total 7 has the most combinations: 6.
- Totals 2 and 12 have only 1 combination each.
- Totals 6 and 8 are the strongest box numbers with 5 combinations each.
- Totals 4 and 10 are harder to roll, with 3 combinations each.
- True odds compare winning combinations with losing combinations.
- Casino payouts are often shorter than true odds, creating house edge.
Plain Talk
A single die has six outcomes. Two dice have 36 ordered outcomes because the first die can be 1 through 6 and the second die can be 1 through 6.
Order matters for the math. A 2-5 and a 5-2 both total 7, but they are two different ordered combinations.
That is why 7 is powerful. It can happen as 1-6, 2-5, 3-4, 4-3, 5-2, or 6-1. Six ways.
A total of 12 can only happen as 6-6. One way.
Once you see the 36-combination grid, craps stops feeling mysterious. The table is built around which totals are common, which totals are rare, and how the casino pays those events.
For the full game map, start with the craps guide. For bet pricing, use craps odds and craps house edge. External references worth checking are Wizard of Odds dice probabilities, Statistics How To dice probability, and the Wizard of Odds craps edge derivations.
How It Works
The complete two-dice total chart
| Total | Combinations | Probability | Plain meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 2.78% | Rarest |
| 3 | 2 | 5.56% | Rare |
| 4 | 3 | 8.33% | Point number |
| 5 | 4 | 11.11% | Point number |
| 6 | 5 | 13.89% | Strong box number |
| 7 | 6 | 16.67% | Most common |
| 8 | 5 | 13.89% | Strong box number |
| 9 | 4 | 11.11% | Point number |
| 10 | 3 | 8.33% | Point number |
| 11 | 2 | 5.56% | Rare |
| 12 | 1 | 2.78% | Rarest |
Why the chart rises then falls
Totals near the middle have more paths. Totals at the edges have fewer.
To roll 7, the dice can split many ways. To roll 2, both dice must be 1. To roll 12, both dice must be 6.
That pyramid shape drives the whole game.
Why 7 dominates the point phase
After a point is established, Pass Line players want the point before 7. Since 7 has 6 combinations, it beats every individual point number in frequency.
| Point | Ways to roll point | Ways to roll 7 | True odds against point |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 6 | 2:1 |
| 5 | 4 | 6 | 3:2 |
| 6 | 5 | 6 | 6:5 |
| 8 | 5 | 6 | 6:5 |
| 9 | 4 | 6 | 3:2 |
| 10 | 3 | 6 | 2:1 |
This is why odds bets pay different amounts depending on the point.
Craps Table Example
The point is 10.
There are only three ways to roll 10: 4-6, 5-5, and 6-4. There are six ways to roll 7.
That means the true odds against making the 10 before 7 are 6:3, simplified to 2:1. If you have $20 odds behind a Pass Line bet on point 10 and the shooter makes the 10, your odds bet should pay $40.
Now change the point to 8.
There are five ways to roll 8 and six ways to roll 7. True odds against the 8 are 6:5. A $30 odds bet on 8 should pay $36.
The payout changes because the combination count changes.
From the Casino Side:
Dealers do not calculate the 36-combination grid every roll. They memorize payout procedures. But the grid is underneath every correct payout.
Base dealers know that odds on 4/10 pay 2:1, odds on 5/9 pay 3:2, and odds on 6/8 pay 6:5. They also know place bet payouts: 6/8 pay 7:6, 5/9 pay 7:5, and 4/10 pay 9:5 in many standard games.
The boxman and floor care about correct payouts, especially on odds, place bets, buy bets, lay bets, and unusual stacks. A mistake repeated on a busy table can turn into real money quickly.
Surveillance does not need to “feel” the game. It checks procedure, chip movement, and whether the result and payout match the layout.
Common Mistakes
- Thinking every dice total has the same chance.
- Treating 12 as just as likely as 7.
- Confusing unordered combinations with ordered combinations.
- Thinking “hard 8” and “easy 8” have the same role in hardway bets.
- Believing rare payouts are generous without checking probability.
- Forgetting that true odds are not the same as casino payouts on most bets.
- Judging probability from one short hot or cold session.
Hard Truth
The dice do not care that 12 pays more. It pays more because it barely shows up.
FAQ
How many dice combinations are there in craps?
There are 36 ordered combinations when rolling two six-sided dice.
Why is 7 the most common craps number?
Seven has six ordered combinations: 1-6, 2-5, 3-4, 4-3, 5-2, and 6-1.
Are 2 and 12 equally likely?
Yes. Each has one combination: 1-1 for 2 and 6-6 for 12.
Why do 6 and 8 matter so much?
Each has five combinations, making them the most common box numbers after 7.
What are true odds?
True odds are the fair payout based on the ratio of losing combinations to winning combinations.
Does knowing combinations let me beat craps?
No. It helps you avoid overpriced bets, but it does not predict the next roll.
Why does the house still win with fair dice?
Because most bets pay less than their true probability would require.
Deeper Insight
The 36-combination grid is the cleanest way to expose bad craps thinking.
A player sees “Any Seven pays 4 to 1” and thinks it sounds good. But 7 has 6 winning combinations and 30 losing combinations. True odds are 30:6, simplified to 5:1. A 4:1 payout is short. That difference is the house edge.
A player sees “Hard 8 pays 9 to 1” and thinks it sounds huge. But hard 8 must roll as 4-4 before any easy 8 or 7. The bet is not simply “will 8 appear?” It is a narrow event with multiple losing paths.
Combination counting does not make the game easy to beat. It makes bad pricing visible.
Formula / Calculation
Total combinations = 6 × 6 = 36
P(event) = favorable dice combinations / 36
P(7) = 6 / 36 = 16.67%
P(12) = 1 / 36 = 2.78%
True Odds Payout = Losing Combinations / Winning CombinationsExample: point 5 before 7:
Ways to roll 5 = 4
Ways to roll 7 = 6
True odds against 5 = 6:4 = 3:2Example: any 7 on one roll:
Ways to win = 6
Ways to lose = 30
True odds against = 30:6 = 5:1
Common casino payout = 4:1Formula Explanation in Plain English
Probability tells you how often something should happen. True odds tell you what a fair payout should look like. The house edge appears when the casino pays less than true odds. That is why the craps odds calculator and house edge calculator are useful: they turn the felt into numbers.
Related Reading
After this page, continue to Craps Terms Explained and Craps Bets Explained so the vocabulary matches the math. Use craps odds for a deeper probability page and craps house edge for bet ranking. The expected loss calculator shows how repeated action turns small edges into dollar cost. If someone claims dice control changes these numbers, read dice control myth before accepting the story.