The field bet is a one-roll craps bet. You win if the next roll is 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. You lose if the next roll is 5, 6, 7, or 8. The cost depends heavily on whether 12 pays double or triple.
Quick Facts
- The field bet resolves on the very next roll.
- Winning totals are 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and 12.
- Losing totals are 5, 6, 7, and 8.
- Most field wins pay even money.
- The 2 and/or 12 may pay double or triple, depending on the layout.
- A field with triple 12 is much better than a field where both 2 and 12 pay double.
- It is easy to overplay because it feels fast and simple.
Plain Talk
The field is the big printed area on the craps layout. It looks inviting because many totals are written on it. Beginners see seven winning numbers and four losing numbers and think the bet must be strong.
That is the trap.
Craps is not based on how many totals win. It is based on how many dice combinations create those totals. The losing numbers include 5, 6, 7, and 8. Those are busy dice totals. The field wins on more listed numbers, but several of those numbers are rare.
This page is about the field bet only. For the full bet map, use craps bets explained. For the dice grid underneath the field, use craps odds.
How It Works
You place a field bet yourself by putting chips in the Field area before the dice roll. It is not a dealer-positioned bet like a place bet or lay bet.
| Roll | Field Result | Common Payout |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Win | Usually 2:1, sometimes more |
| 3 | Win | 1:1 |
| 4 | Win | 1:1 |
| 5 | Lose | — |
| 6 | Lose | — |
| 7 | Lose | — |
| 8 | Lose | — |
| 9 | Win | 1:1 |
| 10 | Win | 1:1 |
| 11 | Win | 1:1 |
| 12 | Win | Usually 2:1 or 3:1 |
The field is settled immediately:
- Put chips in the Field before the roll.
- The shooter rolls.
- If the total is a field number, the dealer pays it.
- If the total is 5, 6, 7, or 8, the dealer takes it.
- The bet is complete.
The key rule is printed on the felt. Some layouts pay double on 2 and double on 12. Some pay double on 2 and triple on 12. Some pay triple on 2 and double on 12. A player should look before betting, not after losing.
The dice-combination logic is simple: the field has 16 winning combinations and 20 losing combinations before bonus payouts. That is why the bonus on 2 or 12 matters so much. Wizard of Odds craps basics lists the common field payouts, while Wizard of Odds house-edge appendix shows how payout differences change the edge. Live layouts and permitted wagers are also reflected in regulatory documents such as the Massachusetts craps rules.
Craps Table Example
You are playing a $10 field bet. The layout says:
- 2 pays double
- 12 pays triple
- Other field numbers pay even money
You put $10 in the Field before the roll.
| Roll | Result | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Win even money | $10 |
| 10 | Win even money | $10 |
| 2 | Win double | $20 |
| 12 | Win triple | $30 |
| 6 | Lose | -$10 |
| 7 | Lose | -$10 |
The shooter rolls 11. The dealer pays you $10 profit. Your original $10 remains in the field unless you pull it back or the house procedure moves it with the payout.
The next roll is 8. The dealer sweeps the $10. The bet did exactly what it is designed to do: fast win, fast loss, fast decision.
From the Casino Side:
The field is self-service, but the crew watches it closely because it sits in heavy traffic. Players add chips late, stack chips over other players’ bets, and argue about whether a chip was in the Field before the dice landed.
The stickman controls the pace by sending the dice only when the layout is clear. Base dealers must pay the field quickly without letting hands enter the layout during the roll. The boxman watches for late bets, dirty stacks, and payout errors on 2 or 12.
For the casino, the field is efficient action. It resolves every roll, creates excitement, and requires no long tracking cycle. That speed is part of its danger for the player.
Common Mistakes
- Counting totals instead of dice combinations.
- Playing the field because it covers “more numbers.”
- Not checking whether 12 pays double or triple.
- Leaving the bet up roll after roll without noticing total action.
- Treating a field hit as proof the table is “turning.”
- Confusing one-roll variance with a good price.
- Making late field bets while the dice are moving.
Hard Truth
The field bet looks wide because many numbers are printed on the felt. The dice do not care about printed space. They care about combinations.
FAQ
Is the field bet a good craps bet?
It can be acceptable for short entertainment, especially if 12 pays triple, but it is not one of the strongest long-term bets.
Why does the field lose on 7?
Because the field is not a “high-low outside” safety bet. It has a fixed list of winning totals, and 7 is not on that list.
What field rule is best?
A field where 12 pays triple is better than a field where both 2 and 12 pay only double.
Does the field win more often than it loses?
No. The field has 16 winning combinations and 20 losing combinations before bonus payouts.
Can I bet the field on the come-out roll?
Usually yes, unless the table has a special restriction. It is a one-roll bet and does not depend on the point.
Is the field better than Place 6 or Place 8?
Usually no. Place 6 and 8 generally have a lower house edge than most field rules. Compare them on craps house edge.
Why do players like the field so much?
It is easy to understand, easy to place, and resolves immediately. That does not make it cheap.
Deeper Insight
The field bet teaches the most important beginner lesson in craps: layout size is not probability.
A large printed area can make a bet feel important. A long list of winning totals can make it feel favored. But two dice do not distribute totals evenly. Seven appears six ways. Six and 8 appear five ways each. Two and 12 appear one way each.
That means the field gets some thin numbers: 2, 3, 11, and 12. The bonus payouts help, but only enough to reduce the house edge under better rules. They do not magically make all field layouts equal.
If both 2 and 12 pay double, the expected loss is worse. If one side pays triple, the field becomes less expensive. The exact felt matters. This is one of the easiest casino checks a player can make: read the box around 2 and 12 before placing chips.
The field is also a total-action trap. A $10 field bet for 40 rolls is not a $10 decision. It is up to $400 in resolved action if you keep replacing it. Use the expected loss calculator and variance simulator if you want to see why quick bets can drain a rack quietly.
Formula / Calculation
Two dice create 36 possible ordered combinations.
Field winners:
2 = 1 combination
3 = 2 combinations
4 = 3 combinations
9 = 4 combinations
10 = 3 combinations
11 = 2 combinations
12 = 1 combination
Total winning combinations = 16Field losers:
5 = 4 combinations
6 = 5 combinations
7 = 6 combinations
8 = 5 combinations
Total losing combinations = 20If 2 and 12 both pay double:
EV = [(14 × $1) + (2 × $2) - (20 × $1)] / 36
EV = (14 + 4 - 20) / 36
EV = -2 / 36
House Edge = 5.56%If one of 2 or 12 pays triple:
EV = [(14 × $1) + (1 × $2) + (1 × $3) - (20 × $1)] / 36
EV = (14 + 2 + 3 - 20) / 36
EV = -1 / 36
House Edge = 2.78%Formula Explanation in Plain English
The field wins on 16 dice combinations and loses on 20. Bonus payouts on 2 and 12 are the only reason the bet is not much worse. Triple pay on one rare total cuts the cost, but it does not remove the casino edge.
Related Reading
Use the craps guide for the full beginner path, then compare the field with craps odds and craps house edge. For better low-edge alternatives, read Place 6 and Place 8 and odds bet explained. To test the cost of repeated one-roll betting, use the house edge calculator or expected loss calculator. The wider lesson is covered in why low house edge does not mean safe.