A hop bet asks for a particular two-dice combination on the next valid roll. “Hop the 3-2” means either die may show 3 while the other shows 2. “Hop the hard 6” means the exact pair 3-3. The bet is over after one roll, win or lose.
That combination language is what separates a hop from a wager on a total. A bet on “5” can refer to both 1-4 and 2-3 combinations. A hop bet selects one of those combinations specifically.
Read the dice, not only the total
Two six-sided dice produce 36 ordered outcomes. For an unpaired combination such as 2-5, there are two winning orders:
- first die 2, second die 5;
- first die 5, second die 2.
For a pair such as 4-4, there is only one winning order.
Casinos commonly divide hop wagers into two groups:
| Hop type | Example | Winning ordered outcomes | Win probability | Common net payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy hop | 2-5 | 2 of 36 | 5.5556% | 15:1 |
| Hard hop | 4-4 | 1 of 36 | 2.7778% | 30:1 |
“Easy” does not mean favorable. It only means the two dice are different, so the combination can arrive in either order.
The 21 named combinations
If order is ignored for naming purposes, two dice have 21 distinct combination labels:
- six pairs: 1-1 through 6-6;
- fifteen unpaired combinations: 1-2, 1-3, and so on through 5-6.
The six pairs are hard hops. The fifteen unpaired combinations are easy hops. Together they cover all 36 ordered dice outcomes because every easy combination represents two orders and every hard combination represents one:
[ (15 imes2)+(6 imes1)=36 ]
A player may call one combination, several combinations, or a house-defined group. The amount must be clear for each one. “Hop the sevens” can mean the three easy combinations 1-6, 2-5, and 3-4, but the dealer still needs to know whether the quoted amount is on each combination or divided across the group.
The easy-hop price
Let a $1 easy hop pay 15:1. The wager wins on 2 outcomes and loses on 34:
[ EV = \left(\frac{2}{36}\times 15\right)-\left(\frac{34}{36}\times 1\right) ]
[ EV = -\frac{4}{36} \approx -0.1111 ]
The house edge is therefore about 11.11%.
Fair net odds for a two-outcome event would be 34 losing outcomes divided by 2 winning outcomes, or 17:1. Paying 15:1 creates the casino margin.
The hard-hop price
A $1 hard hop paying 30:1 wins on one outcome and loses on 35:
[ EV = \left(\frac{1}{36}\times 30\right)-\left(\frac{35}{36}\times 1\right) ]
[ EV = -\frac{5}{36} \approx -0.1389 ]
The house edge is about 13.89%. Fair net odds would be 35:1.
This is why a 30:1 award should not be judged by its size alone. The missing five units between the fair 35:1 price and the posted 30:1 price are the source of the edge.
A spoken wager must be unambiguous
Hop bets are often booked verbally by the stickperson or dealer. The call should identify:
- the amount;
- the exact combination or combinations;
- whether the amount is on each combination or split across them.
“Five dollars hopping the sixes” can be unclear. Does the player mean $5 on 1-5, $5 on 2-4, and $5 on 3-3? Or $5 total divided among them? House procedure controls the answer, so the dealer repeats the wager before the dice are sent.
A clean call is more like: “Three dollars each on 1-5, 2-4, and hard 6.” The total amount at risk is $9.
Covering several combinations changes the bill, not the price
Suppose a player wagers $2 each on three combinations that total 6:
- 1-5 easy;
- 2-4 easy;
- 3-3 hard.
The player has $6 at risk on the next roll.
If 2-4 appears and easy hops pay 15:1, that $2 wager wins $30 profit. The other two $2 wagers lose, leaving a net profit of $26 for the roll.
If any other combination appears, all $6 may lose. Covering more combinations increases the chance that one wager wins, but it also increases total action. It does not convert the individual hops into fair bets.
A useful way to evaluate a group is:
[ \text{Group EV} = \sum (\text{stake on each hop} \times \text{EV per dollar for that hop}) ]
For $2 on two easy hops and $2 on one hard hop:
[ ($4\times -0.1111)+($2\times -0.1389) \approx -$0.72 ]
That is the average theoretical loss for one complete $6 group wager, not a prediction of the next result.
What happens if every combination is covered
Covering all 21 named combinations guarantees that one hop wins on the next valid roll, but it does not guarantee a profit. Suppose the player puts $1 on every combination, risking $21.
- If an easy combination rolls, its 15:1 win produces $15 profit while the other 20 wagers lose: net result −$5.
- If a hard combination rolls, its 30:1 win produces $30 profit while the other 20 wagers lose: net result +$10.
There are 30 ordered easy outcomes and six ordered hard outcomes. The group expected value is:
[ \left( rac{30}{36} imes-$5 ight)+\left( rac{6}{36} imes$10 ight)=-$2.50 ]
The player loses an average $2.50 per $21 of complete coverage, a weighted edge of about 11.90%. “Something must hit” is true; “therefore the group must win” is false.
The Washington State craps game description distinguishes hopping hardways from unpaired hop combinations and is a useful example of regulated terminology. Exact availability and payouts still depend on the approved rules and layout in the casino where you play.
A hard hop is not a hardway contract bet
The names sound similar, but the wagers resolve differently.
- Hard hop 4-4: wins only if 4-4 appears on the next roll; otherwise it loses immediately.
- Hard 8 contract bet: remains active until 4-4 wins, an easy 8 loses it, or 7 loses it.
The contract hardway has several chances to resolve. The hop gets one. See Hardways Bets Explained for the multi-roll version.
Why hop action becomes expensive quickly
Hop bets combine three costly features:
- a large payout that draws attention;
- complete loss on most next rolls;
- immediate resolution, allowing the bet to be repeated frequently.
A player who makes $5 of easy-hop action on 50 rolls has wagered $250. At an 11.11% edge, expected loss is about:
[ $250\times 0.1111 \approx $27.78 ]
Adding hard hops raises the weighted cost. Pressing after a hit raises total action again. A hit can put the player ahead; it does not change the price of the next hop.
Common table mistakes
- Calling only a total when the dealer needs an exact combination.
- Failing to say whether the amount is “each” or “total.”
- Assuming 15:1 means the total return is $15 rather than $16 including the stake.
- Confusing hard hops with multi-roll hardways.
- Believing the last dice combination makes another combination due.
- Repeating a one-roll wager without tracking accumulated action.
- Placing late center action after the dealer has closed betting.
Before making the call
Check the printed payout, identify the exact combination, state the total amount clearly, and treat the wager as one-roll entertainment rather than a low-edge craps strategy.
For the broader category, read One-Roll Bets Explained and Proposition Bet House Edge. Use Craps Dice Combinations to see all 36 ordered outcomes and the craps odds calculator to verify probability and payout gaps.