The short answer
The house edge on the Field bet is 5.56% if the 12 pays double, but it drops to 2.78% if the 12 pays triple.
The full calculation
The Field wins on: 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12 (16 combinations). The Field loses on: 5, 6, 7, 8 (20 combinations). If 2 and 12 both pay double (2:1): $EV = rac{(14 imes 1) + (1 imes 2) + (1 imes 2) - 20}{36} = rac{-2}{36} = -0.0556$ If the 12 pays triple (3:1): $EV = rac{(14 imes 1) + (1 imes 2) + (1 imes 3) - 20}{36} = rac{-1}{36} = -0.0278$
What this means at the table
At 5.56%, the Field is a bankroll killer. If you bet $25 on the Field every roll, you are losing an average of $1.39 every single time the shooter tosses the dice. In one hour (100 rolls), your expected loss is $139. Compare that to the Pass Line, where you only lose $1.41 over the course of entire shooters. The Field is designed to drain you through frequency.
Common mistakes around this number
The “Visual Trap.” Players look at the Field and see seven winning numbers and only four losing numbers. They assume they are the favorites. They fail to realize that those four losing numbers (5, 6, 7, 8) represent 20 out of the 36 possible combinations. You are mathematically likely to lose the Field bet on any given roll.
See also
Check the Craps Field Bet rules or see Craps Probabilities for the dice grid.
In Detail
The field bet’s house edge changes with one tiny piece of print. Smart players read that print before tossing chips like confetti.
This page is about how 2 and 12 payouts change the field bet. On the surface, that may sound like one small corner of craps, but in a real casino it touches the three things that decide whether a player survives the table: the written rule, the payout, and the way the bet feels when chips are already in action. Craps is dangerous for beginners because a bet can feel smart, social, or lucky while still being badly priced.
The math that matters: Two dice create 36 equally likely ordered combinations. The shape of the game comes from that grid: 7 has 6 combinations, 6 and 8 have 5 each, 5 and 9 have 4 each, 4 and 10 have 3 each, 3 and 11 have 2 each, and 2 and 12 have only 1 each. Double-double on 2 and 12 gives $EV=(18-20)/36=-5.56%$. Double-triple improves it to $EV=(19-20)/36=-2.78%$. Expected value is the grown-up way to price a bet: $EV=\sum(P_i\times W_i)-\sum(P_j\times L_j)$. If the payout is smaller than the true probability deserves, the difference is the house edge.
What it means on the felt: A better field layout is still a fast one-roll bet. Speed makes even a moderate edge collect quickly. A player who understands this subject does not need to act like a robot. You can still enjoy the noise, the shooter, the stick calls, and the little rush when the dice leave the hand. The point is to know when you are paying for entertainment and when you are making a lower-cost decision.
Casino-floor truth: Craps is built to move. The table crew wants clear bets, fast decisions, and clean payouts. The layout also nudges attention toward action. The safest-looking move is not always the cheapest move, and the loudest bet is almost never the best one. Good craps play is not about predicting the next roll. It is about refusing to overpay for it.
The mistake to avoid: Do not make the field your safe bet. It loses to the busiest part of the dice grid. Also, never judge this topic by one lucky hit or one ugly loss. Short sessions are noisy. The math only shows its face over repeated decisions, which is exactly why casinos are patient and players are usually not.