The short answer
Proposition bets are the “sucker bets” of the casino, with house edges ranging from 9.09% (Hardways) up to a catastrophic 16.67% (Any Seven).
The full calculation
Proposition bets are usually one-roll wagers located in the center of the table. The math is simple: probability of winning vs. the payout odds.
Any Seven:
- Combinations to win: 6 (1-6, 2-5, 3-4, etc.)
- Total combinations: 36.
- Payout: 4 to 1 (sometimes written as 5 for 1). $$EV = (6/36 imes 4) + (30/36 imes -1) = -0.1667$$ House edge: 16.67%.
Yo (11):
- Combinations to win: 2 (5-6, 6-5).
- Payout: 15 to 1. $$EV = (2/36 imes 15) + (34/36 imes -1) pprox -0.1111$$ House edge: 11.11%.
Hardways (Hard 4 or 10):
- Combinations to win: 1 (2-2 or 5-5).
- Combinations to lose: 8 (the 7, plus easy totals).
- Payout: 7 to 1. $$EV = (1/9 imes 7) + (8/9 imes -1) = -0.1111$$ House edge: 11.11%.
What this means at the table
Sitting at a craps table and betting the Pass Line is like taking a slow walk in the park. Betting Proposition bets is like setting your money on fire. If you bet $10 on “Any Seven” every roll for an hour (100 rolls), your theoretical loss is $166.70. For that same $1,000 in total action on the Pass Line, you would only expect to lose $14.10.
Common mistakes around this number
Players are lured by the high payouts (30:1 for Snake Eyes or Midnight). They think, “It’s only a dollar.” But those dollars add up. The center of the table is where the casino makes its profit; the noise and energy there are designed to distract you from the fact that you are paying an 11-16% tax on your bankroll. If you must bet them, treat it as a tip for the dealers, not a strategy.
See also
See the Craps Hardways guide or look at the Craps Probabilities to see why these numbers hit so rarely.
In Detail
Proposition-bet house edge is where craps puts the candy at child height. The bets are bright, quick, and priced like airport snacks.
This page is about the cost of center-table one-roll bets. 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. Any seven pays 4:1 but wins only 6 of 36 ways: $EV=(6\times4-30)/36=-16.67%$. A specific 2 or 12 at 30:1 is $EV=(30-35)/36=-13.89%$. 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: Props are dangerous because they resolve fast. The math gets many chances to collect. 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 use prop bets as a recovery plan. 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.