How the game works
A Lay bet is a wager that a 7 will be rolled before a specific point number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10). It is the opposite of a Place bet. Because the 7 is the most likely number to roll, you have to pay a commission (“vig”) to the casino and risk more than you stand to win. It is a “Dark Side” bet used by players who want to bet against the shooter.
The basic rules
- You can place a Lay bet at any time by tossing chips to the dealer and saying, “Lay the [Number].”
- You must pay a 5% commission on the potential win amount.
- Lay bets are paid at true mathematical odds: 1 to 2 on the 4/10, 2 to 3 on the 5/9, and 5 to 6 on the 6/8.
- You win if a 7 rolls before your chosen number.
- You can “take down” or move your Lay bet at any time before it is resolved.
A typical hand/round
The shooter is on a roll, and you think they are about to Seven-out. You want to bet against the 4. You toss $41 to the dealer and say, “Lay the 4.” The dealer takes $40 as your bet and $1 as the 5% commission. The shooter rolls an 8, then a 6, and then a 7. The dealer announces “Seven out,” clears the table, and pays you $20 for your Lay bet. You retrieve your $40 bet and your $20 profit.
What’s different at different tables
The timing of the commission is the most important variation. “Bad” tables charge the 5% vig when you place the bet, regardless of the outcome. “Good” tables (usually high-limit or player-friendly joints) only charge the vig if the bet wins. This single rule change nearly doubles the house edge. Always ask the dealer: “Is the vig only on the win?”
Where to go next
Check the Craps House Edge Lay Bets for the hard math or learn about the other dark side options in Craps Dont Pass.
In Detail
Lay bets are the “I’ll take the 7” side of craps. Strong position, smaller payout, and yes, the casino still charges rent.
This page is about betting that 7 arrives before a chosen number. 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. True lay odds pay 1:2 against 4/10, 2:3 against 5/9, and 5:6 against 6/8. Add commission and the edge appears. 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: Lay bets fit some dark-side strategies, but they are not casual hunch bets for “a seven feels due.” 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 lay numbers without knowing the commission and minimum. 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.