Definition
In Craps, a Place Bet is a wager that a specific number—the 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10—will be rolled before a 7 appears. Unlike a Pass Line bet, a Place Bet can be made at any time, even after a “point” has been established.
In context
“Dealer, I’d like to Place the 6 and 8 for $12 each.” The dealer will take your chips and move them to the specific boxes on the layout corresponding to the 6 and 8. If the shooter rolls a 6 or 8 before rolling a 7, you win. If they roll a 7 first, you lose both bets.
Why it matters
Place Bets are the most popular way for Craps players to get “action” on multiple numbers simultaneously. While they have a slightly higher house edge than the Pass Line with Odds, they offer flexibility because they can be increased, decreased, or “taken down” (removed) at any time.
Related terms
In detail
Place Bets are the bread and butter of the seasoned Craps player. While the Pass Line bet is the “standard” way to play, it only lets you bet on one number at a time (the Point). Place Bets allow you to spread your money across the layout and win on almost every roll of the dice. However, they come with a specific set of rules, payout ratios, and mathematical realities that every player should understand before tossing their chips onto the felt.
The Mechanics: How to Make the Bet
You do not place these bets yourself. To make a Place Bet, you put your chips in the “Come” area (the open space in front of you) and tell the dealer, “Place the [number].” The dealer then moves the chips to the narrow rectangular box at the top of the layout that corresponds to that number.
The most important thing to remember is that Place Bets are “Off” by default during the Come-Out roll (the first roll of a new round) unless you specifically tell the dealer you want them “Working.” This protects you from losing your bets if the shooter rolls a 7 on the first toss.
Payouts and the “Proper” Bet Amounts
Unlike a Pass Line bet, which pays 1-to-1 (Even Money), Place Bets pay at different odds depending on the difficulty of rolling the number. Because there are more ways to roll a 7 than any other number, the payouts are designed to be slightly less than the “True Odds.”
- The 6 and 8: These are the most likely numbers to roll besides the 7. They pay 7-to-6. This means you should always bet in increments of $6 (e.g., $6, $12, $18, $30) so the dealer can pay you exactly $7 for every $6 wagered.
- The 5 and 9: These pay 7-to-5. You should bet in increments of $5 (e.g., $5, $10, $15, $25).
- The 4 and 10: These are the hardest to roll and pay 9-to-5. You should also bet these in $5 increments.
If you bet an “improper” amount—like $5 on the 6—the dealer will pay you “even money” or a rounded-down amount, which significantly increases the house edge. Always bet the correct increments.
The Math: House Edge Comparison
The house edge on Place Bets varies wildly depending on which number you choose:
- The 6 and 8: House edge of 1.52%. This is one of the best bets in the casino and only slightly worse than the Pass Line (1.41%).
- The 5 and 9: House edge of 4.00%. This is a significant jump and is generally considered a “middle-of-the-road” bet.
- The 4 and 10: House edge of 6.67%. This is a poor bet. Most smart players will “Buy” the 4 and 10 instead of “Placing” them once their bet amount reaches $20, as “Buying” lowers the house edge to roughly 4.76% (depending on the casino’s commission rules).
Strategy: “Pressing” the Bet
One of the reasons players love Place Bets is the ability to “Press” them. When you win a Place Bet, instead of taking all the profit, you can tell the dealer to “Press it.” This means you add some of your winnings to the original bet.
For example, if you have $12 on the 6 and it hits, the dealer owes you $14. You can say, “Go to $24 on the 6.” The dealer will take $12 of your winnings, add it to your $12 bet, and give you back $2 in change. Now, if the 6 hits again, you win $28. This allows you to use the “house’s money” to try and win a large sum during a “hot roll.”
Flexibility: Taking Them Down
A Place Bet is not a “contract bet.” This means you are not stuck with it until it wins or loses. If you have a “bad feeling” or you’ve won enough, you can tell the dealer to “Take me down on the 6 and 8.” They will return your chips to you. You can also tell them to “Make my bets off,” which means the chips stay on the table but they cannot win or lose until you tell the dealer to make them “Working” again. This flexibility is the primary advantage over “Come” bets, which cannot be removed once they are established.