The Field bet in craps is wagering that the next roll will be a 2,3,4,9,10,11 or 12. You will get a payout for hitting any of these numbers, based on the odds of that number being rolled.
In this guide, expert dice influencer Bill Collins will teach you exactly how to master the bet and integrate it in your online craps strategy.
The craps Field bet is a one-roll, player-controlled bet that you make yourself by putting your chips you want to bet in the huge area of the table in front of you labeled “Field” before any roll of the dice.
The winning craps Field numbers for the next roll of the dice are 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. This means that you can hit several dice combinations to get your Field bet win.
You lose your craps Field bet when the 5, 6, 7, or 8 roll on the next toss of the dice.
Field bet wins pay 1-to-1 on 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11. In most casinos the 2 pays double and the 12 pays triple, though some casinos have tightened that down to where both the 2 and 12 only pay double.
There are 16 winning combinations, out of 36 possible combinations of the dice, that win the Field bet.
One way to win 2, (1-1) and 12 (6-6);
Two ways to win on 3, (2-1 and 1-2) and 11, (5-6 and 6-5);
Three ways to win 4, (3-1, 2-2, 1-3) and 10, (4-6, 5-5, 6-4);
That leaves 20 out of 36 ways that lose when you roll a losing 5, 6, 7, or 8, which is four more ways to lose than the 16 ways that win the Field bet in craps.
If the field bet pays double the bet amount on the 2 and triple the bet amount on the 12, then the house edge is 2.78%. If the field bet pays triple on the 2 and double on the 12, then the house edge is also 2.78%.
But, if the field bet pays double on both the 2 and 12, then the casinos' house advantage jumps to 5.56%.
If you are the kind of gambler that plays for fun and likes a lot of action, you may like playing the Field in online craps, because it gives you a win or lose decision on every roll of the dice.
With a 2.78% house edge, it is a much better bet than a lot of the prop bets in the center of the table that carry much higher house edges. At 5.56% house edge, when both the 2 and 12 only pay double when hit, I'd be hesitant to make a Field bet.
If you bet a half-sized Field bet, along with full-sized bets on each, 5, 6, and 8 you will now be betting a very popular strategy called the Iron Cross, which wins money on every roll of the dice that is not a losing 7.
That gives you 30 ways to win versus only 6 ways to lose on every roll.
Who doesn't like being handed chips after almost every roll of the dice? Of course, you only win a single bet each time you win, while the losing 7 takes all your bets down at once.
So, you will need almost four rolls without the 7 showing up at the beginning of the turn shooting to cover the initial cost of your bets.
Remember
It is up to you to replace your field bet every time it loses. If you don't replace your field bet and a field number rolls, you won't get paid. The Field bet is a self-service that the player has to make himself.
When playing the Iron Cross Strategy, on all the more frequently rolled 5, 6, or 8 tosses, your Field Bet amount loses and reduces the total amount you won on that number hitting.
Some players improve their winnings while playing the Iron Cross Strategy by using the field bet winnings each time to pump up the sizes of their bets on the more-frequently hit and better-paying 5, 6, and 8 bets.
They then rack all of the winnings on all those higher paying 5, 6, and 8 bets as the bet sizes and payoffs increase. To me, this makes the Iron Cross much more profitable.
Some players only wager on the Field bet occasionally, on come-out rolls or after either seeing a couple of them roll back-to-back or when there have been several tosses without a field number rolling.
The first player believes that the streak of field numbers will continue; while the second player is betting that a field number is due to roll.
I've even seen players put all their money on a single craps Field Bet for just that one roll, trying to pull a hit-and-run strategy. Sometimes they win. Sometimes they lose.
Some players will double their bet after their first loss on a Field Bet in craps, then double their bet again if it loses a second time, running a mini-Martingale strategy to try to recover their earlier losses.
Please note
The Martingale betting strategy is where the player doubles his bets after every loss, in an attempt to recover his initial loss.
It's a lot of good money chasing a little money already lost. In my humble opinion, Martingale betting should not be carried out beyond two or three bets, as it is better to cut your small losses than chase them with double bets.
Final Thoughts
Whether you frequently make Field bets in craps is a decision each player has to make. It's not as bad a bet, in regards to the house edge, as a lot of other prop bets are in the center section of the table.
Unless I was using the Field bet in craps in an Iron Cross strategy, I would think of it as more a cost-of-entertainment bet. In the long run, you will lose more than you win betting the Field.
Of course, the field is not the only bet you can make in online craps. Check out our Chipy Craps Academy guides to discover even more tips and strategies for winning more at the table.
Have fun!
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Bill Collins
Professional Craps Player
About Bill Collins
Author of the craps novel, "Vegas Fever";
20+ years of successful craps experience, consistently winning since 2003;
Professional writer of Craps guides, with numerous articles published;
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