Master the Odds Bets in Craps: The Complete Guide

Dice influencer Bill Collins reveals the secrets of odds bets in craps. Learn from the pro craps player, up your game, and dominate the table with confidence.

As a pro craps player, Bill has spent years perfecting his strategies and mastering the art of dice rolling. 

One of his favorite wagers, is also the most advantageous bets in craps: the odds bets. With the lowest house edge, they give players a greater chance of walking away victorious.

In this exclusive article, he will share his insights, tips, and techniques for maximizing your potential at the craps table using odds bets. 

Here’s what you will learn:

• What are Free Odds Bets in Craps?
• Types of Free Odds Bets
• How to Make the Free Odds in Craps - Step-by-step
• Right Side Payouts
• Dark Side Payouts
• How Are The Winning Ways of True Odds Calculated?
• Pros and Cons for the Free Odds Bets
• Finding the Best Craps Odds Bets: 5 Facts for Newcomers
• Simple Strategies for Using Odds Bets
• Expert Advice: Why the Odds Bets May Not Be for Everyone

Get ready to elevate your craps game to the next level.

What are Free Odds Bets in Craps?

Free Odds bets are secondary bets that you add to your pass line, don't pass line, come bets, or don't come bets once a come-out point number or initial bet is established. 

They reduce the casino's house advantage when added. If that number repeats before the 7 rolls, the main bet and odds bets win. If the 7 rolls first, both bets lose.

Though they are called Free Odds, because they pay off at fair odds, they aren't "free"; you must make a primary bet to make those free odds bets. 

And, of course, the free odds aren't free if the bet loses. 

Those losing Free Odds chips get raked off the table by the dealer when the losing 7 rolls before those numbers repeat.

How Much Do Free Odds Bets Reduce the House Edge?

Single odds added to a pass line or come bet reduces the house advantage from 1.41% to 0.8%. 

Single odds added to a don't pass line or don't come bet reduces the house advantage from 1.4% to 0.7%. 

Double odds added to a pass line or come bet reduces the house advantage from 1.41% to 0.6%. 

Double odds added to a don't pass line or don't come bet reduces the house advantage from 1.4% to 0.5%.

Types of Free Odds Bets in Craps

Here are the 4 types of craps odds bets available:

• Pass Line Odds Bet is added to your pass-line bet once a point number is established without having to pay the 5% vig charged on buy and lay bets. That's why they are called Free Odds. 
• Come Bet Free Odds are added after you make a come bet, and a come bet has been established, and the bet moves to the number rolled.
• Don't Pass Free Odds Bet are the dark-side bettor's equivalent of a Pass Line Odds bet, with those odds added to the Don't Pass Bet once a Don't Pass bet point has been established.
• Don't Come Free Odds Bet is the dark-side bettor's equivalent of a Come Odds bet, with those odds added to the Don't Come Bet once a Don't Come bet has been made and the point number has been established.

How to Make the Free Odds in Craps - Step-by-step

1. Make a standard bet like pass line or don't pass line, or after a line bet number is established, make a Come or Don't Come bet.
2. Wait for a point number to be established for that bet.
3. Place your free odds by putting your odds bet next to your pass or don't pass bets, or put your chips in the Come area of the table and tell your dealer that it is for free odds on your come or don't come bet. He will put the odds part of the bet where they go.

Right Side Payouts

Free Odds won on the pass line or come bet pays true 2-to-1, instead of the usual 9-to-5, for the odds part of the bet when on a point number of 4 or 10.

Free Odds won on the pass line or come bet pays true 3-to-2 for the odds part of the bet when on a point number of 5 or 9.

Free Odds won on pass line or come bet pays true 6-to-5 for the odds part of the bet when on a point number of 6 or 8. 

Dark Side Payouts 

Free Odds won on the don't pass line, don't come bet odds pays true 1-to-2 for the odds part of the bet when on a point number of 4 or 10.

Free Odds won on the don't pass line, don't come bet odds pays true 2-to-3 for the odds part of the bet when on a point number of 5 or 9.

Free Odds won on the don't pass line, don't come bet odds pays true 5-to-6 for the odds part of the bet when on a point number of 6 or 8. 

How Are The Winning Ways of True Odds Calculated?

First things, you need to keep in mind that there are:

• 6 ways to roll a 7;
• 5 ways to roll a 6 or 8;
• 4 ways to roll 5 or 9;
• 3 ways to roll 4 or 10.

On the 6 or 8, 5 ways to win versus 6 ways to lose means true odds are 5-to-6.

On the 5 or 9, 4 ways to win versus 6 ways to lose means true odds are 4-to-6, which reduces to 2-to-3.

On 4 or 10, 3 ways to win versus 6 ways to lose means true odds of winning are 3-to-6, which reduces to 2-to-1.

Pros and Cons for the Free Odds Bets

Pros	Cons
You get a true odd payout without paying a 5% vig on your wager amount.	They don't benefit you unless you win that particular Free Odds bet. They cost you on a loss.
Free Odds bets increase your winnings by paying off at True Odds, giving the casino zero house advantage on that part of the winning bet.	Big Free Odds bets can't realistically be made on a small buy-in.
The Free Odds bet reduces the casino's overall house advantage you have to beat to win.	Some casinos severely limit the size of Free Odds bets you can wager, and do not include them in figuring comps.

Finding the Best Craps Odds Bets: 5 Facts for Newcomers

1. Las Vegas is one of the top destinations for free odds
2. Several casinos offer 10x odds, some even up to 20x odds
3. There are some casinos that offer up to 100x odds and a $5 minimum pass line and don't pass line bets (even in Indiana)
4. I don't travel much, being 78, but Horseshoe Indianapolis Casino, in Indianapolis, IN., allows up to 100x Free Odds.
5. Online craps is also an option you might want to check out.

Simple Strategies for Using Odds Bets

Taking Full Odds means that if the allowed Free Odds limit is 10 times your main bet, that's what you bet each time. That takes a more significant buy-in and bankroll to take advantage of the offer without playing on scared money.

Taking Partial Odds is for those on a more limited craps buy-in, where you only take 1x or 2x odds, which lets you play on a smaller scale.

Using the 3-4-5x Odds System is usually the table limits for Free Odds in many casinos because they know that being able to take big Free Odds reduces that casino's house advantage over the player on those particular bets. 

(That's 3x odds of 4 and 10, 4x odds on 5 and 9, and 5x odds on 6 and 8.)

Expert Advice: Why the Odds Bets May Not Be for Everyone

Free Odds cannot be made or won on a shooter's opening rolls. It takes a couple of rolls or more to establish Free Odds bets. 

If you are working your place bets on come-out rolls and can hit them frequently, you could have already racked a couple of big winning place bets by the time it would take you to establish Free Odds.

Final Thoughts

The free odds bet in Craps is the only chance of placing wagers without a house edge. 

Craps casinos may offer Free Odds to get players to make higher vig even-paying line bets, where the odds favor the house once the point is established. I try not to make line bets of any kind on other shooters. 

If I had to, I'd add Free Odds after the point was established to reduce the house advantage. But of course, it's important that you master the game first, so you know exactly how to time your wagers.