Understand Craps Lay Bets

To understand craps lay bets, it is best to compare them to craps buy bets. Craps lay bets are the exact opposite of craps buy bets.

Definition of the Craps Lay Bets

Perhaps the best way to explain what the craps lay bets are is to compare them to the craps buy bets.  When a player bets on a buy bet, they are betting that a specific number will be thrown by the shooter before a 7 is thrown.  In the care of the craps buy bets, the possible numbers that can be chosen are the following: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10.

Having explained what craps buy bets are, the player should note that the craps lay bets are the exact opposite to the craps buy bets.  When betting on a craps lay bet, the player is betting that their chosen number will be thrown by the shooter after a 7 is thrown.  The possible numbers to choose from are the same numbers as the craps buy bets:  4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10.

Understand the Craps Lay Bet - An Example

Winning Bet:
- The player places a lay bet on the number 8.
- The shooter rolls the following dice (in this order):  3, 4, 10, 7, 9, 8.
- The player has won their bet because the 8 was rolled after the 7 appeared.

Losing Bet:
- The player places a lay bet on the number 8.
- The shooter rolls the following dice (in this order):  5, 10, 4, 6, 8, 2, 7, 4.
- The player has lost their bet because the 8 was rolled before the 7.  The bet is lost immediately the 8 is rolled if the number 7 has not yet appeared.

House Commission and Odds

The payout for craps lay bets work according to true odds.  The player actually bets more money than they can win in one bet.  For example the 1:2 odds means that you win one unit for every two units bet (for $10, the winning player would win $5).  These odds differ according to which numbers are bet on.

Because the bettor will only win half of what they have bet (and take their original bet back on winning), the house commission is based on the bet that has been won, not on the total amount.  The original money placed on the bet is not charged a commission.  For example, if the bettor placed a bet of $30 on a number that carries 1:2 true odds, the win will be $15.  The commission is taken only from the $15, and not from the original $30.

The following is a list of the true odds for each of the numbers available to bet on in the craps lay bet:

4 - 1:2
5 - 2:3
6 - 5:6
8 - 5:6
9 - 2:3
10 - 1:2

To ensure that you understand craps lay bets, here is another example showing different odds:

The player places a bet of $150 on the number 9.  The odds are 2:3.  The player wins $100.  To work out how much the player takes home, take the original $150 bet, divide it by 3, and multiply that answer by 2.  The 5% house commission is subtracted and the players winnings are now $95.  The $95 plus the $150 placed on the bet are returned to the player.