Part III: Business & Regulation · Gambling Mathematics & Probability

49. Craps Proposition Bets

Table Game Math

Proposition bets (also called prop bets or center bets) are one-roll wagers in craps placed in the center of the table, managed by the stickperson. These bets carry some of the highest house edges in the casino: Any Seven pays 4:1 with a 16.67% house edge; Any Craps pays 7:1 with an 11.11% edge; Horn bets pay based on which specific number hits (2, 3, 11, or 12) with a 12.5% edge; hard way bets pay 7:1 on hard 4/10 (11.11% edge) and 9:1 on hard 6/8 (9.09% edge); hop bets (betting on a specific dice combination on the next roll) typically pay 15:1 for easy hops and 30:1 for hard hops, with house edges of 11.11% and 13.89% respectively. Field bets, which win on 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and 12, carry a 5.56% house edge when both 2 and 12 pay double, or 2.78% when one pays triple. Surveillance and pit personnel should monitor center bets for past-posting or unauthorized wagers, as these bets resolve quickly.

In practice

Some casinos offer enhanced payouts on proposition bets as promotions, which can reduce or temporarily eliminate the house edge. “C&E” combines Any Craps and Eleven into a single split bet. The Iron Cross strategy combines Field bets with Place bets on 5, 6, and 8 to cover all numbers except 7.

One entry from the Casino Industry Glossary — 1,157 terms written for surveillance, compliance and operations professionals rather than for players. Definitions describe industry usage; where a term carries a regulatory meaning, verify against the instrument that governs your jurisdiction.