Learn How to Play Craps

Lay Bet Payoffs

As wagers go, Lay Bets are one of the most misunderstood on the table. One reason for this is that the majority of craps players have NEVER laid against a number. (If you're of the mindset that 'dark side' bettors somehow are a jinx at the table, get over it) There's a cause and effect of players' inexperience with lay bets.

If players rarely lay against the numbers, then dealers are also less experienced paying these bets off. In casinos where you'd almost never see an incorrect payoff on place bets, it's much more common to have confusion with lay bet payoffs.

Especially with the proliferation of Indian Casinos and the addition of craps tables in Canadian casinos, it is in your best interest for YOU to know how much to lay and how much you should be paid.

Lay bets are paid true odds. Again, because of this fact, the casino has seen fit to charge a vigorish (vig) of 5% on these wagers. One important fact to know up front though is that you are paying the vig on the anticipated amount of the win, not on the amount laid. Look at the chart:

To lay against numbers, there are some easy ways to calculate how much to lay and how much you'll be paid. If you think of the true odds in increments instead of dollars, payoffs are simple. Take laying the 6 or 8. True odds are 6:5 . This means that you must lay the 6 or 8 in increments of $6 and for every increment laid, you will be paid $5.

So if you lay the 6 for $24 (4 increments of 6), you'll be paid $20. (4 increments x $5). So, learn the odds! If you know the odds, you can calculate the amount to lay and the amount you'll be paid quite easily.

A couple more examples. You want to lay the 5. Odds are 3:2 therefore you need to lay the 5 in an amount divisible by 3. If you lay the 5 for $30 (10 increments of 3) you would be paid $20 (10 increments x 2). For the 4 and 10, it's a cinch. You take the amount you lay, divide it in half and that's your payoff. (True odds are 2:1)

If you are new to lay bets, there's something in the chart that should jump out at you. Why does the chart start with $20 payoffs? Generally, on a $5 table, the minimum amount you can win on a lay bet is 4 times the table minimum (4 x $5).

Like other wagers with a vigorish, some casinos will charge the vigorish when you lay your bet, so for instance if you intended to lay the 4 for $40, you would actually drop $41 on the table. Other casinos are more generous and only charge the vig if the wager wins. In that case you would lay the 4 for $40, and if the seven shows, you'd be paid $19 instead of $20. If the vig is only charged when you win, the house advantage is significantly lowered for lay bets.

Remember, there is some dealer discretion in the amount of vig you pay. For instance, you lay the 6 for $60 and win $50. 5% of $50 is $2.50. Most casinos will charge you only a $2 vig, but you should check first. On the other hand, if you lay the 6 AND 8 for $60 each and win $100. You will pay a $5 vig.

So how do you place your wager? You know you want to lay the 4 for $40 but what EXACTLY do you say? Well, there's several ways, but the two most common are:

'I'd like to lay the 4 for $40, please..' and ' No 4 for $40 please...'

If you're ever not sure what to do, ask the dealer. That's what they're there for! (DON'T ask the stranger next to you, they probably know less about the game then YOU do!)

Finally, lay bets in general are pretty good wagers. If you are not required to pay the vig up front, then they're even better! The real hang up with lay bets is that they require the player to have a pretty decent bankroll, and on bets like the 4 and 10, wagering $40 to win $20 is an issue to wrestle with.