Odds, Probability & Bankroll
Craps house edge
The craps house edge is the casino's built-in profit margin on a craps wager, shown as a percentage of the amount bet.
Key points
- The house edge is calculated from the bet's expected loss relative to the initial wager, and varies widely depending on the specific bet and rule set.1
- Some sources distinguish between edge per bet made and per bet resolved, because certain wagers can push or remain unresolved for multiple rolls.1
- For a buy bet with a $1 commission on a $39 wager, the house edge is 2.5%; with a 5% commission it rises to 5.56%.3
- Odds bets carry zero house edge, making them the only craps wager with no built-in casino advantage.2
House edge for common craps bets
| Bet | House edge |
|---|---|
| Pass line | 1.41% |
| Don't pass | 1.36% |
| Odds bet | 0% |
| Buy bet (5% commission) | 5.56% |
| New York craps (overall) | 5% |
How the house edge works in craps
For each craps wager, the house edge is the ratio of the player's expected loss to the original bet amount.1 The pass line edge of 1.41% means the player loses about $1.41 per $100 wagered over the long run. Odds bets contribute zero edge because they pay true odds, so adding them to a pass line bet lowers the combined house edge.26
Where this term is used
Not the same as
- House edge — the general casino term for expected advantage across all games, not specific to craps
- House edge craps vs blackjack — a comparison page that contrasts craps bet-level edges with blackjack's overall game edge under optimal play
Related terms
Sources
- Craps wizardofodds.com Provides the definition of house edge as ratio of expected loss to initial wager, and notes the distinction between per-bet and per-resolved edge.
- How the House Edge for Each Bet is Derived wizardofodds.com States that odds bets have zero house edge.
- Craps - Other Bets wizardofodds.com Gives the exact pass line edge as 7/495 and buy bet edge examples with commission calculations.
- カジノゲームのハウスエッジの比較 jp.wizardofodds.com Provides the pass line edge of 1.41% and don't pass edge of 1.36% in a comparison table.
- Craps - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org States the overall house edge for New York craps as 5%.
- 各ベットのハウスエッジの算出方法 jp.wizardofodds.com Confirms that odds bets contribute zero edge, lowering the combined house edge when added to a pass line bet.
Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.