What are odds bets?
Every casino bet pays a little less than fair - except this one. The odds bet is the famous exception, and using it well is the closest thing craps has to a genuine edge-reducing strategy.
How taking odds works
Once your pass line bet has a point, you can add chips behind it - 'taking odds.' If the point is made, the odds portion pays true odds: 2:1 on a 4 or 10, 3:2 on a 5 or 9, 6:5 on a 6 or 8. Those payouts exactly match the real probability of making each point against a 7, so over time the odds money breaks even - zero house edge. Come bets can take odds the same way.
How much can you take?
Tables cap odds as a multiple of your line bet, and our default is the classic 3-4-5x: up to 3x on the 4/10, 4x on the 5/9 and 5x on the 6/8 (which makes every full-odds win pay the same amount). You can also play flat 2x or a generous 10x mode. The bigger the share of your money riding on odds instead of the flat bet, the smaller the house's average take on your total action.
Laying odds on the don't side
Don't pass players get the same free deal in reverse: 'laying' odds stakes more to win less - 1:2 against the 4/10, 2:3 against the 5/9, 5:6 against the 6/8 - because the 7 makes their side the favorite. Either direction, the principle is identical: small flat bet, maximum odds. It's the one piece of craps advice every serious player agrees on.
Related questions
What is the pass line?
The pass line is the main bet in craps - the one the whole table plays together. It wins even money on a come-out 7 or 11, loses on 2, 3 or 12, and otherwise wins if the point is rolled before a 7. Its 1.41% house edge is among the best in any casino.
What are the odds in craps?
It depends entirely on the bet. Odds bets have zero house edge, the pass line gives up just 1.41% and don't pass 1.36%, while one-roll props like Any 7 cost 16.67%. Knowing this table is the single most useful piece of craps knowledge.
What are the best craps bets for beginners?
Start with the pass line - one chip, even money, a house edge of just 1.41%. Back it with an odds bet, which has zero house edge, and if you want more action, place the 6 or 8 at a 1.52% edge. Ignore the shiny proposition bets in the middle of the table.