What is the field bet?
The field looks irresistible - seven winning numbers against four losers - and it settles every single roll. The catch, as always in craps, is hiding in the combinations.
How the field works
Drop chips in the big FIELD box any time. If the very next roll is 3, 4, 9, 10 or 11 you win even money; snake eyes pays 2:1 and boxcars pays 3:1. A 5, 6, 7 or 8 loses. Win or lose, the bet resolves in one roll - no waiting, no puck, no point. That instant feedback is why beginners love it.
Seven numbers, but not seven-sixteenths
The field's seven winning totals cover only 16 of the 36 dice combinations, while the four losing totals - built around the mighty 6, 7 and 8 - cover 20. You lose more rolls than you win; the bonus payouts on 2 and 12 are what pulls the bet back to a 2.78% edge. On tables that pay only 2:1 on the 12, the edge doubles to 5.56% - so the 3:1 marking matters, and our table pays it.
Where the field fits
At 2.78%, the field is mid-tier: costlier than the pass line, don't pass or placed 6/8, but far kinder than any prop in the middle of the layout. It's a fine change-of-pace bet and a fun one-roll sweat when you're pressing toward $1,000. Just don't make it the engine of your session - the edge table shows better engines.
Related questions
What are place bets?
A place bet backs one of the box numbers - 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 - to be rolled before a 7, and it only works while a point is on. Placing the 6 or 8 pays 7:6 at just a 1.52% house edge; the 5 and 9 pay 7:5 (4.00%) and the 4 and 10 pay 9:5 (6.67%).
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.