Explore craps Proposition bets, Horns, and Hardways. Learn single-roll rules, multi-roll pairs, payout tables, and steep house edge risks.
Last updated:Right in the center of the craps layout sits the Proposition box. In a brick-and-mortar casino, the stickperson controls this area; online, you just click the middle panel.
Proposition bets and Hardways hand out big payouts on very specific dice combinations. That sounds great on paper, but the risk, duration, and house cuts vary wildly across these spots – similarly to the side bets covered elsewhere in our craps section. You need to know what the payout numbers actually mean before throwing money at them.
Key Takeaways: Proposition Bets, Horns, and Hardways
- Single-Roll Propositions: Bets like Aces, Twelve, and Any Craps settle immediately on the very next throw, offering quick resolutions with no rolls carried over.
- Multi-Roll Hardways: Wagering on even pairs (4, 6, 8, or 10) keeps bets active over multiple rolls until the exact pair lands, an easy total rolls, or a 7 wipes it out.
- Combination Bets: Wagers such as C & E, Horn, and World split a single bet across multiple numbers to target high payouts or provide a built-in hedge.
- Steep House Edge: High payouts reaching up to 30 to 1 carry significant risk, with casino advantages climbing from 9.09% on Hard 6 and 8 up to 16.67% on Any Seven.
Single-Roll Proposition Bets
One roll settles these entirely. It does not matter if the puck says ON or OFF. You either hit your exact combination on that next toss and get paid, or your chips disappear immediately.
High-Payout Single Outcomes
- Aces (2 or “Snake Eyes”): Backs a 1-1 on the next throw. Pays 30 to 1 (or 31 for 1).
- Twelve (12 or “Boxcars”): Backs a 6-6 on the next throw. Pays 30 to 1 (or 31 for 1).
- Ace-Deuce (3): Backs a 1-2 or 2-1. Pays 15 to 1.
- Yo-Eleven (11 or “Yo”): Backs a 5-6 or 6-5. Pays 15 to 1.
- Any Seven (Big Red): Bets that the dice total 7 in any way (1-6, 2-5, 3-4). Pays 4 to 1.
- Any Craps: Covers 2, 3, or 12. Pays 7 to 1.
Combination Proposition Bets
If you want to cover several single-roll hits with a single bet, use the standard combination options:
- C & E (Craps & Eleven): Splits your money 50/50 between Any Craps (7:1) and Yo-Eleven (15:1).
- Horn Bet: Chops your wager into four equal slices across the 2, 3, 11, and 12.
- World Bet (Whirl): Divides your bet across five spots: 2, 3, 11, 12, and Any Seven (acting as a basic hedge).
Hardways: Multi-Roll Center Bets
Hardways live in the middle too, but they stick around. You are betting that an even number (4, 6, 8, or 10) hits as a clean pair before it lands as an uneven sum or before a 7 shows up.
- Hard 4 (2-2) & Hard 10 (5-5): Pay 7 to 1. Any easy total like 3-1 or 6-4 kills the bet. A 7 wipes it out too.
- Hard 6 (3-3) & Hard 8 (4-4): Pay 9 to 1. An easy roll like 5-1, 4-2, 6-2, or 5-3 loses, as does any 7.
These wagers ride through multiple rolls until they hit, lose, or you pull them back. On most digital tables, Hardways turn OFF automatically during the Comeout Roll unless you explicitly set them to “Working.”
Evaluating Risk vs. Reward
Big payouts on small chips will always draw attention. Just remember why casinos offer them: the house edge is brutal.
It starts around 9.09% on the Hard 6 and 8, and climbs up to a punishing 16.67% on Any Seven. Sharp players do not run an entire session through the middle of the board; they toss a small chip there occasionally for fun or use it as a quick hedge.
Author:
Lucas Portela
Owner, BoldGambler • Avanhandava/SP
Oddsmaker, affiliate and content creator in the iGaming industry.