Craps Layout With Hop Bets

Hop bets at craps; Odds bets at craps; Still more on pass versus place betting; More on come vs. Place bets; The 6/8 progression; Playing 8/5 Jacks or Better; Ah, that royal flush! Figuring the best video poker games; Oh, what a promotion! Having fun with slots; Etiquette at craps; Differences in buy bets; The best and worst buy bets; Betting. Proposition Bets and Hop Bets are all one-roll bets located in the center of the layout. The Stickman places these bets on the appropriate betting area, and they win only if that specific combination of the number rolls on the next toss of the dice. These high paying bets are an exciting part of the game, with some of these bets paying as high. The math of the hop bet says that a player will lose 11.11 percent of all money wagered on a random shooter. That is what the math says. Let s see what some simulations say. I ran several simulations specifying a random shooter through an excellent software program called Smart Craps from DeepNet Technologies. You seldom see the Hop bets labeled on the table layout, but most casinos still offer them. If you’re drunk enough to want to make a Hop bet (which is just about the only time anyone ever makes them), just ask the dealer if they offer them. The Hop 5-5, 4-4, 3-3, and 2-2 are called “Hopping (or Hop) Hardways.”.

1. Craps Table Layout Hop Bets

Craps is one of the most fun casino games and the fact that there are plenty of wagering options contributes to its popularity. When you approach the craps table, you will notice that there are different betting sections on the layout. These will help players to place wagers on the various bets of craps. While there are two identical side sections, there is also one in the center that is shared by all players who have joined the game.

Although there are plenty of options that are illustrated on the craps table, there is one bet that is known only by players who are well aware of the game and that is hopping on numbers. The Hop bet cannot be found on the table layout but that does not mean that players cannot make a use of this type of wager.

The interesting thing about hopping bets is that, in a way, this is a secret stake that new players most likely will not know about. It is very similar to the Hardways but if won, it offers much higher payouts. There are plenty of fun aspects of this bet and you should definitely continue reading so that you can determine whether it is worth it to make this so-called ‘secret bet’.

What is a Hop Bet on Craps?

Whenever you feel like placing money on the specific two numbers which will form the combination of the next dice roll, you are “hopping on the bet”. If you have decided that you want to bet on one of the dice to roll 4, while the other one to show 1, you can say to the dealer “4 – 1 hopping” or “4 – 1 on the hop”. This is the equivalent of betting on an easy (soft) 5.

Hopping is a single-roll bet which can be done only on the following throw of the dice. If we take the example mentioned above, there would be two possible combinations which will make your bet a winning one (4 – 1 and 1 – 4). While the true odds of this soft 5 rolling are 17 to 1, the actual payout for this type of bet is 15 to 1. These odds apply to any soft hop and the house edge is estimated to 11.11%.

In addition to the easy (soft) hops mentioned above, there are also the so-called hard hops. Those are the bets made on dice combinations made of the same number. For instance, if you put your money on 4 and 4 hopping, this is the same as betting on hard 8. However, when you bet the Hardways, the payout will be 9 to 1. On the other hand, if you opt for 4 and 4 on the hop, you will be paid 30 to 1 which is a much better outcome than opting for the Hardways bet. The only difference is that the Hop bet is made on a single roll of the dice.

The high payout for hard hops is due to the fact that compared to the soft ones, there is only one possible combination that can bring players a win. The actual odds to roll a hard number is 35 to 1 which is higher than the actual payout. However, winning 30 times your bet is still a pretty good deal. Even though the payout for this bet is generous, the house edge is still quite high, estimated at 13.89%.

There is also the option to make hops on the total of dice. In this case, you tell the dealer the total number and add that you bet on the hop. This way you will increase your chances of winning since you are actually placing your money on all possible combinations that may lead to this total. Let us say that you are placing money on 10 on the hop. This would mean that you will win whenever the dice roll 4 – 6, 6 – 4 or 5 – 5.

If you bet $2 on 10 hopping, it’s similar to betting $1 on easy 10 and $1 on hard 10. If the dice roll 4 – 6 (or 6 – 4), you will get a payout of 15 to 1, however, you will lose the $1 that was wagered on the possibility of 5 – 5 rolling. The same goes if the dice roll a hard 10. You will still get the payout of 30 to 1, however, you will lose $1 for betting on soft 10 at the same time. In short, when you are hopping on a total, you collect the winnings for either the soft or hard combination which have made your bet a winning one. Despite winning the bet, the house will collect the corresponding wager you have made on the losing part of the Hop Total.

As you can see, there are different ways to utilize the Hop bet at craps and each of them offers players a thrilling and quick game due to the nature of the stake.

How to Make a Hop Bet

As it was mentioned earlier, the Hop bet is a bit different than the rest of the craps wagering options. It cannot be found anywhere on the table and it can be made only verbally. This is the reason why often it is referred to as a “secret bet”.

If you want to bet on a number hopping or on a certain dice combination, you simply place your chips on the craps table layout and tell your dealer the bet you would like to make. If you want to place your money on a soft hop, you should inform the dealer that you are betting on “5 – 4 on the hop/hopping” or any other combination you feel will come up in the next roll.

The same applies if you want to bet on a hard hop. You simply place your chips on the table and tell the dealer that you are betting on “4 – 4 on the hop/hopping”. In addition to that, you can simply bet on a total which would mean that you would tell the dealer something along the lines “10 on the hop/hopping”.

Before the stickman hands the shooter the dice for the next throw, players have the chance to make their bets. This is also the time to place your chips on the table and tell the dealer the Hop bet you would like to place. Once the dice are given to the shooter, you cannot make any bets.

The Odds of the Hop Bet

When we take a look at the game of craps, we have two dice which can form the numbers of the table in a total of 36 different combinations. If you are betting on a soft hop, there always are only two ways to roll the numbers you have bet on. This would mean that there are 34 possibilities when you could lose your bet.

If we want to express the odds of winning, they would look like 34 to 32 or 17 to 1. These odds are not in favor of players and things are even more disadvantageous if you are making a Hop bet on a hard number.

When you are choosing to bet on a hard hop, you have only one possible combination to rely on. This automatically means that the losing possibilities are 35 which gives the house a huge advantage. If we have to determine your winning chances in odds, they would look like 35 to 1 in favor of the casino.

You can easily calculate the house edge when you are making a Hop bet on a soft number. If you wager $36 ($1 on 36 rolls) and each number rolls just once, you will win two times in total. This will mean that you will keep your stakes of $ and win $15 for each of the two bets that were won. You will end up with a profit of $32 which when compared with the $36 you have staked will result in a $4 difference. When you divide the $4 by the money you have staked ($36), you will get 0.1111 which in percents looks like 11.11%. This is the estimated house edge for making a Hop bet on a soft number on craps.

If you take a look at the case of wagering on a hard number, you will have the true odds of 35 to 1 and the actual payout of 30 to 1. If you use the same method to calculate the house edge, you will get 13.89% which is the casino’s advantage in this case. There is also the option to Hop on totals which makes the payout for hard hops 29 to 1, while soft hops pay 14 to 1. In this case, the house edge increases even further to 16.67% which is even a bigger advantage for the casino.

Should Players Hop Bets When Playing Craps?

When you are faced with the dilemma of whether to place a certain bet on craps, you should always consider two things. The first one is the house edge which is the amount of advantage the casino has. The second important thing to keep in mind is the payout you will receive for the bet you make. Of course, there is also the aspect of the type of gambling you are seeking. If you are in it for the thrill, you are definitely the type of player who will appreciate riskier bets.

The house edge for the Hop bet differs in accordance with its nature. If you are opting for betting on a soft (easy) number, you have better chances to win. This is due to the fact that easy hops consist of two different numbers which means that there are two ways to roll the winning number. Even though your chances are better when you are making a bet on a soft number, you are still at a disadvantage and this is due to the fact that the losing combinations seriously outnumber the two winning ones.

When it comes to betting hard hops, you may be fooled by the high payout of this bet. While making a stake such as “4 – 4 on the hop” may be similar to making a Hardway bet on 8, there is a difference in the two wagers. If you bet on 8 rolling the “hard way”, you will be paid 9 to 1. Meanwhile, if you opt for betting the same hard 8 on the hop, you will enjoy a much more generous payout of 30 to 1. While this may sound very tempting, you should take into consideration that the Hop is a single-roll bet. This means that whether you win or lose will be determined on the next throw of the dice. When you are making a Hardway bet, it is active until your bet wins or loses, no matter how many throws of the dice it will take for that.

If you are on the lookout for a thrilling game of craps, then you can definitely make your gambling more interesting by making a Hop bet. It takes a single roll to determine whether you win or lose and if the luck is on your side, you can actually enjoy pretty good payouts. If you, however, are seeking a more advantageous game, you are advised to avoid making this bet as there are plenty of other options with a much lower house edge.

Hop Bet Strategy

Despite not being on the table layout, the Hop bet is still considered one of the proposition bets on craps. As such, it is among some of the least advantageous options to bet on if you are looking for a fruitful outcome.

However, there are plenty of players who enjoy making this wager and they still manage to walk away from the table pleased by the game they have played. This is often due to the fact that they are playing, using a certain strategy. While, just as it is with every other casino game, no one can guarantee you a win if you use a strategy, you can definitely improve your game if you are utilizing a certain system.

If you are interested in hopping bets, there are several tactics that you can use when you are trying to tilt the scales in your favor and sweep better payouts. One of them is hopping 7 on the come-out roll. As it was mentioned earlier, it is rarely the case that players make a hop before the come-out roll. The reason for that is that it is a risky bet and it is definitely not a suitable option for every craps player.

If you are a skillful shooter, however, you can opt for betting 7 on the hop before the come-out roll. This would mean that you will win if any of the six combinations that form 7 rolls. If you manage to actually roll 7, you will collect $32. Then you should keep $2 and parlay (re-bet) the remaining $30. If you manage to throw 7 again, you will be enjoying a payout of $160. The next step is to keep $10 and parlay $150. After the second parlay, you would have your initial bet back and an additional profit of $6. This, of course, will work only if you manage to throw a 7 two times in a row.

Another strategy is to use the so-called Fibonacci progression for your hopping 7’s strategy. This would mean that you will always add your previous two bets and wager their total. This is a good betting system only for players who have a pretty big bankroll and can afford making high stakes. Let us say that you have started with a $3 stake, this would mean that your next wager will follow the pattern 3, 3, 6, 9, 15 and so on. If the luck is on your side and you experience a pretty short losing streak, you will enjoy great payouts thanks to this betting system. However, you have to make sure that you have the bankroll to play long enough if the losing streaks are way too longspun.

Although the betting strategies for hopping bets may not be the best ones to use in the game of craps, they may still make the gambling experience of players very exciting and rewarding.

Fire Bet

The Fire Bet pays based on how many unique points a shooter can make before sevening out. Please see my page on the Fire Bet for the rules rules and analysis.

Different Doubles

The Different Doubles pays based on the number of distinct doubles the shooter rolls before a seven. Please see my page on the Different Doubles for the rules rules and analysis.

Ride the Line

Details about this side bet can be found in my Ride the Line page.

Muggsy's Corner

This is a simple side bet that wins if the come out roll is a seven or a 'point-7' (point established and seven on the next roll). For the full rules and analysis, please see my page on Muggsy's Corner.

Hard Rockin' Dice

This set of three side bets, originally called the Hot Hand, can be found at the Hard Rock Cincinnati. They if various sets of totals are rolled before a seven. Please see my page on Hard Rockin' Dice for more information.

Low Dice, High Dice

This pair of bets are based on the total of the dice in one throw. The 'Low Dice' bet pays 1 to 1 on totals of 3 to 6 and 5 to 1 on a total of 2. The 'High Dice' pays 1 to 1 on totals of 8 to 11 and 5 to 1 on a total of 12. The following return table on the Low Dice bet shows the house edge is 5.56%. The High Dice bet is the opposite so has the same house edge.

Low Bet

Card Craps

In some jurisdictions, namely California, dice alone may not determine the outcome of a bet. In the game of 'Card Craps' 24-card decks are used each consisting of ranks ace to six in all four suits. Two cards are drawn to simulate the roll of the dice. If the suits are different the 'roll' stands. If the suits are the same, then the roll is ignored for all craps bets. The odds on all craps bets are the same as if dice were used.

However, there is an extra bet called the 'No Call.' This bet pays 3 to 1 if the two cards are suited, otherwise it loses. The house edge depends on the number of 24-card decks used as shown below.

Card Craps - No Call Bet

Midway Bet

The Showboat in Atlantic City I'm told has a Midway bet in the normal location of the Big 6 and Big 8 on a total of 6 to 8 in the next roll. A hard 6 or 8 pay 2 to 1, and all other totals of 6 to 8 pay 1 to 1. The following table shows the house edge is 5.56%.

Midway Bet

Bonus Craps (Small, Tall, & All)

Bonus Craps is a set of three side bets, the Small, Tall, and All. For all the details, please visit my Bonus Craps page.

Four Rolls no Seven

I hear that Sam's Town in both Las Vegas and Shreveport offer this bet. The bet wins if the shooter can go four throws without rolling a seven. A win pays 1 to 1. The odds are as follows.

Four Rolls no Seven

Golden Dice Challenge

The 'Golden Dice Challenge' is a craps side bet found at the MGM Grand in Detroit. The bet pays according to the number of pass line wins the player has before a seven-out. For purposes of the side bet, a win may be made either by rolling a 7 or 11 on the come out roll, or making a point. Rolling a 2, 3, or 12 on the come out roll does not affect the bet. There is a maximum win of $5,000.

The following return table shows the pays, probabilities, and return from each event, based on a $1 bet.

Golden Dice Challenge Return Table for $1 Bet

Assuming the maximum win is $5000 the following is the house edge for various bet amounts.

Golden Dice Challenge House Edge by Amout Bet

7 Point 7

7 Point 7 is a craps side bet, which debuted at the Orleans casino in Las Vegas, in late 2008. I have also seen it at the Hard Rock in Macau under the name 'Double Trip Seven.' The bet wins if the player gets a seven on the come out roll, or the dreaded 'point 7,' where the player sevens out on his second roll. The following table shows a house edge of 5.56%.

7 Point 7 Return Table

Sharp Shooter

The 'Sharp Shooter' is a side bet in craps spotted at the Hooters casino in Las Vegas in March, 2009. I hear it was removed in 2014.

The bet is made when a new shooter takes the dice, and pays according to how many times he makes a point. The following table shows what each number of points made pays and the probability. Pays have been converted to a 'to one' basis, to be consistent with the rest of this page. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 21.87%.

Sharp Shooter — Return Table

Double Trip Seven

I noticed this bet at the City of Dreams in Macau in August 2009. It is the same thing as the7 Point 7 bet aleady described.

Point Seven

I saw this side bet at the 2009 Global Gaming Expo, and in June 2010 at the Las Vegas Hilton. It is licensed by Casino Gaming LLC. It is a side wager made on the come out roll. If the player rolls a point, and then a seven on the second roll, the bet pays 7 to 1. All other outcomes lose. The following table shows the house edge is 11.11%.

Point Seven

Replay

Replay is a craps side bet I spotted at the Boulder Station on September 16, 2010. It pays if the shooter makes the same point at least 3 times before sevening out. For my full analysis, please see my page on the Replay side bet.

Twice as Nice

Twice as Nice is a side bet that has been seen at an unknown casino in Biloxi. It wins if the shooter throws any specific pair, including a total of 2 and 12, twice before a seven. For example, rolling a hard 10 twice before a 7. Wins pay 6 to 1. The following table shows a house edge of 29.40%.

Twice as Nice

A win of 7 to 1 would have a house edge of 19.31%, and 8 to 1 would be 9.22%.

Pete and Repeat

Pete and Repeat has also been seen at the same mystery casino in Biloxi. It wins if any total is rolled twice before a 7. Wins pay even money. The following table shows a house edge of 5.79%.

Pete and Repeat

Double D

In April 2012 I heard this side bet was being offered at the Harrington Raceway casino in Harrington, Delaware. It pays if the shooter makes at least four unique doubles before he sevens out. Come out rolls do not count. The following table shows all the possible outcomes, what they pay (on a 'to one' basis), the probability, and return. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 14.71%.

Double D

Broad Bar 12

In April 2012 I heard this side bet was being offered at the Harrington Raceway casino in Harrington, Delaware. It acts like a place bet, winning on any double except 6-6, and losing on seven. The following return table shows the a house edge of 1.52%, per bet resolved.

Broad Bar 12 — Not Counting Pushes

Hot Roller

On December 27, 2013, a member of my Wizard of Vegas forum posted about seeing this side bet at the Dover Downs casino in Delaware. It pays based on how many 'completed points' the shooter gets before rolling a seven. The shooter completes a point when he rolls it in all possible ways. For example, to complete a point of eight the shooter would need to roll a 2+6, 3+5, and 4+4. Following are the complete rules.

1. The bet may be made only on a come out roll.
2. The bet will be resolved when the shooter rolls a seven.
3. The bet pays according to how many 'completed points' the shooter achieves.
4. To complete a point, the shooter must roll the given total all possible ways. The following list shows all the ways to roll each total.
   • 4: 1+3, 2+2
   • 5: 1+4, 2+3
   • 6: 1+5, 2+4, 3+3
   • 8: 2+6, 3+5, 4+4
   • 9: 3+6, 4+5
   • 10: 4+6, 5+5
5. The player must complete at least two points to win. The following table shows how much each number of completed points pays.

Hot Roller Pay Table

The following table shows the probability and contribution to the return for all possible outcomes. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 7.50%. There are certainly much worse things you could bet on in craps.

Hot Roller Return Table

My methodology was a random simulation of 28 billion resolved bets.

Repeater

Repeater is a set of craps side bets I noticed at the Suncoast casino in Las Vegas on April 6, 2015. The idea is that the player must roll a given number a specified number of times before a seven. For bets on 2 to 6, the player must roll that total the same number of times as the total itself. For example, for the bet on the number five to win, the shooter must roll 5 fives before a seven. For totals of 8 to 12, the player must roll the total 14 less whatever the total is. For example, on a total of 11, the player must roll an eleven 14-11=3 times before a seven.

• 2: 40 for 1
• 3: 50 for 1
• 4: 65 for 1
• 5: 80 for 1
• 6: 90 for 1
• 8: 90 for 1
• 9: 80 for 1
• 10: 65 for 1
• 11: 50 for 1
• 12: 40 for 1

The following table shows the probability of winning and house edge of each bet.

Repeater — Suncoast Rules

At Caesars Palace I noticed they added a 'Dealer Envy' win to the same Suncoast pay table above. The following table shows the return to the player, the dealer, and the total.

Repeater — Caesars Palace Dealer Envy Rules

It should be noted that the player can achieve the same thing by parlaying place/buy bets. Here is the same chart for the better of place and buy bets. This assumes a buy bet on the 4 with commission on a win only (effective odds of 59 for 20), place bet on the 5 paying 7 to 5, and place bet on the 6 paying 7 to 6.

Place/Buy Parlay Strategy

Note how the house edge is lower on the 4 and 6 making place/buy bets, but greater on the 5.

According to the patent application for the Repeater Bets there are some other variants, as follows:

• Variant 1: Come out rolls don't count. In this version, the player can only lose on a 'seven out' but any numbers rolled on a come out roll don't help either. The patent application doesn't specifically say that other numbers on a come out roll don't help, but it is implied by saying that the casino may choose to let the player turn the repeater bets on and off on a come out roll. Why would any player turn them off if the player could only advance on a come out roll and not lose?
• Variant 2: The player may also bet on a 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12. The win and number of rolls required are the same as the mirror image number below seven. For example, a player must roll 6 eights on the eight bet, which pays 90 for 1.
• Variant 3: The player may also bet on a 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12. However, unlike variant 2, the player must still achieve the given number that many times to win. For example, for a bet on eight, the shooter must roll 8 eights before a seven to win. The odds under this variant are shown below.

Repeater — 'Variant 3' rules

Under 7, Over 7

The over and under 7 are a pair of side bets I noticed at the New York, New York on January 6, 2017. You can find them where the Big 6 and 8 bets used to be. Both bets pay even money bets and win if the next roll is over/under a 7. So, a total of 7 causes both to lose. The probability of winning is 15/36=41.67% and the house edge is 16.67% (ouch!).

Hard Way Place Bets

On May 30, 2017 I noticed place bets on the hard ways on the craps tables at the Orleans casino in Las Vegas. These would win if the specified hard way, for example 5-5, where rolled before a total of seven. Each bet pays 5 to 1.

The following return table shows a house edge of 14.29%, ignoring rolls that neither win nor lose.

Hard Way Place Bets

Internal Links

• How the house edge for each bet is derived, in brief.
• The house edge of all the major bets on both a per-bet made and per-roll basis
• Dice Control Experiments. The results of two experiments on skillful dice throwing.
• Dice Control Advantage. The player advantage, assuming he can influence the dice.
• Craps variants. Alternative rules and bets such as the Fire Bet, Crapless Craps, and Card Craps.
• California craps. How craps is played in California using playing cards.
• Play Craps. Craps game using cards at the Viejas casino in San Diego.
• Number of Rolls Table. Probability of a shooter lasting 1 to 200 rolls before a seven-out.
• Ask the Wizard. See craps questions I've answered about:
• Simple Craps game. My simple Java craps game.

External Links

• Las Vegas craps survey — The max odds bet allowed at each casino.

Craps Table Layout Hop Bets