Betting in the Game of Craps: Hard Way Bets
Let’s do this the hard way, shall we?
“Hard Way bets” are wagers that a chosen number will come up with both dice having the same value. For example a “Hard 4” wins if both dice have a 2. A Hard 6 wins on two 3’s. A Hard 8 wins on two 4’s, and so on.
You lose a Hard Way bet if a 7 is rolled or your chosen number comes up uneven (the Easy Way). If you picked a Hard 4 and a 3 / 1 was rolled, “4 came up easy” and you lost. If you pick Hard Way 6, and 5 / 1 come up, you lose as well. Since winners are double rolls, Hard Ways can sometimes be called “Doubles”. Yet another name for Hard ways are “Center bets” since their payouts are listed in the middle or center of the table.
Hard Ways, like many other bets, have an opposite twin. “Easy ways” are bets that a chosen number will come up in an uneven combination. So “Easy 4” needs to be rolled as a 3 and a 1 to win. If a 7 or a pair of 2s come up, you lose.
If you want to make a Hard Way bet, after the Come Out Roll, pick 4, 6, 8, or 10 and tell the dealer which number you want to bet. Hard way bets usually have a good payout but the house advantage is high. They’re fun bets to make every once in a while (but the odds are long, so try and limit them to rare treats.)
Keep in mind that payouts may be different from one casino to the next. The payouts below are the most common but a casino with little foot traffic may offer better wins to entice people to drive for one hour. Payouts will vary for different numbers. Since certain numbers are more likely to come up than others, they’ll have lower payouts than their “unlikely to be rolled” cousins.
A Hard 4 has a 7 to 1 payout and the casino enjoys an 11.11% house edge. Hard 6 needs two 3s to win and pays 9 to 1. Its house edge is 9.09%. Hard 8 wins with two 4s and pays 9 to 1. House edge is a respectable 9.09 percent. Get two 5s (or a pair of “Puppy Paws”) and you’ll win your Hard 10 wager. The house edge is a bit high at 11.11% and you get a 7 to 1 payout.
Remember that Hard Way bets continue even if the shooter wins their own bet. If you have second thoughts most casinos will let you withdraw your bet. Just make sure to ask first and let the dealer know out of politeness.
Good luck! And remember, doing it the hard way is not always bad!!
