A lay bet is a craps bet that 7 will roll before a chosen box number: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. It is the opposite of a buy bet. You are taking the more likely side, so you risk more than you can win and pay a commission to the casino.
Quick Facts
- Lay bets are available on 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10.
- You win if 7 rolls before your chosen number.
- You lose if your chosen number rolls before 7.
- Lay 4 and Lay 10 pay 1:2 before commission.
- Lay 5 and Lay 9 pay 2:3 before commission.
- Lay 6 and Lay 8 pay 5:6 before commission.
- The best version charges commission only when the lay bet wins.
Plain Talk
A lay bet says: “I think the seven arrives before that number.”
If you lay the 4, you are betting that 7 shows before 4. Because 7 has six dice combinations and 4 has only three, you are on the mathematically stronger side of that small race. The catch is the payout. The casino does not pay even money when you are favored. You must risk more to win less.
That is why lay bets can confuse beginners. The player may win more often than they lose, but the wins are smaller, and the commission takes a bite.
For basic table flow, start with the craps guide. For the probability behind every number, use the craps odds page before treating lay bets as a “safe” move.
How It Works
A lay bet is placed through the dealer, not by putting chips directly on the number yourself.
| Lay Bet | You Want | You Fear | True Odds Payout | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lay 4 | 7 before 4 | 4 before 7 | 1:2 | 7 has 6 combos, 4 has 3 |
| Lay 10 | 7 before 10 | 10 before 7 | 1:2 | 7 has 6 combos, 10 has 3 |
| Lay 5 | 7 before 5 | 5 before 7 | 2:3 | 7 has 6 combos, 5 has 4 |
| Lay 9 | 7 before 9 | 9 before 7 | 2:3 | 7 has 6 combos, 9 has 4 |
| Lay 6 | 7 before 6 | 6 before 7 | 5:6 | 7 has 6 combos, 6 has 5 |
| Lay 8 | 7 before 8 | 8 before 7 | 5:6 | 7 has 6 combos, 8 has 5 |
The rules are simple once the language is clear:
- Choose the number you want to lay against.
- Give chips to the dealer and say, for example, “Lay the 10.”
- The dealer places the bet behind the number in the correct area.
- If 7 rolls first, the bet wins.
- If the laid number rolls first, the bet loses.
- Other rolls do nothing.
- You may usually take the bet down before it resolves.
The commission is the detail that matters. Some casinos collect the vig only if the bet wins. Some collect it upfront. The first version is better for the player. The second version increases the cost because you can pay commission even on a bet that later loses.
The payout structure matches true odds before commission, which is why lay bets look fair at first glance. But the vig is the casino’s edge. Wizard of Odds house-edge tables show how the commission changes the final cost, while the basic race between dice totals is grounded in the 36-combination dice grid explained in Wizard of Odds derivations. Live-table wording and commission handling should always be checked against the posted layout and local rules, such as the Massachusetts craps rules.
Craps Table Example
You are at a $15 table and want to lay against the 4. You give the dealer $41 and say:
“Lay the 4.”
The dealer sets up a $40 lay bet and collects or marks the $1 commission, depending on the house procedure.
Now the race is simple:
| Next Relevant Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 7 | You win $20 before/after commission handling |
| 4 | You lose $40 |
| 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 3, 2, 12 | Nothing happens unless it is your laid number |
A few rolls pass: 8, 5, 11, 6. Nothing happens to your Lay 4. Then the shooter rolls 7. The dealer pays the lay bet, returns your base wager, and clears the table for the seven-out.
The win felt easy because 7 was more likely than 4. But your profit was smaller than your risk because the casino priced the bet correctly and charged commission.
From the Casino Side:
Lay bets are dealer-controlled bets. The crew cares about three things: correct amount, correct commission, and correct placement.
A lay bet can slow the game if the player gives an awkward amount or does not understand the commission. The dealer must calculate the right risk-to-win amount, position the chips properly, and make sure the boxman can see the bet clearly. On a busy table, bad lay-bet communication creates payout disputes.
Surveillance also has a clean view of lay bets because they sit in a dealer-controlled zone. If a player claims a lay bet was working or not working, the crew will look at the verbal call, chip placement, and whether the dealer booked the wager before the dice moved.
The practical lesson: say the bet clearly, use clean units, and do not throw late chips into the layout while the dice are already moving.
Common Mistakes
- Calling lay bets “safe” because they win more often than they lose.
- Ignoring the commission rule.
- Laying 6 or 8 without realizing the payout is close to the risk.
- Confusing lay bets with Don’t Pass or Don’t Come odds.
- Forgetting that the bet can sit through many neutral rolls.
- Making late center-action calls while the stickman is already sending the dice.
- Thinking a lay bet predicts a seven-out. It does not.
Hard Truth
Lay bets let you stand on the stronger side of the dice race, but the casino charges you for that privilege. Winning more often is not the same as having an edge.
FAQ
Is a lay bet the same as a Don’t Pass bet?
No. Don’t Pass has come-out rules and follows a point cycle. A lay bet is a direct bet that 7 appears before one chosen box number.
Can I remove a lay bet before it resolves?
Usually yes. Lay bets are generally contract-free, so you can ask the dealer to take them down before a decision.
Which lay bet is best?
If commission is charged only on wins, Lay 4 and Lay 10 are usually the cheapest among common lay bets. But they still do not beat the game.
Why do I risk more than I win?
Because 7 is more likely than the number you are laying against. The payout is smaller because your side has better probability.
What does “vig” mean?
Vig means commission. On lay bets, it is commonly 5% of the amount you can win, though exact handling depends on the casino.
Should beginners use lay bets?
Not at first. Learn the craps house edge, line bets, and odds bets before adding commission bets.
Does a lay bet have lower risk because 7 is common?
No. It has a higher chance to win but also a larger amount at risk. Risk is not just probability; it is probability plus stake size.
Deeper Insight
Lay bets are a good example of why craps math must be read carefully. A player sees the 7 as the most common total and assumes that betting on 7 before 4 must be powerful. It is powerful in probability terms. It is not powerful in pricing terms.
The casino does not need to make the underlying bet unfair before commission. The true odds payout already balances the dice race. The edge appears when the vig is added.
Lay 4 is the cleanest example. There are six ways to roll 7 and three ways to roll 4. Ignoring all other numbers, the relevant race has nine combinations: six winning combinations and three losing combinations. The fair payout is 1:2. Risk $40 to win $20, and before commission, that is neutral. Add a $1 vig on the win, and the profit drops.
This is why the timing of commission matters. Paying the vig only on wins hurts less. Paying it upfront means the player pays the fee even when the bet loses. The layout may look identical, but the real cost is not identical.
For a more complete cost view, compare this page with buy bets and the later lay bet house edge. You can also test the long-term price with the expected loss calculator and house edge calculator.
Formula / Calculation
For Lay 4 or Lay 10, the relevant combinations are:
7 combinations = 6
4 or 10 combinations = 3
Total relevant combinations = 9Fair payout before commission:
True Odds Payout = Losing Combinations / Winning Combinations
True Odds Payout = 3 / 6 = 1 / 2Example with $40 laid to win $20, $1 vig charged only on a win:
EV = (P(win) × Net Win) - (P(loss) × Stake)
EV = (6/9 × $19) - (3/9 × $40)
EV = $12.67 - $13.33
EV = -$0.66 roundedHouse edge on the amount at risk:
House Edge = -Player EV / Initial Stake
House Edge = $0.66 / $40
House Edge ≈ 1.67%Formula Explanation in Plain English
The 7 is twice as likely as 4, so a fair bet would pay half as much as you risk. The casino then subtracts a commission from your winning result. That small subtraction is the house edge.
Related Reading
Start with the craps guide if the whole table still feels noisy. Use craps odds for the dice-combination base, then compare lay bets with buy bets and craps house edge. For tool support, run the numbers through the craps odds calculator or expected loss calculator. For the bigger warning, read why low house edge does not mean safe.