- Although not indicated anywhere on the craps table, Free Odds may be
bet as side bets on all Pass Line, Don't Pass, Come, and Don't Come bets.
- To understand how Free Odds bets work, it is necessary to understand
a bit more about the probabilities involved in rolling two dice. This
is because Free Odds bets pay out according to the mathematically true
odds of a given roll occurring, and as such, the house has no advantage
on these bets!
- In order to make a Free Odds bet, the player must first have made a
bet on either the Pass Line, Don't Pass, Come, or Don't Come. Let's assume
for the sake of having an example that there is $5 bet on the Pass Line.
The Free Odds bet is restricted to be a maximum of N times the original
$5 Pass Line bet, where N is clearly indicated on the craps table, saying
"double odds" or "3x odds." Our table is a "3x
odds" table. For our example, the player may bet a maximum of $10
in Free Odds "behind the line" in the unmarked Free Odds bet
area. The Free Odds bet wins or loses in the exact same way as the original
"base" bet, except that it pays out according to the true odds.
Suppose that the Point Number in this example is 5, then if it repeats,
the original Pass Line bet will win $5, but the $10 bet as Free Odds will
win an additional $15, as calculated according to the following probability
table:
* True odds of a Point Number repeating before a 7:
- Point = 4 ... Odds are 2 to 1 against repeating.
- Point = 5 ... Odds are 3 to 2 against repeating.
- Point = 6 ... Odds are 6 to 5 against repeating.
- Point = 8 ... Odds are 6 to 5 against repeating.
- Point = 9 ... Odds are 3 to 2 against repeating.
- Point = 10 ... Odds are 2 to 1 against repeating.
- Free Odds work in reverse for "Wrong Bettors" (described below)
who bet the Don't Pass or Don't Come, since they are betting with the
house instead of with the dice. In the above example, a Wrong Bettor would
have to "lay" $15 in Free Odds in hopes of winning $10.
- Free Odds side bets may always be removed at any time.
