Craps bet guide · Reviewed August 18, 2026
The Field is a self-service, one-roll bet. It normally wins on 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12 and loses on 5, 6, 7, or 8. The payoff printed for 2 and 12 determines whether its house edge is 5.56%, 2.78%, or—on a rare triple/triple layout—0%.
Sam’s verdict
The Field is simple and gives an immediate result, but seven of the 16 winning combinations are concentrated in 2, 3, 11, and 12. Do not let the long list of printed winning numbers hide the fact that 20 of 36 combinations lose on the common layout.
Field bet rules
| Next roll | Result | Common profit payout |
|---|---|---|
| 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 | Win | 1 to 1 |
| 2 | Win | Usually 2 to 1; check layout |
| 12 | Win | Usually 2 to 1 or 3 to 1; check layout |
| 5, 6, 7, 8 | Lose | — |
Only the next roll matters. The bet does not wait for a point and is unaffected by whether the puck is ON or OFF. Some layouts substitute 5 for 9; because both totals have four combinations, that swap does not change the probability by itself.
Payout variation changes the house edge
| Profit on 2 | Profit on 12 | House edge | Expected loss per $10 roll |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 to 1 | 2 to 1 | 5.56% | About $0.56 |
| 2 to 1 | 3 to 1 | 2.78% | About $0.28 |
| 3 to 1 | 2 to 1 | 2.78% | About $0.28 |
| 3 to 1 | 3 to 1 | 0% | $0.00 mathematically |
On the double/double game, the winning side contributes 18 units of weighted profit while the losing totals account for 20 combinations, leaving a two-unit disadvantage across 36 outcomes. Making either 2 or 12 pay triple adds one unit and halves the edge.
Read the felt: Do not assume the highlighted 2 and 12 pay the same. The printed layout or posted rules control the wager.
How to make and collect the bet
- Place your chips inside the Field area nearest your position before the dice are sent to the shooter.
- The next roll settles the wager.
- If it loses, the dealer collects it.
- If it wins, the dealer commonly places the profit beside the original wager.
- Collect both promptly unless you intentionally want another Field bet.
A winning $5 even-money Field bet may leave the original $5 and a $5 payoff sitting together. If you leave all $10 in the Field, the crew may treat the next roll as a $10 wager. Procedures vary, so use a clear hand signal or tell the dealer if you intend to parlay, repeat only the original amount, or take everything down.
Worked example
- You place $5 in a double/double Field.
- A 9 rolls: you win $5, producing $10 total on the layout.
- You intentionally leave all $10 for the next roll.
- A 4 rolls: the $10 wager wins $10, leaving $20 total.
- If the following roll is 7 and the $20 remains, all $20 loses.
Two wins did not make the 7 due, and the later 7 did not validate a pattern. Dice rolls are independent. The example shows how unattended winnings can increase the next wager.
The 36-combination calculation
| Group | Totals | Combinations |
|---|---|---|
| Even-money Field winners | 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 | 14 |
| Special Field winners | 2 and 12 | 2 |
| Field losers | 5, 6, 7, 8 | 20 |
On a double/double layout, the 14 even-money combinations earn 14 units and the two special combinations earn four units, for 18 weighted winning units. The 20 losing combinations cost 20 units. Net expectation is −2 units across 36 possibilities: −2/36, or −5.56%.
With one triple-paying special number, weighted wins rise from 18 to 19 and the edge becomes −1/36, or −2.78%. With both paying triple, weighted wins equal the 20 losing units. That creates zero mathematical edge before considering any unusual rule or betting restriction.
Field-bet handling mistakes
- Placing chips after the stickperson has sent the dice.
- Putting the wager in another player’s part of the Field area.
- Assuming a win automatically comes down rather than remaining for the next roll.
- Leaving original wager and payoff together without realizing the next amount has doubled.
- Reading “2 pays double” and assuming 12 has the same payoff without checking.
If you want only the original amount to repeat, collect the profit and leave the original wager. If you want everything down, collect both. If you want to parlay, make that choice intentionally rather than through inattention.
Field versus lower-edge alternatives
| Bet | Duration | Common house edge |
|---|---|---|
| Field, double/double | One roll | 5.56% |
| Field, double/triple | One roll | 2.78% |
| Pass Line | Contract sequence | 1.41% |
| Place 6 or 8 | Standing | 1.52% |
The Field provides faster decisions, so repeated betting can produce more resolved wagers per hour. Compare the complete craps bets guide and practice wager settlement with CrapsPit’s free craps game.