Bonus Craps adds three new side bets that win big based on the numbers rolled. There are no changes to the base game of Craps. Players may make any additional side bets after a 7 rolls and only on the come out roll. The first big payout bet was the “Fire Bet” which paid a bonus if the shooter made four or five different “points” or passes, and a jackpot if all six different points (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) were made before he threw a 7-Out. But another type of special bet called “Bonus Craps” has literally changed the way players play the game of craps.
What is Bonus Craps?
Bonus Craps is regular craps game table, played on an existing craps table, but with three additional exciting proposition wagers. None of the existing features of the craps table are eliminated.
There are three different wagers available:
- All Small
- All Tall
- Make ’em All
Prior to the come-out roll, players may place an optional wager on one or more of the three Bonus Craps propositional wagers (i.e., “All Small,” “All Tall,” or “Make ‘Em All”). Each Bonus Craps wager is independent and has no effect on the primary game of Craps or other wagers. All Bonus Craps wagers can be made on the come-out roll only.
As the shooter rolls numbers, for any number other than a 7, the boxman or dealer will place a Bonus Craps lammer on the number’s circle indicating that that number was rolled. For example, if the shooter rolls a 6, a lammer is placed on the circle with the number 6 inside of it. If a number is repeated by the shooter, it has no effect on the wager. When the shooter rolls a 7, all bets lose and the lammers are collected by the dealer.
The Side Bets
All small- All “Small” numbers (2, 3, 4, 5, and 6) must be rolled before a 7. This bet loses on any 7, including a 7 on the come out roll. If all of the “Small” numbers are rolled before a 7, the side bet wins. The numbers are marked with lammers to indicate rolled numbers.
All tall- All “Tall” numbers (8, 9, 10, 11, and 12) must be rolled before a 7. This bet loses on any 7, including a 7 on the come out roll. If all of the “Tall” numbers are rolled before a 7, the side bet wins. The numbers are marked with lammers to indicate rolled numbers.
Make’am All – All “Make’em All” numbers (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12) will be rolled before any 7. This bet loses on any 7, including a 7 on the come out roll. If all of the “Make’em All” numbers are rolled before a 7, the side bet wins. The numbers are marked with lammers to indicate rolled numbers.
Note that Bonus Craps is a side bet that is licensed by Galaxy Gaming to be used by casinos on their existing craps tables.
The three new side bets
As said above first, there is the “All Small” bet in which the player makes a bet that the shooter will throw the “small numbers” of 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 before he throws a 7. The bet usually pays 35 for 1, which means if you bet $1 on the All Small you are paid $35.
Then there is the “All Tall” which pays if the shooter throws the 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 before a 7 and it pays the same 35 for 1.
The big jackpot money is the “All” bet which pays 175 to 1 if all of the numbers are thrown before a 7.
If a shooter rolls a “winner 7” on the come-out roll, the Bonus Bets are lost and if you are betting the Bonus Bets you have to start all over, and this is what has dramatically changed how craps has played. Before the Bonus Craps bets became popular, players welcomed a come-out roll winner 7, but now with so many players betting the Bonus Craps bets, a winner-7 on the passline makes them lose on the Bonus. And with that jumbo payout of 175 to 1 on the “All” players are now more interested in the shooter rolling “numbers” including craps numbers, than in making passes and winning on the passline.
The Bonus Craps bets have now created more demand for “hedge bets” on the craps table. Many players are now making the Any 7 bet, also known as Big Red, which carries a very high house edge in order to insure or hedge that a winner-7 on the come-out roll will wipe out their Bonus Craps bets.
Strategies to win Bonus Craps
If there is a goal or strategy for the Bonus Craps bets it is simply this: throw every number but a 7. But there are other strategies players use including betting “Big Red” or “Any 7” to protect or hedge or insure their “Bonus Craps” bets should the shooter throw a winner-7 on the come-out roll.
Make sure that your passline bet is greater than the total of your bets on the Small, Tall and All. For example if you bet $25 on the passline and the shooter throws a winner-7 on the come-out, you will be paid $25 for the passline and you will still have a $10 net profit after losing the $15 on the Small, Tall and All.
Have a bet on the passline equal to the amount of money bet on the Small, Tall and All.
If you are betting higher amounts, you might also need to insure your passline bet against a craps number on the come-out. While you need craps numbers to win the Small, Tall and ALL, a craps number (2, 3, 12) on the come-out roll will make you lose your passline wager.
Finally remember that betting the Bonus Craps bet is giving you a chance to win a big payoff on a small wager, but it is also making you risk more money and in some cases to buy hedge bets or insurance bets. Every one of these bets has a house edge, and you must remember that when you make additional insurance and hedge bets to protect your Bonus Craps bets you are adding to edge that the casino already has on the traditional game of craps.