Is the field bet a good bet in craps?
Not really. It is a fair bet only where the 12 (or the 2) pays triple, and even then it costs about twice the pass line per bet and loses on every roll it is up.
House edge 2.78% when the 12 pays triple and 5.56% when it pays double, against 1.41% on the pass line. Per roll the field costs 2.78%; the pass line, 0.42%.
The field, by how the 2 and 12 pay
| Field version | Wins | House edge | Per roll |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 and 12 pay double | 44.44% | 5.56% | 5.56% |
| 2 pays double, 12 triple | 44.44% | 2.78% | 2.78% |
| 2 and 12 pay triple | 44.44% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Why
The field looks generous: seven numbers win, and only four lose. But the losing numbers, 5, 6, 7 and 8, are the four most common totals: 20 of the 36 ways the dice can land. The bonus on 2 and 12 is what keeps it from being a terrible bet, so the version that pays only double on both is twice as expensive. And since the field is decided on every roll, its cost adds up much faster than a line bet’s.
Compared with the line bets
| Bet | Pays | Wins | House edge | Per roll | Rolls to decide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field | 1:1 on 3, 4, 9, 10, 11; 2:1 on 2; 3:1 on 12 | 44.44% | 2.78% | 2.78% | 1.00 |
| Pass line | 1:1 | 49.29% | 1.41% | 0.42% | 3.38 |
| Don’t pass | 1:1 | 47.93% | 1.36% | 0.40% | 3.38 |
| Place 6 | 7:6 | 45.45% | 1.52% | 0.46% | 3.27 |
House edge: the average loss as a share of the bet, per bet decided. Per roll spreads it over the rolls the bet takes to win or lose, counting only rolls where it is working.