The Inside Numbers Strategy: Pressing the 5, 6, 8, and 9

The shooter has rolled seven numbers without a seven-out. Your $12 Place bet on the 6 has paid twice ($14 each time). You collected the first hit. On the second, you told the dealer "press it" — your 6 is now sitting at $24. The shooter rolls another 6, and this time it pays $28. You've turned a $12 bet into $56 in profit across three hits, and your 6 is still working.

Then you pressed when you shouldn't have. The 6 was at $48, the 8 was at $36, and the shooter rolled a 7. Both bets — $84 total — vanished. You gave back more than you earned on the entire hand.

That's the inside numbers craps game in a nutshell: the wins build slowly through disciplined pressing, and the losses arrive all at once through the seven-out. Mastering the pressing bets craps technique on the 5, 6, 8, and 9 means knowing exactly when to press, when to collect, and when to pull everything down and protect your profit.

Why the Inside Numbers?

The "inside numbers" — 5, 6, 8, and 9 — sit between the most commonly rolled total (7) and the harder-to-hit outside numbers (4 and 10). Together, they account for 18 out of 36 possible dice combinations — exactly 50% of all rolls. Bet all four, and half the dice outcomes produce a hit.

But not all inside numbers are created equal:

The 6 and 8 are the stars — nearly a coin flip against the 7 and a house edge barely above 1.5%. The 5 and 9 hit less often and cost roughly 2.5 times more per dollar wagered. Any inside numbers strategy should weight the 6 and 8 heavily and treat the 5 and 9 as secondary positions.

For a deep dive into why the 6 and 8 are the backbone of inside betting, see Placing the 6 and 8: The Best Inside Bets in Craps.

The "$44 Inside" Bet

The classic inside numbers bet is "$44 inside" — telling the dealer you want $10 on the 5, $12 on the 6, $12 on the 8, and $10 on the 9. Total exposure: $44. Every non-7 roll of 5, 6, 8, or 9 pays you. Everything else — including the 4, 10, and Field numbers — is a neutral roll where your money sits and waits.

At minimum levels, you can go "$22 inside" — $5 on the 5/9 and $6 on the 6/8. Total exposure: $22. Same concept, half the risk.

What $44 Inside Looks Like Per Roll

You need a little over three inside-number hits between seven-outs to break even. With 18 ways to roll an inside number and 6 ways to roll a 7, you average three inside hits per seven appearance — right at the break-even line. The house edge pushes you slightly below break-even over time, which is where the casino makes its money.

Pressing: The Art of Growing Your Bets

Pressing is increasing your bet after a win, using the payout to fund a larger position. Done well, it compounds gains during hot streaks. Done poorly, it compounds losses when the 7 arrives.

The Collect-First Rule

The most important discipline in pressing inside numbers: collect your first win before pressing anything. Your first hit on each number should put profit in your rack, not inflate your bet.

Here's how it works with $12 on the 6:

Hit 1: Place 6 pays $14. You collect all $14. Profit locked: $14. Bet stays at $12.

Hit 2: Place 6 pays $14 again. Now you press. Tell the dealer "press my 6." She adds $12 to your bet (from your $14 payout) and gives you $2 back. Your 6 is now at $24.

Hit 3: Place 6 at $24 pays $28. Collect all $28. Profit locked: $14 + $2 + $28 = $44.

Hit 4: Now you're playing with house money. Press the 6 to $48 if you want. If the 7 comes, you lose $48 in Place bets but you've already banked $44 in profit. Worst case: you're down $4 on the number that hit four times. Best case: the next hit at $48 pays $56 and you're running.

This rhythm — collect, press, collect, press — protects you from the most common pressing disaster: pressing every hit and losing all accumulated bets on a single seven-out.

How Pressing Differs by Number

Press the 6 and 8 more aggressively than the 5 and 9. The math supports it:

The 6 and 8 hit often enough (45.45% per resolution) to justify aggressive pressing. The 5 and 9 hit less frequently (40%) and carry a higher house edge, so pressing them too hard amplifies the cost.

A Full Pressing Session: Watching the Numbers Work

Here's a realistic shooter sequence with $44 inside, using the collect-first approach:

Roll 1: 8 hits. Collect $14. Bankroll: +$14.

Roll 2: 4 hits. Nothing happens. Neutral.

Roll 3: 6 hits. Collect $14. Bankroll: +$28.

Roll 4: 6 hits again. Press 6 to $24. Get $2 back. Bankroll: +$30.

Roll 5: 9 hits. Collect $14. Bankroll: +$44. You've now recovered your entire $44 inside exposure. Everything from here is profit.

Roll 6: 8 hits. Press 8 to $24. Get $2 back. Bankroll: +$46.

Roll 7: 3 hits. Nothing.

Roll 8: 6 at $24 hits. Pays $28. Collect all $28. Bankroll: +$74.

Roll 9: Seven-out. Lose $44 in base bets on 5/9, plus $24 on pressed 6, plus $24 on pressed 8. Total lost: $92.

Wait — that math doesn't work. Your remaining bets were $10 (5) + $24 (6) + $24 (8) + $10 (9) = $68. You lose $68. But you collected $74 in the rack. Net for this shooter: +$6.

A six-dollar profit on a nine-roll hand that ended in a seven-out. That's the collect-first approach working as designed. You didn't get rich, but you survived a seven-out with profit — because you collected before pressing and never let all your winnings sit exposed.

Common Pressing Mistakes

Pressing every hit. The shooter rolls the 8, you press. Rolls it again, you press. Rolls it a third time, you press. Now your 8 is sitting at $96. The 7 comes and you lose $96 on a number that only paid you $42 in collected wins. Never press without collecting first.

Pressing the 5 and 9 at the same rate as the 6 and 8. The 5 and 9 carry a 4% house edge — 2.5 times higher than the 6/8. Pressing them aggressively means feeding money into the most expensive bets on your spread. Press the 6 and 8. Collect on the 5 and 9.

Not taking bets down after a good run. The shooter has hit seven inside numbers and your bets are pressed up to $30+ each. Total exposure: $120+. One seven-out wipes all of it. If you've collected $100 in profit, take the bets down and protect the win. The table will still be there for the next shooter.

Forgetting about the come-out roll. Place bets are "off" during the come-out unless you tell the dealer otherwise. Some players want them working during come-outs; others don't. If you're pressing and your bets are large, keeping them off during the come-out protects you from a seven-out that would otherwise cost nothing on the Pass Line.

Overloading the table early. Going "$132 inside" ($30 on 5/9, $36 on 6/8) on a fresh shooter with a $300 bankroll is a recipe for disaster. Start at base levels. Let the shooter prove they can hold the dice before you increase exposure.

Pressing vs. Collecting: Finding Your Rhythm

The best pressing approach depends on your bankroll and risk tolerance:

Conservative (grinder): Collect two hits on every number before pressing any of them. Slow accumulation, minimal seven-out damage.

Moderate (collect-then-press): Collect the first hit, press the second, collect the third, press the fourth. Alternating rhythm keeps profit flowing to your rack.

Aggressive (power press): Press the first hit, collect the second, then press aggressively from there. Higher upside during hot rolls, but devastating on quick seven-outs. Only for well-funded bankrolls ($500+).

For a system that combines inside numbers with hedging for maximum session length, see the Iron Cross strategy — which adds a Field bet to cover the numbers between the inside positions.

Bankroll Requirements for Inside Numbers

Your bankroll determines which pressing approach you can sustain:

The rule: your total inside bet should be no more than 15% of your session bankroll. That gives you enough runway to survive the inevitable cold stretches and still have chips when a decent roll arrives.

For comprehensive bankroll sizing advice, see Bankroll Management: How Much Money Do You Need for Craps?.

Responsible Gambling Disclaimer: All casino games carry a built-in house edge. No pressing system overcomes the mathematical advantage. Pressing bets manages risk on hot streaks but never eliminates the house edge. Play within your bankroll and treat gambling as entertainment.

Try It Yourself

Practice pressing the inside numbers in our free craps simulator. Start with $22 inside and experiment with different pressing rhythms — collect-first, alternate, power press. Track your bankroll over 30 shooters and see which approach matches your risk tolerance. The simulator lets you make pressing mistakes for free, which is significantly cheaper than learning them at a live table.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are inside numbers in craps? The point numbers 5, 6, 8, and 9. They're called "inside" because they sit between the 7 and the outside numbers (4 and 10) on the layout.

What does pressing bets mean in craps? Increasing your wager after a win, using the payout to fund a larger position on the same number. It's a controlled way to grow bets during hot streaks.

Is pressing a winning strategy? Pressing doesn't change the house edge. It compounds gains during good runs and compounds losses during bad ones. With discipline — collecting before pressing, resetting after seven-outs — it can turn moderate rolls into solid sessions.

Why focus on 5, 6, 8, and 9? These four numbers produce 18 of 36 possible dice outcomes — 50% of all rolls. The 6 and 8 in particular offer near-coinflip odds against the 7 with a house edge of only 1.52%.

How much should I press after a win? Collect your first win completely. On the second win, press by the original bet amount (or half of it for 5 and 9). Never press every hit without collecting — one seven-out will erase everything.

Can pressing be combined with other craps strategies? Yes. Many players use a Pass Line + Odds foundation and add inside numbers for coverage. The key is keeping total exposure within your bankroll's limits.

Final Thoughts

The inside numbers give you the densest coverage of any Place bet combination — half the dice outcomes produce a hit. Pressing those hits turns moderate rolls into meaningful profit. But the strategy lives and dies on discipline: collect first, press second, and pull bets down before the seven-out takes back more than you earned.

The players who profit from inside numbers aren't the ones who press hardest. They're the ones who know when pressing stops and protecting starts.

Related articles:

• Placing the 6 and 8: The Best Inside Bets in Craps
• The Iron Cross Craps Strategy: Math, Execution, and Flaws
• Bankroll Management: How Much Money Do You Need for Craps?