Placing the 6 and 8: The Best Inside Bets in Craps

Here's a scenario that plays out at every craps table: the point is 4. Most of the table has money on the Pass Line, and now they're staring down a 2:1 underdog waiting for the 4 to reappear. Meanwhile, the player two spots to the right drops $12 on the Place 6 and $12 on the Place 8. She doesn't care about the point. She's betting that two of the most frequently rolled numbers on the table will show up before the 7 — and statistically, she's got a near-coinflip chance on each one.

Place bets 6 and 8 are the workhorses of the craps table. They don't have the romance of a Pass Line natural or the adrenaline of a Hardway hit. What they have is a 1.52% house edge, a 45.45% win probability per bet, and the ability to pay you on the very first hit — no waiting for a come-out roll, no traveling through the Come box. You point at a number, the dealer puts your chips there, and the next time that number shows, you get paid.

For players who want consistent action on the best numbers without the complexity of Come bets, Place 6 and 8 are the answer.

Why 6 and 8 Are the Numbers to Play

Two dice create 36 possible outcomes. The number 7 dominates with 6 combinations. But right behind it — tied at 5 combinations each — are 6 and 8. No other numbers come this close to matching the 7's frequency.

When you place the 6 or 8, you're betting that number will roll before the 7. Five ways to win versus six ways to lose:

5 ÷ (5 + 6) = 45.45% win rate

That's the best winning probability of any point number. Compare it to placing the 4 or 10 (33.33% win rate) or even the 5 or 9 (40%). The 6 and 8 give you the closest thing to an even fight against the 7.

The House Edge: How It Compares

Place bets on 6 and 8 carry a 1.52% house edge. Here's how that stacks up:

The 6 and 8 are the only Place bets worth making on a consistent basis. The 5 and 9 cost you 4% — nearly triple the price. The 4 and 10 cost 6.67% — over four times as expensive. If you're going to place numbers, place the 6 and 8 or don't place at all.

How the Payout Works

Place bets on 6 and 8 pay 7:6. For every $6 you bet, you win $7. That's the only ratio that matters, and it's why you always bet in multiples of $6.

If you bet $5 or $10 — amounts not divisible by 6 — the dealer will either round your payout down (costing you money) or ask you to adjust your bet. Always bet in $6 increments. This isn't a suggestion; it's the only way to get the full 7:6 return.

Why 7:6 and Not 6:5?

The true odds of the 6 rolling before the 7 are 6:5. If the casino paid true odds, you'd get $6 for every $5 bet — no house edge. Instead, they pay $7 for every $6 bet. The difference — paying you slightly less than fair value — is where the 1.52% house edge lives.

For comparison, the Odds bet behind a Pass Line wager with a point of 6 pays the full 6:5. So a $30 Odds bet would pay $36, while a $30 Place bet pays $35. That $1 difference per hit is the cost of convenience — Place bets let you choose your number and get paid on the first hit, while Odds bets require a Pass Line or Come bet first.

Place Bets vs. Come Bets: The Trade-Off

New players often ask which is better — placing the 6 and 8, or making Come bets and hoping the dice send you there. Here's the honest comparison:

The Come bet with Odds is mathematically cheaper. But it requires a "travel roll" where you're exposed to losing on craps numbers, and you don't get to pick where the bet lands. Place bets skip that entire process. You tell the dealer "Place the 6 and 8 for $12 each," and you're immediately in action on the two best numbers.

For players who prioritize simplicity and immediate action, Place 6 and 8 win. For players who prioritize minimizing the house edge and don't mind the complexity, Come bets with Odds win. Many experienced players use both — Come bets as their foundation, with Place 6 or 8 filling gaps when they want targeted coverage.

Strategy: How to Play Place 6 and 8

The Collect-First Approach

The most disciplined strategy for Place 6 and 8: collect your first win, then decide whether to press.

Round 1: Place $12 each on 6 and 8 ($24 total exposure). Shooter hits the 8. You collect $14. Your bets stay at $12 each.

Round 2: Shooter hits the 6. Collect $14 again. You've now won $28 on $24 in bets. You're ahead no matter what happens next.

Round 3: Now you press. Tell the dealer "Press the 6." Your $12 bet on 6 becomes $18 (dealer adds your $7 win plus $5 of your remaining profit, or you add from your rack). You collect the difference.

Round 4: If the shooter hits 6 again at $18, you collect $21 and decide: press again or stay? You've already locked in profit from rounds 1 and 2, so pressing here is playing with house money.

This rhythm — collect first, press second — keeps you ahead of the game during moderate rolls and protects you from handing back all your winnings on a single seven-out.

Sizing Your Place Bets to Your Bankroll

Place 6 and 8 together costs $12 minimum ($6 each). That's your base. From there, scale to your bankroll:

The rule of thumb: your total Place exposure should be no more than 10-15% of your session bankroll. That gives you enough runway to survive a cold stretch of five or six quick seven-outs and still have chips in front of you when the table warms up.

When to Take Bets Down

Place bets aren't contract bets. You can remove them at any time by telling the dealer "Take down my 6 and 8." Use this flexibility:

• After three or four hits without a 7: You've collected meaningful profit. Taking bets down locks it in.
• When the table feels choppy: Quick seven-outs on multiple shooters signal high variance. Drop to minimum or take bets down entirely.
• When you've hit your win target: If you set a goal of being up $50 and you're at +$48 after a 6 hits, take the bets down. Don't give it back.

For more on the collect-then-press philosophy applied broadly, see Inside Numbers Strategy: Pressing the 5, 6, 8, and 9.

Common Mistakes with Place 6 and 8

Betting in non-$6 increments. A $10 Place bet on 6 won't pay the correct 7:6 ratio. The dealer will pay you $11 instead of $11.67, rounding down. That rounding costs you money over time. Always bet $6, $12, $18, $24, or $30.

Placing every inside number. Some players buy "$44 inside" — $10 on the 5, $12 on the 6, $12 on the 8, $10 on the 9. That spreads $44 across the table. One seven-out and it's all gone. The 5 and 9 carry a 4% house edge — nearly triple the cost of the 6 and 8. If you're going to place numbers, stick to the 6 and 8 and skip the rest.

Pressing too early. The shooter hits one 6 and you immediately press to $30. Two rolls later, seven-out. You lost $30 instead of collecting $7 in profit. Always collect at least one win before pressing. Your first hit should pay for the risk; your second hit should fund the press.

Leaving bets up through long dry spells. If five or six rolls pass without a 6 or 8, the probability of the next roll being a 7 hasn't changed — but your patience and bankroll might have. There's no shame in taking bets down during a choppy stretch and re-entering when a new shooter starts rolling.

Treating Place 6 and 8 as your only strategy. These are supporting bets, not the main event. The foundation of any good craps approach is the Pass Line with Odds. Place 6 and 8 add action on the two best numbers, but they shouldn't replace the lowest-edge bets on the table.

Try It Yourself

Our free social casino craps simulator lets you practice placing the 6 and 8 with zero risk. Watch how often they hit relative to the 7. Experiment with the collect-first approach versus aggressive pressing. Track your bankroll over 50 shooters and see how the 1.52% edge plays out in practice.

The simulator gives you the reps to develop timing — when to press, when to collect, when to take everything down. That instinct is worth more than any strategy chart.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes place bets 6 and 8 better than other place bets? They have the highest winning probability (45.45%), the lowest place-bet house edge (1.52%), and payouts close to true odds (7:6 vs. true 6:5). Every other place bet is significantly more expensive.

How much should I bet on 6 and 8? Always bet in multiples of $6 for the correct 7:6 payout. $12 each on 6 and 8 ($24 total) is a solid starting point for most bankrolls. Scale up only after collecting wins.

Can place bets 6 and 8 be combined with other bets? Yes — and they should be. A Pass Line with Odds as your core, supplemented by Place 6 and 8, gives you coverage on the three most common non-7 numbers. This is a simple, effective approach for intermediate players.

What happens to my place bets if a 7 is rolled? All place bets lose immediately on a seven-out. This is the primary risk. Managing this through disciplined bet sizing and the collect-first approach minimizes the damage.

Is there a guaranteed winning strategy for place bets 6 and 8? No bet in craps overcomes the house edge over time. Place 6 and 8 offer one of the best risk-to-reward profiles on the table, but variance ensures you'll have losing sessions. Play within your bankroll and enjoy the ride.

How do place bets 6 and 8 compare to the Iron Cross strategy? The Iron Cross covers every number except 7 by combining Place bets with a Field bet. It wins more often per roll but carries a higher blended house edge (around 3.9%) because of the Field bet's 5.56% cost. Place 6 and 8 alone offer a purer, cheaper approach.

Final Thoughts

Placing the 6 and 8 gives you targeted action on the two most rollable numbers on the table, at a house edge that barely registers. They won't make you rich on any single roll — a $12 bet pays $14, not $140. But that modest, steady drip of $7 wins, collected disciplined before pressing, builds a session that survives cold stretches and capitalizes on warm ones.

The players who quietly place the 6 and 8, collect their first hits, and press only with profit are the ones still standing when the fireworks players are walking to the cashier. Steady beats flashy. Every time.

Related articles:

• The Inside Numbers Strategy: Pressing the 5, 6, 8, and 9
• The Iron Cross Craps Strategy: Math, Execution, and Flaws
• House Edge Explained: How the Casino Makes Money in Craps