Buy bets and place bets both win if the shooter rolls your number before a 7. A place bet pays fixed house odds with no commission.
A buy bet pays true odds, but the casino charges a 5% commission, known as the vig. Which one costs you less depends on the number you're betting and on when the vig is collected.
The Payout Difference Number by Number
Both bets work the same way on the layout. Your number wins if it's rolled before a 7 and loses if a 7 comes first, and any other roll leaves the bet in action (if you're new to the table, start with how to shoot dice).
The difference is the price. A $20 place bet on 4 or 10 pays 9-5, so a win brings $36. Buy the same number for $20 plus a $1 commission, and you're paid true odds of 2-1, a $40 win. Because the commission is part of what you risk, the buy bet still carries a house edge, just a smaller one.
Vig timing is what moves the numbers. A 4 can be rolled three ways and a 7 six ways, so you win a third of the time. Paying 5% on one bet in three works out to 1.67% across all your bets, not far above the 1.41% on the pass line.
When Does Buying Beat Placing?
Buy the 4 and 10 at any table. Even with the vig charged on every bet, 4.76% beats the 6.67% on the place bet, and the edge falls to 1.67%, where the vig comes out of wins only.
Buy the 5 and 9 only where the house takes the vig on wins. That cuts the edge to 2%, half the 4% on the place bet. If the vig is charged on every bet, buying these numbers costs you more than placing them.
Stick with placing the 6 and 8. At 1.52%, the place bet beats the buy bet under either vig rule, so buying those two numbers almost never makes sense.
A Note on Table Rules
Casinos set their own buy bet rules and rarely post them. Some take the vig when you make the bet, some only when you win, and minimum buy amounts vary. Ask the dealer before you bet.
Bet size matters as well. Tables don't make change below $1, so a $5 buy bet still costs a $1 commission, which is 20% of your stake. Whenever the commission is a bigger share of your bet than the place bet's house edge, placing is the better deal.
Paying a $1 Commission on Bigger Buy Bets
A few tables will accept a $1 commission on buy bets above $20, commonly up to $25 and occasionally up to $39. It's never advertised, so you have to ask. The bigger the bet on a $1 commission, the lower the edge:
- Buying 4 or 10 for $25: 3.85% with the vig on every bet, 1.33% with the vig on wins only
- Buying 4 or 10 for $39: 2.5% with the vig on every bet, 0.85% with the vig on wins only
- Buying 5 or 9 for $24 or $38, vig on wins only: 1.67% or 1.05%
- Buying 6 or 8 for $25 or $35, vig on wins only: 1.82% or 1.30%
On 6 or 8, only the $35 buy beats the 1.52% place bet, and few casinos offer it. Bigger bets also mean bigger swings, so only raise your stake if your bankroll can handle it.
Buy Bet vs Place Bet in Craps – FAQ
What is the Vig in Craps?
The vig, short for vigorish, is the commission a casino charges on certain bets. On buy bets, it's 5% of your stake, usually $1 for every $20. The same 5% applies to craps lay bets, where it's worked out on the amount you stand to win.
Can you take a Buy Bet down?
Yes. Like place bets, buy bets can be taken down before any roll. If you paid the vig up front, many casinos return it when you remove the bet, but that's a house rule, so check before you buy.
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