The Difference Between Place vs. Buy in Craps
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Craps is one of the most popular table games, and it’s a great way to have fun in a social setting. Compared to other games you’ll find in casinos, it’s generally more laid back. But when playing the game, you’ll need to understand how different bets work – such as the place and buy bet.
Besides knowing how to wager a craps place bet vs. buy, you must also understand the scenarios in which doing so for both makes the most sense. Once you have this information, you’ll find it much easier to play the game more effectively – whether you wager online or in a real-life casino.
In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about place and buy bets in craps. You’ll discover the pros and cons of both, what the actual difference between them is, and much more.
Craps Buy Bet vs. Place Bets
Before we go into the more granular details of place bets and buy bets, it’s worth knowing what they actually are. Let’s start with the place bet.
Place Bet
The place bet involves betting that any of the following numbers will be rolled before 7:
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 8
- 9
If your number rolls before 7, the amount that you’ll win depends on which number was rolled. You’ll receive a 7/6 payout if the dice rolls on 6 or 8, 7/5 if it’s 5 or 9, and 9/5 if the number is either 4 or 10.
You can use the place bet on your come out roll, but only if you say “on”. The good news about this type of bet is that you can place it wherever you want.
Buy Bet
The buy bet is almost identical to a place bet. You will win money if you bet on the numbers mentioned above being rolled before 7.
However, you must keep one key difference in mind. When placing the bet, you’ll also need to pay a commission of 5%. By placing this bet, you get true odds; these reflect the actual probability of a number being rolled. The commission is just what the casino takes.
Like the place bet, you can use a buy bet during the come out roll if you say “on”.
See also: Come Bet in Craps, What It Is, How It Works, and When to Use It
When to Use Place Bets vs. Buy Bets
Now that you know what a place bet and a buy bet is, we can look at when you should actually use these. More than anything else, your choice will depend on when you think it’s worth paying the house commission and the times that you feel like it’s better to have fixed odds. However, you’ll have a house edge of 1.52% (6 and 8), 4% (5 and 9), or 6.67% (4 or 10).
Generally speaking, the place bet is good when you think that one of the more frequent numbers will be rolled. By avoiding the 5% commission, you could make more money – even if you aren’t getting what’s considered the true odds.
On the other hand, you should use a buy bet when you think that a number with higher odds will roll. For example, the buy bet can represent better value for money if you think that the dealer will roll 4 or 10 on the dice.
When determining whether you want to place a craps place bet or a buy bet, you should observe the game and see how it’s going. Generally speaking, you’re better off placing a buy bet when you’ve seen how the game is going. That way, you’ll find it much easier to make a better decision grounded in facts and probability.
The Pros and Cons of Place and Buy Bets
Before you wager with a place bet or a buy bet in craps, it’s worth understanding the most important differences and keeping them in mind. To help you make a better decision, we’ll break this section down into multiple subsections.
Place Bets
Pros
Some of the benefits of using a place bet in craps include:
- Easy to understand: Once you understand the place bet in craps, you will also have fewer problems learning about the buy bet.
- No commission: Whereas the buy bet has a 5% commission, you do not need to pay this with the place bet.
- Place anytime: Though normally placed after the come out roll, you can use it beforehand if you think that doing so makes sense.
- Fixed odds: You know exactly how much you will make if you win a place bet because the odds are fixed. This makes it easier to determine how much you want to wager.
Cons
Despite the advantages of wagering a place bet in craps, you also need to consider the drawbacks. Here are some of the biggest negatives that you should keep in mind.
- No true odds: The odds with a place bet include a house edge. This will depend on what you wager; 4 and 10, for example, have a 6.67% house edge.
- Lower payouts in some cases: If you land on 4 and 10 with a place bet, you will receive a lower payout than would’ve been the case with a buy bet.
See also: The History of Craps, A Complete Breakdown
Buy Bets
Pros
In some cases, the buy bet can be a much better choice than a place bet. Here are some of the key advantages associated with using this type of bet.
- Potential for bigger winnings: If you land on 4 or 10, the buy bet could give you a bigger payout. Besides true odds, you pay a 5% commission that is lower than what would be the house edge.
- True odds: The amount of money you receive is actually based on the probability.
- No need to learn something new: Once you’ve learned how to use buy bets, you can transfer most of this knowledge to place bets (and vice versa).
Cons
- The 5% commission: Paying this commission is risky. While it’s very smart if you land on 4 or 10, the commission you pay is otherwise lower than the house edge.
The Best Strategies for Place and Buy Bets in Craps
Another key element of correctly using these bets is to understand when it makes sense to use a place bet – and when the buy bet is more logical. To help you do this effectively, we’ll cover both of them below.
Place Bets
When playing craps, it’s generally better to start off with a place bet. The main reason why is that you won’t know what to expect until you’ve seen a few rolls of the dice. Probability isn’t 100% accurate, but it’s a pretty good rule to go by.
You should also avoid using the place bet as your pass bet. Doing so can result in not getting the optimal results and effectively forfeiting the game before you’ve even started.
It’s also a good idea to use place bets more often than you use buy bets. By doing so, you will strike a better balance between getting better odds and receiving more consistent payouts. It might be worth wagering more on place bets than buy bets, too, so that you win a better amount of money.
Buy Bets
Compared to place bets, it’s a good idea to use your buy bets sparingly. Generally speaking, these are better used in circumstances where you’ve got a good feeling about 4 or 10 landing.
To do this, you’ll typically need to spend a bit of time observing your game beforehand. Once you know what is and isn’t likely to be rolled, you can make a better decision about whether the buy bet is really a good idea.
Like place bets, it’s usually not a good idea to use the buy bet as part of your come out bet.
Which Bet Is Better for Beginners?
When comparing the place bet vs. buy bet for difficulty, the place bet is typically much easier to understand. You can use this bet in almost every craps situation, and you will also probably use it much more than the buy bet during your time playing craps.
It’s a very good idea to start with the place bet. Once you have a good understanding of how this works, which shouldn’t take too long, you can then introduce the buy bet into your strategy.
Can You Switch Between Place and Buy Bets?
Yes – there aren’t any limitations between switching between your place bet and a buy bet. Your only limit will be the amount of money you have.
Because you can switch easily, you’re in complete control over which one you wish to use. Pick whichever bet you think makes the most sense for your scenario.
The place bet and buy bet in craps are very similar, and you shouldn’t have too many problems learning both of them. The main difference between the two is the commission and your odds. Once you’ve learned how to use one, it will become much easier to add the other to your weaponry.
Practice with both of these online before playing craps in person; you’ll find plenty of places where you can do this. Be sure to know when they both make more or less sense. Generally speaking, you should use the buy bet more sparingly than the place bet.
