Place Bet Tips — Payouts, Sizing, and the Pull-Down Discipline

Place bets are the most commonly used craps bet after the pass line. Most players know what they are — not all of them know the details that determine whether they come out ahead or behind across a session.

Bet Size Must Match the Payout Ratio

Place bets only pay correctly when sized in the right increments. The 6 and 8 pay 7 to 6 — bets must be in multiples of $6 ($12, $18, $24, $30, $36...). The 5 and 9 pay 7 to 5 — bets must be in multiples of $5 ($10, $15, $20, $25...). The 4 and 10 pay 9 to 5 — multiples of $5. Bet the wrong amount and the casino rounds down the payout. A $10 bet on the 6 pays $11 instead of the correct $11.67 — you are giving away the cents. Always size correctly.

Stick to 6, 8, 5, and 9

The 4 and 10 carry a 6.67% house edge as place bets. The 5 and 9 are 4%. The 6 and 8 are 1.52%. There is almost no reason to place the 4 or 10 as a place bet — if you want those numbers, a buy bet (paying true odds with a 5% commission) is a better structure. Focus place bets on the 6, 8, 5, and 9.

Place Bets Are Not Contracts

Unlike the pass line, place bets can be taken down at any time. Call "take me down" on any place bet and the chips come back. This flexibility is one of the reasons the press strategy works — you can pull bets at any level, not just after a hit. Use it to protect profits when a table turns cold.

Bets Are Off on the Come-Out by Default

At most casinos, place bets are automatically "off" during come-out rolls (after a point is made, while the shooter rolls for the next point). They will not win or lose on the come-out 7. You can tell the dealer to keep them "on" if you want action on the come-out, but the default protects your place bets when the 7 is most likely. Bluffin With Aces covers all of this with live examples on YouTube.