Multi-roll fire bet

22 September 2019

By John Grochowski

Most of the best bets at craps involve multiple rolls. Those with house edges under 2% are pass or come (1.41%), don’t pass or don’t come (1.36%), and place bets on 6 and 8 (1.52%). And you can get the edge under 1% with odds wagers on pass, come, don’t pass and don’t come.

Gary, a Pennsylvania reader, emailed to ask if favorite bet status of multiroll bets applied to side bets. Specifically, he wanted to know if the fire bet was worth his time and bankroll.

“I found this bet that paid a jackpot if the shooter made all the point numbers. I thought it must be a real long shot, but it stuck in my head the multiple-roll bets are better than single-roll bets.

“I know that’s an oversimplification. Place bets other than 6 and 8 aren’t all that good, and the one-roll field isn’t all that terrible when 12 pays 3-1 instead of 2-1 (2.78% edge).

“Still, the best bets need some work over several rolls to win, and the fire bet certainly needs some work. Could it be a hidden gem.”

About a year and a half ago, I did a detailed article on the fire bet that you can find at https://www.888casino.com/blog/craps-strategy/craps-fire-bet. But to give a short summary to Gary and other interested players, the fire bet should not be counted among the multiroll bets that are favorable to players.

The attraction is a 999-1 payoff if the shooter makes all six point numbers before sevening out, along with payoffs of 249-1 for five points and 24-1 for four points on the most common pay table.

The downside is that shooters don’t make four or more different points anywhere near often enough to make the bet worthwhile. The house edge of 20.8% is even higher than the highest one-roll edge, the 16.67% on any 7.

You won’t find the fire bet everywhere, but when you do, you start by putting your chips on the layout and telling the dealer you want the fire bet. You can change your mind and take the bet down until the shooter makes his first point. Then it must stay in action until it wins or loses.

Each time the shooter makes a new point, a fire lammer is placed on the number. If the shooter sevens out with three or fewer fire lammers on the table, you lose your bet. If there are four or more lammers, you collect your payoff.

Sevens, 11s or craps numbers on the comeout do not affect the fire bet. They’re not wins on a point, nor are they seven-outs for the shooter. Making the same point multiple times counts only once.

As for odds, the payoffs look big, but you win the bet just a little more than 1% of the time. At wizardofodds.com, Michael Shackleford calculated the odds of making four different points before sevening out at 0.88%, along with a 0.16% chance of five in a row and 0.016% chance of six in a row.

With the payoffs on winners and some minor rounding issues accounted for, your average win is 79.2 cents per $1 wagered, while the house keeps 20.8 cents – a 20.8% house edge.

Don’t go starry-eyed over the chance of a $999 payoff for a $1 side bet. You lose the fire bet nearly 99% of the time, and to me, the high house edge puts this one on the “do not play” list.

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