This article explains the informal 6 7 8 pattern in craps, why players use it, and how standard payouts and probabilities determine its behavior. You will learn how to size place bets and don’t-side hedges, what a payouts calculator reveals, and a simple session walkthrough you can replicate. FundedPlays provides resources for disciplined practice in skill-based challenge formats rather than traditional wagering. The guidance here is informational: the goal is to help you test scenarios responsibly and understand expected outcomes.

The 6 7 8 pattern pairs place bets on 6 and 8 with a don’t-side hedge to smooth session variance.

Place bets on 6 and 8 pay 7 to 6 and carry about a 1.52 percent house edge.

Use a payouts calculator to test unit sizes and roll counts before risking real money.

What the 6 7 8 pattern means in craps

The 6 7 8 pattern is a player-devised approach that combines place bets on the 6 and 8 with a don’t-side hedge so frequent 6 and 8 hits produce small wins while 7s trigger the hedge. Players use it as a way to manage swings rather than to change the game math; treat it as a staking pattern and not a rule enforced by the table.

As a shorthand description this pattern pairs two place bets that win relatively often with a flat Don’t Pass or Don’t Come position plus lay odds to reduce the short-term pain of a 7-out, illustrating variance management rather than a path to long-term advantage, a characterization supported by standard game summaries.

Encyclopaedia Britannica overview of craps

The pattern’s name is informal and should not be taken as a guaranteed method to beat the house. Instead, players who use 6 7 8 typically aim to create more steady sessions, hoping that recurring 6/8 hits offset occasional 7-outs while maintaining clear staking rules at the table.

Wizard of Odds craps overview

How craps payouts and probabilities drive the pattern

Two-dice probabilities determine why the pattern behaves the way it does: a 7 occurs on 6 of 36 equally likely combinations, or about 16.67 percent, while each of the 6 and 8 occurs on 5 of 36 combinations, or about 13.89 percent. Those relative frequencies explain why players see more 7-outs than individual 6 or 8 hits over a session.

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Close up of a hand pushing chips on the 6 and 8 place bet spots on a dark navy craps table showing chip arrangement for craps payouts calculator

Place bets on the 6 and 8 pay 7 to 6 at most casinos and carry roughly a 1.52 percent house edge, which is an important baseline when sizing units for the pattern. That payout means a standard unit on 6 or 8 returns a small net on a hit but does not alter the underlying negative expectation of the game.

Wizard of Odds craps overview

Odds bets taken on the Pass/Come or laid on the Don’t Pass/Don’t Come resolve at true odds and themselves carry no house edge; however the original line bet component still embeds the house edge so the overall wager remains negative in expectation. Understanding which parts of a combined stake are true-odds versus line edge is key to realistic scenario planning.

Casino.org explanation of craps odds and payouts

Try FundedPlays-style scenario testing on the Challenges page

Try a quick calculator scenario to see how hit frequency and a don’t-side hedge interact over a session without changing the house edge.

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Core mechanics: how players set bets in a 6 7 8 setup

Practically, many players use simple unit sizing so the math is easy to track. For example, one common approach is to stake $12 on each of the 6 and 8 as place bets; each hit then pays $14 gross, yielding the $2 per-hit net that fits the 7:6 payout rule and keeps accounting straightforward for the table.

Wizard of Odds craps overview

Commonly the 6 7 8 pattern pairs those place bets with a Don’t Pass or Don’t Come flat bet and lay odds behind it so that when a 7 appears the don’t-side position benefits from the true-odds portion of the wager. The flat don’t bet resolves at even money and the lay odds pay according to point-specific ratios, so the combined resolution on a 7-out reduces the net session loss compared with an unhedged layout.

What does the 6 7 8 strategy in craps aim to do?

It aims to smooth session variance by pairing place bets on the 6 and 8 with a don’t-side hedge, producing frequent small wins and reducing the impact of 7-outs while not removing the house edge.

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When players size units this way the intent is clearer: repeated $12 wins on 6 or 8 create frequent small credits, while the don’t-side cushion acts as a shock absorber for the less frequent 7s. That said, the pattern does not remove expected loss in the long run; it simply alters how often small wins and losses hit during a session.

Casino.org explanation of craps odds and payouts

Using a craps payouts calculator to model 6 7 8 outcomes

A payouts or odds calculator helps you translate stake mixes into expected value, hit frequency, and simulated session variance so you can see plausible results before risking money. Entering place bet amounts, don’t-side flat stakes, odds multipliers, and a roll count lets a calculator compute the expected long-run loss and the distribution of session results.

payouts or odds calculator

model EV and hit frequency for a stake mix

Use realistic roll counts

Use the calculator to test several realistic inputs: the same $12 on 6 and 8, a don’t flat bet sized to your comfort, and modest odds behind the don’t-side. The calculator will report each bet type’s contribution to expected loss and show how frequently your place bets hit versus how often the don’t-side offsets a 7-out.

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Wizard of Odds craps odds and expected value calculator

Walkthrough: a session example using standard payouts and a calculator

Assumptions for a simple walkthrough: $12 placed on the 6, $12 placed on the 8, and a Don’t Pass flat bet sized to your tolerance with single-odds laid behind it. Under table conventions each $12 hit on 6 or 8 pays $14 gross, and lay odds behind a don’t-side position pay according to the point, so the combination is straightforward to enter into a payouts tool.

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Step 1, set inputs: Place 6 = 12, Place 8 = 12, Don’t flat = your chosen flat size, Odds multiplier = 1x or 2x depending on table limits, Rolls = 100 or more to see short-term variance.

Step 2, run the calculator and note two outputs: the aggregate expected loss across all bets and the hit frequency breakdown showing how often the 6 and 8 paid versus how many 7-outs occurred that resolved against the don’t-side hedge.

Wizard of Odds craps calculator

Step 3, interpret: a typical calculator run will show the pattern smooths sessions by producing frequent small credits from the 6 and 8 while the don’t-side reduces the impact of 7s. The long-run expected value still favors the house, so use the outputs to set session limits rather than to expect a positive edge.

Minimal 2D vector screenshot of a craps payouts calculator showing example numeric outputs for place 6 3.50 place 8 2.80 dont flat 5.00 and rolls 12 on a dark Funded Plays style background

Casino.org explanation of craps odds and payouts

Decision criteria: when the 6 7 8 pattern might make sense

Consider the pattern when your goals are variance smoothing, disciplined staking practice, or testing a predictive idea in a controlled way. If you want steadier session-to-session results and are comfortable accepting the house edge, the 6 7 8 pattern can structure play around clear unit sizes and stop rules.

Wizard of Odds craps overview

Avoid the pattern when you have a very small bankroll relative to unit size, when you expect it to produce a guaranteed edge, or when you do not plan to use preset stop-losses and session limits. The approach suits players focused on disciplined practice rather than profit promises.

Encyclopaedia Britannica overview of craps

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

One frequent error is mis-sizing units so place bet wins are too small to offset repeated 7-outs, or conversely staking too large relative to bankroll. Verify your payouts and potential losses in a calculator before you play and use preset session limits to prevent a few bad rolls from eroding your funds.

Wizard of Odds craps odds and expected value calculator

Another mistake is assuming the don’t-side hedge creates a long-term advantage; it does not. The hedge alters the pattern of wins and losses but does not remove the line bet house edge, so track expected value and review simulated sessions to confirm you accept the long-run math.

Casino.org explanation of craps odds and payouts

Practical safeguards include fixed stop-losses, short session targets, and straightforward tracking of hits and losses so you can compare actual outcomes with calculator projections and adjust unit sizes responsibly.

Wizard of Odds craps overview

Wrap-up: realistic expectations and next steps

The 6 7 8 pattern is best viewed as a variance-management technique: it creates frequent, small wins from place 6 and 8 hits and a don’t-side cushion for 7-outs, but it does not overcome the house edge. Use a craps payouts calculator to test inputs and set rules before you play so your sessions reflect planned risk and realistic outcomes.

Wizard of Odds craps overview

Next steps are practical: run several calculator scenarios across different roll counts and odds sizes, pick unit amounts that fit your bankroll, and keep records so you can compare simulated expectations with real sessions. Treat the pattern as disciplined practice and not a source of guaranteed returns.

Encyclopaedia Britannica overview of craps

Does the 6 7 8 strategy beat the house?

No. The 6 7 8 pattern is variance management; it does not remove the house edge and long-run expected value remains negative.

What inputs matter in a payouts calculator for this pattern?

Key inputs are stakes on place 6 and 8, don’t-side flat bet size, odds multiplier, and the number of rolls or session length.

Can odds bets eliminate casino advantage?

Odds bets pay true odds and carry no house edge themselves, but the overall wager still includes the line bet house edge so advantage is not eliminated.

Treat the 6 7 8 pattern as a structured way to manage variance and practice disciplined staking rather than as a way to beat the house. Run calculator scenarios, set clear session rules, and keep records to see whether the approach meets your objectives. If you use the pattern, do so with modest units and preset limits so sessions stay within your planned risk tolerance.

What the 6 7 8 pattern means in craps

How craps payouts and probabilities drive the pattern

Try FundedPlays-style scenario testing on the Challenges page

Core mechanics: how players set bets in a 6 7 8 setup

Using a craps payouts calculator to model 6 7 8 outcomes

Walkthrough: a session example using standard payouts and a calculator

Decision criteria: when the 6 7 8 pattern might make sense

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Wrap-up: realistic expectations and next steps

References