What Is a Horn Bet in Craps?
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A craps horn bet is one of the many betting options available to players in the popular table game. This wager offers large payouts and is often a favorite of new players.
If you want to play craps online, then you need to learn all of the bets available during the game. This will help you decide which bets to put in your strategy. Also, it will help you avoid bad bets with a high house edge.
Keep reading to learn more about the horn bet in craps. I will tell you the basics of this bet and how its payout odds compare to its house edge. Also, I will explain whether you should make the horn bet when playing craps.
What Is a Craps Horn Bet?
So, what is a horn bet in craps? The horn, also known as the craps 11 wager, is a single-roll bet. For this wager, you are betting that the shooter will roll a two, three, 11, or 12 on their next roll.
Any other result on the next roll and you will lose your bet. But if the shooter does hit one of your four winning numbers, then you could be in for a big payday. The payout odds for this bet will vary depending on which of your winning numbers are rolled.
Craps Horn Bet Payout
The numbers that you are wagering on in the horn bet in craps are the four that are least likely to occur. Only six of the 36 possible outcomes will result in a winning bet. Also, since this is a single-roll bet, you only have one chance for your winning numbers to hit.
To balance out the low probability of this wager hitting, casinos offer high payout odds for the horn bet. If the three or the 11 hits, you are rewarded with 15:1 payout odds.
As nice as that payout out, you are really hoping the dice land on two or 12 when you make the horn bet. When this happens, you are rewarded with 30:1 payout odds. This tied for the highest payout of any bet in most craps games.
What Is the House Edge on the Horn Bet in Craps?
Despite the chance of a huge payout, many experienced players choose to stay away from the horn bet. In fact, this wager is often called a sucker’s bet for one very important reason.
In addition to having one of the best payouts, the horn bet also has one of the highest house edge of any craps bet. You face an edge of approximately 11.1% on the three or 11, and an edge of roughly 13.9% on the two or 12.
Is the Horn Bet a Good Bet in Craps?
You will have a lot of options available to you when you are making your craps betting strategy. One of the easiest ways to narrow down your options is to limit yourself to wagers that are good bets.
The horn does not typically fall into that category. For experienced players, the large house edge often outweighs the potential for huge payouts.
That does not mean that you should avoid the horn bet in craps completely. Instead, you simply need to have the right strategy to help minimize your risk. The horn bet can become a good bet if you use it within a winning strategy.
Horn Bet Craps Strategy
If you want to take advantage of the horn bet payout, you need a good strategy. Otherwise, the high house edge will likely kill your bankroll. Here are four strategies that you can try to help you succeed with this craps wager.
Start With Small Stakes
One of the best ways to decrease the risk of any wager is to lower your stakes. Betting less money will lead to smaller payouts when you do win. However, it also means that your bankroll will last longer, and you will have more bites at the apple.
Even a small wager can pay big dividends with a horn bet in craps. Your stake amount will partially depend on the betting limits at the casino that you choose to use.
So, if you want to play for smaller stakes, it is better to play online. Real money casino sites tend to allow lower betting limits than their land-based counterparts.
Wait For Your Moment
Another strategy for using craps players who want to make the horn wager is to pick your spots. This is not the type of bet that most players can afford to make every round.
Instead, you should wait for the right time to make your bet. For some players, this means waiting for multiple rolls of two, three, 11, or 12 to happen in a relatively short amount of time. These players believe that if the numbers are “hot,” their chances of winning could be better.
Other players take the opposite approach and wait for the two, three, 11, and 12 to not appear for an extended period of time. This means that they are “due” to hit soon. Both strategies limit your risk by reducing the money you spend on this hard-to-win bet.
Hedge Your Bet
When you do decide the time is right to make the horn wager in craps, you should consider hedging your bet. By pairing the horn bet with another wager, like a craps prop bet, you give yourself more chances to win.
For this strategy, you want to pick a bet with a high chance of winning. This will help offset the risk of making the horn bet. You also need to make sure that your other wager will cover your losses if the horn bet does not win.
Use a Betting System
Using a betting system is also a great strategy for people who like making horn bets. There are many systems to choose from, and players tend to choose negative progression systems.
The Martingale, Fibonacci, and other negative progression systems are popular options. These systems require you to increase your stake amount when you lose. When you do win, your winnings will cover your losses.
Many betting systems work best with even money wagers. So, you may need to adjust the system that you choose to better fit this unique craps wager.
Craps Betting Tips
The horn bet has a high payout, which makes it an attractive option to new players. Picking the right strategy is one way to increase your chances of succeeding with this wager. Here are three other tips to help you succeed at online craps.
Pick the Right Craps Casino
One of the best things you can do to improve your craps playing experience is to pick a great craps casino. Sites like Bovada Casino are perfect for craps players of all experience levels.
Bovada has awesome casino bonuses that will help new and existing members build their bankrolls. Bonus funds are great options for placing riskier wagers, like the horn bet. Also, this casino offers a variety of banking options so funding your account is easy.
Another reason to consider Bovada is that it offers both paid and free casino games. So, you can practice your horn bet strategy for free.
Start With Free Games
Speaking of free games, starting with free craps games online is a great way for new players to gain experience. Also, fake gambling games can be an efficient and risk-free way of trying new strategies.
You can use free games to try different strategies for the horn bet. Once you find the strategy that works best for you, then you can switch to free games and start winning money. You will not win money from free games, but you also will not lose any money while you are playing, either.
Use a Craps Odds Chart
A third tip for playing online craps is to use a craps odds chart. There are a lot of bets for craps players to choose from, and an odds chart can make your decision easier.
Inexperienced craps players will benefit the most from using an odds chart. Having a quick reference of all of the bets available and their odds can be extremely helpful. Your odds chart can also help you decide when to make your horn bet and what bet to hedge it with.
You can create your own odds chart using templates online. Or you can use a pre-made chart made by an experienced player.
Do You Like the Craps Horn Bet?
The horn bet in craps has one of the highest payouts of any wager in the game. However, the house edge makes many experienced players stay away from this bet. Check out the blog above to learn more about this wager and see how you can increase your chances of success with the right betting strategy.
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