Hardway Bets Craps Calculator: Betting on Doubles

Hardway bets in craps win when specific totals hit as doubles—4 as 2-2, 6 as 3-3, 8 as 4-4, or 10 as 5-5. They lose on 7 or the "easy way" (non-doubles). Our calculator reveals the 9-11% house edge behind these popular proposition bets.

What Are Hardway Bets?

Hardway bets are multi-roll proposition bets where you wager that a specific even number (4, 6, 8, or 10) will be rolled as doubles before that number appears any other way or before a 7. Hard 6 means 3-3, not 1-5, 2-4, 4-2, or 5-1.

Quick Answer: Hardways = betting on doubles. Hard 4 (2-2) and Hard 10 (5-5): 7:1 payout, 11.11% edge. Hard 6 (3-3) and Hard 8 (4-4): 9:1 payout, 9.09% edge. Lose on 7 or easy way. Multi-roll bets. High house edge. Entertainment bets only.

How to Use Our Calculator

Use the Hardway Calculator →

Calculate probabilities for each hardway bet.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Select Hardway: 4, 6, 8, or 10

2. View Win Probability: Doubles odds

3. See Lose Conditions: 7 or easy way

4. Calculate House Edge: True cost

5. Compare Options: Which hardway is "best"

Input Fields Explained

Field	Description	Example
Hardway Number	4, 6, 8, or 10	Hard 6
Doubles Combo	The winning roll	3-3
Win Probability	Hitting doubles	9.09%
Lose Ways	7 or easy	10 ways
Payout	If win	9:1
House Edge	True cost	9.09%

Understanding Hardways

What Makes It "Hard"

Hard = doubles only:

Hard 4: 2-2 only
Hard 6: 3-3 only
Hard 8: 4-4 only
Hard 10: 5-5 only

Easy = any other combination:
Easy 4: 1-3, 3-1
Easy 6: 1-5, 2-4, 4-2, 5-1
Easy 8: 2-6, 3-5, 5-3, 6-2
Easy 10: 4-6, 6-4

Bet Resolution

Hardway bets resolve when:

WIN: Your doubles appear
LOSE: 7 is rolled
LOSE: Easy way of your number

Stay active until resolution
Multi-roll proposition bet

Probability Analysis

Hard 4 and Hard 10

Hard 4 (2-2):
Win: 1 way (2-2)
Lose on 4: 2 ways (1-3, 3-1)
Lose on 7: 6 ways

Total: 9 decision combinations
Win probability: 1/9 = 11.11%
Lose probability: 8/9 = 88.89%

Hard 10 identical math

Hard 6 and Hard 8

Hard 6 (3-3):
Win: 1 way (3-3)
Lose on 6: 4 ways (1-5, 2-4, 4-2, 5-1)
Lose on 7: 6 ways

Total: 11 decision combinations
Win probability: 1/11 = 9.09%
Lose probability: 10/11 = 90.91%

Hard 8 identical math

Payout Structure

Hard 4 / Hard 10

Standard payout: 7:1

True odds: 8:1
(8 ways to lose, 1 way to win)

House edge calculation:
EV = (1/9 × 7) + (8/9 × -1)
= 0.778 - 0.889
= -0.111 = -11.11%

High house edge

Hard 6 / Hard 8

Standard payout: 9:1

True odds: 10:1
(10 ways to lose, 1 way to win)

House edge calculation:
EV = (1/11 × 9) + (10/11 × -1)
= 0.818 - 0.909
= -0.091 = -9.09%

Still high, but better

Comparison Table

All Hardways

Hardway breakdown:

| Bet | Win | Lose | Payout | Edge |
|-----|-----|------|--------|------|
| Hard 4 | 1/9 | 8/9 | 7:1 | 11.11% |
| Hard 6 | 1/11 | 10/11 | 9:1 | 9.09% |
| Hard 8 | 1/11 | 10/11 | 9:1 | 9.09% |
| Hard 10 | 1/9 | 8/9 | 7:1 | 11.11% |

Hard 6/8 "better" than Hard 4/10
All are high edge bets

vs Other Craps Bets

House edge comparison:

Pass Line: 1.41%
Don't Pass: 1.36%
Field (triple 12): 2.78%
Place 6/8: 1.52%
Hard 6/8: 9.09%
Hard 4/10: 11.11%
Any Seven: 16.67%

Hardways are costly

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Hard 6 Win

Doubles hit:

Bet: $5 on Hard 6
Rolls: 4, 9, 5, 8...
Roll: 3-3 (Hard 6!)

Result: WIN

Payout: $5 × 9 = $45

Exciting when hit
~9.09% of decisions

Example 2: Easy Way Loss

Non-doubles:

Bet: $5 on Hard 6
Rolls: 11, 4, 9...
Roll: 2-4 (Easy 6)

Result: LOSE (easy way)

Lose: $5

Number hit, but wrong way
~36.36% of decisions

Example 3: Seven Out

Most common loss:

Bet: $5 on Hard 8
Rolls: 5, 9, 11...
Roll: 4-3 (Seven!)

Result: LOSE (seven)

Lose: $5

7 ends all hardways
~54.55% of decisions

Example 4: Extended Survival

Multiple rolls:

Bet: $5 on Hard 4
Rolls: 6, 8, 5, 9, 11, 10, 6...
Roll: 2-2 (Hard 4!)

Result: WIN

Payout: $5 × 7 = $35

Survived many rolls
Lucky timing

Strategy Considerations

During the Come-Out

Hardway timing:

Come-out: 7 loses your hardway
After point: 7 ends shooter

Many players:
Remove hardways on come-out
Harder to hit anyway
7 is most common roll

Working vs Off

Hardways can be:

"Working" = active
"Off" = paused (return bet)

Turn off during come-out
7 won't take your bet
Resume after point set

Parlay Strategy

Some players parlay:

Win hard 6 ($45)
Let it ride on hard 6
Potential: $405 + $45 = $450

Reality:
9.09% × 9.09% = 0.83%
Very unlikely
Entertaining if happens

Common Mistakes

1. Playing Every Shooter

Mistake: Hardways every hand Problem: 9-11% edge compounds Fix: Occasional entertainment

2. Confusing Hard vs Easy

Mistake: Thinking any 6 wins Problem: Only 3-3 wins hard 6 Fix: Understand doubles requirement

3. Large Hardway Bets

Mistake: $10-25 per hardway Problem: High edge + multiple bets Fix: $1-5 maximum

4. Multiple Hardways

Mistake: All four hardways Problem: 4× the house edge exposure Fix: One at a time if any

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best hardway bet?

Hard 6 and Hard 8 have 9.09% edge vs 11.11% for Hard 4/10. Neither is "good," but 6/8 are less bad.

How often do hardways hit?

Hard 6/8 hit ~9% of decisions. Hard 4/10 hit ~11% of decisions. Both lose the vast majority of the time.

Why do hardways pay different?

Hard 4/10 have only 2 easy ways to lose. Hard 6/8 have 4 easy ways. More losing combos = slightly better payout ratio.

Can I take down hardway bets?

Yes. Hardways are contract bets you can remove anytime. Smart to turn off during come-out.

Do hardways work on come-out?

Only if you say "working." Default is off during come-out. 7 on come-out would take active hardways.

Are hardways better than the field?

No. Field is 2.78-5.56% edge. Hardways are 9-11%. Field is mathematically better.

Pro Tips

• Hard 6/8 > Hard 4/10: 9.09% vs 11.11%

• Turn off on come-out: Avoid 7 taking bet

• One hardway max: Don't multiply exposure

• Small bets only: $1-5 entertainment

• 9-11% is high: Compare to 1.4% pass line

Related Calculators

• Craps Odds Calculator - Main game
• Pass Line Calculator - Better bet
• Proposition Bets Calculator - Other props
• Place Bets Calculator - Compare
• House Edge Calculator - Compare games

Conclusion

Hardway bets offer excitement when doubles hit—Hard 6 paying 9:1 for 3-3—but our calculator reveals the 9-11% house edge reality. Hard 6/8 are "better" than Hard 4/10, but all hardways cost significantly more than basic craps bets.

Calculate Hardway Odds Now →

That Hard 8 (4-4) paying 9:1 sounds exciting, but you'll lose 10 out of 11 decisions. Our calculator shows why hardways should be small entertainment bets, not strategy.