Craps Betting Horn Whirl Bets

The craps Horn bet is a one-roll bet combining the numbers 2, 3, 11, and 12. It sounds like a C&E bet, but there's a subtle difference. The craps Horn bet is actually four separate bets on the 2, 3, 11, and 12. Therefore, the amount of your Horn bet should be divisible by four.

Horn Bet Payouts

Similar to the 3-Way Craps bet, when you win a Horn bet, you win on the number that appears and lose the other three bets. For example:

• If a 2 appears, the payoff is 30:1, and your 3, 11, and 12 lose.
• If a 12 appears, the payoff is 30:1, and your 2, 3, and 11 lose.
• If a 3 appears, the payoff is 15:1, and your 2, 11, and 12 lose.
• If an 11 appears, the payoff is 15:1, and your 2, 3, and 12 lose.

Placing Horn Bets on the Craps Table

The boxes for the 2, 3, 11, and 12 on the craps table layout are clearly marked in the proposition area. Since the dealer controls the Horn bet, he puts one fourth of your chips in each of the 2, 3, 11, and 12 boxes. Some table layouts include a separate box for the Horn bet.

Avoid Fractional Horn Bets

Be careful making Horn bets that don't result in whole numbers after being split (i.e., when the dealer divides your chips into four equal amounts). If you win and the resulting payoff includes a fraction of a dollar, the casino can't pay you that fraction, so they keep it for themselves.

Many players are lazy and don't like counting out four $1 chips, which are also hard to toss to the middle of the table without making a mess. They'd rather toss a single $5 chip, and say something like, "Horn high twelve."

The dealer makes four non-fractional bets and puts the leftovers on the number called. For example, for a $5 "Horn High 12," the dealer changes the $5 chip into five $1 chips, and then puts $1 on each of the 2, 3, 11, and 12. He then adds the remaining $1 to the 12, thereby making the 12 a $2 bet (i.e., "higher" than the other three bets).

Horn High Example

Let's see if you're paying attention. Suppose the guy next to you tosses two $5 chips (i.e., a total of $10) to the stickman and shouts, "Horn high three." What craps bets does the player want and for how much?

Wow, you're right again! See, I told you this is easy. The dealer puts $2 on the 2, 3, 11, and 12, then he adds the remaining $2 to the 3. Therefore, the 2, 11, and 12 are $2 bets, and the 3 is a $4 bet.

Craps Whirl Bet

The craps Whirl bet is sometimes called a "World" bet. It is a one-roll bet that combines the Horn bet with the Any Seven. The Whirl bet is actually five separate bets on the 2, 3, 11, 12, and 7. Therefore, the amount of your Whirl bet should be divisible by five.

Whirl Bet Payouts

The Whirl bet wins if a 2, 3, 11, 12, or 7 shows, and loses if any other number shows.

• If a 2 shows, the payoff is 30:1, and your 3, 11, 12, and 7 lose.
• If a 12 shows, the payoff is 30:1, and your 2, 3, 11, and 7 lose.
• If a 3 shows, the payoff is 15:1, and your 2, 11, 12, and 7 lose.
• If an 11 shows, the payoff is 15:1, and your 2, 3, 12, and 7 lose.
• If a 7 shows, the payoff is 4:1, and your 2, 3, 11, and 12 lose.

Placing the Whirl Bet

Depending on the layout, the Whirl bet may or may not have its own box in the center of the table. For layouts that don't, the dealer typically divides your chips into five equal amounts and places them in the 2, 3, 11, 12, and Any Seven boxes.

Avoid Fractional Whirl Bets

Be careful making Whirl bets that don't result in whole numbers after dividing your total bet by 5. If you win and the resulting payoff includes a fraction of a dollar, the casino can't pay you that fraction, so they keep it for themselves. Unless you're good at math and can quickly calculate in your head whether fractional bets will result in a whole-number payoff, it's best to simply toss the dealer an amount divisible by five to avoid the potential for dealing with cents.