Craps Double Two: Hard Four Rules, Payouts and Odds

How a pair of twos is described in craps

A pair of twos in craps makes a hard four: both dice show the same number, and their total is four. A four made with a 1 and a 3 is an easy four. The total is identical, but the distinction matters for a hard-four wager.

For a standard place bet on four, or a pass-line bet when the point is four, the combination is not important. Either a hard four or an easy four can settle the bet because both have the required total.

Double two should not be confused with snake eyes. Snake eyes means two dice showing 1, for a total of two. Likewise, a wager on craps two concerns the total of two, not two dice each showing 2.

You may also hear 2–2 called a ballerina. It is informal table slang, not a separate official wager. The similarity between “two-two” and “tutu” may explain the nickname, but its origin is uncertain.

• 2–2: hard four, total of four.
• 1–3 or 3–1: easy four, total of four.
• 1–1: snake eyes, total of two.

What happens when double two is rolled?

The result of double two in craps depends on what you have wagered and where the game is in its cycle. The following examples assume a valid roll and that any relevant wager is working, meaning active for that roll.

A new round of point play begins with a come-out roll. If that roll is 2–2, four becomes the point. A pass-line bet and a don’t-pass bet are not yet won or lost; they remain in place while the point is played. Queensland’s published rules call the pass line the win line.

Once the point is established, a pass-line bet wins if the shooter rolls the point again before a seven. If the point is four, a subsequent 2–2 makes the point: the pass-line bet wins at even money and the don’t-pass bet loses. An easy four would have the same effect on those line bets.

If the main point is 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, a 2–2 does not settle the pass-line or don’t-pass bets tied to that point. It can still affect other wagers. For example, a working place bet to win on four wins, as does a field bet under the cited Queensland rules.

A separate come or don’t-come wager can have its own number, independent of the main point. If such a wager has already been associated with four, a roll of 2–2 can resolve it even when the main point is another number.

Under Queensland’s published payout table, a place bet to win on four pays 9 to 5, while a field bet pays even money on a total of four. These are different wagers from a hard-four bet: neither requires the four to be made with two 2s.

• Come-out roll: four becomes the point; pass and don’t-pass bets remain unresolved.
• Point already four: the pass-line bet wins and the don’t-pass bet loses.
• Main point is another number: the main line bets remain unresolved, although other wagers can be settled.
• Working place bet to win on four or field bet: wins on 2–2 under the cited Queensland rules.

How the hard-four bet works

A hard-four bet, also called four the hardway, is a wager on the specific 2–2 combination. Under Queensland’s published rules, it wins if 2–2 appears before an easy four or a seven.

If an easy four appears first, the active bet loses. It also loses if any combination totalling seven appears first. Other rolls do not decide the wager, so it can remain unresolved over several rolls.

For example, suppose a hard-four wager is working and the next roll is 8. The wager is still unresolved. If the following roll is 2–2, it wins; if that roll is 1–3 or any seven instead, it loses.

Working status matters. Under the published Queensland rules, hardways and place bets to win are off on a come-out roll unless the player calls them on and the dealer confirms this with a marker. An off wager is not decided by that roll; it does not necessarily mean the chips have been removed.

That come-out default is a Queensland rule example, not a claim about every craps table. Ask the dealer how the table handles working bets and confirm the status of your wager before the dice are rolled.

• Wins: 2–2 appears while the wager is working.
• Loses: an easy four or any seven appears while the wager is working.
• Remains unresolved: another valid result appears while the wager is working, or the wager is off for the roll.

Craps double two payout, probability and house edge

There is no single craps double two payout. A winning payment depends on the wager and the applicable rules. A place bet on four, a field bet and a hard-four bet can all win on 2–2, but they are not priced the same way.

Queensland’s published rules list a hard-four payout of 7.5 to 1. A New York gaming rule lists 7 to 1. These are jurisdiction-specific examples, not a nationwide Australian rate or a statement of what a particular venue currently offers.

At 7.5 to 1, a winning $5 hard-four stake produces $37.50 profit. If the original stake is also returned, the player receives $42.50 in total. At 7 to 1, the same stake produces $35 profit and a $40 total return. Check the table’s permitted stakes and payment terms before applying either example.

Payout odds are different from the probability of a result. With fair dice, there are 36 equally likely ordered combinations on the next roll. Only one is 2–2, so the chance of rolling double two on that roll is 1 in 36, or approximately 2.78%.

The chance of winning a hard-four wager left in place until it is decided is different. There are nine deciding combinations: one winning 2–2, two losing easy fours and six losing sevens. The other combinations leave the active wager unresolved. With fair dice, the eventual winning probability under those conditions is therefore 1 in 9.

Those probabilities also allow the house edge to be calculated. At 7.5 to 1, the expected net result per $1 wagered is 7.5/9 minus 8/9, or a loss of approximately 5.56 cents. At 7 to 1, the corresponding expected loss is approximately 11.11 cents per $1. These are house edges of about 5.56% and 11.11%, respectively.

The house edge is a long-run mathematical average under the stated payout and fair-dice assumptions. It does not predict how much an individual will win or lose in a session. A bet may be settled quickly or remain unresolved across several working rolls.

• 1 in 36: chance of 2–2 on the next fair roll.
• 1 in 9: chance an active hard-four wager wins before an easy four or seven, if left in place until decided.
• 7.5 to 1: the Queensland published example of a winning hard-four payout, not a probability.

Hard four on the hop is a different bet

A hard four on the hop is a one-roll wager. It wins only if the immediately following roll is 2–2. Any other result loses the hop wager, even a roll that would leave a standard hard-four bet unresolved.

The distinction is the deciding window. A standard hardway can continue until 2–2, an easy four or seven appears while the bet is working. A hop bet is settled on the next roll alone.

New York’s gaming rules list a 30-to-1 payout for hard four on the hop. That is a New York regulatory example, not a verified Australian offering. The available research does not establish that this wager or payout is available under the cited Queensland rules or at a particular Australian table.

Playing craps in Australia: checks before you play

Australian Government guidance identifies online craps as an online casino game that must not be provided to a person physically in Australia. The restriction described in that guidance is directed at providers, including offshore providers. It should not be read here as a claim that the player is criminally liable under that provision.

That is different from games conducted at land-based casinos under applicable licences and state rules. Queensland’s published rules provide one example, but they do not establish that every Australian casino offers craps. Check the venue’s current game availability rather than assuming a table is operating.

An accessible website, an offshore licence or advertising aimed at Australians does not establish that an online gambling service is lawful. The Australian Communications and Media Authority also warns about the risks of using illegal gambling operators, including the absence of protections associated with licensed services.

Before placing a bet, decide how much you can afford to lose. No betting system guarantees a win or removes the house edge. If gambling is causing concern for you or someone close to you, Gambling Help Online offers free, confidential telephone support across Australia on 1800 858 858, 24 hours a day.

The legal and support information in this guide was checked on 11 November 2026. Rules, game availability and services can change, so check the relevant official sources and venue information before relying on them.

• Confirm that the land-based venue is appropriately licensed and currently offers craps.
• Ask for the applicable game rules and check the table’s minimum and maximum stakes.
• Check the hard-four payout and whether hardways and place bets are working on the come-out roll.
• Confirm with the dealer if you are unsure which wager you have placed or whether it is active.

FAQ

Is double two a winning roll in craps?

Sometimes. Double two in craps wins an active hard-four bet, and it wins a pass-line bet if the established point is four. On a come-out roll, however, four becomes the point and the line bet remains unresolved. Other wagers can have different results.

Is double two the same as snake eyes?

No. A pair of twos is 2–2, totalling four. Snake eyes is 1–1, totalling two. A bet on craps two concerns a total of two and is not a bet on the 2–2 combination.

What does a double two bet pay?

There is no single double two payout because different bets can win on the roll. Queensland’s published rules list 7.5 to 1 for a hard-four wager and 9 to 5 for a place bet to win on four. Check the wager and the rules at the relevant table; the Queensland figures are not nationwide offers.

Can double two establish or resolve a point?

Yes. On a come-out roll, 2–2 establishes a point of four. If four is already the point, a subsequent 2–2 makes that point, winning the pass-line bet and losing the don’t-pass bet. An easy four has the same effect on those line bets.

What is the chance of rolling double twos?

With fair dice, the chance of 2–2 on the next roll is 1 in 36, or about 2.78%. The 1-in-9 eventual winning probability for a hard-four wager is a different measure: it assumes the wager remains in place until 2–2, an easy four or seven decides it.

Is a hard-four bet the same as hard four on the hop?

No. A standard hard-four wager can remain unresolved across multiple working rolls and wins if 2–2 appears before an easy four or seven. Hard four on the hop is a one-roll wager. Its availability and payout must be checked separately; the New York example does not establish Australian availability.