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Buy the 4 and 10

Buy the 4 and 10 at $25 each with the commission charged only on wins. We ran it through 40,000 simulated hour-long sessions (100 rolls each, $15 table, real casino payouts) to see what actually happens.

The verdictIf you like the 4 and 10, buy them at $25+ when the casino charges vig only on wins. It cuts the house edge from 6.67% to 1.67%.
Average result per hour−$13
Sessions you finish ahead45%
Typical hour (middle 80%)−$309 to $286
Hours down $500 at some point3.4%

How the Buy the 4 and 10 works

Instead of placing the 4 and 10 (9:5 payout, 6.67% edge), you can buy them: they pay true odds (2:1) minus a 5% commission. At most casinos the vig is $1 per $20, rounded down, so a $25 buy costs just $1 in vig and pays $49 instead of $45 placed.

Bets: $25 buy on 4 and 10 (vig on win).

What 40,000 simulated hours look like

−$556 to −$511−$511 to −$465−$465 to −$420−$420 to −$374−$374 to −$329−$329 to −$283−$283 to −$238−$238 to −$192−$192 to −$147−$147 to −$101−$101 to −$56−$56 to −$10−$11 to $35$35 to $80$80 to $126$126 to $171$171 to $217$217 to $262$262 to $308$308 to $353$353 to $399$399 to $444$444 to $490$490 to $535break even−$556$535
Each bar is a range of results for one hour (100 rolls). Green bars are winning hours, red are losing hours.
OutcomeResult
Average (what it costs you over time)−$13
Median hour−$12
Bad hour (1 in 10 are worse)−$309
Good hour (1 in 10 are better)$286
Best 1% of hours$535 or more
Worst 1% of hours−$556 or worse

Out of the 11 strategies we've simulated, Buy the 4 and 10 ranks #4 for lowest average cost per hour. See the full ranking.

Try Buy the 4 and 10 free. We'll set the bets up on our table with real casino rules and minimums. No money, no signup.

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How we tested it

Each session is 100 rolls (about an hour at a busy table) starting on a new shooter, using standard Vegas rules: 3-4-5x odds, casino payouts rounded down, place bets off on the come-out, and a $5,000 table max. At the end of the hour we stop betting, take down removable bets and let contract bets finish. "Down $500" counts any point in the hour where the session was $500 behind. Dice come from a cryptographic random generator. Results are practice estimates, not predictions.

Other strategies

Common questions

What's the vig on a buy bet?

Usually 5% of the bet, often rounded down to $1 per $20 (so $1 on $25 to $39). Some casinos charge it only when you win, which is best for you.

Should I buy the 6 and 8?

No. Placing the 6 and 8 at 7:6 (1.52%) is cheaper than buying them.

What about the 5 and 9?

Buying 5/9 at $40+ with vig on win drops the edge to 2%, better than 4% placed.