| Updated: September 25, 2025With more than 40 types of bets, craps is undoubtedly one of the most complex yet incredibly exciting games that can be played in a brick-and-mortar casino. Most players, however, stick to only a handful of betting options, namely Line bets – particularly the Pass Line – because it is considered one of the most fundamental and easy-to-understand wagers in the game.
Those who bet on the Pass Line wager that the shooter will win, but the game also allows players to bet against the shooter and profit if he loses. This style of play – betting against the shooter and the majority of players at the table – is known as “wrong betting.” In this case, it takes the form of the Don’t Pass bet. There are several other wagers that fall under the Line bet category, although they are not placed on the long, narrow betting area known as the Pass Line.
Overall, learning how to place Line bets is essential when you start playing craps. These wagers are also among the best options for experienced players because they offer a low house edge and should be incorporated into any successful betting strategy.
What Аre the Line Bets?
Line bets are a small group of wagers that include the Pass Line and Don’t Pass bets – the two main bets in the game of craps. In addition, players can place the Come and Don’t Come bets, which are practically the same but are made later in the game. Finally, players can take Odds on these main wagers, betting up to 100 times their original stake.
Pass/Don’t Pass Bets
Come/Don’t Come BetsPass/Don’t Pass Bets
Anyone who starts learning the game of craps starts with the Pass Line bet – this is the main wager in the game, and it is mandatory. For that reason, the shooter must place it (or alternatively, the opposite bet) before rolling the dice.
The Pass Line is a long, narrow field on the betting layout that runs along the outer edges of the table and surrounds all other betting areas. It is also a part of the self-service section of the layout, so players can easily place their chips for the Pass Line bet without asking the dealers for help.
The Pass Line wager wins immediately when the numbers 7 or 11 appear, and it loses if the shooter rolls any of the craps numbers – 2, 3, or 12. Because of the possible dice combinations for these numbers, it is twice as likely to win the Pass Line bet as to lose it. However, the likelihood of rolling any other number is much higher, and if that happens the bet is resolved on the subsequent rolls. Taking multiple rolls into account (3.38 rolls on average), the theoretical odds against the Pass Line winning are 251:244, which means players have almost equal chances of winning and losing this wager. The house edge here is quite low at 1.41%.
Players can also bet against the shooter – or against the dice – by making the Don’t Pass wager. It is placed before the come-out roll and wins when the shooter craps out. Wrong bettors lose, however, if the dice show 7 or 11. A second phase of the game begins if the shooter establishes a point with any other number. The Don’t Pass bet offers true odds of 976:949 and an even lower house edge of 1.36% for an average of 3.47 rolls. Both wagers pay even money, so players receive winnings equal to their initial bets.
Come/Don’t Come Bets
Besides the two main bets in the game, there are also two wagers called the Come and Don’t Come bets. They are almost identical to the Pass/Don’t Pass bets, with one key difference – they are not placed at the start of the game but after the point number has already been established. Players who wish to make a Come or Don’t Come bet place their chips roughly in the middle of the self-service betting area rather than on the Pass Line.
These two bets are not mandatory and can be placed at any time. Just like the Pass and Don’t Pass wagers, they are seldom resolved with a single roll and usually take three to four rolls. However, they are entirely independent of the main bets, and the roll immediately after placing them becomes their own come-out roll. This means the primary Pass Line bet may be settled while you still have an active Come or Don’t Come wager.
Rules for this scenario vary across casinos, but in RNG craps the player must continue rolling until the Come/Don’t Come bet is resolved. These wagers also pay even money and carry the same odds and house edge as the Pass/Don’t Pass bets.
Playing with Pass Line/Don’t Pass Bets
After the shooter establishes a point during the come-out roll, players can place a Come bet, a Don’t Come bet, or both simultaneously. This may sound complex to first-time craps players, but after a few rounds even beginners should be able to follow the action and track multiple bets at once. Each of these wagers must be at least the table minimum and no more than the table’s maximum limit.
How to Make a Come Bet? How to Make a Don’t Come Bet?How to Make a Come Bet?
The Come bet functions exactly like the Pass Line bet and can be placed at any time. Players put their chips on the Come field, and the roll that follows serves as the come-out roll for the Come bet. If the dice show a 7 or an 11, the wager wins. If the dice land on any of the craps numbers (2, 3, or 12), the bet loses immediately. Should another number appear, it becomes the point for the Come bet, which remains active until it either wins or loses:
- If the shooter rolls the point number before a 7, the Come bet wins (1:1).
- If the shooter rolls a 7 before the point, the Come bet loses.
How to Make a Don’t Come Bet?
The same rules apply to the Don’t Come wager – it can be made at any time except during the shooter’s come-out roll. Players may place it after a point has been established, and the next roll then serves as their personal come-out roll. If a 2 or a 3 is thrown, the Don’t Come bet wins, and if a 7 or an 11 appears, it loses. A total of 12 results in a push. Any other number establishes a point, and the Don’t Come wager remains in action for all subsequent rolls until:
- The shooter rolls a 7 before the point, the Don’t Come bet wins (1:1).
- The shooter tosses the point number before a 7, the Don’t Come bet loses.
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Taking Odds on the Line Bets
After players master the basic craps bets, they can risk a little more for the chance to earn bigger returns. Instead of placing an entirely new wager that must be tracked alongside the Pass and Come bets, players can simply put additional money on the same outcome they have already backed. These are the so-called Odds bets, and their size is usually a multiple of the original stake – it could be 1x, 2x, 3x, 4x, or 5x, although some casinos allow odds of up to 100x.
Pass Line Odds Don’t Pass Odds Come and Don’t Come OddsPass Line Odds
This wager, also known as “taking the odds,” cannot be made independently of the Pass Line bet – it is available only to players who have already placed the Pass Line. Moreover, players can take Pass Line Odds only after a point has been established. With this bet, they are wagering that the dice will show the point number before a 7. The Odds bet can be removed or its size changed before any roll; otherwise, it remains active until either a 7 or the point number is rolled.
- If the point number is rolled before a 7, the Pass Line Odds bet wins.
- If the shooter throws a 7 before the point, the Pass Line Odds bet loses.
The payout for this bet depends on the point number, and the best part is that it pays true odds. That means the house edge on this bet is virtually 0%. Because it cannot be made independently of the Pass Line, players still face a small overall house advantage, although it is impossible to calculate the exact percentage. Here is the payout schedule for this bet:
- Point number 4/10 – 2:1
- Point number 5/9 – 3:2
- Point number 6/8 – 6:5
Don’t Pass Odds
Players who bet on the Don’t Pass instead of the Pass Line can also take Odds by placing chips behind the Don’t Pass line. As with the Pass Line, this wager is a side bet that can be made only after a point has been established. Its size varies by casino, but it is usually a multiple of the main Don’t Pass bet – anything from 1x to 5x, 10x, 20x, or even 100x.
Players can increase, decrease, or remove the Odds bet at any time. If the point is rolled before a 7, the bet loses; if a 7 comes first, the bet pays true odds. The payouts are the same as those for the Pass Line Odds, only inverted. This means players need to wager more than they will win:
- Point number 4/10 – 1:2
- Point number 5/9 – 2:3
- Point number 6/8 – 5:6
Consider the following example: we wager $10 on the Don’t Pass and the dice show 4, setting the point. We then place another $10 in Odds behind the Don’t Pass wager, and a 7 appears on the next roll. Both bets win, so we receive $10 for the Don’t Pass bet and another $5 for the winning Odds.
Come and Don’t Come Odds
Players who place a Come or Don’t Come bet can also augment their original wager with an Odds bet identical to the Pass Line Odds. The chips, however, are usually placed on the box corresponding to the point number established during the come-out roll for the Come/Don’t Come bet. The payouts and house edge are the same as those offered when taking Odds on the Pass Line or Don’t Pass bets.