KEY TAKEAWAYS
The Pass Line bet has a house edge of 1.41% and the Don’t Pass bet 1.36%, so Don’t Pass is the slightly cheaper bet by 0.05 percentage points. Both are among the lowest-cost bets in the casino. Pass Line wins when the shooter makes the point, and Don’t Pass wins when the shooter fails to, so the two bets are mirror images with one small difference: the 12.
That 12 matters. On the come-out roll, a 12 loses for the Pass Line but is a push on Don’t Pass at most casinos, which means the stake is returned. That one rule is where the Don’t Pass edge comes from. Without that push, Don’t Pass would favor the player, and with it the edge stays at 1.36% in favor of the house.
This guide explains how each bet wins and loses, works through a $10 example of each, compares the numbers side by side, and covers the free odds bet that sits behind either one. Rules and limits differ by casino, so the table placard decides the details.
What the Pass Line and Don’t Pass Bets Are
Craps is played with two dice, and every round begins with a come-out roll. The Pass Line is a bet that the shooter, the player rolling the dice, will win the round. The Pass Line bet backs the shooter, while the Don’t Pass bet backs the opposite outcome. Both are made before the come-out roll, on separate areas of the layout, and both pay 1 to 1. For the full flow of the game, see how to play craps.
Players who bet Don’t Pass are sometimes called “wrong” bettors, and Pass Line players “right” bettors. Those names are only table jargon, and neither side is smarter. Both bets carry a house edge, and the choice between them is a matter of preference, not strategy. Betting against the shooter does not mean betting against the table’s mood, and dealers treat both bets the same.
The bets also differ in what a player can do afterwards. A Pass Line bet cannot be taken down once a point is established, while a Don’t Pass bet can be removed at any time because the odds favor the Don’t Pass side after a point is set. Pass Line bets are locked in, Don’t Pass bets are not, though the cost of the bet does not change when it is removed.
Both bets are available at nearly every craps table, usually with the same minimum, so check the sign for the limits.
How Each Bet Wins and Loses
A round has two phases: the come-out roll, and then, if a point is set, the rolls that follow. The two bets resolve differently in each phase, so it helps to see them one at a time. The come-out roll decides the round immediately about one time in three, and otherwise sets a point.
The come-out roll
With two dice, there are 36 combinations. A total of 7 can be made 6 ways and an 11 in 2 ways, so a 7 or 11 appears 8 times in 36, or 22.2%. A 2, 3 or 12 appears 1 + 2 + 1 = 4 times in 36, or 11.1%. On the come-out, Pass Line wins on 7 or 11 and loses on 2, 3 or 12. Don’t Pass does the opposite for 2 and 3, wins on them, pushes on 12 at most casinos, and loses on 7 or 11.
Any other total, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10, becomes the point. That happens in the remaining 24 of 36 combinations, or 66.7% of the time. A puck is turned to “ON” at that number, and the round continues.
After the point is set
The shooter keeps rolling until either the point repeats or a 7 appears. If the point repeats first, Pass Line wins and Don’t Pass loses. If a 7 appears first, the result reverses. Since a 7 is the most common total, it comes before the point more often than not, which is why the Don’t Pass bet is favored once a point exists.
Putting both phases together, the Pass Line wins about 49.29% of rounds and loses about 50.71%, while Don’t Pass wins about 47.93%, pushes 2.78% and loses 49.29%. The Pass Line has the higher chance of winning, yet Don’t Pass has the lower edge, because the push on 12 returns the stake instead of taking it.
Worked Example: $10 on Each Bet
Suppose a player places $10 on the Pass Line and $10 on Don’t Pass at separate tables, both with a $10 minimum. At the first table, the come-out roll is 4 + 4, a total of 8, so 8 becomes the point. The Pass Line bet now wins only if the 8 repeats before a 7. A few rolls later, the dice show 6 + 2, another 8, so the Pass Line wins $10, paid 1 to 1, and the stake stays on the layout.
At the second table, the come-out roll is 3 + 3, a total of 6, and 6 becomes the point. The Don’t Pass player wins if a 7 appears before another 6. The next roll is 3 + 4, a 7, so the Don’t Pass bet wins $10 and the Pass Line bet at that table loses its $10 stake.
Now a come-out roll of 6 + 6, a total of 12. A Pass Line bettor loses $10. A Don’t Pass bettor at most casinos gets the $10 back, with no win and no loss. That push is why the Don’t Pass edge stays positive at 1.36% instead of turning in the player’s favor.
Over many rounds, those wins and losses add up to a small average cost. Betting $10 on Pass Line for 100 rounds wagers $1,000 and costs about $14.10 on average, while Don’t Pass costs about $13.60 on the same amount. In any single session, results can be far from those averages, so the figures describe the long run, not a prediction.
Payouts and House Edge Side by Side
The table compares the two line bets with the free odds bet that can be added behind them. Free odds pay true odds, which is why their house edge is 0%. Odds can only be placed after a point is set, and only in addition to a Pass Line or Don’t Pass bet.
| Bet | Pays | House edge | Average cost per $100 bet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pass Line | 1 to 1 | 1.41% | $1.41 |
| Don’t Pass (12 pushes) | 1 to 1 | 1.36% | $1.36 |
| Free odds behind Pass (point 4 or 10) | 2 to 1 | 0% | $0.00 |
| Free odds behind Pass (point 5 or 9) | 3 to 2 | 0% | $0.00 |
| Free odds behind Pass (point 6 or 8) | 6 to 5 | 0% | $0.00 |
The table shows how small the gap between the line bets is: 1.41% against 1.36%. The odds bet has no house edge at all, but it does not make the whole position free, because the line bet underneath still costs 1.41% or 1.36% of its own amount. Adding odds simply raises the amount wagered without adding more edge, so the average cost per dollar of total action falls.
The odds payouts match the real probabilities: a 4 or 10 is made 3 ways against 6 ways for a 7, so it pays 2 to 1. Don’t Pass odds, called “laying odds,” work in reverse and require a larger bet to win a smaller amount. The maximum odds multiple varies by casino.
Common Mistakes and Myths About the Line Bets
A common myth is that Don’t Pass is a winning bet because its house edge is lower. It is lower, but it is still positive for the casino, at 1.36%. A cheaper bet loses more slowly, but it still loses over time. The difference between the two is about 5 cents per $100 wagered.
Another mistake is believing a shooter is “hot” or “due.” Dice have no memory, so a long streak of passes says nothing about the next roll. The same logic explains why raising bets after a loss cannot fix the math, as covered in why the Martingale betting strategy fails.
A third mistake is treating the bets as opposite sides of a hedge by playing both at once. Because 12 pushes on Don’t Pass but loses on Pass Line, betting both loses on a come-out 12, since Pass Line loses while Don’t Pass only pushes, and every other result mostly cancels out. The position still pays the cost of both house edges for no clear purpose.
Finally, some players take odds without understanding the line bet underneath. Odds add no edge, but they do not make the line bet profitable.
Practical Tips Before Choosing a Line Bet
Read the table sign for the minimum, the maximum and the odds multiple. The odds limit is the main rule that changes what a line bet costs in practice, because a higher limit lets more of the money sit on the zero-edge bet. Also confirm that 12 pushes on Don’t Pass, since a few tables push on 2 instead.
Decide on a budget before buying in, as explained in how to buy in at a casino table, and keep it as the price of entertainment. A small edge still accumulates over many rolls, and craps moves quickly.
Etiquette is simple: place line bets before the come-out roll, wait for the dealer to resolve bets, and avoid reaching over the layout. Dealers will explain the layout to newcomers if asked.
Where to Go Next
To see why every bet has a cost, read how the house edge works. The line bets are the best starting point in craps, since they are simple and cheap. After them, the natural next steps are the Come and Don’t Come bets, which work like the line bets but start mid-round, and the place bets, which cost more.
