Craps Basics: Pass/Don't Pass Bets
For a Pass Line bet, the come‑out roll can produce three possible outcomes: 1) if a 7 or 11 appears, the Pass Line bet wins and the game ends, 2) if a craps appears (i.e., a 2, 3, or 12), the Pass Line bet loses and the game ends, and 3) if a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 appears, a point is established and the game continues until either the point number appears again, in which case the Pass Line bet wins, or a 7 appears, in which case the Pass Line bet loses. The Iron Crapper Strategy is great once you get pass the come out roll because the only thing that can hurt you after that is someone hitting the point. You have $42 on Don't pass to cover the 7 and $42 across the top numbers and field combined to win on every roll except the point and push on the 7.
Don't Pass Line Odds and House Edge Even though the odds are still in favour of the house when you bet on the Don't Pass Line, it is actually the best bet you can make in Craps. It has slightly better oddsthan betting the Pass Line so it will always be a solid bet when you make it. It has a house edge of 1.40%.
The long, curving section along the edge of the table closest to where the players stand is called the Pass Line.
'Pass Line' Bets
The most basic craps bet is the Pass Line bet. When you place a Pass Line bet, you're betting with the dice. In other words, you're betting that the either a 7 or an 11 will be the first number rolled (called the 'come out' roll). If this happens, you double your money right away. If a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 is rolled, this establishes a 'point.' When a point is set, you want that number to be rolled again, before a 7 is rolled (when the shooter 'sevens out'). If the shooter rolls the point before he rolls a 7, you double your money.
Craps Pass Line Odds Bet
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Craps Pass Line Bet
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Craps Pass Line Bet
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If the number rolled on the come out roll is a 2, 3, or 12 (called Craps), you lose. If, after a point is established, a 7 is rolled before the point number is rolled again, you also lose.
'Don't Pass' Bets
Don't Pass Bet
Placing a Pass Line bet is betting with the dice, and placing a Don't Pass bet is betting against the dice. Poker hands order. Pass Line bets are also said to be 'betting right,' while Don't Pass bets are said to be 'betting wrong.' (Not that either is any better or worse a bet than the other -- this is just craps jargon.) Don't Pass bets are just the opposite of Pass Line bets. Rather than hoping for a 7 or an 11 on the come out roll, you're hoping for a 2, 3, or 12 (the losing roll of Pass Line bets). A 2, 3, or 12 will double your money on a come out roll if you've placed a Don't Pass bet. When a point is established, rather than hoping that the point number will be rolled again before the 7 shows up, you're hoping that the point won't be rolled again before the 7 shows up -- if the 7 comes first, you win.