Pass Line vs Don't Pass: which bet is better?

The Pass Line is the heartbeat of a craps table — almost every shooter bets it, and the whole game is built around its come-out roll. The Don't Pass bet does the opposite: it wins when the Pass Line loses, which means it quietly roots against the table. On the surface the choice looks like a simple edge comparison — 1.41% versus 1.36% — but the number of decimals hides what actually matters: how the come-out roll treats each bet, and how free odds versus lay odds reshape the math once a point is set. We'll separate the two and show you which line bet fits your style.

Key differences at a glance

The headline numbers, assuming standard Bank Craps rules. Read on for the math that produces them.

Why the Pass Line is the crowd favourite

Bet the Pass Line before the come-out roll and you win instantly on a 7 or 11 — a natural — which lands roughly once every four come-out rolls. You lose on 2, 3 or 12 (craps). Any other number — 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 — becomes the point, the puck flips ON, and you win if that point repeats before a 7. Because the whole table is usually on the Pass Line, every cheer and groan moves with you. That shared swing is the social core of craps, and it's exactly why most shooters never bet anything else. The price for all that energy is a 1.41% house edge — low, but not the lowest on the layout.

Why Don't Pass shaves the edge

Don't Pass is the mirror image. You lose on a come-out 7 or 11, but you win on 2 or 3, and the 12 is barred — it's a push, not a win. That single barred number is the whole reason the edge is lower: without bar 12 the Don't bet would actually favour the player, so the house neutralises it by turning one winning roll into a tie. Once a point is set, you're rooting for the seven-out — you win if a 7 shows before the point repeats, which is statistically the more likely outcome. That's why the Don't Pass edge sits at 1.36%, about 0.05 points better than the Pass Line. The trade-off isn't math, it's mood: you're winning when the table is losing, and that takes a thick skin.

Come-out roll: who wins what

What each line bet does on the very first roll of a shooter's hand.

How free odds and lay odds change everything

Once a point is set, both line bets let you back them with an additional wager that pays true odds — a 0% house edge bet, the best on the entire table. This is the real lever, far bigger than the 0.05% gap between the two lines.

Pass Line + free odds: behind your Pass Line bet you take free odds, which pay the true price of the point — 2:1 on 4 or 10, 3:2 on 5 or 9, 6:5 on 6 or 8. Because the odds portion carries no edge, loading up on it drags your overall house edge way down — a 3x–4x–5x odds table can pull the blended edge under 0.5%.

Don't Pass + lay odds: behind a Don't Pass bet you lay odds, the inverse — you risk more to win less (1:2 on 4/10, 2:3 on 5/9, 5:6 on 6/8) because you're now the favourite to win. It feels backwards, but it's still a 0% edge bet, and it pulls the Don't combined edge down just as effectively.

In other words: which line you pick barely moves the needle. How much odds you back it with is what actually determines your long-run cost. Both lines plus maximum odds are the two best plays in craps.

Free odds vs lay odds payouts

True-odds payouts behind each line bet, by point number.

House edge: putting it together

Start with the line bets alone. The Pass Line sits at 1.41% and the Don't Pass at 1.36% — a real but tiny difference that, on a typical session, amounts to a few cents per hundred dollars wagered.

Pass Line, no odds: a clean, social 1.41% bet. Perfectly fine, but you're leaving the best part of the table on the rack.

Either line + maximum odds: this is where the math gets serious. Backing your bet with 3x, 5x or even 10x free or lay odds dilutes the edge across a much larger total wager, dropping the blended house edge well below 0.5%. The line you started on barely matters at that point.

In other words: the Pass-vs-Don't decision is mostly about temperament. Choose the line that suits how you like to play, then back it with as much odds as your bankroll comfortably allows — that's where the savings actually live.

Which one suits which player

Pick the Pass Line if you want the full craps experience — the shared cheers, the come-out 7s, betting with the shooter and the rest of the table. It's the friendlier, more sociable bet, and the 1.41% edge is a small price for the energy. Pick Don't Pass if you care more about the numbers than the noise, don't mind being the quiet contrarian, and want that extra 0.05% in your favour. Either way, our /rules/ guide walks through every come-out outcome, and the /strategies/ hub shows how stacking free or lay odds is the single biggest move you can make.

Why the edge gap is so small

It surprises people that two bets that look like opposites differ by only 0.05%. The reason is bar 12: left alone, the Don't Pass bet would be a player-favourable wager, so the casino bars one number — the 12 becomes a push instead of a Don't win. That single tweak hands the house just enough to keep a margin, but not much. It's the same design logic across the layout: the most balanced-looking bets carry the lowest edges, and the casino's profit comes from the players who chase the flashy center proposition bets instead. Knowing the line bets are the floor's best deal is the biggest edge a recreational shooter has.

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• Craps rules — step by step

  From come-out to seven-out. Points, the puck, payouts.

• Strategy & odds betting

  Free odds, lay odds and which bets to back.

• Glossary — craps terms

  Naturals, points, bar 12, lay odds and more.

• Best craps casinos

  Where to find high-odds tables and fair rules.