Pass Line and Its Odds: Basics and Strategy

The Pass Line is the fundamental bet in craps and is the simplest starting point for new players. You place a Pass Line bet before the come-out roll. If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11 on the come-out, you win even money; if they roll 2, 3, or 12 (craps), you lose. Any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) becomes the point. Once a point is established, the shooter must roll that point again before rolling a 7 for Pass Line bets to win. A key advantage of Pass Line play is the ability to take “odds” behind your original wager after a point is set. Odds are additional bets with no house edge — they pay true odds because the casino takes no commission on the odds portion. Typical casino limits are expressed as multiples of your Pass Line bet (e.g., 3x, 5x, 10x, or “double odds”/“3-4-5x” on certain tables). For example, if the point is 4, true odds pay 2:1; for 5 and 9, they pay 3:2; for 6 and 8, they pay 6:5. Combining the Pass Line’s small house edge (about 1.41%) with full or large odds drastically reduces the effective house edge on the total money at risk.

Strategically, always make the Pass Line on the come-out if you want action, and take as much odds as the table allows and your bankroll can handle — that’s the mathematically correct move because odds have zero house advantage. However, more odds mean more variance: your bankroll swings will be larger. Bet sizing should reflect your comfort with variance; many experienced players recommend keeping single-unit Pass Line bets and putting most extra play money into odds bets so the game stays low-house-edge overall. Also be mindful of table etiquette: avoid placing or removing bets while the dice are in motion and announce your odds clearly so dealers can place them properly.

Come Bets and Odds: How They Mirror the Pass Line

Come bets are essentially Pass Line bets that you place after a point has already been established. If you place a Come bet, the next roll acts as a come-out for that bet alone. Rolling 7 or 11 wins the Come bet immediately; rolling 2, 3, or 12 loses it. If another number rolls (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10), that number becomes the Come-bet point and is tracked separately. Like Pass Line bets, once a Come point is established, you can lay odds behind the Come bet. Odds on Come bets pay the same true odds based on the number. The functional effect is that Come bets let you have multiple independent “mini” Pass Line wagers while the table’s original point remains active. This creates more action and lets you diversify across several point numbers.

From a strategic standpoint, Come bets with full odds are one of the lowest house-edge ways to play craps. The base Come bet has the same house edge as the Pass Line (around 1.41%), which is neutralized as you layer on larger odds. Players often use a simple strategy: make a unit Come bet each time the shooter rolls a number that does not resolve existing bets, and back the Come bet with maximum allowable odds when it establishes a point. This builds a book of Come bets across different numbers, effectively spreading risk. One caveat: if several Come bets are active on different numbers and a 7 is rolled, all those Come and Pass Line bets lose at once, which can lead to sudden downswings. Also, some players confuse “placing” a Come bet with a Place bet — they are different: Place bets are active immediately, while Come bets must wait until they establish a number and then can take odds. Use Come bets for low-house-edge, longer-term play, and keep the base wagers modest if you’re protecting bankroll.

Place Bets: When to Buy the Numbers

Place bets let you wager directly on specific point numbers (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) at any time — you “place” the number with the dealer and it becomes active immediately. Unlike Pass/Come bets, Place bets are not affected by the table’s point; they win if the chosen number is rolled before a 7. Payouts differ by number because probabilities differ: casinos typically pay even money 9:5 on the 4 and 10 (i.e., $9 for every $5 bet), 7:5 on 5 and 9, and 7:6 or 6:5 on 6 and 8 depending on the house — common payouts are $7 for a $5 bet on 6/8 (equivalent to 7:6) or $6 for a $5 bet (6:5) at more favorable tables. The house edge on Place bets varies: roughly 6.67% on 4/10 (with common payout), 4.0% on 5/9, and 1.52% on 6/8 (with the better payouts). This makes 6 and 8 the most attractive Place bets because they have the lowest house edge among Place options.

Another option is to “buy” a number — paying a 5% commission to receive true odds on 4/10 or other less-favored numbers. Buying can be beneficial only if the reduced payout plus the commission yields a lower effective house edge; in practice, buying 4/10 is usually a losing play at small bet sizes because the commission often exceeds the theoretical benefit. For medium-to-large bettors, buying can sometimes be justified. Place bets are useful when you want immediate action and the simplicity of a fixed payout, or when you prefer to concentrate risk on one or two numbers (commonly the 6 and 8). If your goal is minimizing house edge, prioritize 6 and 8 Place bets, or use Pass/Come plus maximum odds instead of placing 4/10 whenever possible.

Proposition Bets: High-Risk, High-House Edge Options

Proposition bets (prop bets) are center-table wagers that pay large odds but carry very high house edges. These include Any Seven (a one-roll bet that pays 4:1 or similar), Hardways (betting that a pair, e.g., 2+2 for hard 4, will be rolled before the corresponding easy combination or a 7), Yo (11), Ace-Deuce (3, or “Ace-Deuce”), craps proposition bets (2, 3, 12), and specific one-roll bets. The appeal is the large payout for small wagers, but mathematically they are poor value. For example, Any Seven has a 1 in 6 chance (16.67%) but typically pays only 4:1, yielding a roughly 16.67% expected loss relative to fair payout — a very high house edge. Hardways have complex probabilities; a hard 6 or 8 hits less often than the corresponding easy combinations, and payouts (often 9:1 for hard 6/8) still leave substantial house advantage.

Because prop bets are single-roll or special-case bets, they are attractive for short-term excitement or hedging specific table situations but should not be used for long-term bankroll growth. A common tactical use is placing a small Any Seven bet as insurance against a point you don’t want (though mathematically this is usually worse than simply managing bet sizes). Additionally, proposition bets can be used to chase big payouts when you accept the high variance; some players set aside a tiny portion of their bankroll specifically for these high-risk plays. The general advice for most players: avoid prop bets if your goal is to minimize the house edge and maximize longevity. Stick to Pass Line/Come with odds and selective Place bets (6/8) for efficient play; if you do try prop bets, keep them tiny relative to your core action so a run of bad luck doesn’t derail your session.