The come bet is the most misunderstood bet on a craps table, and it is also the one that separates beginners from intermediate players. Mechanically, it is a pass line bet - same 1.41% house edge, same 1 to 1 payout, same true odds on the odds bet. The only difference is when you make it: a come bet goes down after a point is already set, and it uses the next roll as its own personal come-out. This guide covers exactly how that works, how to take odds on it, and how it powers the most popular multi-bet strategy in craps.
What the come bet is
The come bet lives in a large rectangle in the middle of the craps table labeled "COME". It is the biggest betting area on the layout - often taking up more real estate than any other single bet - because the dealers need room to shuffle many come bets at once.
A come bet can only be placed after the point has been set. If the puck is OFF (black side up, new round about to start), the come bet is not available - you would use the pass line instead. Once the puck flips to ON (white side up, point established), the come bet opens up.
When you drop a chip in the COME box, that chip is essentially its own mini pass line bet. The very next roll acts as its come-out. From that roll forward, the come bet follows the same rules as a pass line - but on its own timeline, independent of the original pass line bet still sitting on the point.
This is why come bets are sometimes called "pass line bets in motion." Every come bet you place rides along with the shooter, stacking coverage across multiple numbers in a single point round.
How it works, step by step
The come bet takes two rolls to resolve, and the first roll after placing it determines whether it wins, loses, or "travels" to a number.
Step 1 - Place the bet after a point is set
The puck must be ON. Slide your chip into the COME box. The dealer leaves it there while the next roll happens.
Step 2 - The next roll (come bet's come-out)
The shooter throws. One of four things happens to your come bet:
- 7 or 11 ("natural"): Come bet wins 1 to 1. Chip is paid, bet is removed.
- 2, 3, or 12 ("craps"): Come bet loses. Chip is swept.
- 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10: That number becomes the come bet's personal point. The dealer moves your chip from the COME box to the matching number box at the top of the layout.
Notice the table itself does not change. A 7 on this roll is a win for your come bet, but it also ends the original pass line round by seven-out. This is the quirk that trips up new players - the come bet's come-out overlaps with someone else's point round.
Step 3 - Waiting for the come bet's point
Once your come bet has traveled to a number (say, 8), the shooter keeps rolling. Your come bet now needs the shooter to roll 8 again before rolling a 7.
- Come bet's point is hit: Come bet wins 1 to 1. Chip is paid and removed.
- 7 is rolled: Come bet loses. This is also when the pass line loses if the shooter was still on point.
- Any other number: Nothing happens to your come bet. It waits.
Here is the important part: come bets resolve independently from the pass line. You can have a pass line on the 6 and a come bet on the 8 at the same time. If the shooter rolls 8, your come bet wins and your pass line keeps waiting. If the shooter rolls 6, your pass line wins and the come bet keeps waiting. If the shooter rolls 7, both lose.
Payout and house edge
The come bet pays 1 to 1, flat. Bet 10, win 10. No bonuses for specific numbers.
The house edge is 1.41% - identical to the pass line. This is not a coincidence. The come bet's come-out roll has the same win/lose/establish distribution:
- Ways to win on come-out (7 or 11): 8 out of 36 combinations
- Ways to lose on come-out (2, 3, 12): 4 out of 36 combinations
- Ways to set a point: 24 out of 36 combinations
Identical math to the pass line, identical edge, identical payout. The only meaningful difference is that you can stack come bets during a long point round, which is not possible with the pass line (you can only have one pass line bet at a time).
For the full breakdown of every bet's edge, see the craps odds and payouts page.
Taking odds on a come bet
Once your come bet travels to a number, you can back it with free odds - the same zero-house-edge supplement available on the pass line.
To lay odds on a come bet, tell the dealer "odds on my come" and hand over the chips. The dealer places the odds bet on top of your come bet chip in the number box, usually slightly offset so the two can be distinguished.
| Point | True odds pays | Bet 10, win... |
|---|---|---|
| 4 or 10 | 2 to 1 | 20 |
| 5 or 9 | 3 to 2 | 15 |
| 6 or 8 | 6 to 5 | 12 |
Combined house edges with odds:
- Come bet alone: 1.41%
- Come + 1x odds: 0.85%
- Come + 2x odds: 0.61%
- Come + 3-4-5x odds: 0.37%
- Come + 10x odds: 0.18%
One quirk worth knowing: come bet odds are off on the come-out roll of a new round by default. If the shooter sevens out and a new round starts, any odds riding on your come bets are not in play during that fresh come-out. The flat portion still rides. Most casinos will let you call your odds "on" during the come-out if you ask, but you have to say it - the default is off.
The 3 Point Molly
The come bet's real power shows up in the 3 Point Molly - the most recommended multi-bet strategy in craps. The idea is simple: keep three numbers covered at all times with pass line or come bets, all backed with maximum odds.
Here is what a typical 3 Point Molly round looks like:
- Come-out roll. Shooter rolls 6. Pass line now on 6. You take 5x odds on the pass line.
- Next roll. You drop a come bet. Shooter rolls 8. Come bet travels to 8. You take 5x odds on the come.
- Next roll. You drop another come bet. Shooter rolls 5. Come bet travels to 5. You take 5x odds on the come.
- Now you have three bets working: pass on 6, come on 8, come on 5. All three backed by 5x odds. Combined house edge: about 0.4%.
The shooter keeps throwing. Anything that is not a 7 either hits one of your numbers (big win) or does nothing (you wait). A 7 kills all three at once. Because come bets are independent, they can each win on their own number while the others keep riding.
The 3 Point Molly exists because it gives you maximum table coverage at the minimum possible house edge. Every covered number is a pass-line-equivalent bet - no place bets, no hardways, no props. You are playing the lowest-edge bets the casino offers, three at a time.
For a full walkthrough including bankroll sizing and when to press, see the craps strategy guide.
Common mistakes
Confusing come bets with place bets
Place bets (e.g., "place the 6 for 12") cover the same numbers as come bets but at a higher house edge (1.52% on 6/8, 4.00% on 5/9, 6.67% on 4/10). Place bets are faster - they land directly on a number with no come-out roll - but they pay worse. If you have the patience for the extra roll, come bets are mathematically better every time.
Not taking odds on the come bet
The whole point of come bets is getting pass-line-equivalent positions on multiple numbers. If you skip the odds, you are giving up the best-value supplement on the table. Always take odds.
Forgetting that come odds are off on the come-out
After a seven-out, the next roll is a new come-out. Any come bets still in number boxes have their flat portion working, but odds are off by default. If you want them on, you have to say "odds on during come-out" to the dealer. If you do not, you are playing the flat bet at 1.41% edge with no odds reduction on that roll.
Dropping a come bet right before a seven
Every gambler has had this moment: you drop a fresh come bet, dealer is still organizing it, and the shooter rolls a 7. The come bet "goes to the 7" and wins - meanwhile everyone else at the table just lost. This is not a mistake per se, but new players often think they made an error. They did not. Come bet rules say a 7 on the come-out of a come bet is a win. The timing just happens to be brutal for the table.
Using come bets on a cold table
Come bets need the shooter to roll multiple non-7 numbers to resolve profitably. On a cold table where shooters seven-out quickly, come bets rarely travel far enough to win. If the last three shooters have all sevened out fast, consider waiting for a sign of a longer roll before stacking come bets.
Frequently asked questions
What is a come bet in craps?
A pass-line-equivalent bet placed after the point has been set. The next roll acts as its own come-out, then it resolves exactly like a pass line bet on its own number.
What is the house edge on a come bet?
1.41% - identical to the pass line. Odds reduce the combined edge to 0.85% (1x), 0.37% (3-4-5x), or 0.18% (10x).
What is the difference between pass line and come?
Timing only. Pass line goes down before a round. Come bets go down during a round, after a point is set. The math and payouts are identical.
Can you take odds on a come bet?
Yes. Same true-odds payouts as the pass line. Say "odds on my come" and hand over the chips.
What is the 3 Point Molly?
Pass line plus two come bets, all with maximum odds. Covers three numbers at a combined house edge near 0.4%. The most recommended multi-bet strategy in craps.