THE DON'T PASS BET

What the don't pass bet is

The don't pass line is a narrow band that runs parallel to the pass line, one row closer to the dealers. On most tables it is labeled "Don't Pass Bar 12" (or sometimes "Bar 2 3" or "Bar 6" depending on the house). That "bar" number is important - we will cover it below.

You are betting that the shooter will lose the round. In craps, "losing the round" means one of two things:

• The shooter rolls a 2 or 3 on the come-out (instant win for don't pass).
• The shooter sets a point (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) and then rolls a 7 before rolling that same number again.

A come-out roll of 7 or 11 is an instant loss. A come-out roll of 12 is a push - you get your bet back, no win, no loss.

This puts the don't pass player on the opposite side of the table emotionally. When the shooter sevens out, the rail groans and the dark-side player collects. Craps culture has a name for this: "wrong way" betting. It is not actually wrong - the math is slightly better than pass line - but the social friction is real.

How it works, step by step

A don't pass bet resolves across one or two rolls, just like the pass line, but in reverse.

Step 1 - Place the bet before the come-out roll

Don't pass is only available when the puck is OFF (black side up), signaling a new round. Slide your chip onto the don't pass line in front of you.

Step 2 - The come-out roll

The shooter throws the dice. One of four things happens:

• 2 or 3 ("craps"): Don't pass wins 1 to 1. Round resets, new come-out next roll.
• 7 or 11 ("natural"): Don't pass loses. Round resets, new come-out next roll.
• 12 ("barred"): Don't pass pushes. Bet stays on the line, next roll is a new come-out.
• 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10: That number becomes the "point". The puck flips to ON. The round continues.

Step 3 - The point round (only if a point was set)

The shooter keeps throwing until one of two things happens:

• A 7 is rolled ("seven-out"): Don't pass wins 1 to 1. Round ends, puck flips off, new come-out next roll.
• The point is rolled again: Don't pass loses. Round ends, new come-out next roll.

Any other number during the point round does nothing. The bet just waits.

Here is the one thing worth memorizing: once a point is set, the don't pass side is mathematically favored. There are 6 ways to roll a 7 and only 3 to 5 ways to roll any other single number. The point round is where don't pass earns its reputation.

Payout and house edge

Don't pass pays 1 to 1, flat. Bet 10, win 10 on top of your original 10. Same payout as the pass line. No bonuses, no premiums for specific come-out numbers.

The house edge is 1.36%. That is slightly lower than the pass line's 1.41% - the smallest edge of any common bet on a craps table. Here is where it comes from:

• Ways to win on come-out (2 or 3): 3 out of 36 combinations
• Ways to lose on come-out (7 or 11): 8 out of 36 combinations
• Ways to push on come-out (12): 1 out of 36 combinations
• Ways to set a point (and continue to resolution): 24 out of 36 combinations

If you treated the 12 as a win instead of a push, the don't pass bet would actually give the player a 0.03% edge. The bar-12 rule flips that - casinos keep the 1 in 36 combination that would have been a player win, which by itself creates the 1.36% house advantage.

That is why some regional tables bar the 2 instead of the 12, and a few old-school Mississippi tables bar the 3. The effect on the edge is identical - the house just picks which number it keeps.

For the full breakdown of every bet's edge, see the craps odds and payouts page.

Laying odds - the dark side version of the best bet

Just like the pass line can take free odds after a point, the don't pass line can lay odds. It is the same idea - an additional bet behind the original with zero house edge - but the payoff structure is reversed.

When you take odds, you bet a smaller amount to win a larger one because the point is a long shot. When you lay odds, you bet a larger amount to win a smaller one because the 7 is the favorite.

The house allows you to lay the amount that would win up to some multiple of your don't pass bet - usually 2x, 3x, 5x, or 10x. The higher the multiple, the lower your combined house edge:

• Don't pass alone: 1.36%
• Don't pass + 1x odds: 0.83%
• Don't pass + 2x odds: 0.59%
• Don't pass + 5x odds: 0.32%
• Don't pass + 10x odds: 0.18%

Same pattern as taking odds: the more you lay, the closer the combined edge gets to zero. If you make a don't pass bet without laying odds, you are leaving the best-value supplement in the casino on the rack.

Common mistakes

Taking the bet down too early

Yes, you are allowed to remove a don't pass bet after the point is set. No, you should not. Once the point exists, the 7 is more likely than the point - you are the favorite. Pulling the bet gives up positive expected value. If you need the chips for something else that is one thing; if you just got nervous, ride it out.

Confusing don't pass with don't come

They are mechanically identical but timed differently. Don't pass goes down before the come-out. Don't come goes down AFTER a point is set and uses the next roll as its personal come-out. Both sides of the table work in pairs - see the full list on every bet explained.

Forgetting about the push on 12

New don't pass players sometimes expect to lose on 2, 3, or 12 the same way pass line does. 2 and 3 are wins for you. 12 is a push. It is a small detail that changes nothing about strategy, but it changes everything about the math.

Betting against a hot shooter because "they are due"

Dice have no memory. A shooter who just hit five points in a row has exactly the same 1 in 6 chance of rolling a 7 on their next throw as a shooter on their first come-out. Don't pass is a math bet, not a narrative bet.

Why people choose don't pass

For a long time, don't pass was treated as the advanced player's bet - marginally lower edge, slightly better bankroll behavior, and the freedom to take the bet down. Here is what actually makes it the right choice:

• The lowest base edge in the casino. At 1.36%, only the don't come matches it. Nothing else is lower without an odds bet attached.
• Flexibility to exit. Life happens. Being able to pull your bet mid-point is occasionally useful, even if you rarely should.
• Longer streaks. Because the 7 is the most common roll in craps, seven-outs happen more often than point-hits. Wrong-way players tend to see smaller but more frequent wins. Right-way players see fewer, bigger runs.
• Counter-cyclical. When a table is cold and pass line bettors are bleeding, don't pass is printing. It is a natural hedge if you are thinking about long sessions.

It is not always the right call. If you want to be part of the rail - cheering the shooter, high-fiving on a point hit, riding the crowd energy - pass line is the bet. Don't pass is quieter. You win when the table loses, and you learn not to show it.

Most experienced craps players have both bets in their toolkit and pick based on the table's mood. For a deeper treatment of the mindset, see the craps strategy guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is a don't pass bet in craps?

A wager that the shooter will lose their round. Place it on the don't pass line before the come-out roll. It wins on come-out 2 or 3, and wins if the shooter sevens out before hitting their point.

What is the house edge on a don't pass bet?

1.36%. Slightly lower than the pass line's 1.41%. The 0.05% gap comes from the 12 pushing instead of winning.

What does a don't pass bet pay?

1 to 1, flat. Same as pass line.

Why does the don't pass bet push on 12?

Without the bar-12 rule, don't pass would have a tiny player edge. Casinos keep the 12 as a push to flip that into a 1.36% house edge.

Can you remove a don't pass bet after the come-out?

Yes. Unlike pass line, don't pass can be taken down or reduced at any time after a point is set. Most players leave it up because the bet is mathematically favored once the point exists.