THE PASS LINE BET

What the pass line bet is

The pass line is the curved band that runs along the long edge of a craps table, directly in front of the players. Any chip sitting on that band before the come-out roll is a pass line bet.

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

• The shooter rolls a 7 or 11 on the come-out (instant win).
• The shooter sets a point (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) and then rolls that same number again before rolling a 7.

That is the entire bet. It resolves by itself. You do not need to do anything after placing it.

How it works, step by step

A pass line bet resolves across one or two rolls, depending on what the come-out produces.

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

You can only place a pass line bet when the puck is OFF (black side up). That signals the start of a new round. Put your chip anywhere on the pass line in front of you.

Step 2 - The come-out roll

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

• 2, 3, or 12 ("craps"): Pass line loses. Round resets, new come-out next roll.
• 7 or 11 ("natural"): Pass line wins 1 to 1. Round resets, new come-out next roll.
• 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10: That number becomes the "point". The puck flips to ON and is placed on the corresponding number on the table. The round continues.

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

The shooter keeps throwing until one of two things happens:

• The point is rolled again: Pass line wins 1 to 1. Round ends, puck flips off, new come-out on the next roll.
• A 7 is rolled ("seven-out"): Pass line loses. The dice pass to the next shooter.

Any other number during the point round does nothing to the pass line bet. It just sits there waiting.

Payout and house edge

The pass line pays 1 to 1. Bet 10, win 10 on top of your original 10 coming back. There is no bonus payout on 11, no premium for winning on the first roll - every win pays the same.

The house edge is 1.41%. That is the long-run average loss per dollar bet. The math looks like this:

• 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 (and face further resolution): 24 out of 36 combinations

Once you weight the point-round outcomes by the probability of hitting each point before a 7, the total expected return works out to 49.2929%, which gives the 1.41% house advantage.

For context: that is roughly half the edge of European roulette (2.7%) and a full quarter of a double-zero roulette wheel (5.26%). See the full breakdown on the craps odds and payouts page.

Adding free odds - the one move that changes everything

After the point is set, you are allowed to place an additional bet called "free odds" directly behind your pass line chip. This bet has zero house edge. It pays true mathematical odds based on the point:

The casino allows you to bet some multiple of your pass line bet as odds - usually 2x, 3x, 5x, or 10x. The higher the multiple, the lower your combined house edge becomes:

• Pass line alone: 1.41%
• Pass line + 1x odds: 0.85%
• Pass line + 2x odds: 0.61%
• Pass line + 5x odds: 0.33%
• Pass line + 10x odds: 0.18%

This is the single best bet combination in the casino. If you make a pass line bet and do not take odds, you are leaving value on the table.

Common mistakes

Placing the bet after a point is set

You cannot add a pass line bet once the puck is ON. The round is already in progress, and the come-out is over. If you want action at that point, you make a come bet instead - it works the same way but uses the next roll as its personal come-out. See every bet on the table for the full list.

Trying to take the bet down after a point

A pass line bet is locked in once a point is set. You cannot remove it, reduce it, or swap it. (Ironically, you can add to it via free odds, but you cannot subtract.)

Skipping the odds bet

Covered above, but worth repeating: not taking odds wastes the best-value bet in the casino. Even 1x odds cuts your combined house edge nearly in half.

Confusing pass line with come

They are mechanically identical but timed differently. Pass line goes down before the come-out. Come bets go down AFTER a point is already set. Mixing them up is harmless in practice, but it helps to keep the terminology clean.

When not to use the pass line

Pass line is the default, but it is not always the right move.

• If you are a don't pass player: You are betting against the shooter. The don't pass line is the mirror version with a slightly lower house edge (1.36%). See the don't pass breakdown on the bets page.
• If the table is mid-point: Pass line is closed. Use a come bet instead.
• If you only want exposure to specific numbers: Pass line commits you to whatever point the shooter sets. Place bets let you pick the number yourself.

For 95% of players in 95% of situations, pass line with odds is the right answer.

Frequently asked questions

What is a pass line bet in craps?

It is a wager that the shooter will win their round. You place it on the pass line before the come-out roll. You win 1 to 1 if the come-out rolls 7 or 11, or if a point is set and the shooter rolls that point again before rolling a 7.

What is the house edge on a pass line bet?

1.41%. One of the lowest edges in any casino game. With maximum free odds added, the combined edge drops well below 0.5%.

What does a pass line bet pay?

1 to 1, flat. The payout does not change based on the number rolled or the point value.

Can you remove a pass line bet after the come-out roll?

No. Once a point is set, the bet is locked in until the round resolves.

Should you always take odds on a pass line bet?

If your bankroll can support it, yes. Free odds have 0% house edge and materially improve your expected return.