How the game works
The Don’t Come bet is the “Dark Side” version of the Come bet. While the Come bet follows the shooter, the Don’t Come bet is a wager that the shooter will “Seven Out” before hitting a specific number. You place this bet after a point has already been established. It allows you to enter the game against the dice at any time, carrying the same high mathematical advantage as the Don’t Pass line.
The basic rules
- Place your chips in the “Don’t Come” area of the layout while a point is active.
- The very next roll is your personal “come-out” roll for this bet.
- If the shooter rolls a 2 or 3, you win even money. If they roll a 7 or 11, you lose. If they roll a 12, it is a “push” (standoff) and your money is returned.
- If a point number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) is rolled, the dealer moves your chips to the “behind” area of that number.
- You now win even money if a 7 rolls before that specific number. You lose if the number rolls first.
A typical hand/round
The table point is 8. You drop $25 in the Don’t Come bar. The shooter tosses a 4. The dealer moves your $25 to the top of the 4 box, in the “Don’t” section. You are now rooting for a 7. Because there are six ways to roll a 7 and only three ways to roll a 4, you are a 2-to-1 favorite to win. The shooter rolls a 6, then a 9, then a 7. The dealer calls “Seven out, line away,” and pays your Don’t Come bet $25 in profit.
What’s different at different tables
The house edge on the Don’t Come is a low 1.36%. The primary variation is the “Bar” number—usually the 12, but occasionally the 2 in specific jurisdictions like Reno. The biggest mechanical difference involves “Laying Odds.” Once your bet is behind a number, you can bet additional money at true mathematical odds that the 7 will hit first. This is the only way to get a 0% house edge on the Dark Side, but you must “lay” more than you stand to win (e.g., laying $40 to win $20 on the 4 or 10).
Where to go next
Check out the Craps Odds Bet for the math on laying odds, or compare the two ways to play the numbers in our Craps Come Bet vs Place Bet guide.
In Detail
The don’t come bet is craps for players who can handle being the quiet villain. You are betting against the number after the bet travels.
This page is about dark-side come betting after a point is established. On the surface, that may sound like one small corner of craps, but in a real casino it touches the three things that decide whether a player survives the table: the written rule, the payout, and the way the bet feels when chips are already in action. Craps is dangerous for beginners because a bet can feel smart, social, or lucky while still being badly priced.
The math that matters: Two dice create 36 equally likely ordered combinations. The shape of the game comes from that grid: 7 has 6 combinations, 6 and 8 have 5 each, 5 and 9 have 4 each, 4 and 10 have 3 each, 3 and 11 have 2 each, and 2 and 12 have only 1 each. The don’t come edge is about 1.36%. Lay odds behind it pay true odds, but you risk more to win less: 1:2 on 4/10, 2:3 on 5/9, and 5:6 on 6/8. Expected value is the grown-up way to price a bet: $EV=\sum(P_i\times W_i)-\sum(P_j\times L_j)$. If the payout is smaller than the true probability deserves, the difference is the house edge.
What it means on the felt: It is mathematically respectable and socially awkward. A seven-out can make your rack happy while the table groans. A player who understands this subject does not need to act like a robot. You can still enjoy the noise, the shooter, the stick calls, and the little rush when the dice leave the hand. The point is to know when you are paying for entertainment and when you are making a lower-cost decision.
Casino-floor truth: Craps is built to move. The table crew wants clear bets, fast decisions, and clean payouts. The layout also nudges attention toward action. The safest-looking move is not always the cheapest move, and the loudest bet is almost never the best one. Good craps play is not about predicting the next roll. It is about refusing to overpay for it.
The mistake to avoid: Do not play the dark side if table pressure makes you abandon the plan. Also, never judge this topic by one lucky hit or one ugly loss. Short sessions are noisy. The math only shows its face over repeated decisions, which is exactly why casinos are patient and players are usually not.