The Don’t Pass bet is the “wrong-way” line bet in craps. You win on 2 or 3, lose on 7 or 11, usually push on 12, and after a point is set you win if 7 rolls before the point. It pays even money and has about 1.36% house edge under common bar-12 rules.
Quick Facts
- Don’t Pass is made before the come-out roll.
- Come-out 2 or 3 wins.
- Come-out 7 or 11 loses.
- Come-out 12 usually pushes, shown as “Bar 12.”
- After a point, 7 before the point wins.
- The house edge is about 1.36%, slightly better than Pass Line.
- You can lay odds after a point is established.
Plain Talk
The Don’t Pass bet is not complicated. It only feels strange because you are betting against the shooter.
On the come-out roll, the Don’t Pass has its own immediate results. If 2 or 3 rolls, you win. If 7 or 11 rolls, you lose. If 12 rolls, most casinos call it a push. Your money stays yours, but you do not win. If 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 rolls, that number becomes the point.
After the point is set, Don’t Pass is favored. That is because 7 has six dice combinations, while every point number has fewer. You now want the 7 before the point repeats.
This page is about the Don’t Pass bet itself. For the right-way version, read Pass Line Bet Explained. For the math table, read craps house edge and craps odds.
The Wizard of Odds craps basics page explains the standard line-bet sequence, the Wizard of Odds house-edge appendix lists the Don’t Pass edge, and regulated rules such as the Massachusetts craps rules show how barred numbers and wager resolution are handled.
How It Works
Don’t Pass Come-Out Roll
| Come-out roll | Result for Don’t Pass |
|---|---|
| 2 or 3 | Wins immediately |
| 7 or 11 | Loses immediately |
| 12 | Pushes in most casinos |
| 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 | Becomes the point |
Don’t Pass After the Point
| Event | Result |
|---|---|
| 7 before the point | Don’t Pass wins |
| Point repeats before 7 | Don’t Pass loses |
| Any other number | No decision |
The Don’t Pass pays 1:1. If you bet $15 and win, you win $15 profit.
Once a point is set, you may usually lay odds. Laying odds means you risk more than you can win because the 7 is favored.
| Point | Lay odds true payout |
|---|---|
| 4 or 10 | Lay 2 to win 1 |
| 5 or 9 | Lay 3 to win 2 |
| 6 or 8 | Lay 6 to win 5 |
Laying odds has 0% house edge before commissions or rule variations, but it increases the amount you can lose on one decision.
Craps Table Example
You place $25 on Don’t Pass before the come-out roll.
The shooter rolls 10. The dealer marks 10 as the point. Your Don’t Pass bet stays on the line. You are now in a strong position: there are six ways to roll 7 and only three ways to roll 10.
You lay $50 odds behind the Don’t Pass to win $25.
The shooter rolls 6, then 8, then 7.
| Bet | Amount risked | Payout | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Don’t Pass | $25 | 1:1 | $25 |
| Lay odds against 10 | $50 | 1:2 | $25 |
| Total profit | $50 |
If the shooter had rolled 10 before 7, both your $25 Don’t Pass and $50 lay odds would have lost.
From the Casino Side:
The crew does not care that you are a Don’t bettor as long as your bets are clear and your behavior is clean. Dealers pay winning bets and take losing bets. The math is the math.
What the crew does care about is position and clarity. Don’t Pass odds are handled differently from Pass Line odds. The dealer must know whether you are laying odds, taking down odds, or changing the flat bet where allowed.
The floor also watches table mood. Don’t bettors can create friction if they celebrate seven-outs loudly. There is no rule against betting the Don’t. There is also no need to act like you are enjoying everyone else’s loss.
Common Mistakes
- Thinking Don’t Pass loses on come-out 12 under normal bar-12 rules.
- Forgetting that Don’t Pass wins when 7 appears after a point.
- Celebrating seven-outs in a way that annoys the table.
- Laying odds without understanding you risk more than you win.
- Believing slightly better math means guaranteed smoother results.
- Confusing Don’t Pass with Don’t Come timing.
- Trying to remove or change bets without speaking clearly to the dealer.
Hard Truth
Don’t Pass has better math than Pass Line, but it does not make you smarter than the table. It only means you chose a lower-priced negative-expectation bet.
FAQ
Is Don’t Pass better than Pass Line?
Mathematically, yes. Don’t Pass is about 1.36% house edge under common rules, while Pass Line is about 1.41%.
Why does 12 push on Don’t Pass?
The push gives the casino its edge. Without a barred number, the Don’t Pass would be too favorable to the player.
What does “Bar 12” mean?
It means a come-out 12 does not win or lose for Don’t Pass. The bet pushes.
Can I take odds on Don’t Pass?
You do not “take” odds on Don’t Pass. You lay odds because you are betting that 7 appears before the point.
Is Don’t Pass bad etiquette?
No. It is a legal standard bet. Poor etiquette is gloating when the table loses.
Can I remove a Don’t Pass bet?
Don’t bets are often removable after a point because they become favorable to the player. Procedures vary, so ask the dealer before touching chips.
Should beginners play Don’t Pass?
Only if they understand the flow and are comfortable betting against the shooter. The math is good, but the social feel is different.
Deeper Insight
The Don’t Pass edge is slightly better because of the way the come-out roll is balanced. The player wins on 2 and 3, loses on 7 and 11, and pushes on 12. After a point is established, the Don’t bettor is favored because 7 is more likely than any point number.
The casino’s advantage is packed into the come-out structure and the barred number. After the point, the Don’t side often feels mathematically comfortable. That comfort can be dangerous if it encourages oversized lay odds.
Laying odds behind Don’t Pass is fair by price, but not gentle by bankroll. On 4 or 10, laying $60 to win $30 looks safe because 7 has twice the combinations. But a point hit still takes the full $60.
This is why the house edge calculator and variance simulator are useful together. One shows price. The other reminds you that fair bets still swing.
Formula / Calculation
For a point of 10 after Don’t Pass is established:
P(7 before 10) = 6 / (6 + 3) = 6 / 9 = 66.67%
True lay odds against 10:
True Odds Payout = Winning combinations / Losing combinations = 3 / 6 = 1 / 2
Expected loss on the flat Don’t Pass:
$25 × 1.36% ≈ $0.34 theoretical loss per resolved decision
Formula Explanation in Plain English
Once the point is 10, the Don’t bettor wants 7. There are six ways to roll 7 and only three ways to roll 10, so the player is favored at that stage. But the overall Don’t Pass bet still has a house edge because the come-out rules, especially the barred 12, give the casino its long-run advantage.
Lay odds pay less than you risk because you are more likely to win than lose.
Related Reading
Read the craps guide for the full game flow, craps odds for dice combinations, and craps house edge for the price of each bet. Compare the opposite side in Pass Line Bet Explained, then continue with Don’t Come Bet Explained if you want to understand dark-side betting after the point is on. For cost checks, use the expected loss calculator.