The Pass Line house edge is about 1.41% on the flat bet. That means a $10 Pass Line wager has an average long-run cost of about 14 cents when resolved. It is one of the better standard craps bets, but it is still a negative-expectation bet unless the added odds portion is considered separately.
Quick Facts
- Pass Line house edge is about 1.41%.
- The exact flat-bet edge is commonly expressed as 7/495, or about 1.414%.
- Come-out 7 or 11 wins immediately.
- Come-out 2, 3, or 12 loses immediately.
- If a point is established, the point must repeat before 7.
- Odds behind the Pass Line have 0% house edge.
- The flat Pass Line bet itself never becomes a positive-EV wager.
Plain Talk
The Pass Line is the classic “with the shooter” craps bet. It feels simple because the player wins on 7 or 11 at the start, loses on 2, 3, or 12, then roots for the point.
The math is not even, though. The come-out roll gives the player more immediate winning combinations than losing combinations, but the point phase gives the casino the advantage because 7 is more likely than any individual point.
This page focuses only on the house edge of the flat Pass Line bet. For basic rules, read Pass Line Bet Explained. For the whole game map, start with the craps guide. For all probability tables, use craps odds.
The Wizard of Odds craps basics lists the Pass Line edge, the Wizard of Odds craps appendix shows return tables, and Wolfram MathWorld’s dice reference supports the two-dice probability structure behind the calculation.
How It Works
The Pass Line has two stages.
Stage 1: Come-Out Roll
| Roll | Combinations | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 6 | Win |
| 11 | 2 | Win |
| 2 | 1 | Lose |
| 3 | 2 | Lose |
| 12 | 1 | Lose |
| 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 | 24 total | Point established |
On the come-out roll, the player has 8 immediate winning combinations and 4 immediate losing combinations. That sounds good.
But most rolls establish a point.
Stage 2: Point Cycle
Once a point is established, the Pass Line wins only if that point repeats before 7.
| Point | Point Combinations | 7 Combinations | Chance Point Wins Before 7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 or 10 | 3 | 6 | 3 / 9 = 33.33% |
| 5 or 9 | 4 | 6 | 4 / 10 = 40.00% |
| 6 or 8 | 5 | 6 | 5 / 11 = 45.45% |
That is where the house gets its edge. The player had a good start, but after the point is on, 7 is the most common total.
Craps Table Example
You bet $25 on the Pass Line.
The come-out roll is 9. Your bet does not win or lose yet. The dealer marks 9 as the point.
From here, there are four ways to roll 9 and six ways to roll 7. If 9 appears first, your $25 flat bet wins $25. If 7 appears first, your $25 loses.
You add $25 odds behind the line. That odds portion is paid at true odds if 9 hits, usually 3 to 2. The flat $25 Pass Line still has the 1.41% house edge. The added odds portion has 0% house edge.
Your blended percentage improves, but you now have $50 exposed.
From the Casino Side:
The Pass Line is a workhorse bet for the game. It anchors the table, creates rhythm, gives the shooter a team feeling, and gives dealers a clear contract wager to manage.
The base dealer tracks the flat bet and any odds behind it. The boxman watches payouts and chip handling. The floor supervisor cares about rating: flat bets count differently from odds in many rating systems because odds have no house edge.
A casino does not fear the Pass Line. It is low-edge, but it creates volume. Many players add odds, press after wins, add Come bets, take place bets, or throw chips into the center. The Pass Line is often the doorway to more action.
Common Mistakes
- Thinking Pass Line is “even” because it pays even money.
- Forgetting that the point phase favors 7.
- Treating odds as proof the whole bet has no house edge.
- Adding odds larger than the bankroll can handle.
- Comparing house edge without considering total dollars at risk.
- Thinking a shooter “deserves” to make the point after several rolls.
- Not separating flat-bet math from odds-bet math.
Hard Truth
The Pass Line is one of the fairest bets on the table, but fair by casino standards still means the casino owns the long-run price.
FAQ
What is the Pass Line house edge?
About 1.41% on the flat Pass Line bet.
Is the Pass Line a good craps bet?
Yes, compared with most craps bets. It is low-edge, simple, and easy for beginners. It is still negative expectation.
Does taking odds remove the Pass Line house edge?
No. Odds add a separate 0% edge wager behind the Pass Line. The flat Pass Line portion still has about 1.41% house edge.
Why does the Pass Line lose money long term?
Because after a point is established, 7 is more likely than any individual point number.
Is Pass Line better than Don’t Pass?
No by pure house edge. Don’t Pass is slightly better at about 1.36%, but the difference is small.
What is the RTP of Pass Line?
About 98.59% on the flat bet.
Should I always take odds behind Pass Line?
Only if your bankroll can handle the larger swings. The odds have no edge, but they increase the amount you can lose on a seven-out.
Deeper Insight
The Pass Line house edge comes from a full-cycle calculation, not from one roll.
A lazy explanation says “7 is common, so the house wins.” That is only half right. On the come-out roll, 7 helps the player. During the point cycle, 7 hurts the player. The final edge is the weighted result of both phases.
The exact common calculation gives the player 244 winning outcomes and 251 losing outcomes out of 495 weighted decision units. The difference is 7 units against the player.
That is why the edge is:
7 / 495 = 0.014141... = 1.4141...The edge looks small because Pass Line is genuinely one of the best-priced casino bets. But small percentages become real money through repetition, bigger odds, and long sessions.
Use the expected loss calculator if you want the dollar version instead of the percentage.
Formula / Calculation
Pass Line Win Probability ≈ 244 / 495
Pass Line Loss Probability ≈ 251 / 495
Expected Value = (Win Probability × +1) - (Loss Probability × 1)
Expected Value = (244 / 495) - (251 / 495)
Expected Value = -7 / 495 ≈ -0.014141
House Edge = -Player EV / Initial Stake
House Edge ≈ 1.41%
RTP = 100% - 1.41% = 98.59%For a $25 flat Pass Line bet:
Expected Loss = $25 × 1.41% ≈ $0.35 per resolved flat betFormula Explanation in Plain English
Over the full Pass Line cycle, the player loses slightly more often than the payout can overcome. The bet pays even money, but the weighted probability is short by about 1.41% of the flat stake. Odds can improve the blended price, but they do not change the flat bet’s edge.
Related Reading
Read Pass Line Bet Explained for the beginner version, then compare this page with Don’t Pass House Edge. Use craps odds for the dice math and craps house edge for bet rankings. For practical numbers, test flat bets and odds with the craps odds calculator and expected loss calculator.