Definition
A Come Bet is a craps wager made after the shooter has already established a point. It functions exactly like a Pass Line bet, essentially creating a “personal” point for the player on the next roll.
In context
Imagine the shooter has already rolled a 6 as the point. You place a $10 chip in the “Come” area of the table. If the next roll is a 7 or 11, you win immediately; if it is a 2, 3, or 12, you lose. If any other number is rolled (like an 8), your bet moves to the 8, and that becomes your “point.”
Why it matters
The Come Bet allows players to have multiple numbers working at once while maintaining the same low house edge as the Pass Line. It is a fundamental strategy for players who want to increase their “action” on the table without resorting to high-edge proposition bets.
Related terms
In detail
The Come Bet is one of the smartest moves a player can make on a craps table, yet it often confuses beginners who see chips moving all over the layout. To understand the Come Bet, you first have to understand the Pass Line. The Pass Line is only available during the “Come Out” roll—the very first roll of a round. But what happens if you walk up to a table and a game is already in progress? That is where the Come Bet lives.
When you place a Come Bet, you are telling the house, “I want to start a new Pass Line bet right now, using the very next roll as my come-out roll.” Because the math is identical to the Pass Line, the house edge is a very slim 1.41%. This makes it a “good” bet in a world of bad ones.
How the Mechanics Work
When you drop your chips in the large “Come” box, three things can happen on the very next roll:
- The Instant Win: If the shooter rolls a 7 or 11, your Come Bet is paid even money immediately. You take your winnings and your original bet back.
- The Instant Loss: If the shooter rolls a 2, 3, or 12 (Craps), your bet is cleared away by the dealer. You lost.
- Setting the Point: If any other number is rolled (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10), the dealer will physically move your chips from the “Come” box into the numbered box for that specific number. This number is now your “Come Point.”
Once your bet is on a number, the rules change. Now, you need the shooter to roll that specific number again before they roll a 7. If they hit your number, you win even money. If they hit a 7, you lose.
The “Power” of Odds
Just like a Pass Line bet, once a Come Bet moves to a number, you are allowed to “take odds.” This is the only bet in the casino with zero house edge. You place your “Odds” chips on top of your Come Bet (usually slightly offset so the dealer can see the difference). If your number hits, the original bet pays even money, but the Odds bet pays “true odds” based on the math of the dice.
For example, if your Come Bet is moved to the 4, the true odds are 2-to-1. A $10 odds bet would pay you $20. By combining the 1.41% edge of the flat bet with the 0% edge of the odds, you effectively lower the total house edge on your money to well under 1%.
Managing Multiple Numbers
Experienced craps players often use Come Bets to “cover the board.” A common strategy is to have a Pass Line bet and two Come Bets working at the same time. This means you have three different numbers that can make you money. If a number hits, you get paid, and you immediately place another Come Bet to replace it.
The beauty of this is that a Come Bet is “always working” on the come-out roll for the flat portion, but the odds are usually “off” unless you tell the dealer otherwise. This protection is a safety net. If the shooter “Seven Out” while your bet is on a number, you lose. But if the shooter makes their point and then rolls a 7 on the next come-out roll, your Come Bet in the 8-box would lose its flat bet but the odds would typically be returned to you.
Common Pitfalls
The biggest mistake players make with Come Bets is forgetting they are there. Unlike Place bets, which you can take down or turn “off” at any time, a Come Bet is a contract bet. Once it moves to a number, it stays there until it wins or loses. You can take your odds back, but the flat bet belongs to the game until the 7 or the point is rolled.
Another point of confusion is the 7. On the initial roll after you place your bet in the “Come” box, a 7 is your best friend—it’s an instant winner. But once that bet moves to a number (like the 5 or 9), the 7 becomes your enemy. This “flip-flop” of the 7’s role is why craps can feel like a roller coaster. You might be cheering for a 7 to win your new Come Bet while simultaneously swearing at it because it just killed your other two Come Bets that were already sitting on numbers.