Pass Line Bet

The fundamental craps wager that a shooter will win their sequence, carrying one of the lowest house edges on the table at about 1.41%.

Definition

The Pass Line bet is placed before the come-out roll. It wins immediately if the come-out is 7 or 11, loses immediately on 2, 3 or 12, and otherwise 'takes the point'. Once a point is set, the bet wins if the point number is rolled again before a 7 and loses if a 7 comes first; it pays even money (1:1). The house edge is about 1.41%, among the best bets available in any casino. Its mirror image, the Don't Pass bet, backs the opposite outcome for a marginally lower 1.36% edge. The Pass Line is also the anchor bet that must be placed to be allowed to take the near-fair Odds bet behind it.

Worked example

You put $10 on the Pass Line. The come-out is 8, setting the point. The shooter later rolls another 8 before any 7, so your bet wins $10 at even money. If a 7 had appeared first, the $10 would be lost.

Why it matters

For learners, the Pass Line shows that some casino bets are genuinely low-cost per dollar staked while remaining a long-run losing proposition. For professionals, it is the reference bet against which the value of other craps wagers is compared.

Related

Note: The 1.41% Pass Line and 1.36% Don't Pass figures are standard; they assume typical US casino rules.