How the bet works
Don't Pass is close to the mirror image of the Pass Line, with one deliberate asymmetry:
- 2 or 3 — you win even money.
- 7 or 11 — you lose.
- 12 — a push. Your bet neither wins nor loses. Some houses bar 2 instead; the edge is identical either way.
- Any other number — it becomes the point, and now you want a 7 before that number repeats.
The barred 12 is the entire house edge
This is the part worth understanding. A true mirror of the Pass Line would give the player an advantage, because after the point is set the darkside bettor is the favourite. The house removes that advantage by refusing to pay one specific outcome.
The push on 12 occurs with probability 1/36, and turning that single winning outcome into a stalemate converts a player edge into a house edge of 3/220 = 1.3636%. One barred number does all the work.
Why so few people play it
Craps is the only table game with a genuine communal mood, and it runs on the shooter making the point. The darkside bettor wins when the table loses, which is socially awkward in a way that no other casino bet is. The 0.050 percentage points you gain over the Pass Line is a real but small edge, and many players reasonably decide the atmosphere is worth more.
Laying odds behind it
The darkside equivalent of free odds is laying odds, where you risk more to win less because you are now the favourite. It also carries exactly zero house edge. The catch is bankroll: laying odds on a point of 4 or 10 means putting up two units to win one.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why is 12 barred?
- Because without it the Don't Pass bettor would hold a small advantage over the house. Turning the 12 into a push, which happens 2.78% of the time, converts that into a 1.36% house edge.
- Is Don't Pass really better than Pass?
- Yes, by 0.050 percentage points: 1.36% against 1.41%. Over a long session that is a genuine but modest saving.
- Can I take my Don't Pass bet down?
- Yes, once a point is established, because at that stage you are the favourite and the house is happy to let you surrender the advantage. You should not.
- Does it matter if the house bars 2 instead of 12?
- No. Both appear once in 36 rolls, so the edge is identical at 1.36%.
Every figure on this page is computed from the 36 outcomes of two dice using exact rational arithmetic, then checked against published reference values before publication. Where a number depends on a house rule, the rule is named. Payouts vary between casinos, so read the felt before you bet.