Come bet in craps explained

Come bet craps basics in one minute

In craps the pass line bet can only be made before a come-out roll. Once the shooter has a point, a newcomer to the table would otherwise have to wait. The come bet solves that. You put your chip in the large COME area, and the next roll is treated as a fresh come-out just for your bet.

If that roll is 7 or 11, you win even money. If it is 2, 3 or 12, you lose. Any other total becomes your come point, and the dealer moves your chip onto that number's box. From then on you need your number to repeat before a 7. It has no connection to the shooter's main point.

Standard game maths gives the come bet the same 1.41% house edge as the pass line, as the Wizard of Odds house edge guide (opens in a new tab) states. Its mirror image, the don't come bet, matches the don't pass bet at 1.36% per bet made.

Come bet rules: first roll and come point

The awkward bit for beginners is the 7. A 7 on the very first roll of your come bet wins it, even if the same 7 ends the shooter's hand and loses the pass line. Once your come bet has moved to a number, a 7 beats it. The seven out explainer covers that moment in detail.

Worked example: come bets roll by roll

Here is how a short hand might play with £10 on the pass line and a £10 come bet after each point roll. The rolls are an illustration, not a prediction.

The example ends level, but notice how the seven out took two bets at once. That is the trade-off with stacking come bets: more numbers working means more chances of a repeat, and also more chips lost to a single 7. The edge on each bet stays 1.41% whatever sequence happens.

Come bet odds and probabilities

Counting the 36 dice combinations gives every number here. On its first roll a come bet wins with 8 combinations (6 for 7, 2 for 11), loses with 4 (1 for 2, 2 for 3, 1 for 12), and moves to a point with the other 24. That makes the first roll 22.22% win, 11.11% loss and 66.67% move.

Put together, a come bet wins 244 times in 495 (about 49.29%) and loses the rest. Win minus loss works out at −7 in 495 of each stake, or 1.41%. The full count is on our craps dice odds page.

Adding odds to come bets

When your come bet moves to a number, you can hand over extra chips and ask for odds on it. Like the pass line odds, these pay true odds: 2 to 1 on 4 or 10, 3 to 2 on 5 or 9 and 6 to 5 on 6 or 8, with no house edge. The craps odds bet page explains why that matters.

One quirk differs from the pass line. At many tables the odds on come bets are treated as 'off' during a new come-out roll unless you ask for them to work, while the flat come bet stays live. If a 7 lands on that come-out, the flat bets on numbers lose but the odds are returned. Online games set their own default, so check the help screen.

What come bets cost in pounds

Expected cost is stake × house edge. A £5 come bet costs about 7p on average and a £10 one about 14p. Stacking three come bets doesn't change the rate, but it triples the money exposed, so three £10 bets cost about 42p on average and can all lose to one 7.

Place bets are quoted per bet resolved, which suits them because they can sit for many rolls. For a budget view across the whole game, use our house edge calculator.

How to make a come bet online

1. Wait until a point is established; the COME area is only open once the puck shows ON.
2. Click your chosen chip, then click the COME area on the layout.
3. Watch the next roll: 7 or 11 wins, 2, 3 or 12 loses, any point number moves your chip to that box.
4. If it moves, decide whether to add odds by clicking the chip on its number.
5. Leave it until the number repeats (you win) or a 7 lands (you lose).

A flat come bet that has moved to a number can't be taken back, because the bet has already passed its best stage for you, the first-roll 7 or 11. Odds, by contrast, can usually be removed or reduced at any time.

Don't come: the opposite come bet

The don't come bet is the late-entry version of don't pass. On its first roll it wins on 2 or 3, loses on 7 or 11 and pushes on 12. If it moves behind a number, you then win when a 7 comes before that number. Laying odds behind it pays 1 to 2 on 4 or 10, 2 to 3 on 5 or 9 and 5 to 6 on 6 or 8.

Its edge is 1.36% per bet made, a shade cheaper than a come bet. Players who pick the don't side usually do it for the lower cost or simple preference; neither side gets any boost from previous rolls.

Come bet mistakes and myths

• Making a come bet on every roll without a cap. Each one adds money in play, and a seven out clears them all together.
• Thinking a come bet 'covers' the table and so lowers your risk. It spreads money over more numbers at the same edge; average losses go up with the total staked.
• Pressing come bets after wins in the belief the shooter is hot. Rolls are independent events, so the next one has no memory of the last.
• Choosing place bets on 4 and 10 because they 'pay more'. They pay 9 to 5, but the 6.67% edge makes them far dearer than a come bet with odds.

Come bets at live and RNG craps in the UK

RNG craps resolves each roll with certified software, while live craps uses real dice and a studio. The come bet rules are the same in both, but table limits, the odds allowed and whether come odds work on the come-out vary. Evolution lists Craps in its First Person game range (opens in a new tab), and our live craps UK page compares formats.

At UK-licensed casinos, autoplay is banned on all online casino games, and non-slot games must allow at least 5 seconds per game cycle, which gives you a moment to think before each come bet. Your age and identity must be checked before you can deposit, and credit cards can't be used. Details are on the UK game speed rules page.

Where to play come bet craps

These partner offers are not craps offers. Casumo's bonus has game restrictions, 10bet's must be wagered on slots and Coral's spins are slot spins, so table and live games are often excluded or count for less. Check each casino's game lobby for craps and read the terms. 18+ and terms apply.

• Casumo: 50% up to £100 on a first deposit of £20+, opt-in required; wager the bonus 10x within 7 days, maximum bet £5 while it is active.
• 10bet: 100% match up to £25; choose it at sign-up, deposit within 7 days and wager the bonus 10x on slots within 3 days. Maximum bonus winnings £1,000; Skrill and Neteller deposits excluded.
• Coral: deposit and bet £10 on slots for 100 free spins at 10p on selected games, accepted within 48 hours and valid for 7 days, with no wagering on spin winnings.

Decide your spend before the first roll and use the casino's deposit limits. The safer gambling hub lists free support, including GamCare's National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.

18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.