What Is the Come Bet?
Think of the Come bet as a Pass Line bet that starts mid-hand. After the shooter has already set a point, you can drop chips in the Come area — and the very next roll becomes your personal come-out. Roll a 7 or 11 and you win immediately. Roll a 2, 3, or 12 and you lose. Roll 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 and your bet travels to that number box: now you need that number again before a 7.
The Come bet exists because the Pass Line only lets you enter once — before the come-out. The Come bet lets you get new action at any time during the point phase, which is how experienced players build multi-number coverage mid-hand rather than waiting for the shooter to seven-out and start fresh.
How It Works Step by Step
Come bets can only be placed after a point is established. Here is the full sequence:
1. Place chips in the Come area. The Come area is the large strip between the Pass Line and the table centre. Drop chips there during the point phase.
2. The next roll is your come-out. Roll 7 or 11 → win 1:1, bet is paid and comes down. Roll 2, 3, or 12 → lose, bet comes down. Roll 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 → the dealer physically moves your chip to that number box. That number is now your Come point.
3. Wait for your number. Once your bet has traveled, you win if that number rolls before a 7 — paid at 1:1. A 7 loses the bet. Nothing else matters: the table's main point, the pass line bet, other players' bets — none of it affects your Come bet.
4. Add Come Odds. After your bet travels, you can place Come Odds behind it. Come Odds pay true mathematical odds with zero house edge. Tell the dealer "odds on the eight" and they'll position chips on top of your Come bet in the number box.
The Seven-Out Trap New Players Fall Into
Here is the scenario that trips up almost every beginner at least once:
| What Rolled | Pass Line (point: 8) | Your Come Bet |
|---|---|---|
| You place Come bet | Waiting on 8 | Sitting in Come area |
| Next roll: 6 | Still waiting on 8 | Travels to the 6 box |
| Next roll: 7 | Lose (seven-out) | Lose — 7 wipes all active bets |
A seven-out clears all traveled Come bets along with everything else. This is correct. Once a Come bet has traveled to a number, it behaves exactly like a standing bet — the 7 ends it.
The flip side: if you place a Come bet and the very next roll is a 7, your Come bet wins — even as the shooter sevens out and everyone else groans. Your chip was still in the Come area, so for your bet, that roll was still the come-out phase. You collect. This is one of the more counter-intuitive moments in craps.
50,000-Roll Simulation
The simulation models a single ongoing Come bet — mechanically identical to the Pass Line. The long-run house edge converges to the same 1.41%, but the path there varies substantially run to run. That variance is the honest story of Come betting.
Strategy & Tips
Always Take Come Odds
Once your Come bet travels, put Come Odds behind it every time. Come Odds pay at true mathematical probability with no house edge. In practical terms: on the 6 or 8, you put up $5 to win $6. On the 5 or 9, $2 to win $3. On the 4 or 10, $1 to win $2. These are the best bets on the table — the casino makes nothing on them. Never skip them.
Building to the 3-Point Molly
The natural progression from a single Come bet is the 3-Point Molly: Pass Line plus two Come bets, all with max Odds. You're covering three different numbers simultaneously at a combined edge of roughly 0.37%. A seven-out hurts — all three bets lose at once — but the math is sound. If you're going to play craps regularly, it's worth understanding.
Come Bets vs Place Bets
Many players default to Place bets on 6 and 8 because they're simpler: tell the dealer the amount, get action immediately. Come bets are slightly better mathematically (1.41% vs 1.52% on Place 6/8) and much better when Odds are included. The practical difference: Place bets can be removed or turned off at any time; Come bets, once traveled, are locked until they resolve. Neither is wrong. Know the tradeoff.
Size Come Odds Correctly
On the 6 and 8, Come Odds must be multiples of $5 — otherwise the 6:5 payout can't be calculated cleanly, and the casino rounds down, giving you a worse deal. Always bet $5, $10, $15, etc. on Come Odds for the 6 and 8.
How It Compares
| Bet | House Edge | Payout | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Come Bet | 1.41% | 1:1 | This page |
| Come + Max Odds | ~0.37% | Varies | Best combined edge after Pass + Odds |
| Pass Line | 1.41% | 1:1 | Identical math, come-out only |
| Place 6 or 8 | 1.52% | 7:6 | Simpler, removable, no Odds |
| Don't Come | 1.36% | 1:1 | Dark-side version, marginal edge advantage |
FAQ
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