Don’t Pass Bet
| Updated: A Deep Dive Into the Intricacies of the Don’t Pass Bet
Being one of the most exciting and intriguing games, craps continues to be an inseparable part of the gaming collections of interactive and brick-and-mortar casinos. It is believed that the game evolved from an English game called “hazard”. What makes the game of craps so well-liked is that it is one of the most action-packed casino offerings. As one of the fastest-paced games, craps is often considered too complicated and confusing, especially if you are a complete rookie. At first glance, the rules of the game might seem a bit complicated, but once things fall into place, you can be sure that you will enjoy yourself at the craps table for hours on end.
The sheer number of distinct bets one can make while playing typically serves to intimidate newcomers to craps. In this article, we will focus on the Don’t Pass bet and try to shed some light on this interesting type of wager. This way, craps lovers will be able to gain the confidence needed to place the Don’t Pass bet, whether they prefer to play in land-based gambling establishments or at online casinos.
Don’t Pass Bet Explained
Gambling aficionados who have managed to gain some experience in playing craps probably know that placing a Don’t Pass bet is the direct opposite of placing a Pass Line bet. In fact, this particular bet is also known as wagering the wrong way or wagering against the dice. This notion is mostly tied to superstition, specifically the idea that the Don’t Pass bet is a wager “against” the shooter and “for” the house. Essentially, some superstitious craps lovers believe that Don’t Pass bettors are rooting for the house as opposed to fellow players, hence the name “wrong” bet.
One of the specific things about the Don’t Pass bet is that it is a self-service wager, meaning that gambling enthusiasts are allowed to position their chips on the respective area of the betting layout themselves. It is worth noting that the Don’t Pass area of the table layout is also known as the “back line”, and it is placed right next to the Pass Line.
Another thing you should remember about the flat Don’t Pass bet is that this particular wager must invariably be placed prior to the come-out roll. In other words, craps lovers are not allowed to make a flat Don’t Pass bet after the point has been set.
When it comes to the possible outcomes, craps lovers who intend to place a Don’t Pass bet need to know that the most beneficial scenario for them is the dice rolling a 2 or 3, as this would mean that their bet is a winning one. If a 12 appears, there is a tie and your bet is neither a winner nor a loser. However, if the shooter rolls a 7 or 11, your bet loses and the game is discontinued.
If you take a closer look at the betting layout, you will notice a field labeled “Bar 12”. Thus, if 12 is rolled during the come-out, there is a push. The “Bar 12” indicates that, in this case, 12 is an excluded number, ensuring that the player will not gain an upper hand over the house. Craps lovers may also stumble upon tables that feature “Bar 2”, which means that 2 is the excluded, or barred, number. If the shooter throws a 2, there is a push, meaning that you neither win nor lose.
The Don’t Pass bet will be a winning one as long as the shooter throws a “seven-out”. In such cases, you will be paid even money. Things change, however, if the shooter makes his point, as this would mean that the Don’t Pass bet is a losing one. It is important to note that craps lovers are allowed to place or increase their Don’t Pass bet only during the come-out roll.
One distinctive trait of this bet is that players are allowed to decrease or even remove their wager at any time, even if the point is already established. This is because when you place a Don’t Pass bet, you gain a certain advantage over the house once a point is established.
Another important thing craps lovers should take into account is that as long as they have placed a flat Don’t Pass bet, they are not permitted to place a Put Bet. You may wonder what a Put Bet is. While playing craps, gamblers are allowed to place a late bet, thus skipping the come-out; this is known as a Put Bet.
Don’t Pass Bet Odds
Many gamblers who are intrigued by craps consider that this is one of the best casino games because of the low house edge. As already mentioned, in craps the winning Don’t Pass bet pays even money, meaning that your prize will equal the amount of your stake. Thus, if you stake $10 and your bet wins, you will receive another $10.
Once the point is established, the advantage shifts from the house into the hands of the player. Regardless of what the point is, players invariably stand a better chance of winning by rolling a 7 than by rolling the established point. What is even better about the Don’t Pass bet is that gamblers are allowed to decrease the house advantage even further by placing a Don’t Pass odds bet.
Many craps lovers prefer Don’t Pass bets because of the low house edge. The advantage the house enjoys per bet made is 1.36%, whereas the house edge stands at 1.40% per bet resolved. The advantage per roll is 0.40%.
Possible Outcomes of the Don’t Pass Bet
Avid craps lovers who decide to place a Don’t Pass bet need to know that there are four possible outcomes. Because the Don’t Pass bet is the exact opposite of the Pass Line bet, when the Don’t Pass bet wins, the Pass Line bet loses, and vice versa.
If you have placed a Don’t Pass bet and the shooter throws 11 or 7 on the come-out roll, the bet you have made loses and the game ends immediately. The outcome that will bring you even money is the shooter throwing 3 or 2 on the come-out roll. If this happens, the game also ends immediately. The other possibility is the shooter throwing 12, which results in a tie—you neither lose nor win—and the game ends.
The game continues only when a point is established. This happens when one of the point numbers appears. These numbers include 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. If one of these numbers comes out, the game proceeds; if a 7 appears before the point number, the Don’t Pass bet wins. Conversely, if the point number is rolled first, the Don’t Pass bet loses and the game ends at once.
Playing the Don’t Pass Bet
Once you have acquainted yourself with all the ins and outs of the Don’t Pass bet, you can proceed to actual play. Let’s go through one possible scenario to ensure everything is clear.
Assume you decide to place a Don’t Pass bet and wager $5. At the beginning of the game, there is a new shooter and, on the come-out, he rolls a 12. As you probably remember, this results in a push, and the game ends immediately. Because a 12 is a tie for the Don’t Pass bet, the dealer will leave your chips in the same area of the betting layout.
The shooter then prepares for another roll. This time, the number that comes out is 7. Unfortunately, when a 7 is rolled during the initial phase of the game and you have placed a Don’t Pass bet, you lose your stake. While the shooter is getting ready for the next roll, you decide to place another $5 Don’t Pass bet.
Suppose the shooter now rolls a 4; this establishes the point. If the shooter subsequently rolls a ten, for example, the game continues because that number is irrelevant. Another roll takes place and a 7 appears. This is great news for you because the 7 has appeared before the established point, meaning that your bet wins. You therefore receive another $5 for your winning stake.
Laying Odds on Don’t Pass Bet
An important detail concerning the Don’t Pass bet is that once the point is established, craps lovers are allowed to place an odds bet, or, in other words, to lay odds on the specific point that has come out.
Gambling aficionados should distinguish between the two types of odds wagers: taking odds and laying odds. Players are allowed to take odds only on Pass Line bets. By taking odds, the gambler simply stakes that the shooter will make his point. The payoff is determined by the point.
Laying odds, on the other hand, is regarded as one of the best bets a player can make, because the house edge on this wager is zero. For this reason, it is also known as a free odds or true odds bet.
Because players enjoy this advantage, they should lay odds if they want to make a larger stake that the shooter will not make his point. If the point is 6 or 8, gamblers are paid $5 for every $6 they lay. If the point is 5 or 9, you will be given $2 for every $3 you lay. Finally, if the point is 4 or 10, you will be rewarded $1 for every $2 you lay.
Now, you might wonder how to lay odds. The answer is by “heeling” or “bridging” your odds bet. When making an odds bet, the higher-denomination chips should be placed on the bottom, while the lower-denomination chips go on top of the stack.
If you have placed a winning Don’t Pass flat bet and the amount you have won matches the size of the payoff, you can bridge your Don’t Pass bet. To bridge your bet, place a portion of your odds bet right next to your flat bet, creating two separate piles. The size of this portion should equal the amount of your flat bet. Then, position the remaining chips from the odds bet on top of these two stacks, thus bridging them.
The other option is to heel your odds bet, which is possible only when the payoff for your Don’t Pass odds bet is higher or lower than the amount of the flat bet. To heel your odds bet, place your odds-bet chip stack next to your flat bet, then slide the stack slightly so that only the bottom chip remains on the layout, allowing the stack to lean over.
Don’t Pass Bet and Pass Line Bet Compared
Placing a Pass Line bet is considered the right way of wagering, whereas placing a Don’t Pass bet is known as wagering against the dice. In the first place, it should be noted that both the Pass Line and the Don’t Pass bet are self-service bets, which means that gamblers can place their chips on the respective area of the betting layout without the dealer’s assistance. The Pass Line area is also known as the front line, whereas the Don’t Pass area is called the back line, and, most importantly, their positions are adjacent on the betting layout. Both bets pay even money.
When it comes to the maximum and minimum flat bets players can make, they coincide. This does not apply to odds bets, however, as there are certain differences gamblers should take into account.
Another difference is that the odds bets made after the point is established are called taking odds and laying odds for the Pass Line bet and the Don’t Pass bet, respectively.
A further distinction is that when you place a Don’t Pass odds bet, you may bridge or heel your bet, while a Pass Line odds bet requires the chips to be placed in one single pile.