Pass Line Bet Patterns
| Updated: How to Apply Pass Line Bet Patterns on the Craps Table
With craps being the versatile game that it is, you have multiple options when it comes to placing bets. Out of all the available wager types, the Pass Line bet is one of the most popular. It is fundamental to the game and serves as a cornerstone of craps betting. In this guide, we provide important information on how you can spice up your gameplay by introducing more advanced betting patterns that may improve your results.
This article first draws players’ attention to the essence of Pass Line bets. It then discusses three different bet combinations players can apply to their craps sessions: Pass Line Bet with 1 Come Bet, Pass Line Bet with 2 Come Bets, and Pass Line Bet with 2 Come Bets and two Place Bets on 6 and 8. Ultimately, players are advised to carefully evaluate the risk factor and reward potential associated with their selected bet patterns so they correspond to their playing style.
Pass Bet Explained
Before we look at more advanced strategies, it is prudent to do a quick rundown of how the Pass bet works. For starters, the Pass bet is placed on the Pass Line position on the craps table. If the first roll results in a 7 or 11, you win even money. However, if it is a 2, 3, or 12, you lose. If any other number appears, it becomes ‘the point’ and the dealer places a marker on that number marked ‘on’. The shooter then rolls the dice again until either the point or a 7 appears. If the point is rolled again, you win even money; if a 7 is rolled, you lose the bet.
As you can see, this is quite a simple bet once you get the hang of it. It generally comes with a house edge of around 1.40%, making it quite worthwhile compared to other available options. Similarly, it offers better odds and a smaller house advantage than many other casino games that pay even money.
Examples of Popular Pass Line Betting Patterns
Having covered the basics of the Pass bet, we can delve into the different wager combinations that you can utilize during your craps sessions. Fortunately, there are many bet types in craps, allowing you to create numerous combinations at both land-based establishments and online casinos. Below, you will find detailed explanations of some of the most common Pass Line betting patterns.
Pass Line Bet with 1 Come Bet
This betting pattern is one of the most basic you can apply at the craps table, being both simple and effective at the same time. To start, place one Pass wager and back it with double Odds when the point number becomes known.
After that, put chips on Come and again back them with double Odds. This results in your having bets on two numbers at the same time, giving you the opportunity to hedge your bets to a certain extent. Furthermore, remember that rolls of craps and eleven are not taken into account when this pattern is applied, while the double Odds should always support the other two numbers.
Additionally, the rules dictate that if either the Pass or the Come number is rolled again and you win the respective bet, you have the option of immediately replacing it with another number. More specifically, when the Come number is rolled again and you win, the casino allows you to place the same wager again, again backed with double Odds. Throughout this process, the standing Pass bet remains valid until you win or cancel it.
This betting pattern is quite common, especially among new and careful players. It allows for low-risk betting since there are two numbers covered at any given time. Moreover, placing the specific bets exactly as outlined above will reduce the house edge to approximately 0.6%, providing you with almost true odds. This is about as close as you can get to playing craps without the casino taking a cut of your bankroll over time, and even when it does, the percentage is so low that you are unlikely to notice. On the other hand, a pattern this conservative also limits potential winnings in most scenarios.
Still, it is a good method of experiencing craps at low risk, as it gives you the opportunity to play for quite a long time, and you may even make some money at the end of the day. Moreover, the simplicity of the pattern makes it accessible to both new and veteran players.
Pass Line Bet with 2 Come Bets
This betting pattern offers a much greater potential for larger wins while still keeping the house edge low. If you have some experience with craps, you may want to consider putting it into practice.
Basically, this pattern is not too different from the one detailed above, requiring you to place a Pass bet complemented by 2 Come wagers, each followed by double Odds. The difference is that you cover three numbers at any given time rather than two, though at the cost of wagering a little more money. However, with greater risk comes greater reward, and risk is what casino gaming is all about.
Much like the previous one, the Pass Line bet with 2 Come bets pattern keeps the house edge to a minimum when double Odds are played on all numbers. More specifically, it does not even reach 1%, typically staying in the 0.5%-0.6% range. Although that is a given when using this pattern, you should take into account that Come wagers do not count on come-out rolls, meaning that the Odds are not active either. In other words, regardless of the result of the dice throw, you can neither win nor lose the Come bet’s Odds.
Pass Line Bet with 2 Come Bets and Two Place Bets on 6 and 8
This is the riskiest pattern presented in this guide, but it also involves significant winning potential, provided that you have good rolls. You will be wagering even more money than with the previous pattern, and the house advantage is somewhat higher, but then again, what is casino gaming without risk? Basically, you put down a Pass bet, followed by 2 Come wagers with double Odds, while simultaneously maintaining Place wagers on 6 and 8. With the Place bets, the house edge rises to 1.52%, compared to the ~0.6% featured in the previous two patterns. Granted, you can bet on a single number or none at all; it all depends on your personal preference. However, we recommend that you keep as many of the ‘inside numbers’ covered as your bankroll allows.
You begin the pattern by putting down a Pass bet with double Odds, after which you make two Come bets, also supported by double Odds. If it happens that neither 6 nor 8 is covered under the already placed wagers, then make a Place bet on the required numbers. You should keep the size of the Pass, the double Odds, and the Place wagers identical. Doing it properly means that you have up to five numbers accounted for.
Therefore, be prepared when you come to the craps table, knowing that you may end up having to put a lot of money at risk. Obviously, you should only do so if you feel confident in your knowledge of the game and understand that you may lose some before you win some. After all, this is the most aggressive betting pattern featured in this article and, as such, there is a lot at stake. If you can make it work for you, you may end up with a large pile of chips in front of you. However, if you suspect that you cannot deal with this pattern just yet, consider using one of the other two. Moreover, check out our guide on bankroll management in craps to gain insight into how you should place your bets in the long term and when it is time to leave.
Is It Worth Using a Bet Pattern?
Now comes the all-important question of whether betting patterns are worth the trouble. There is no clear-cut answer. All of the different patterns come with their unique advantages and disadvantages, and in all situations, you are putting money on the line. Granted, certain betting patterns involve higher or lower degrees of risk than others. For example, the third pattern we discussed covers a wide array of betting options, and to achieve that range you need to risk a larger amount of money. Of course, that also means that if you are successful, you will win more.
Much like any other game of chance, you put your bankroll on the line, but betting patterns do something that stand-alone wagers do not. With a betting pattern, you risk more money than with the average bet, but in doing so you also create situations where even if you lose a certain wager, you can still make up for the loss with another bet. This essentially balances the risk to a certain extent and, as in the case of the first two patterns, brings the house edge down to less than 1%.
Still, betting patterns require a certain degree of knowledge to implement properly, and you must understand what role each bet plays in the overall pattern. At the end of the day, betting patterns can do wonders for your craps sessions, but you also have to put in the effort to learn the ins and outs of a particular pattern in order to apply it correctly.
Conclusion
Having gone over all of the betting patterns, we are ready to conclude. Betting patterns are a great way to spice up your gameplay and to improve at the game. Craps is a game of many possibilities, and there is incredible depth to it. You will need to know every detail about the game inside and out before you can correctly apply a betting pattern, though. Each bet in a strategy serves a particular purpose, and without understanding it you might fall short of your intended target. Therefore, before you try to implement a pattern, you should brush up on your knowledge of the game and make sure that you have a deep understanding of what exactly you will be doing.
Another great point in favor of betting patterns is that they provide you with different ways to play craps. Since there are multiple wagers you can place at any one time, you have multiple ways to approach each pattern. You get to choose the level of risk for each pattern and, as a by-product, its reward potential. This alone makes betting patterns a good choice, but when you also factor in that they can reduce the overall house edge, it only makes sense to apply one. Therefore, we recommend that you carefully review the three patterns above and decide which will suit you best, taking into account the overall risk factor and the bankroll required to pull it off.