Don't Pass Line

The game of craps is begun by the guy in the center of the table with a stick pushing a set of five or six dice to the shooter and the shooter will choose 2 of these dice.  The shooter must have a bet on either the pass line or the don't pass line.  The shooter will then throw the dice to the opposite end of the table.  This begins the game of craps.  Since you know about how the pass line bet works I want to show you the don't pass line bet and how it works.

This is called a don't pass line bet.  As you can see here the point has not yet been established.  To win this bet before the point is established the shooter must roll a 2 or a 3.  The 12 is considered a push.  In a couple casinos the 12 or 3 wins and the 2 pushes.  It really depends on the casino, but most casinos have it where the 2 wins and the 12 pushes.  On the come out roll the 7 or 11 looses.

Once one of the box numbers is rolled that box number becomes the point.  If you've been following or reading any posts before this you would see the pass line bettors would want the point to be rolled before the 7, but not us.  We as the dark side bettors or people with a bet on the don't pass line would actually want the 7 to be rolled before the established point is rolled.  In my first article I showed the odds for each number.  If you think about it this way you have a 24/36 chances to establish the point and only a 6/36 chances to roll the seven.  Once the point is established the odds go into your favor as you have a 6/36 chance to roll a seven and anywhere from either a 3/36 chance with the 4 and 10, a 4/36 with the 5 and 10, and a 5/36 chance with the 6 and 8.  You see why the smarter players on the craps table would bet the don't pass.  a 6/36 chances are a lot greater than any other of the numbers to roll again.

So, as you can see in the picture the 6 is the established point.  In order to win here the 7 must be rolled before the 6 in order for the don't pass bar to win.  If the 6 is rolled before the 7 the pass bar looses.

Now that you know about the pass line and the don't pass bar bets you have the basic basic part of the game down.  This week I will teach you about the come bet and the don't come bets.