Craps (version 2) – Part 4 of 5

Michael: Hello! I'm Mike Shackleford, often referred to as the Wizard of Odds, and I'm joined by Angela Wyman, my favorite dealer from Las Vegas. This is the fourth installment in my series about craps, and today, we're delving into the Don’t Pass and Don’t Come bets. Angela, what was your question from our last video?

Question 1 - [00:27]

Angela: I'm thrilled we’re touching on this topic! I understand these bets are supposed to be good, yet I'm completely in the dark about what they entail. Could you explain them?

Michael: Certainly! These bets are known for offering the most favorable odds on the table. Let’s kick things off with the Don’t Pass Bar. This bet is the direct opposite of the Pass bet we covered earlier. Essentially, anytime the Pass bet wins, the Don’t Pass loses, and the reverse is also true. What benefits the Pass bet is detrimental for the Don’t Pass. However, every casino has a house advantage, which means there's one specific rule that doesn’t entirely flip. You might recall that rolling a 12 on the Pass line during the Come-Out roll results in a loss. With the Don’t Pass bet, it's not a win either; it's simply a push.

That being said, the house advantage for the Don’t Pass bet is 1.36%, which is slightly less than the 1.41% for the Pass bet. If you want to maximize your odds, then Don’t Pass is your best bet. The majority of players, around 90%, usually stick to what's called betting the right way, or positively, favoring the Pass and Come bets. However, some players, like myself, prefer the opposite options because the odds can be slightly better. These players are often referred to as Wrong Way Players, Dark Side Players, or Negative Players. Typically, those betting the positive way don’t appreciate this strategy, making it less enjoyable for many, yet it stands out as the mathematically superior approach.

Angela: Okay. I'm in.

Michael: Shall we give it a try?

Angela: Yes, definitely.

Michael: Now, Angela, during a Come Out Roll, making a Don’t Pass bet is pretty straightforward. You can simply place your chips right here.

Angela: Okay. I'm on the street today.

Michael: Let's see if it keeps going.

Angela: Okay.

Dan: Seven. Take the don't.

Michael: All right, we lost that one. The players on the Pass line would have made a profit, but since we're betting oppositely, we lost. Let’s give it another go. In this case, we want to roll a two or three.

Angela: Two or three.

Dan: Eight, easy win.

Michael: The point has landed on eight. Similar to how a Pass line player aims for an eight before a seven, we’re doing the opposite—we want a seven and want to avoid the eight.

Angela: Great clarification, thanks for that.

Michael: Try to roll a seven.

Angela: All right. Here it goes.

Dan: Yo eleven.

Michael: Okay, so nothing happens there.

Angela: All right.

Michael: Action won't occur until either a seven or an eight is rolled.

Angela: All right.

Dan: Out Seven.

Michael: You did it.

Angela: Seven it is.

Michael: Seven it is.

Question 2 - [03:52]

Angela: Mike, earlier you showed me how to take odds on the Pass line. Can I apply the same strategy to the Don’t Pass?

Michael: Definitely! This is known as laying odds, and it’s an additional bet that has no house edge. It’s something you should always consider if you're comfortable with your bet amount.

Question 3 - [04:09]

Angela: How do I do that?

Michael: Let me demonstrate. First, we'll place a Don’t Pass bet, and once a point is established, I’ll explain how to lay the odds on it.

Angela: Okay.

Dan: Eight, easy, mark eight.

Michael: The point is now eight. We want to bet that a seven will come up before an eight. As previously mentioned, many casinos employ what's known as three, four, or five times odds, which simplifies laying the odds. It's consistently six times your Don’t Pass bet. Since I wagered $10, I'm laying down $60. It looks like you bet $20, meaning you’ll be laying $120 on the odds.

To physically position these bets on the table, you arrange them into what is called a hill—two small stacks touching and positioned near your Don’t Pass bet. Don’t worry if the dealer moves your chips; this is standard procedure. Unlike other bets like the Pass or field, dealers are meticulous about correctly positioning chips for laying odds, helping them remember who made which bets.

Angela: Okay.

Michael: We've placed our lay bet on the eight. You're still the shooter.

Angela: All right.

Michael: Try to get that seven.

Angela: All right.

Dan: Seven out.

Michael: Excellent! Now let's discuss your potential winnings. The payout odds for an eight or a six when laying odds are five to six. Thus, my $60 bet will yield a $50 win and your $120 bet will bring in $100. These odds are statistically fair, and we’ll also win our Don’t Pass bet as a new Come Out Roll begins.

Question 4 - [06:29]

Angela: I love this! It’s neat that there’s a Don’t Pass bet available alongside Pass, and since there’s a Come bet, is there indeed a Don’t option that mirrors it?

Michael: Absolutely! The Don’t Come is also a favorable bet with a low house advantage of 1.36%. This mirrors the structure of the Don’t Pass bet, but it's made during any rolls that are not Come Out Rolls. Similarly, rolling a 12 results in a push rather than a win.

Angela: Okay.

Michael: Let’s try a round where we only place Don’t Pass and Don’t Come bets, shall we?

Angela: Perfect.

Michael: You're still the shooter, so good luck!

Angela: Thanks.

Dan: Eight, easy way.

Angela: It’s my number.

Michael: Now let's go ahead and place some Don’t Come bets.

Dan: Five no field, DCs go behind.

Michael: Let's initiate a new Don’t Come bet.

Angela: Okay.

Dan: 10 easy way, DCs gone.

Michael: We’ve got a sizable amount of chips on the table, Angela, so aim for a seven!

Angela: Okay. All right.

Dan: Seven out, in line.

Michael: All right.

Dan: Pay the don'ts, pay behind.

Michael: We're in the position to win on all our bets, which is a fantastic aspect of betting on the Don’t side. While victories may come less frequently, when they do, they tend to be substantial.

Question 5 - [08:24]

Angela: I really enjoy this. The parallels between Pass and Don’t Pass, as well as Come and Don’t Come, are fascinating. Can I also lay odds on the Don’t Come bet just like the others?

Michael: Of course! In the intriguing world of the dark side player, you can indeed lay odds following a Don’t Come bet. Honestly, this is how I prefer to play. While it may not be seen as the most thrilling way to engage with the game, it mathematically stands out as the most effective strategy—betting Don’t Pass, Don’t Come, and maximizing your odds.

Angela: Yes. Let's play that way.

Michael: Okay! As usual, we’re on a Come Out roll now. Place your Don’t Pass bet, and you’re the lucky shooter again.

Angela: Okay.

Dan: Yo 11, take the dough.

Michael: Just like how an 11 causes a Pass bet to win, it results in a Don’t Pass loss; thus, you can't win them all.

Angela: We're back in the odd realm of craps, aren’t we?

Michael: Yes.

Angela: Hopefully, we’ll have better luck this time.

Dan: Eight easy way, mark the eight.

Michael: Let’s lay odds on the eight. Remember, you calculate this as six times your Pass line bet. Since both of us wagered $10, we'll lay $60 on the eight, arranged in a hill shape with two stacks. And just a reminder: don’t be concerned if the dealer adjusts your bets. They're very specific about placements but will handle it without any fuss. Let’s proceed with our Don’t Come bets.

Angela: All right.

Dan: Nine seven.

Michael: All right, again.

Angela: It’s just like before?

Michael: So six times your amount means we both bet $10. Now, let’s lay odds on the nine, please.

Angela: Thank you.

Michael: Now, I want to place another Don’t Come bet. You can either do it yourself or ask the dealer for assistance. If you have the length to reach over there, it's perfectly acceptable to do it yourself. However, if you're dressed in a way that makes reaching challenging, feel free to request the dealer's help.

Angela: Okay, thank you.

Michael: Great, we’re all set to roll. Let’s aim for a seven.

Angela: Here we go.

Dan: 10 hard 10.

Michael: Please lay six times your Don’t Come bet odds on the 10. Let's position yet another Don’t Come bet.

Angela: Sure, I’ll ask the dealer to place a Don’t Come on 10.

Michael: Me, too, please.

Angela: All right, here we go.

Dan: Nine, down behind the nine.

Michael: Our previous Don’t Come bet on nine just lost since that’s what you rolled, but there’s still hope—we have plenty of chances to win with a seven.

Angela: Okay.

Michael: So let’s lay odds on the new nine and place that bet.

Angela: I’ll also lay odds on the nine, please.

Michael: Could you place that on the Don’t Come for me, please?

Angela: Me as well.

Michael: All right, seven is indeed the magic number.

Angela Marie: Okay, it’s time.

Dan: Sshhh. Two crap aces, pay the DC.

Michael: Similar to how rolling a two makes a Pass or Come bet lose, it results in our win today, so we just earned $10 each. I’m going to pocket my winnings for now and let’s set up a new Don’t Come bet.

Angela: Sounds good! I’m going to do the same with a Don’t Come bet.

Michael: Just a heads-up, before you roll, you might have noticed the dealer quieting us when I said seven is our magic number. In craps, it’s considered bad luck to mention seven, especially after the Come Out Roll because many players will lose on that number, causing them to believe you’ll jinx the table. Trust me, you’ll see players get annoyed if you mention it. I’d never say that at a real casino table.

Angela: It’s like saying Macbeth in the world of gambling.

Michael: Exactly! But since we’re not superstitious, we can say whatever we please.

Angela: Suerte puerto vore?

Michael: Yes, yes. Good luck.

Dan: Seven, line away.

Angela: Yes.

Michael: Let me break down what's happening here, as we've just succeeded in three separate wagers. The lay bets made on the six and the eight offer odds of five to six. When we placed our $60 lay bet on the eight following the Don’t Pass Bet, we're set to gain $50. For the five and the nine, the lay bets provide odds of two to three, meaning our $60 on the nine will yield $40. Concerning the four and the ten, winning odds are one to two, so our lay bet of $60 on the ten will net us $30. Additionally, all of our Don’t Come bets, along with the Don’t Pass bet, will return even money. We've just landed a substantial payout.

Angela: Wooh [laughs].

Michael: From a mathematical perspective, this approach is the most effective method to play, and it's also my method of choice.

Angela: This is how I’m going to play.

Michael: All right. Okay.

Angela: All right.

Michael: It’s important to maintain a neutral expression and avoid provoking the other players. For instance, try not to exuberantly celebrate your wins, as it can upset those who are on the losing side.

Angela: Right.

Michael: So, essentially, as a player betting on the dark side, it's best to keep a low profile.

Angela: I’ll do my best.

Michael: But if you're not comfortable with this approach, I won’t fault you if you decide to bet with the table. The difference in mathematical advantage and house edge is minimal, so the choice ultimately lies with you. It often boils down to your current mood. Some players switch their strategies frequently, and that's absolutely fine.

Angela: All right.

Michael: All right.

Written by: Michael Shackleford