Walk Away Craps

Why a Place Bet is Better

Than a Pass Line/Come Bet With Odds

By: David Udjat , for Walk Away Craps

Most people who play craps play the same way. They make a Pass Line bet and once the point is established they take full odds. In addition, many players will make one or two Come bets and then take full odds. For all intent and purposes a Come bet is the same as a Pass Line bet. It is the authors opinion that such bets are poor bets and that a Place bet is more practical and a better bet. My opinion is based on the reasons set forth below.

First, a Place bet for the same amount wagered as a Pass Line or Come bet with full odds will pay more. For example, if you make a Pass Line bet for $5 and the point is 5 (or 9 since they pay the same), you can take double odds behind the line which is $10. For a 5 or 9, the behind the line odds bet is paid 3 to 2. You now have a total bet of $15. If the shooter makes a 5, you are paid even money ($5) for the Pass Line bet and 3 to 2 for the behind the line odds bet ($15), a total of $20. Simply stated your Pass Line bet of $5 with odds of $10 for a point of 5 will pay you $20. If you take the same $15 ($5 Pass Line plus $10 odds) and made a place bet on the 5, you would win $21. The Place bet of 5 pays 7 to 5. Bet $15, get paid $21. Thus, the Place bet on a 5 or 9 pays more than a Pass Line /Come bet for the same amount risked when the point is a 5 or 9.

The same is true if the point number is 4 (or 10 since they pay the same). Let’s say you make the same $5 Pass Line bet on the come out roll and the shooter establishes a point of 4. You then take double odds of $10 behind the line, a total bet of $15. For a point of 4 or 10 the behind the line odds bet is paid two to one. So if the shooter makes his point you are paid $5 even money for the Pass Line bet and $20 for the $10 odds bet, a total of $25. If you take the same $15 and make a Place bet instead of the Pass Line and the shooter makes a 4, you are paid $27 because the Place bet on a 4 or 10 pays 9 to 5. Thus, the Place bet on a 4 or 10 will pay more than a Pass Line/Come bet for the same amount when the point is 4 or 10.

Another reason the Place bet is better than a Pass Line/Come bet is that the shooter must roll the same number twice to win a Pass Line/Come bet whereas a shooter only needs to roll a Place number once to win the wager. The reason is that the shooter first must roll the number to establish the point and then roll the same number again before a 7 to win the wager. With a Place bet the shooter only needs to roll the number once before a 7 to win the wager.

A third reason the Place bet is better than a Pass Line/Come bet is that you can take your Place bet down anytime, but a Pass Line/Come bet must remain working until you either win or lose. The Pass Line/Come bet is a contract bet so you lose control of your wager and let the roll of the dice decide the outcome. With a Place bet, you can control the wager and turn off or take down the wager at anytime. So if the shooter hits a Place bet number you can lock up your winnings and take down the Place bet. As stated above, the shooter must first roll the number to establish the point and then roll the number again, before a 7 to win the wager. With a Pass Line/Come bet if the shooter rolls a number to establish the point, he may not roll that number again. Meanwhile the player making the Place bet has already won. How many times have you been to a craps table and see a shooter have a long roll of 12 or more numbers yet never make his Pass Line point?

Some players may argue that by not making a Pass Line bet you miss out on a Come out roll wherein a 7 or 11 wins. Of course the Pass Line will lose on a 2, 3 or 12. While this may seem to be a valid argument, the question becomes why follow up with a Come bet? If the shooter does roll a 7 on the Come bet, the player does win the bet, but then loses his Pass Line bet and his odds (I am assuming the player takes his odds bet once the point is established). To me it appears the player is betting against himself. Instead of making a Come bet to establish more numbers, the player simply makes a Place bet.

I am very interested in your comments (positive or negative, good or bad) and questions to this article. Please email me at walkawaycraps@gmail.com.