Craps Rules Questions

Mr. Wizard, my compliments on the website. It is informative, well-organized, and actually entertaining to read.

If you don't mind, I wanted to confirm a few craps rules and ask a question about an answer you gave in the CRAPS FAQ:

1. A "Don't Pass" bet can only be placed on a coming out roll. A Don't Pass bet cannot be placed after a point is established?

2. Odds cannot be bet on a Come bet even though a point has been established for the Pass Line bet.

3. I am confused about your answer to the question below. First, making the point would lose the Don't Pass bet, so how can it be removed. Second, it seems as though you are saying that a Don't Pass bet can be made after the point is established. Third, wouldn't it be best to make a bet on Don't Pass after the point when it is on a point of 4 or 10 since those points are less likely to roll before a sever shows up?

Thanks.

In craps, does the house edge change if you make a don't pass bet then remove it if the point is 6 or 8? What if you remove it if the point is 6,8,5,or 9? - Jon Moriarty from Danville, New Hampshire

You should never remove a don't pass bet after a point is made! Likewise you should never make or add to a pass line bet once a point is made. However if you must make a don't pass bet after the point is made then it is best to do so on a point of 6 or 8, since these have the least chance of winning. May 1, 2001

Quote: Ajax

Mr. Wizard, my compliments on the website. It is informative, well-organized, and actually entertaining to read.

If you don't mind, I wanted to confirm a few craps rules and ask a question about an answer you gave in the CRAPS FAQ:

1. A "Don't Pass" bet can only be placed on a coming out roll. A Don't Pass bet cannot be placed after a point is established?

2. Odds cannot be bet on a Come bet even though a point has been established for the Pass Line bet.

3. I am confused about your answer to the question below. First, making the point would lose the Don't Pass bet, so how can it be removed. Second, it seems as though you are saying that a Don't Pass bet can be made after the point is established. Third, wouldn't it be best to make a bet on Don't Pass after the point when it is on a point of 4 or 10 since those points are less likely to roll before a sever shows up?

Thanks.

In craps, does the house edge change if you make a don't pass bet then remove it if the point is 6 or 8? What if you remove it if the point is 6,8,5,or 9? - Jon Moriarty from Danville, New Hampshire

You should never remove a don't pass bet after a point is made! Likewise you should never make or add to a pass line bet once a point is made. However if you must make a don't pass bet after the point is made then it is best to do so on a point of 6 or 8, since these have the least chance of winning. May 1, 2001

Not the Wizard, but I play one on TV...

1. True . You could lay the point after it is established, but at a steep discount. Remember that the most likely roll is now the 7-out, so you will have to pay a premium.

2. False. Odds can be placed on Come bets once the come number is established, it works like a personal Passline bet. In fact you can only bet in the "Come" area after a shooter has established a point.

3. The question refers to a situation where a player makes an initial "Don't Pass" (DP) bet, then after a point is established (say 6), the player thinks, "a 6 is not too difficult to make. I would like to remove that bet." If the player asks the dealer, they will gladly comply, since it is stupid to take down a bet that wins if a seven is thrown before a six.

3a. You can lay any number, but at the reverse odds of the place bet.

Quote: Ayecarumba

3a. You can lay any number, but at the reverse odds of the place bet.

The lay odds (minus the vig) are actually quite a deal better than the place bet odds. They are true odds.

Thank you both for your time in answering my questions. Your explanations clear up my confusion. THank you again. Good luck.

Quote: Ayecarumba

3. The question refers to a situation where a player makes an initial "Don't Pass" (DP) bet, then after a point is established (say 6), the player thinks, "a 6 is not too difficult to make. I would like to remove that bet."

I would change both the WoO's and Ayecarumba's remarks to:

the player thinks, "a 6 is not too difficult to make to make for the shooter. I would like to remove that bet."

if you must make a don't pass bet after the point is made then it is best to do so on a point of 6 or 8, since these have the least chance of winning. passing.

there's no way you can make these moves without thinking your hunches trump probability

Quote: odiousgambit

there's no way you can make these moves without thinking your hunches trump probability

Gamblers often think that a hunch trumps probability. Dealers have often advised me to say No Action on any Don'tCome bet that turns out to be for anything other than the 6 OR 8. Mathematically its wrong to ever say No Action on it because no matter what number did roll, the DontCome bet travels to it and the is still more likely to be a Seven than anything else. Once a DonTCome bet has survived that initial roll, its a bet that is slightly an advantage to the player.