A Don’t Come bet is the Don’t Pass version of a Come bet. You make it after the main point is on. The next roll acts as your personal come-out: 2 or 3 wins, 7 or 11 loses, 12 usually pushes, and a box number sends the bet behind that number. Then 7 before that number wins.
Quick Facts
- Don’t Come is made only after the main point is established.
- The first roll can win, lose, push, or move the bet.
- 2 or 3 wins immediately.
- 7 or 11 loses immediately.
- 12 usually pushes under bar-12 rules.
- A box number becomes the Don’t Come point.
- After it travels, you win if 7 rolls before that number.
Plain Talk
The Don’t Come bet is a dark-side bet made during an active craps round.
If Don’t Pass is betting against the shooter from the start, Don’t Come is betting against a new number after the point is already on.
You place chips in the Don’t Come area. The next roll is the deciding roll for your bet. If a box number rolls, the dealer moves your bet behind that number. From there, you want 7 before that specific number repeats.
This page is about Don’t Come mechanics. For the line-bet version, read Don’t Pass Bet Explained. For the right-way opposite, read Come Bet Explained. For math and pricing, use craps house edge and craps odds.
The Wizard of Odds craps basics describes how Don’t Come follows Don’t Pass logic after the point, the Wizard of Odds wager appendix lists the Don’t Come edge, and rules documents such as the Massachusetts craps rules show formal handling of craps wagers and decisions.
How It Works
First Roll After You Make a Don’t Come Bet
| Roll | Result for Don’t Come |
|---|---|
| 2 or 3 | Wins immediately |
| 7 or 11 | Loses immediately |
| 12 | Pushes in most casinos |
| 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 | Bet travels behind that number |
After the Don’t Come Bet Travels
| Event | Result |
|---|---|
| 7 before the Don’t Come number | Don’t Come wins |
| Don’t Come number repeats before 7 | Don’t Come loses |
| Any other number | No decision |
The flat Don’t Come bet pays even money. Once it travels, you may usually lay odds. Laying odds means you risk more to win less because 7 is mathematically favored against every individual box number.
| Number opposed | Lay odds true payout |
|---|---|
| 4 or 10 | Lay 2 to win 1 |
| 5 or 9 | Lay 3 to win 2 |
| 6 or 8 | Lay 6 to win 5 |
The Don’t Come is mathematically strong but operationally more advanced than the Pass Line. Beginners often lose track of which number they are against.
Craps Table Example
The main point is 8. You place $15 in the Don’t Come area.
The shooter rolls 5. The dealer moves your Don’t Come bet behind the 5. You are now betting that 7 appears before 5.
You lay $30 odds to win $20 behind the 5. The shooter rolls 4, then 10, then 7.
| Bet | Amount risked | Payout | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Don’t Come flat bet | $15 | 1:1 | $15 |
| Lay odds against 5 | $30 | 2:3 | $20 |
| Total profit | $35 |
If the shooter had rolled 5 before 7, your $15 flat bet and $30 lay odds would have lost.
From the Casino Side:
Don’t Come bets require sharp dealer handling because the chips move to a less visually obvious area behind the box numbers. The dealer must track ownership, odds, and whether the player is changing or removing parts of the bet.
The boxman watches large lay odds and payoff accuracy. Surveillance cares about late bets, ambiguous chip movement, and disputes after a fast seven-out.
A player who says “I had odds” after the 7 appears can create a dispute if the chips were not placed clearly. In craps, clean verbal calls and clean chip placement prevent arguments.
Common Mistakes
- Making a Don’t Come bet before a main point exists.
- Thinking the first-roll 7 wins because you are a Don’t bettor.
- Forgetting that 7 loses on the first Don’t Come roll but wins after the bet travels.
- Confusing Don’t Come numbers with the main table point.
- Laying odds without understanding the larger amount at risk.
- Gloating on seven-outs.
- Touching dealer-positioned chips instead of asking the dealer.
Hard Truth
Don’t Come is not hard because of the math. It is hard because the timing flips. The same 7 can hurt you first, then help you later.
FAQ
Is Don’t Come the same as Don’t Pass?
It uses the same wrong-way logic, but Don’t Come starts after the main point is already established.
What happens if 7 rolls right after I place a Don’t Come bet?
Your Don’t Come bet loses. The first roll is like a personal come-out roll, where 7 and 11 are bad for Don’t Come.
When does 7 become good for Don’t Come?
After the bet travels behind a box number. Then 7 before that number wins.
What does Don’t Come pay?
The flat bet pays even money. Lay odds pay true odds based on the number you are against.
Is Don’t Come lower edge than Come?
Yes. Don’t Come is about 1.36%, while Come is about 1.41%, under common rules.
Can I remove a Don’t Come bet?
Often yes after it travels, but procedures can vary. Ask the dealer instead of reaching into the layout.
Is Don’t Come good for beginners?
Not as a first bet. Learn Pass Line, Don’t Pass, and Come flow first, then add Don’t Come if the timing makes sense.
Deeper Insight
The Don’t Come bet creates a common mental trap because the meaning of 7 changes.
On the first roll after the bet is placed, 7 is bad. After the bet travels, 7 is good. That flip is normal, but it catches new players constantly.
The reason is simple: the first roll is the Don’t Come bet’s personal come-out roll. Once the bet moves behind a number, it becomes a contest between that number and 7. Since 7 has six combinations and every individual box number has fewer, the Don’t Come player is favored at that stage.
But the full bet still has a house edge because of the first-roll rules and the barred 12. The casino does not need to beat you after the bet travels. It priced the whole cycle.
This is why Don’t Come is a good example of casino math versus table emotion. You can be favored in one phase and still play a negative-expectation bet overall.
Formula / Calculation
Don’t Come flat bet:
House Edge ≈ 1.36%
If the Don’t Come travels behind 6:
P(7 before 6) = 6 / (6 + 5) = 6 / 11 ≈ 54.55%
True lay odds against 6:
True Odds Payout = Losing combinations / Winning combinations = 5 / 6
Expected loss example:
$15 Don’t Come bet × 1.36% ≈ $0.20 theoretical loss per resolved decision
Formula Explanation in Plain English
After your Don’t Come bet moves behind 6, there are six ways to roll 7 and five ways to roll 6. That makes 7 more likely than 6. Because you are favored, the true-odds payout is less than even money: you lay 6 units to win 5.
The flat bet still has a house edge because the entire Don’t Come cycle includes the first roll and the barred 12 rule.
Related Reading
Review the craps guide if the sequence still feels fast. Then compare Don’t Pass Bet Explained with Come Bet Explained to see how timing changes the bet. Use craps odds and craps house edge for the math, and test larger lay-odds spreads with the house edge calculator or variance simulator.