Come & Don’t Come Bets: The Game Within the Game

If the Pass Line is the foundation of craps, Come and Don’t Come bets are the building blocks that allow you to scale your strategy. In the 2026 gaming scene, these are the preferred tools for players who want “continuous action” without waiting for the Puck to reset to the OFF position.

Essentially, a Come bet is a private “mini-game” that starts whenever you’re ready, regardless of what the rest of the table is doing.

How the Come Bet Works

Think of a Come bet as a second Pass Line bet that you place after a Point has already been established. When the Puck is ON, you drop your chips into the large “COME” box on the layout.

• The First Roll: Just like the Pass Line, if the very next roll is a 7 or 11, your Come bet wins instantly. If it’s a 2, 3, or 12, you lose.
• Moving to a Number: If any other number rolls (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10), your Come bet is physically moved by the dealer into that specific number’s box.
• The Mission: That number is now your “personal point.” You win if that number rolls again before a 7. If the shooter “Sevens Out,” your Come bet (and the rest of the table) loses.

The Don’t Come: Playing the Dark Side Mid-Round

The Don’t Come bet is the mirror image of the Come bet. It’s for the player who believes the shooter is about to lose. Like the Don’t Pass, it carries a slightly better house edge of 1.36%.

• Instant Win/Loss: On the first roll after placing the bet, you win on a 2 or 3 and lose on a 7 or 11 (12 is a push).
• Establishing the Bar: If a point number rolls, your bet moves to the “Don’t Come” bar behind that number.
• The Goal: You are now rooting for a 7 to roll before that specific number. In 2026, many “Dark Side” players use this to hedge against other bets they have on the table.

Why Pros Use Come Bets in 2026

In the modern craps environment, “flat betting” (just a Pass Line bet) is often seen as too slow. Come bets allow you to have multiple numbers “working” for you at the same time.

1. The Three-Point Molly: This is the most famous strategy using Come bets. You have a Pass Line bet and two Come bets active. This means you have three different numbers that can make you a winner on every single roll.
2. Taking the Odds: Just like the Pass Line, you can take the odds on your Come bets. Once the dealer moves your chips to a number, you tell them “Odds on the Come,” and they will stack your additional chips on top (offset slightly). This is how you maximize your 0% house edge potential.
3. Managing the “Seven-Out”: The risk of multiple Come bets is that a single 7 wipes them all out. In 2026, smart bankroll management means only having as many Come bets active as your total session budget can handle losing in one go.

A Note on the Come-Out Roll

Here is a 2026 pro-tip that catches many beginners off guard: What happens to your Come bets if the shooter hits their main Point and the Puck goes back to OFF?

By default, the Odds on your Come bets are “Off” during the next Come-Out roll. This protects you from losing your high-stakes odds if the shooter rolls a “Natural” 7. However, the original “flat” part of your Come bet is always “Live.” If you want your odds to work during the Come-Out, you must specifically tell the dealer: “Make my Come Odds work.”