A come bet is a wager placed in the COME area of the craps table after the point has been established. It acts as your own personal pass line bet, winning immediately on 7 or 11 and losing on 2, 3, or 12 — then traveling to a box number if anything else is rolled.
When can you make a come bet?
Only after the come-out roll, when the white ON puck is sitting on a box number. That puck is the dealer's signal that a point is live. If the puck says OFF, the table is between rounds and come bets are not allowed yet. Start with craps rules and table layout if you haven't learned the basic flow of a round.
Where do you put the chips?
Drop your chips directly into the large COME area printed on the felt. No dealer help is needed for the flat bet itself. The dealer moves your bet to a box number for you once the dice land on one.
How does a come bet resolve?
On the very next roll after you place it:
- 7 or 11 — you win even money right away (a "natural").
- 2, 3, or 12 — you lose right away.
- 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 — the bet travels to that number. That number must roll again before a 7 for you to collect.
That second phase is where most beginners get confused. Read the full breakdown in how the come bet works: two rolls, two phases.
What does a come bet pay?
The flat come bet pays 1:1 (even money). The house edge is 1.41% — identical to the pass line bet, making it one of the lowest-edge wagers on the table. You can also place a free odds bet behind it, which pays at true odds with zero house edge. That drops the combined effective edge considerably.
Is a come bet a good bet?
At 1.41%, yes. It's among the best low house-edge bets at a craps table. The main catch: you need at least two rolls to resolve, and a seven-out while your bet is traveling means you lose. Understanding that timing is everything here.
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For deeper background on the game's structure, Casino.org's come bet explainer is a solid companion read. And when you're ready to look at where the COME area sits physically on the felt, check our guide to the craps table layout and the COME area.