The Don't Come bet is the mirror image of the come bet: it wins when a 7 lands before the come point repeats, and loses on 7 or 11 on its very first roll. Both bets carry nearly identical math, but they put you on opposite sides of the table — and that matters more than the numbers alone.
How Does the Don't Come Bet Work?
You place chips in the Don't Come bar after a point is established. On the very next roll, a 7 or 11 loses the bet immediately. A 2 or 3 wins. A 12 is a push (the house bar). Any other number — 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 — becomes the Don't Come point, and your chips move behind that box number.
From there the resolution flips: you want a 7 to appear before that box number repeats. The shooter's goal is the opposite. That's why Don't Come bettors are sometimes called "wrong-way" players or described as fading the shooter.
What Are the Odds and House Edge?
The flat Don't Come bet carries a house edge of roughly 1.36% — slightly lower than the come bet's 1.41%. In practice the two are nearly identical. Both pay even money on the flat portion. The real difference shows up when you lay odds behind the Don't Come point, which also pay at true odds with zero house edge, just structured in reverse from the come bet's free odds.
| Bet | Flat House Edge | Flat Payout | Wins When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Come Bet | 1.41% | 1:1 | Come point repeats before a 7 |
| Don't Come Bet | ~1.36% | 1:1 | 7 appears before come point repeats |
For a deeper look at how the come bet stacks up against a similar wager, see our comparison of the Come Bet vs Pass Line — Same Edge, Different Timing.
What's the Social Dynamic at a Live Table?
Most players at a craps table are rooting for the shooter to hit numbers. A Don't Come bettor wins exactly when everyone else loses. That friction is real — especially at a loud casino table on a hot roll. It's not against the rules, but it can make for an uncomfortable session if you're playing alongside strangers.
Online, the tension disappears. At an RNG or live-dealer table you're betting against the math, not a room full of hopeful strangers.
Which Side Is the Better Play?
Mathematically, the Don't Come bet has a fractionally lower house edge. But the difference is so small it won't swing a typical session. Strategy preferences drive the choice more than the math does.
Come bettors build multi-number coverage as a round progresses. The Three Point Molly strategy, for example, uses a pass line bet and two active come bets to occupy three box numbers at once. Don't Come bettors tend toward a single position with maximum lay odds, waiting for the inevitable seven-out.
If you want to reduce the combined house edge on your total wager, taking or laying maximum odds is the key step on either side. Our guide to Come Bet Strategy: Using Odds to Cut the House Edge walks through that in detail.
Real-money online craps — where both bet types are available — is legal in New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, and Connecticut. Check your state before depositing. Must be 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
For a broader ranking of where both bets sit among all craps wagers, see The Best Low House-Edge Bets at a Craps Table — Ranked. The Don't Come and come bet consistently appear near the top of that list — whichever side you choose to play.