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Crapless craps is a craps variant in which the come-out roll never loses: only a seven wins immediately, and every other total becomes the point, which puts the Pass Line house edge at 5.38% versus 1.41% in regular craps.
That 5.38% assumes a Pass Line bet without odds. The odds multiple is the assumption that changes the percentage most: with 3X odds, the house edge is 1.54% of the combined money wagered. Under these assumptions, removing the immediate loss costs more than playing the regular craps Pass Line; adding odds lowers the combined percentage, not the expected loss on the original bet.
The rules below describe Crown Perth’s 2025 version and Maryland’s v1.1. The calculation explains the cost of the rule, followed by a worked example showing how the main bet and odds settle together.
Why does crapless craps matter?
Crapless craps removes losing come-out results, but it does not make the Pass Line a better-value bet. The trade-off is that more totals become points, including totals that are difficult to repeat before a seven.
The Pass Line cannot lose on the come-out roll, but the point round carries the cost. Some points are much harder to repeat before a seven than others.
| Point | Probability it repeats before a seven |
|---|---|
| 2 and 12 | 14.29% (1/7) |
| 3 and 11 | 25% (1/4) |
| 4 and 10 | 33.33% |
| 5 and 9 | 40% |
| 6 and 8 | 45.45% |
The lowest chance is for 2 and 12, and the highest is for 6 and 8.
For the standard game’s contrasting come-out rules, see how to play craps. Comparing the rules alongside the house edge is more useful than judging the variant by its name.
How do the come-out roll and point round work?
On the come-out roll, seven wins the Pass Line at 1:1; every other total establishes a point. Once a point is established, it must repeat before a seven for the Pass Line to win.
The come-out roll
The opening total either settles the bet immediately or sets the number you need to roll again.
| Come-out total | Pass Line result |
|---|---|
| 7 | Wins at 1:1; the round ends |
| 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 | Becomes the point |
11 becomes the point, rather than winning immediately, under the Maryland MLGCA Standard Rules — Crapless Craps v1.1.
The same come-out and point sequence appears in Crown Perth, Crapless Craps rules, RAG/598, 2025 version, approved 20 August 2025, crownperth.com.au.
The point round
The Pass Line wins if the point repeats before a seven and loses if a seven appears first. Any other total leaves that bet unresolved, so rolling continues.
After establishing a point, you can supplement the Pass Line with free odds, a wager paid at true odds with zero house edge. “Free” describes the absence of a mathematical house edge—not a free stake. Your own money is at risk.
For points 2 and 12, the true-odds payout is 6:1; for points 3 and 11, it is 3:1. These larger payouts compensate for the lower chance of repeating those points before a seven.
How to calculate the house edge
For the Pass Line alone, the house edge is 5.38%; for the Pass Line plus odds, divide the original expected loss by the larger average amount wagered. Odds are added only when a point is established, so they are not in play during every round.
House edge means expected loss as a percentage of the relevant betting base. It is not a prediction of the result of one round.
Pass Line calculation
The Pass Line calculation compares the probability of losing with the probability of winning, because the bet pays 1:1.
- Pass Line win probability: 0.473088.
- House edge = probability of losing − probability of winning.
- Using unrounded probabilities, the result is 373/6930, or 5.38% rounded to two decimal places.
This calculation covers a full cycle from the come-out roll until the Pass Line settles, not a single roll. The displayed win probability is rounded; it should not be used to reconstruct the exact fraction.
Pass Line plus odds calculation
The combined house edge uses the average total amount wagered over complete cycles, including cycles that end before odds can be added.
A seven ends the cycle on the come-out roll with probability 6/36, or 16.67%. A point is established with probability 30/36, or 83.33%.
If m is the odds multiple relative to the Pass Line stake:
Combined house edge = Pass Line house edge ÷ (1 + m × 30/36).
This assumes you add the same odds multiple after every point is established and receive true-odds payouts. The calculation uses the unrounded Pass Line house edge; the percentages below are rounded to two decimal places.
Table: Pass Line house edge in crapless craps at 0X, 1X, 3X, 5X and 10X odds, educational calculationEducational calculation with true-odds payouts: 5.38% without odds, 1.54% at 3X odds. The odds multiple is an assumption, not a table rule.
| Odds multiple relative to the Pass Line stake | House edge on the combined amount wagered |
|---|---|
| 0X — no odds | 5.38% |
| 1X | 2.94% |
| 2X | 2.02% |
| 3X | 1.54% |
| 5X | 1.04% |
| 10X | 0.58% |
Wizard of Odds reports the Pass Line house edge and combined values for 1X–5X odds. The table uses this article’s own calculations, including the 10X value.
Under these assumptions, adding odds lowers the percentage by adding a zero-edge wager to the betting base. It does not reduce the expected dollar loss on a fixed Pass Line stake, and it increases the amount you can lose in a round.
Worked example: a Pass Line bet with odds on point 6
With point 6 established, the combined bet wins if six appears before seven and loses if seven appears first.
Suppose you have $10 on the Pass Line and add $30 in odds after establishing point 6. The true-odds payout for six is 6:5.
- Six before seven: the Pass Line earns +$10, and the odds earn $30 × 6/5 = +$36. Your net profit is +$46, with the original stakes also returned.
- Seven before six: both stakes lose, for a net result of −$40.
The 6:5 payout describes profit on the odds wager, not a return that includes the stake. No additional rounding is needed here. This example assumes true-odds payouts and a supplemental wager three times the Pass Line stake.
Crapless vs regular craps: what changes
| Outcome or feature | Crapless craps | Regular craps |
|---|---|---|
| Come-out roll: 2, 3 or 12 | Becomes the point | Pass Line loses |
| Come-out roll: 11 | Becomes the point | Pass Line wins |
| Come-out roll: 7 | Pass Line wins 1:1 | Pass Line wins 1:1 |
| Don't Pass bet | Not offered | Offered |
| Pass Line house edge | 5.38% | 1.41% |
| Pass Line house edge with 3X odds (share of all money at risk) | 1.54% | 0.47% (point set with probability 24/36) |
The first roll no longer loses, but the point that replaces it can take longer to resolve.
Place bets and where the variant is found
Wizard of Odds lists place bets on 2 and 12 at 11 to 2 and on 3 and 11 at 11 to 4; with those payouts the calculated house edge is 7.14% and 6.25%. Maryland allows lower payouts, 25 to 5 on 2 and 12 (house edge 14.29%) and 13 to 5 on 3 and 11 (10%), so check the table's payout. A place bet on 2 or 12 wins before a seven with probability 1/7, and one on 3 or 11 with probability 1/4.
Wizard of Odds has described crapless craps as very popular in Detroit casinos and noted that it could still be found at the Stratosphere. Treat this as a historical description, not a current count of venues, and check the specific table before playing.
What limits and mistakes should you watch for?
Check the specific rules and odds limits before applying these calculations. The game’s name alone does not establish every available bet or payout condition.
- Rule versions: use the come-out and point rules described above only where the local rules match them. Do not transfer unverified betting conditions from one version to another.
- No Don't Pass: this bet is not offered in crapless craps, as reported by Wizard of Odds. A regular-craps approach built around Don't Pass does not carry over.
- Calculator boundary: the craps payout calculator covers regular craps; crapless craps is not implemented. Use the rules and formula on this page for this variant.
- Odds limits depend on the table: Maryland MLGCA Standard Rules Chapter 6, section C, lets a facility operator allow a supplemental wager up to one hundred times the Pass stake; the Crown Perth text used here does not state an odds multiple. The 3X example is a calculation assumption, not evidence that a table accepts that amount.
- Different percentage bases: the Pass Line-only percentage applies to the main stake; the combined percentage includes the average amount placed in odds. Keep that distinction when comparing figures.
Bubble variants are a separate topic; see bubble craps odds for that format.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A simpler opening does not guarantee a smaller financial risk. Choose a total amount you can afford to lose, rather than treating a protected first roll as protection for your bankroll.
No. It describes a long-run mathematical expectation, not a fixed loss in every session. A short session can finish very differently.
No. Taking odds is optional. You can decline the supplemental wager if committing more money does not suit your budget.
Ask which odds multiples are allowed for each point and how those wagers pay. If the answers differ from the assumptions used here, check whether the calculation still applies before betting.
No. A round can include several rolls after a point is established. For Pass Line expected-loss calculations, count complete cycles from the come-out roll to settlement, not individual throws.
Evgeniy Volkov
Verified ExpertFullstack developer with a background in mathematics. I build the calculators and game-style tools on ToolsGambling with Pixi.js and modern web tech, and every result uses transparent probability formulas you can verify yourself.