# Qestion on Craps **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 4, 2001, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qestion-on-craps/85454 "2001-10-04T22:15:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2001, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qestion-on-craps/85454/21 "2001-10-07T03:34:32Z")
Caldazar said: > [@](#): > > The thing about Don’t Pass bets that has me a bit puzzled is that while they give the house an edge overall, once your bet survives the come-out roll (which it will fail to do so more often than it succeeds, granted), the edge swings to the player. So why would you want to lay odds and reduce your expectation percentage? It does seem puzzling. To interpret, I belive you are saying that: On a given don’t pass hand with a $10 bet, let’s say **the point is a 10.** Right now the odds are 2 to 1 in your favor of winning your bet (66%). If you put down an additional $10, that additional $10 odds has (50%). So why would you want to average your winning bet with the 50% bet, you’re just bring your overall average down, eh? Which is sound reasoning as long as you stick to the percentages. However, you have also increased your bet to $20 instead of $10. Before odds: 1 out of 3 times you lose $10 2 out of 3 times you win $10 Expected value = (1/3)_(-10) + (2/3)_(+10) = +$3.33 With single odds: 1 out of 3 times you lose $20 2 out of 3 times you win $15 Expected value = (1/3)_(-20) + (2/3)_(15) = -6.66 + 10 = +$3.33 Therefore, we deduce there ain’t a damn bit of difference in the probability side of things, the only difference is the amount of action you got going. As you said, the _expectation percentage_ has changed, but the actual _expected value_ has not. The percentage has changed in exact proportion to the amount of extra money you’ve put out behind the line. This particular example works if the point is 4 or 10, I feel pretty dang confident the math will check for the other points also. Hope this helps to clarify. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/qestion-on-craps/85454.md?page=1)