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The 3-Point Molly Strategy
The 3-Point Molly stacks a pass line bet with two come bets, all backed by full odds, to keep more of your money working at the lowest-edge numbers — but it doesn't lower your overall house edge.
The 3-Point Molly is a popular craps strategy built entirely from bets you already know: pass line, come bets, and free odds, all covered in the full odds table. It doesn't introduce anything new mathematically, which is worth saying upfront before you learn the mechanics.
How it works. You start with a pass line bet and back it with full odds once the point is set. Then, instead of stopping there, you place two come bets, each backed with full odds once they establish their own point. The result: you end up with three numbers working for you at once, each backed by the zero-edge odds bet.
Why people like it. It keeps your bankroll active across more numbers instead of waiting on a single point. It also front-loads as much money as possible into the free odds bet, which you know has no house edge.
The 3-Point Molly changes how your money is distributed across bets — it does not change the house edge on any individual bet.
Here's the catch. Every bet inside the strategy still carries its own individual house edge: pass line at ~1.41%, come bets at the same rate, and odds bets at 0%. Stacking three of them doesn't create a discount. Your total expected loss scales with your total amount wagered, not down because you spread it across more numbers.
Element | House edge | Role in the strategy |
|---|---|---|
Pass line bet | ~1.41% | Base bet #1 |
Come bet #1 | ~1.41% | Base bet #2 |
Come bet #2 | ~1.41% | Base bet #3 |
Odds behind each | 0% | Reduces blended average edge |
What the 3-Point Molly does accomplish is lowering your blended average edge per dollar wagered, the same benefit you get from adding odds to a single pass line bet, just applied three times over. If you take max odds on all three bets, a larger share of your total action sits at 0% edge, which is a real, if modest, improvement over betting pass line alone with no odds. It's still ranked against every other option in best bets, ranked.
The tradeoff is variance and bankroll requirements. Three bets backed with odds means more money in play at once and bigger swings, win or lose, in either direction. It's not a way to beat the house; it's a way to structure your bankroll if you want continuous action with the lowest edge available.
Treat this as one option among several, not a system that guarantees results. The next lesson looks at betting systems like the Martingale, and why none of them change the math either.
Sources
- Wizard of Odds: Craps House Edge Appendix (retrieved July 2026)
- VegasInsider: Craps Odds, True Odds & House Edge (retrieved July 2026)
- Hard Rock Bet: How to Play Craps – Odds (retrieved July 2026)
Frequently asked questions
Does the 3-Point Molly lower the house edge?
No. Each bet inside a 3-Point Molly, whether pass line, come, or the odds behind them, carries the exact same house edge (1.41% for the line bets, 0% for the odds portion, per Wizard of Odds) it would carry on its own. The strategy changes how much of your bankroll is exposed, not the math on any single wager.
What happens if a 7 rolls after I have all three points working?
A 7 ends your pass line bet and every working come bet at once, since 7 is a loser for all of them after the come-out. This is the main risk of running three numbers simultaneously: one roll can wipe out several bets in a single throw.
How much bankroll do I need for a 3-Point Molly?
More than flat betting a single pass line wager. With 3-4-5x odds on a $10 base bet, a fully backed point can mean $40-$50 riding on odds alone, times three points, so plan for total exposure well above what a single bet requires.
Can I run a 3-Point Molly with don't pass instead of pass line?
Yes, using don't pass and don't come bets backed with lay odds works the same way and actually carries a very slightly lower edge (1.36% versus 1.41%, per VegasInsider).
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