Can’t Stop — Dice Odds & Game
Play the press-your-luck dice game, with the exact bust chance for all 165 trios of columns counted over every one of the 1,296 rolls.
You cannot bust until the third runner is out
While you still have a spare runner, every sum is usable — so the first two rolls of a turn are free, and there is never a reason not to take them. A bust is arithmetically impossible before the third runner lands.
The moment it does, the game changes completely: from then on the roll must hit one of your three columns or the whole turn is lost. So the real decision in Can’t Stop is not whether to roll again — it is which third column to open, and that choice moves your bust chance by a factor of seven.
From 8% to 56%, decided by the trio
Every one of the 165 possible trios, counted exactly over all 1,296 rolls of four dice:
| Safest trios | Bust |
|---|---|
| 6, 7, 8 | 8.02% |
| 5, 7, 8 | 8.56% |
| 6, 7, 9 | 8.56% |
| 4, 6, 8 | 8.87% |
| 6, 8, 10 | 8.87% |
| 4, 7, 8 | 9.72% |
| Worst trios | Bust |
|---|---|
| 2, 11, 12 | 56.17% |
| 2, 3, 12 | 56.17% |
| 10, 11, 12 | 47.84% |
| 2, 3, 4 | 47.84% |
| 3, 11, 12 | 47.45% |
| 2, 3, 11 | 47.45% |
“Always take the seven” is wrong. A seven advances on 64.35% of rolls, more than any other number, which is why players reach for it. But the trio is what busts you: the best trio without a seven — 4, 6, 8 at 8.87% — beats the worst trio with one, 7, 11, 12 at 24.77%. Nearly three times as often.
The reason is correlation. Three columns want to fail independently. 4, 6, 8 works because a roll that misses one usually hits another; 7, 11, 12 fails because 11 and 12 both need the same rare high dice, so they fail together. It is not the individual odds that ruin a turn, it is their overlap.
The odds mirror around seven. The board pays for it.
| Column | Chance a roll can advance it | Squares to the top | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 13.19% | 3 | |
| 3 | 23.30% | 5 | |
| 4 | 35.57% | 7 | |
| 5 | 44.75% | 9 | |
| 6 | 56.10% | 11 | |
| 7 | 64.35% | 13 | |
| 8 | 56.10% | 11 | |
| 9 | 44.75% | 9 | |
| 10 | 35.57% | 7 | |
| 11 | 23.30% | 5 | |
| 12 | 13.19% | 3 |
2 and 12 are exactly as likely as each other, as are 3 and 11, and so on the whole way in — the odds are perfectly symmetric. The board is not: the outer columns are only three squares long precisely because they are so hard to hit. That is the compensation, and it is why finishing a 2 is a real strategy rather than a joke.
How to use
- Roll four dice and pick one of the three ways to pair them.
- Watch the bust chance — it stays at zero until your third runner is out.
- Stop to make your runners permanent, or push on and risk the lot.
- Use the trio table to choose which third column to open.
Frequently asked questions
When can you bust in Can’t Stop?
Only once all three runners are committed. While you still have a spare runner, every sum on the dice is usable, so a bust is arithmetically impossible. The first two rolls of a turn are free and there is never a reason not to take them.
What is the best combination of columns in Can’t Stop?
Six, seven and eight, which busts on just 8.02% of rolls. The worst are two, three and twelve, and two, eleven and twelve, both busting 56.17% of the time — a sevenfold difference decided entirely by which third column you open.
Should you always take the seven?
No, and this is the most common mistake. A seven advances on 64.35% of rolls, more than any other number, but the trio is what busts you. Four, six and eight — with no seven at all — busts 8.87% of the time, while seven, eleven and twelve busts 24.77%. Nearly three times as often.
Why does a trio without a seven beat one with a seven?
Correlation. Three columns want to fail independently of each other. Four, six and eight cover different dice pairings, so a roll that misses one usually hits another. Eleven and twelve both need the same rare high dice, so they fail together — and a seven alongside them does not save the turn.
How likely is each number in Can’t Stop?
Seven can be made from 64.35% of rolls, six and eight from 56.10%, and two and twelve from only 13.19%. The odds are perfectly symmetric around seven, so two and twelve are equally likely, as are three and eleven, and so on.
Why are the outer columns so short?
Because they are so hard to hit. The two and twelve columns are three squares long against thirteen for the seven, which is the board compensating for the odds. It is what makes finishing a two a real strategy rather than a joke.
How are these numbers worked out?
By counting, not simulating. There are exactly 1,296 ways four dice can fall, and each is checked against each of the 165 possible trios. The figures are exact rather than estimated.
Does this send anything anywhere?
No. The game and the odds both run in your browser.
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