Learn How to Play Craps!
You have to know the lingo if you want to play the game
| Learn How to Play Craps! Lesson 2 – The “Lingo” of Craps You have to know the lingo if you want to play the game | |
| A – B – C – D – E – F – G – H – I – J – K – L – M – N – O – P – Q – R – S – T – U – V – W – X – Y – Z | |
| 2-Way Eleven Player betting one roll wager on 11 for himself AND the dealers. | |
| 2-Way Parley When player calls a parley bet for himself AND the dealers. | |
| 3-way craps a bet made in units of 3 with one unit on 2, one unit on 3, and one unit on 12. This is a horn bet without the bet on 11 and is a MUCH better bet than Any Craps. | |
| 3-Way Seven A better way to make a wager on Any Seven. | |
| 5 Count A system developed by the “Captain” to avoid bad rolls, stretch your time and money at the table and sets you up for the good rolls. For more information read Beat the Craps out of the Casinos by Frank Scoblete. | |
| Aces betting that the next roll will be the total sum of 2 | |
| Ace/Deuce A one roll bet on the 3. | |
| Aces -Ace/Deuce A one roll bet on 2 and 3. | |
| Action How busy the table is. Or… wagers that are in play. | |
| Any craps a bet that the next roll will be 2, 3, or 12. This bet pays 7:1 and has a house edge of 11.1%. | |
| Any seven a bet that the next roll will be 7. This bet pays 4:1 and has a house edge of 16.7%. | |
| Apron The outer perimeter of the table lay-out (felt). | |
| At Risk Usually used to indicate that a player’s wager is active or “in action”. | |
| Backline same as Don’t Pass Line | |
| Ballerina special Two twos | |
| Bank Craps The Proper Name of the casino game of Craps. | |
| Bar the 12 (or 2) A standoff for wrong bettors. Allows casinos to keep it’s advantage on the Don’t Pass/Don’t Come bets | |
| Barber Poll When a player intermingles gaming cheques of different denominations. Wagers made combining different denominations are supposed to be stacked with the highest denomination at the bottom. | |
| Big 6 a bet that a 6 will be rolled before a 7 comes up. This bet pays even money, and has a house edge of 9.1%. A place bet on 6 pays 7:6 but is identical otherwise. The place bet is preferred, having a house edge of 1.5% | |
| Big 8 a bet that an 8 will be rolled before a 7 comes up. This bet pays even money, and has a house edge of 9.1%. A place bet on 8 pays 7:6 but is identical otherwise. The place bet is preferred, having a house edge of 1.5% | |
| Big Red placing a bet on Any Seven | |
| Black Dealer slang for $100 gaming cheques which in most casinos are black. | |
| Bones another name for dice. | |
| BowlThe wooden, plastic and sometimes metal bowl near the stickman that houses the dice. | |
| Box Numbers Numbers which can be established as a “point” are considered box numbers. (4,5,6,8,9,10) | |
| Boxcars betting on the 12. | |
| Boxman table supervisor who sits between the stickman and directly behind the thousands of dollars worth of chips that the casino keeps on hand at each craps table. | |
| Boys (or The Boys) Slang for the Dealers. | |
| Bring Out A term used by dealers and players when making a hard way bet or a place bet of the point number, to “bring” it out. | |
| Broke Money transportation money given to the broke player by the casino. | |
| Buffalo placing a bet on each of the Hardways and Any Seven. | |
| Buffalo-Yo Same as above…but with Hardways and Eleven. | |
| Bump When a dealer gets an extra 20 minute break because the table or pit is overstaffed in comparison to the gaming activity. | |
| Buy bet giving the house a 5% commission in order to be paid correct odds for a place bet. The buy bets on 4 and 10 allow the player to reduce the house edge from 6.67% to 4% on these bets. Some casinos collect the commission only on winning bets, while others collect it at the time the bet is made. | |
| C and E Bet a proposition bet on the 11 (E) or any craps (C) | |
| Capped Dice crooked dice | |
| Change Only Called by Dealers when cash is thrown or placed on the table by a Player to indicate that player requires gaming cheques in exchange for cash AS OPPOSED to MONEY PLAYS. | |
| Charting a Table Keeping track of table outcomes, either on paper or using chips in your chip rack. | |
| Cheques Also called CHIPS | |
| Cocked Dice die or dice that end up leaning on the wall, gaming cheques or money. Call is made by the stickman based on the natural lean of the dice as if the intruding object was taken away. | |
| Cold Table when shooters are not making their Points. | |
| Color In Houseperspective of cashing out smaller valued chips for larger valued chips when player is leaving the craps table | |
| Color Out cashing out smaller valued chips for larger valued chips when leaving the craps table | |
| Coloring Up Player exchanging small denomination gaming cheques for larger ones… OR The House INTENTIONALLY exchanging small denomination cheques for larger ones in order to ENTICE player to make larger bets. | |
| Come bet a “virtual pass line bet”; a bet made after the come out roll but in other respects exactly like a pass line bet. | |
| Come out roll the first roll of the dice in a betting round is called the “come out” roll. Pass bets win when the come out roll is 7 or 11, while pass bets lose when the come out roll is 2, 3, or 12. Don’t bets lose when the come out roll is 7 or 11, and don’t bets win when the come out roll is 2 or 3. Don’t bets tie when the come out roll is 12 (2 in some casinos; the “bar” roll on the layout indicates which roll is treated as a tie). | |
| Comp Complimentary services provided to players by the casino in exchange for gaming action of the player. | |
| Covered Dealer and player working in concert to make sure that multiple bets are properly positioned. | |
| Crap the numbers 2,3 and 12 | |
| Craps The commonly referred to name of the game or the 2,3 or 12 on the “Come Out”, 1st roll of the dice. | |
| Crap Out the numbers 2,3 or 12 on the first roll. | |
| Crapless Craps A rare table where 2,3, 11 and 12 are POINTS. The Stratosphere is the only casino in Las Vegas with a Crapless Craps Table. | |
| Dead When there are no players at the table. | |
| Dealer is responsible for all the bets made on his half of the table. Whenever you want to make free odds, place, or lay bet in a casino, you should give the money to the dealer at your end of the table and he will make the bet for you. | |
| Dice are in the Middle When dice are brought in by the stickman and placed above the Proposition Bets and in front of the Boxman. This is when wagers should be made by the players. | |
| Dime Dealer slang for 2 $5 gaming cheques. | |
| Don’t come bet A “virtual don’t pass bet”; a bet made after the come out roll. | |
| Don’t pass bet a bet that the dice will not pass. This bet can be placed only immediately before a “come out” roll. One result (either the 2 or the 12, depending on the casino) will result in a push. House edge on these bets is 1.40%. A Don’t Pass bet can be taken down, but not increased, after the come-out roll. | |
| Double odds an free odds bet that is about twice as large as the original pass/come bet. Some casinos offer higher odds, such as 5X or even 10X odds. | |
| Down Behind Usually called by a dealer to inform a Don’t bettor that his wager has lost. | |
| Down the Middle (or Straight Out) Usually refers to Player Position number 6 in the center of either end of the table. | |
| Down with Odds Usually stated and executed by dealer when paying off a player Place Bet and moving SAME PLAYER Come Bet onto a specific number. This secures that specific player is COVERED on the specific number. | |
| Downtown Odds Better odds (pay-offs) on Proposition Bets, Place Bets on 6 & 8 and Field as offered in most Downtown Las Vegas casinos. | |
| Drop The amount of cash money made by a casino shift on a specific table. The boxman is responsible for keeping track as players cash into the game in exchange for gaming cheques (chips). | |
| Drop Box The metal box situated underneath the table that houses the cash from player buy-ins. | |
| Drop Slot The slot on the table, in front of the house bank where the boxman or dealers drop the cash from player buy-ins. | |
| Duker (as in Duke) Heavy money coming into a game, usually more than one player and usually at both ends of the table. Raises a concern by boxman, floor people and dealers that it is going to get real crazy. Dealers will probably be dealing in 4 or 5 “colors” ($1, $5, $25, $100 and maybe even $500 cheques. | |
| Eyeballs or Eyes Slang for 2 | |
| Eye in the Sky Surveillance video or live monitoring of the game. | |
| Field bet a bet that the next roll would be 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. This bet pays even money for 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11, and usually pays 2:1 for 2 or 12. Some casinos pay 3:1 for either the 2 or 12 (but not both), and some casinos may make the 5 instead of the 9 a field roll. | |
| Fifty Yard Line The middle of the table. A fair roll of the dice SHOULD pass the 50 Yard Line. | |
| Fill When The House replenishes the House Bank. This is usually done with security guards present. The boxman has to count the fill and a dealer needs to sign the receipt which goes to the casino cage. | |
| Flat Bet A Players original contract bet…usually on the Pass Line or Don’t Pass Line before “taking” or “laying” odds. | |
| Free Odds These are the odds offered which vary from casino to casino. Usually expressed as “Double Odds”, 3X, 4X, 5X, 10X, or even as high as 100X. | |
| Garden Slang for the FIELD | |
| George A Player who is consistent in toking (tipping) the dealers. | |
| Green Dealer slang for $25 gaming cheques which in most casinos are green. | |
| Green Light When dealers have approval by floor management and/or boxman to hustle tokes (tips). | |
| Hand-In A Toke (tip) handed in to the dealer(s). Usually during a good roll of the dice or while cashing out prior to leaving the table. | |
| Hard Way a bet on 4, 6, 8, or 10 that wins only if the dice show the same face; e.g., “hard 8” occurs when each die shows a four. | |
| Hardways Work Unless Called Off Should always be called by Stickman on Come-Out roll to remind players that hardway bets are at risk unless player calls them off. | |
| Hawking the DiceWhen a dealer looks at the dice when rolled to the opposite end of the table. Dealers are supposed to watch their end of the table at all times to maximize customer service and game protection. | |
| Hedge bet Two or more wagers made at a crap table in an attempt to insure one or the other. | |
| Hi-Lo A one roll bet on 2 & 12 | |
| Hi-Lo-Yo A one roll bet on 2,12 & 11 | |
| Hit a Brick Sometimes stated by Stickman when a die hits a stack of gaming cheques and does not roll the length of the table | |
| Hook Player positions 4 and 5 near the corner of either end of the table. Often referred to as Inside Hook or Outside Hook. | |
| Hop bet a bet that the next roll will result in one particular combination of the dice, such as 2-2 (called a “hopping hard four”) or 3-5. 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, and 5-5 are paid the same as a one-roll 2; other hop bets are paid the same as a one-roll 11. | |
| Horn bet a bet that the next roll will be 2, 3, 11, or 12, made in multiples of 4, with one unit on each of the numbers. | |
| Horn high bet a bet made in multiples of 5 with one unit on 3 of the horn numbers, and two units on the “high” number (number 12). “$5 horn high eleven”: $1 each on 2, 3, 12, and $2 on the 11. | |
| Hot Table when players are winning, usually passline, come and/or place bettors. | |
| House Bank All the gaming cheques stacked up between the dealers and in front of the boxman. Used to pay off winning wagers or color-ins. | |
| Inside Numbers 5 6 8 9 | |
| Inside Stick When there are only two dealers dealing a game the Stick is handled “inside” by one of the dealers. | |
| Insurance bet Two or more wagers made at a crap table in an attempt to insure one or the other. Also known as a “hedge” bet. | |
| Jammer A slow or disorganized dealer who clutters the table by spilling his stacks or by poor positioning of player wagers. | |
| Jam-Up A game that is slowed down because there are cheques all over the place and plenty of wagers being placed. | |
| Juice Same as Vigorish. A commission fee on certain wagers. | |
| Key A mathematical formula used by Dealers to figure out pay-offs, usually on complicated Proposition Bets. | |
| Lammer Plastic coin like markers that are placed on Buy and Lay Bets and that are also used to mark bets ON or OFF (bets in action). Also used by boxman to keep track of the total money in the DROP. | |
| Late Bet Called “Bet” or “NO Bet” by the dealer or boxman when a player makes a bet after dice have been sent out OR when the dice are already In The Air. | |
| Lay bet a bet that a 7 will be rolled before the number you are laying (4,5,6,8,9, or 10) comes up. The casino takes 5% of the winnings on these bets. The 5% commission is usually taken up front, but some casinos take the commission after the bet wins. The casino requires you to lay slightly more than the “True odds”, giving the house an edge of 3.03% on 4/10, 2.5% on 5/9, and 1.82% on 6/8. | |
| Lay-Out The graphic format of the table. Includes all places where wagers can be placed. | |
| Lay odds after a point has been established, the don’t pass bettor can place an additional odds bet that will win if the original don’t pass bet wins. The odds bet is paid at the correct odds for the point, and is a fair bet with no house edge. This also applies to a don’t come bet. Making this bets is referred to “laying the odds” for your don’t bet. | |
| Lid The wood or plastic top of the House Bank that covers house gaming cheques when the table is not in action. | |
| Lights Out Often stated by Stickman to remind Dealers to move the Marker Puck to BLACK (OFF position). | |
| Line bet a bet on the “pass line” or the “don’t pass line” is called a “line” bet. These bets are placed at the beginning of the game, before the “come out” roll. The shooter is required to make a line bet in order to shoot the dice. | |
| Little Joe a pair of twos or Hard 4. | |
| Lock it up Dealer jargon to put loose gaming cheques into their stacks or into the House Bank. | |
| Lump Term often used referring to new dealers who have trouble servicing heavy table action. | |
| Marker A Marker is used for high-roller play when a player starts his action on credit already established at a particular casino. The buy-in is established with the boxman and a marker (A LAMMER from the ones usually used to keep track of the HOUSE BANK is set out on the table to identify the dollar amount of the buy-in. | |
| Marker Play When a player starts their action on previously established house credit. | |
| Marker Puck plastic disks that the dealers use to mark the point on the Craps table. When the buck is turned so that the side inscribed with ‘off’ is face up, then all free odds bets have no action on the following roll of the dice. | |
| Midnight betting on the number 12 to appear on the next roll. | |
| Money Plays Called aloud by the dealers when player makes a cash wager on the table. Usually called out…”Money Plays to the Table Limit”. | |
| Monster Roll Any Hot Roll that lasts over 20 minutes or generates a lot of winnings for the player(s). | |
| Mop Dealer slang for the stick used by the stickman to move the dice. | |
| My First (2nd, 3rd etc.) Calls made by Stickman or Dealers to reference the position of players when paying off wagers or making change. | |
| Nickel Dealer slang for $5 gaming cheques | |
| No Bet Called by Dealer or Boxman on late bets made by players after dice have been sent out or when In-The-Air. | |
| No Roll Called by Dealer or Boxman if roll of the dice is short, slips out of shooters hand, lands in the house bank, bounces off table or into the rack or hits another player with a noted delay before landing on the table. | |
| Odds Off Free odds bets that are “not working”. Free odds bets can be called “off” by the player at any time, but are left on the felt until the bet is resolved. Also, free odds on come bets are usually “off” during the come out roll, unless the bettor asks to have them “working”. Don’t come odds generally “work” on the come-out roll. | |
| Off Usually refers to Marker Puck OR lammers placed on player wagers to indicate that they are not active on the next roll of the dice. | |
| Off and On Refers to the way that Dealers pay off COME BETS when player has a new come bet and wins on a number already positioned. | |
| On Usually refers to Marker Puck OR lammers placed on player wagers to indicate that they are in action (working… or “At Risk”) | |
| One on the Rail Usually called by Dealer to inform Boxman that a die, which rolled or bounced off the table, has been returned and set “On the Rail” near the Boxman for inspection. | |
| Outside Numbers 4 10 5 9 | |
| Ozzie and Harriet a hard eight (2 squares) | |
| Parley leaving your winnings in action. | |
| Pass bet a bet that the dice will pass, also known as a “pass line” bet. This bet is generally placed immediately before a “come out” roll, although you can make or increase this bet at any time. House edge on this bets is 1.41%. | |
| Past Posting Illegal positioning of a wager after the dice have landed with a result. Also… positioning of a wager on the Don’t Line AFTER a point has already been established. | |
| Paying Behind Usually called and executed by dealer when paying off Don’t Bets. | |
| Penny Dealer slang for one dollar gaming cheques | |
| Pip(s) The white dots on the dice are called pips. | |
| Pit is the area enclosed by all of the craps tables in a casino. Floor men walk around in the pit and keep an eye on the craps games in progress and the casino employees. | |
| Place bet a bet that a particular number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) will be rolled before a 7 comes up. These bets are paid at slightly less than correct odds, giving the house an edge of 1.52% on 6/8, 4% on 5/9, and 6.67% on 4/10. | |
| Player Card Card provided by casino to computer track player gaming action in exchange for comps. | |
| Player Position There are 8 player positions on either side of a standard Craps Table. They are numbered 1-8 from the Stickman to either Dealer. This is the way that dealers sequence pay-offs to players on winning wagers AND the way that dealers positon player wagers on the table lay-out. | |
| Point if a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 is rolled on the come out roll, then this number becomes the “point”. The shooter must roll the point again, before rolling a seven, in order for the dice to “pass”. A “come point” is just the number that is serving as a point for a come bet. | |
| Power Press A method used by many players to maximize parleys on Place Bets. | |
| Press Your Bet used for place bets. When your place bet is rolled, you double your bet. | |
| Pressure Often called by players to inform the dealer to double their bet on a specific wager. | |
| Protection (or Game Protection) Dealer is responsible for watching and servicing their end of the table. Stickman handles Proposition Bets and watches the pay-offs of dealer who is servicing the end of the table to which the dice were rolled. Boxman confirms the accuracy of the result of the dice and watches pay-offs on end of table from which the dice were thrown. | |
| Proposition Bet All one-roll bets in the middle of the table AND the Hard Ways. Also, some “Call Bets” such as “Hopping” bets where there is no place on the felt with a printed place to position the bet. | |
| Purple Refers to $500 gaming cheques, which are usually purple. | |
| Put Bet Not permitted in all casinos, this is a pass line bet made AFTER the point has been established. It is not recommended unless the casino allows higher than 5 X odds. | |
| Quarter Dealer slang for a $25 gaming cheque. | |
| Rack The grooved railing around the table where players position their Bank. | |
| Rail The top grooved area around the player side of the table. | |
| Red Dealer slang for $5 gaming cheques which in most casinos are red. | |
| Red Light When dealers are not advised to hustle tokes (tips), usually because boxman or floor people are present. | |
| Right bettor a player who bets that the dice will pass. | |
| Save the Odds Called by Stickman when 7 is rolled on come-out roll to remind dealers to return ODDS ON COME BETS back to players who may have odds positioned on their active COME BETS. | |
| Self-Service Field Bets and Big 6 and Big 8 are self-service bets that are not handed off by the dealers. | |
| Service When Dealer (and sometimes Boxman) work in concert with player(s) to make certain that their specific pattern of wagers are properly positioned. Also refers to pushing out winning Place Bets and Come Bets close and within easy reach of the player’s position at the table. | |
| Seven Out when the shooter rolls seven after a point has been established. Control of the dice is transferred to the next shooter. Another terms for this is “miss out.” You will sometimes hear players call this something else, but we can’t print those things here. This is often incorrectly called “craps out.” | |
| Shooter the player who is rolling the dice. The shooter must place a “line” bet (“pass” or “don’t pass”) in order to be eligible to roll the dice. Of course, the shooter can place other bets in addition to the required “line” bet. Most shooters (and players) tend to play the “pass” line. Note that shooters who make “don’t pass” bets are not betting against themselves, they are simply betting that the dice will not “pass”. | |
| Single odds an odd bet that is about as large as the original pass/come bet. Some casinos allow “double odds”, or even larger odds bets. | |
| Skinny Slang for a bet on Any Seven…also called Big Red. | |
| Sleeper Bet A bet that continues to parley up because the owner of the bet has left the table. Usually locked up by The House. | |
| Snake Eyes betting on the number 2 | |
| Square Pair a hard eight | |
| Stacks Dealer cheques in various denominations used to pay off winning wagers. OR… any other wagers or Color In (Out) stacked up on the table. | |
| Stickman the casino employee who calls out the dice rolls and returns the dice to the shooter. The stickman also is responsible for the placing and paying the proposition bets. | |
| Stiff A player who never tokes (tips) the dealer(s), regardless of winnings. | |
| Still Up Phrase stated often by dealers to remind players that a specific wager is still in play OR… asked as a question to see if player wants the same wager repeated. | |
| Strip Odds Less pay-off on Proposition Bets, Place Bets on 6 & 8 and sometimes Field bets than normally found in most DOWNTOWN Las Vegas casinos. | |
| Stroker A player who hustles bets at the table or makes it difficult for the dealers to service the table. ie. Picking up other player winning bets, barber polling bets, making late bets. | |
| Sweat the Money Phrase used most often by Dealers and Players in reference to casinos where floor people get real nervous when a table is losing to the players. | |
| Table Odds The multiple a player may wager (usually on pass line and come bets) behind the original flat bet to get true odds of the dice. “The House” has no percentage advantage on “true odds”. | |
| Table Sign A sign on either or both sides of the table stating table minimums and maximums, terms for multiple odds and maximum wager on odds and/or pay-offs. | |
| Taking Odds Adding an additional wager to an original Pass Line or Come Bet. Winning pay-offs are made to the true odds of the dice. | |
| Tapping In When a new dealer of relief shift joins the table they tap the current dealer and take over the departing dealer (or stickman position). | |
| Tidy the Bowl Stickman responsible for keeping the extra dice that are in the bowl in a neat row. | |
| Toke (or Zuke) Casino slang for Tip. Primary means of income for casino dealers. TOKES represent 50%-80% of dealer compensation. | |
| Towel A towel is used and may be requested by a player to cover their bank on the rack when they leave the table, usually to go to the bathroom. This marks and reserves their playing position. | |
| Tracking (or Player Tracking) Boxman keeps track of players who have casino player card by keeping track of average bet and amount of time spent at the table. | |
| True Odds The real odds of dice rolling any total number (as opposed to “House Odds” which are the pay-offs written on the lay-out. | |
| Tub (Mini or “Half-Table”) A small one or two dealer craps table used usually in small casinos. | |
| Turn-About Called by the stickman when the dice are about to be sent to the next shooter at the opposite end of the table (or next to stickman’s left). | |
| Turning the Dice Stickman usually turns the dice when in the middle of the table, between rolls, to make sure dice are not sent out to Shooter with a 7,11,2,3 or 12 showing. (Sometimes without The Point showing when shooter is betting The Don’t). | |
| Unit the amount of your base bet. | |
| Viagra a hard six | |
| Vig (vigorish) house commissions taken on a particular bet (like the IRS). | |
| Wall (or Back Wall) Either end of the table. Shooter is supposed to hit “The Back Wall” to complete a fair roll of the dice. | |
| Wash Your Hands All dealers are required to clap or swipe their hands before leaving their table work station. | |
| Whip Slang for the stick used by the stickman. | |
| Working bets that are “live” (i.e., can be resolved with the next roll) are said to be working. Generally, place bets, buy/lay bets, and come odds bets do not work on the come-out unless you tell the dealers to “make them work.” All other bets (e.g., Hardway) work unless you call them “off” (i.e., tell the dealers you do not want them to “work”). | |
| Whirl bet (or World) a bet that the next roll will be 2, 3, 7, 11, or 12, made in multiples of 5, with one unit on each of the numbers. | |
| Wrong bettor a player who bets that the dice will not pass. | |
| Yellow Refers to $1,000 gaming cheques which are usually yellow. | |
| X – reward if you know a gaming term that starts with the letter X contact us! | |
| Yellow Light When dealers should be careful about hustling tokes (tips) depending on who (usually floor personnel) is watching the game. | |
| Yo or Yo-leven The number 11 as called by the stickman and often by the players. Called this way to diferentiate from the number “7”. | |
| Your First (2nd, 3rd etc.) Refers to the way that Dealers reference the Playing Position of Players when paying off wagers or making change | |
| Zuke (or Toke) Casino slang for Tip. Primary means of income for casino dealers. TOKES represent 50%-80% of dealer compensation. | |
| Now that you’re done here, be sure to check out Lesson 3 – Dice Probability Chart | |
