CASINO
Craps Terminology
8 mins read
Craps is a fun and exciting game to play. Once you’ve learned how to play craps and understand the payouts and various bets you can make, the next thing to brush up on is the terminology.
Whether you’re playing real money craps online or at a brick-and-mortar casino, knowing the lingo and understanding the terms can help make you feel more comfortable around the craps table.
Check out our craps glossary below to get started with the most common terms you’ll hear:
A
Ace
Ace refers to a single die showing 1 dot.
Ace Deuce / Three Craps
Rolling an ace deuce means that you have rolled a 3.
Any Craps
This is a type of proposition or center bet found in the middle of the craps table. This is a one-roll bet on the next roll landing one a 2, 3 or 12. You could win 8:1 if the right number lands but the house edge is 11%.
Arm
A player who is good at shooting (rolling) the dice.
B
Base Dealers
Brick and mortar casinos typically have two dealers operating each side of the craps table. They are the ones who collect the wagers, place the bets for players and handle the craps payouts.
Betting Right
Placing wagers on the pass line is called betting right as you are betting with the shooter. Also known as ‘right bettors’.
Betting Wrong
This is the opposite of betting right. Here you place wagers on the don’t pass or don’t come lines, meaning you are betting against the shooter. Also known as ‘wrong bettors’.
Big 6
Place a bet on the big 6 if you think the shooter will roll a 6 before landing a 7.
Big 8
Place a bet on the big 8 if you think the shooter will roll an 8 before a 7.
Big Red
Big red is a slang term for rolling a 7.
Bones
This is another name for the dice.
Box Numbers
This is an alternative term for the place bet numbers – 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10.
Boxcars
This is where you bet on 12 being the next roll, or where a 12 is rolled.
Boxman
The boxman is a casino employee and is responsible for keeping an eye on the whole game to ensure that no bets are missed and that gameplay remains fair and legal. They also oversee the chips and exchange cash for players.
Boys
This is another name for the base dealers on the craps table.
C
C&E Bets
These are bets on 2, 3, 11 or 12 and can be found in the middle of the craps table. Unlike other bets in the center, these are not one-roll bets. The C stands for craps and the E stands for 11 (eleven).
Capped Dice
This is not what you want to hear around a craps table as it refers to dice that have been tampered with to roll specific numbers.
Center Field
Center field is slang for rolling a 9.
Cold Dice / Cold Table
If you hear this, it means that the craps table is yielding no winners.
Color Up
To color up, you exchange your small value chips for larger ones.
Come Bet / Come Line
Before the point or a 7 is rolled, you can place bets on the come box if you think the next roll will be a 7 or 11. If a 2, 3 or 12 is rolled, you lose but if another number appears (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10), this becomes your personal point number and can give you double chances of winning or losing.
Come Out / Comeout Roll
This is the first roll of a craps round.
Craps / Crap Numbers
The craps numbers are 2, 3 or 12 and would cause you to crap out on your first roll as the shooter.
Crap Out
To crap out is to throw a 2, 3 or 12 on the comeout roll.
D
Don't Come / Don’t Come Bar
Before the point or a 7 is rolled, you can place bets on the don’t come box if you think the next roll will be a 2, 3 or 12. If another number appears (other than a 7 or 11), this becomes your personal point number and can give you double chances of winning or losing.
Don't Pass
Place wagers in the don’t pass bar if you think the shooter will roll a 2, 3, or 12.
Down
This is when you want to remove or reduce a bet on the craps table.
E
Easy Way
The easy way is to roll a 4, 6, 8 or 10 without rolling a pair.
Edge
This is another name for the house edge.
Even Money
This is where a bet will pay you 1:1.
F
Fever
A fever is a slang term for rolling a 5.
Free Odds
This is a bet that must be played alongside another bet on the craps table such as pass, don’t pass, come or don’t come, and has no house edge attached to it.
Front Line
This is another name for the pass bet line.
G
Garden
This is slang for a field bet.
George
If you hear the casino staff calling you a George, it means you tip well!
H
Hard Number
A hard number is a roll that results in a pair of doubles. For example, seeing two 4s means you’ve rolled a hard 8.
Hard Way Bet
This is a bet that you can make on the shooter rolling a hard number (4, 6, 8 or 10).
Hi-Lo
The hi-lo is a bet that is made on a roll of 2 or 12.
Horn Bet
This is one of the center bets or proposition bets available on the craps table. It’s a one-roll bet on the next roll being a 2, 3, 11 or 12. For certain numbers, the payout can be 16:1 but the house edge is 12.5% on these bets.
Hot Dice / Hot Table
Unlike a cold table or cold dice, a hot table with hot dice is where the majority of the players around the craps table are winning.
House Edge
The house edge is the statistical advantage the casino has over the players for any bet they choose to wager. In craps, the house edge can range from 1.52% to 16.90%.
I
Inside Numbers
The inside numbers are bets made on 5, 6, 8 or 9.
L
Lay
The lay bet is a wager placed on the shooter to roll a 7 before the point number is rolled.
Little Joe
Throwing a little Joe means you’ve rolled a 4.
Little Phoebe
Little Phoebe is slang for rolling a 5.
M
Mechanic
A mechanic is a shooter who claims they have dice control.
N
Natural Numbers
You’ve rolled a natural number if you roll a 7 or 11 on the comeout roll.
Nina
This is a slang term for rolling a 9.
O
Odds Bet
This is an additional bet that you can make after the point has been established.
Off
An off bet is one that isn’t a ‘working bet’ and therefore not at risk for the next roll
On
An on bet is one that is a ‘working bet’ and could be at risk during the next roll.
Outside Numbers
4, 5, 9, and 10 are referred to as the outside numbers.
P
Parley Bet
To make a parley bet, you add all your current winnings to your original bet and stake it all against the next roll.
Pass Bet
The pass bet is one of the simplest and best wagers to make with a house edge of 1.41%. Here you want to bet that the shooter will ‘pass’ the comeout roll and throw a 7 or 11.
Pass Line
The pass line section on the craps table is where the pass line bets are made.
Payoff
This is the amount you will receive if you win your bet.
Payout Odds
The payout odds in craps are determined by the true odds and the house edge, and refer to the payouts offered when winning particular bets. They can range from 30:1 all the way to even money.
Place Bet
The place bet is a bet on the shooter rolling a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 before they land a 7.
Place Numbers
The place numbers are 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10. These make up the place section on the craps table.
Point
If the comeout roll lands on a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, the number then becomes the 'point' on the craps table. The shooter will keep rolling and other players will keep betting until the point number or a 7 is rolled.
Press / Press a Bet
Pressing a bet is where you add additional chips to a current bet.
Proposition Bets
The proposition bets are made in the center of the craps table.
Puck / Marker
The puck or marker is another type of chip the dealers use to highlight the point number on the craps table.
Puppy Paws
This is slang for rolling a hard 10 (5 on each die).
Push Bet
A push bet is a wager made on the pass bet line after the point has been established.
R
Rail
In physical casinos, this is the section of the craps table where you keep your chips.
Right Bettor
This is another term for 'betting right' where you place your wagers on the pass bet line.
S
Seven Out
A seven out is where the shooter has rolled a 7 before the point number.
Shooter
This is the person who rolls the dice. The players around the table take it in turns (usually going clockwise) to roll the dice. Your turn at being the shooter can end when you choose but normally it’s only after you sevens out (roll a 7 after the point has been established).
Snake Eyes
Snake eyes is slang for rolling a hard 2 (1 on each die).
Square Pair
This is slang for rolling a hard 8 (4 on each die).
Stickman
The stickman is usually accompanied by a long hook that he uses to pass the dice to the shooter. They also announce the outcome of each roll.
T
Taking Odds
This is a bet where you bet odds on the pass line and come box.
The Field
A section of the craps table where players can bet that the next roll will be a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12.
The Place
A section of the craps table where players can bet on the shooter landing a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 before they land a 7.
True Odds
True odds are the mathematical odds surrounding probability. The payout odds that a casino will pay out are usually less than the true odds. See House Edge for more info.
W
Working Bets
These refer to bets that are in place for the next roll.
Wrong Bettor
This is another term for Betting Wrong and is used when players place wagers on the don’t pass or don’t come lines, essentially betting against the shooter.
Y
Yo
Yo is slang for rolling an 11 and is used to avoid confusion over hearing a 7. There is also the Yo bet which pays 15:1 if the next roll lands on an 11.
