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Craps Lingo

The unique terms used by players and casino staff during a game of craps is enough to confuse even the avid gambler new to the game. Craps lingo sometimes gives the impression that craps is a very complicated game. Craps is actually a very simple game with a lot of colorful terms for its many options.. We’ve gathered just about every craps term you’ll ever hear at any craps table in the world in our own little special collection of craps lingo.

2-Way Eleven - A player who bets on 11 on one roll for themselves and the dealers.

2-Way Parley - A player who calls parley bet for themselves and the dealer.

3-Way Craps - Betting in groups of 3 including a bet on 2, one on 3 and one on 12. Without a bet on 11 it’s called a horn bet.

3-Way Seven - A good way to bet on any seven.

Aces - A bet that the next roll total will be 2.

Aces-Ace/Deuce - A bet on 2 and 3 on one roll.

Action - The number and amounts of wagers during a game.

Any Craps - Betting that the next roll will be 2, 3 or 12. This bet will pay 7:1 and the house advantage is 11.1%

Any seven - Betting that the next roll is a seven. Pays 4:1, house advantage is 16.7%

Apron - The outside area of the table felt.

At Risk - When a player’s bet in active or in the action.

Backline - Don’t Pass Line Same .

Ballerina - Two twos.

Bank Craps - The version of craps played in casinos.

Barber Poll - A mixture of different betting denominations of chips in a wager. Highest denominations must be at the bottom.

Big 6 - Betting that a 6 will appear before a 7. Payout is even money. House advantage is 9.1% A place wager on 7 will pay 7:6 but is the same otherwise. Place bet has a house advantage of only 1.5%.

Big 8 - Betting that an 8 will appear before a 7. Payout is even money. House advantage is 9.1%. Place bet on 8 pay 7:6. Place bet house advantage is just 1.5%.

Big Red - A bet on any seven.

Black - Term for $100 chips which are usually black.

Bones - Dice.

Bowl - The container near the stickman that holds the dice.

Boxcars Wager on 12.

Boxman - A craps table supervisor that sits between the dealers and opposite of the stickman and is responsible for all the craps chips kept on hand at the table.

Boys (or The Boys) - Dealers.

Broke Money - Money given to broke players to pay their way home.

Buffalo - Betting on each hardway and any seven.

Buffalo-Yo - Betting on each hardway and any eleven.

Bump - An extra break for the dealer, when the table is overstaffed.

Buy - A bet where the house gets 5% commission in return for paying correct place bet odds. Buy bets on 4 and 10 reduce house advantage to 4%. Some collect commission on just winning bets and others collect when the bet is made.

C and E Bet - A bet on 11 or any craps

Charting a table - Keeping record of the outcomes at a particular table on paper or using your chips.

Capped Dice - Crooked Dice.

Change Only - When a player throws cash on the table in exchange for chips from the dealer - as opposed to money plays.

Cheques - Chips.

Cocked Dice - When dice or a die lands leaning against a wall or something else on the table. Decision is made based on how the dice would land if the object in the way was taken away.

Cold Table - A game where shooters are not making their points.

Color In - When a player trades in smaller chips for larger value chips when a player leaves the table.

Color Out - When a player leaves the table and cashes out smaller valued chips for larger ones.

Coloring Up - When a player exchanges smaller valued chips for larger ones. Sometimes a house will exchange smaller value chips for larger ones to encourage a player to make larger bets.

Come bet - A wager made after the come out roll and is the same as a pass line bet.

Come out roll - The first throw of the dice. Pass line bets win if the come out roll is 7 or 11 and lose if the total is 2, 3 or 12. Don’t pass bets lose if the come out roll is a 7 or 11 and win if the roll is a 2 or 3. Don’t pass bets tie if the roll is a 12.

Comp - Free products and services offered to players depending on the action the player gives to the casino.

Covered - When a dealer and player work together to make sure that multiple bets are placed correctly.

Crap - A roll of 2, 3 or 12.

Craps - the game or the dice.

Crap Out - When a player rolls a 2, 3 or 12 on the first roll.

Crapless Craps - A craps game where 2, 3, 11 and 12 are points.

Dead - No players at a craps table.

Dealer - Casino staff in charge of all bets made on his or her side of the table. When making a free odds, place or lay bet give it to the dealer and they will place it for you

Dice are in the Middle - Dice are put into play by the stickman and put above the proposition bets in front of the Boxman. Then wagers are made by players.

Dime - Two $5 casino chips.

Don't come bet - A don’t pass bet made after the come out roll.

Don't Pass Bet - A wager that the dice will not pass. The bet is made only right after a come out roll. House advantage is 1.4%

Double Odds- A wager that is 2 times the amount of the original pass/come bet.

Down Behind - When a dealer tells a player they have lost a don’t pass bet.

Down the Middle (or Straight Out) - Player position of 6 in the center at either end of the table.

Down with Odds - When a dealer pays off a player place bet and moves ‘same player come bet’ to a particular number. The makes sure that particular player is covered on that particular number.

Downtown Odds - Better odds similar to those offered in many downtown Las Vegas casinos.

Drop - The total winnings of a casino craps table during a shift.

Eyeballs - Dice total of 2.

Eye in the Sky - Video monitoring of the casino

Field bet - Betting that the next roll will be 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. Pays even money for 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11, and 2:1 for 2 or 12. Some casinos will pay 3:1 for either the 2 or 12, and some casinos might make the 5 instead of the 9 a field roll.

Fifty Yard Line - The middle of a craps table. A fair roll must cross this line.

Fill - When the house adds more to the house bank.

Garden - Another term for the field.

George - A player who always tips the dealers.

Green - $25 casino chips.

Green Light - When the dealers are allowed by the casino to hustle tips.

Hand-In - A tip given to a dealer usually during a good roll or when leaving a table.

Hard Way - A wager on 4, 6, 8, or 10 that wins if the each die shows the same face.

Hardways Work - Called by the stickman on the come-out roll reminding players at hardway bet at in play unless players call them off.

Hawking the Dice - A dealer watches the dice when rolled into the opposite end of the table.

Hi-Lo - Betting on one roll on 2 and 12

Hi-Lo-Yo - Betting on one roll on 2,12 & 11

Hit a Brick - Said by the stickman when a die hits a stack of gaming chips and doesn’t roll past the middle of the table.

Hook - Players standing in positions 4 and 5 near an end of table.

Hop bet - Betting that the next roll will be a certain combination of dice like 2-2 or 3-5. 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, and 5-5. These are paid the same as a one roll of 2. Other hop bets are paid like a one roll of 11.

Horn Bet - Betting that the next roll will be a 2, 3, 11, or 12 betting one unit on each of the four numbers.

Horn High Bet - Similar to a Horn Bet with one unit on 3 of the horn numbers and two units on a high number like 12.

Hot Table - A table when players are winning.

House Bank - All the casino chips stacked in front of the boxman used to payout winning wagers or color-ins.

Inside Numbers - 5, 6, 8, 9

Inside Stick - When the stick is handled by one of the dealers and not a separate stickman.

Insurance Bet - A number of wagers attempting to insure one or the other.

Jammer - A bad dealer. One who is slow or disorganized, spills chips and put bets in wrong positions.

Jam-Up - A game that is delayed due to chips all over the table and lots of bets being made.

Juice - A commission paid on certain bets.

Key - A formula used to figure out payoffs, especially on complicated wagers like proposition wagers.

Lammer - Plastic markers used on buy and lay wagers used to mark bets on or off. Used to keep track of the total money in the drop by the boxman.

Late Bet - The dealer or boxman will call “bet” or “no bet” when a bet is made after the dice are thrown or if the dice are in the air.

Lay Wager - A wager that a certain number will not appear before a 7 is rolled. The house takes a 5% fee on the winnings of these bets. Some casinos take this amount before the roll and some after the bet wins.

Lay Bet - Betting that a seven will appear before the number you are betting on comes up. Casino insists that you lay a bit more than the correct odds and this gives the casino an edge of 3.03% on 4/10, 2.5% on 5/9, and 1.82% on 6/8.

Lay-Out - The graphical format of a craps table.

Lay Odds - After the point is rolled, a don’t pass bettor can also bet another odds bet that wins if the original don’t pass wager wins. Odds bets are paid the correct odds and is a good bet with no house advantage. This also applies to don’t come wagers. This is called “laying the odds” for a don’t wager.

Lid - The top of the house bank that holds the casino chips when there is no action at the table.

Lights Out - Said by the stickman to remind dealers they need to move the marker to black or off position

Line bet - Betting on the pass line or don’t pass line. Bets are place before the come out roll. Shooters must make a line bet to roll the dice.

Little Joe - A hard four or two twos.

Lock it up - Putting loose chips into stacks or the house bank.

Marker - Used by a high rolling player who has established credit at a particular casino. The buy in at a table is established with the boxman and a marker. A marker from the ones used to keep track of the house bank is used to show the amount of the buy in.

Marker Play - A player who plays with established credit at the casino.

Marker Puck - A plastic disk used by dealers to mark the point number. When it is turned with the off side face up then free odds bets are not in play on the next roll of the dice.

Midnight - A wager that 12 will be thrown on the next roll.

Money Plays - When a player plays with cash instead of chips.

Monster Roll - A roll that lasts over 20 minutes and creates a lot of winners.

Mop Dealer - The stick used to move the dice.

My First (2nd, 3rd etc.) - Said by the stickman to the dealers to indicate the position of the players when paying out bets or making change.

Nickel - $5 casino chips.

No Bet - When the dealer calls to the boxman on late bets made after dice are rolled or are in the air.

No Roll - Said by the dealer or boxman if the roll of the dice is short, the dice slips out of the shooting player’s hand, lands in the bank, bounces off the table or lands in the rack or hits another player with a delay before landing on the table.

Odds Off - When an odds bet is marked off but is left on the table until the bet is resolved. Come odds bets are off during the come out roll, unless the player wants the bet on. These bets are returned to the player if the line bet loses on the come out roll. Don’t come odds usually work well on the come out roll.

Off - Markers playerd on player wagers to show non active wagers on the next roll of the dice.

Off and On - The way that dealers payout come bets if a player has a new come bet and wins with a number that already has a bet positioned.

On - Markers indicating that a particular wager is working or at risk.

One on the Rail - Informs the boxman that a die has rolled or bounced off the table and has been returned to the boxman for inspection.

Outside Numbers - 4, 5, 9, 10

Ozzie and Harriet - An eight the hardway.

Parley - Leaving your winnings on the table to be wagered again.

Pass Bet - Betting that the dice will pass. Usually bet right before a come out roll. Players can make or raise this bet anytime. House advantage is 1.41%

Past Posting - The prohibited positioning of a bet after the dice have landed. Placing a wager on the don’t line after a point has been rolled.

Paying Behind - Said by the dealer when paying out don’t bets.

Penny - $1 casino chips.

Pit The are of the casino enclosed by craps tables.

Place Bet - A wager that a certain number will appear before a seven is rolled. These are paid out at slightly less than correct odds. House has advantage of 1.52% on 6/8, 4% on 5/9, and 6.67% on 4/10.

Player Card - A card given to players to track their action in exchange for comps.

Player Position - One of eight player positions on each side of the craps table. They are numbered 1 to 8 from the stickman to the dealers. This is how dealers keep track of pay-outs to players and the way dealers position wagers on the table.

Power Press - A way players maximize parlays on place bets.

Press Your Bet - A player doubles their bet when their place bet is rolled.

Pressure - Said by players to tell dealers to double their bet

Protection - The dealer is in charge of watching and servicing their end of the table. The stickman is in charge of proposition bets at watches payouts of each of the dealers. The boxman confirms the accuracy of the dice and oversees payouts on each end of the table.

Proposition Bet - A bet on one roll on the horn numbers 2,3,7,11,12.

Point - When a shooter rolls a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 on the come out roll, this becomes the point. The point must be rolled again, before rolling a 7, in order for the dice to pass. The number that is the point for a come bet is called the come point.

Purple - $500 casino chips.

Quarter - A $25 casino chip.

Rack - The area around the table that is shaped with a groove to hold their chips.

Rail - The top of the grooved area on the player side of the craps table.

Red - A $5 casino chip.

Red Light - When dealers are told not to hustle for tips.

Right Bettor - Betting that the dice will pass.

Save the Odds - When a seven appears on the come out roll the stickman calls ‘save the odds’ to tell dealers to replace odds on come bets back to player who might have odds in place on their at risk come bets.

Self-Service - Players who bet field bets, Big 6 and Big 8 bets are self service bets not handled by the dealers.

Service - When players work with dealers and boxman to maker sure a certain pattern of wagers is properly placed. Also indicated pushing out winning place bets and come bets that are in easy reach of a players position on the table.

Seven Out - When a player rolls a 7 after a point has been rolled. The next player becomes the shooter.

Shooter - The player who is rolling the dice. Shooters must place a line bet in order to roll the dice. Additional bets may also be placed by the shooter.

Single Odds - An odds wager that is the same size as the original pass or come bet.

Skinny - A bet on any seven.

Sleeper Bet - A bet that continues to parlay because the player has left the table. The house locks up this bet.

Snake Eyes - Betting on 2.

Stacks - The casino chips used by dealers to pay out wagers and exchange chips.

Still Up - Said by dealers to remind players that a certain wager is in play or asked to players if they want to keep their wager in play.

Strip Odds - On proposition bets, place bets on 6 and 8 and field bets a lesser payout than normally found in Vegas.

Square Pair - Two fours or a hard eight.

Stacks - Casino chips belonging to the dealer in a variety of denominations used to payout winnings or exchange chips for other chip denominations.

Stickman - The casino employee that returns the dice to players and calls each roll. They also place and pay proposition bets.

Stroker - Someone who hustles a bet at a table or makes it hard for dealers to do their job.

Stiff - Someone who never tips the dealers, no matter how much they win.

Sweat the Money - Casinos where the staff get nervous when a table is losing to the players.

Table Odds - The amount a player may wager behind the original bet to get the odds they want. There is no house advantage on true odds.

Table Sign - A table showing players the table minimums, maximums, terms for multiple odds and maximum wagers

Taking Odds - An additional wager to the first pass line or come bet.

Tapping In - When a new dealer joins a game in progress then tap the first dealer and then take over.

Tidy the Bowl - The Stickmans duty to keep the dice in the bowl in a neat row.

Toke Tip - Main source of income for dealers. Tokes make up 50% to 800% of their income.

Towel - When a player needs to leave the table they may request a towel to cover their chips and reserve their playing space.

Tracking - The boxman keeps track of players with comps cards and keeps track of the average bet and amount of time playing at the table.

True Odds - The actual odds of dice tolling a certain total number.

Tub - A small craps table with one or two dealers.

Turn-About - When dice move to a new shooter, the stickman calls turn-about

Turning the Dice - The stickman will turn the dice before returning them to the shooter to ensure that 7, 11, 2, 3 or 12 are not showing.

Vig (Vigorish) - The casino commissions on certain types of bets.

Wall - Either end of the craps table. Rolls must hit the wall to be considered fair.

Wash Your Hands - Before leaving their table work station dealers must clap or swipe their hands.

Whip - The stick used by the stickman.

Working - Bets that are at risk and can be resolved on the next roll are said to be working.

Wrong Bettor - Betting that the dice will not pass to the next shooter.

Yellow - $1000 casino chips.

Yellow Light - A time when dealers need to be careful about hustling tips if casino personnel is watching.

Yo or Yo-leven - In order to differentiate between 7 and 11, players and the stickman will call 11 “yo-leven”.

Your First (or Second or Third) - The playing position of a particular player used by dealers when paying out wagers or making change.

Whew! That’s it. I can’t imagine I’ve missed anything. If it’s not in our collection of craps lingo it probably doesn’t have anything to do with craps.