Craps is one of the wildest games at any casino: noisy, chaotic, and super high energy. It can be intimidating for the first-time player, even after you understand the rules of the game, but you can improve your chances of being a sharpshooter with this handy craps glossary courtesy of your favourite online casino. Are you ready to find out what snake eyes in craps means, along with many, many more? Let’s roll.
2-Way – Player bets a one-roll bet for both himself and the dealers.
3-Way Craps – A bet made in three parts: one on 2, one on 3, and one on 12.
Ace – A die showing a value of one.
Aces – Betting that the next roll will be the total sum of 2. Also called Snake Eyes.
All The Spots (We Got) – A slang term for a roll of twelve.
Any Craps – A bet that the next roll will be 2, 3, or 12.
Any Seven – A bet that the next roll will total 7.
Arm – A player who is skilled at throwing the dice.
Base Dealers – When playing at a land-based casino, there are typically two dealers (live casinos will also have real dealers).
Betting Right – Betting on the pass line.
Betting Wrong – Betting on the don’t pass line.
Big Six – Betting that the shooter will roll a 6 before a 7.
Big Eight – Betting that the shooter will roll an 8 before a 7.
Big Red – Another word for seven. Superstitious players do not use the world seven at the table.
Black – Dealer slang for $100 gaming chips – usually black.
Bones – Another name for dice.
Boxcars – Slang for the 12. Also called midnight.
Boxman – Table supervisor seated between the dealers and opposite the stickman.
Box Numbers – These are the place bet numbers: 4-5-6-8-9-10.
Boys or The Boys – Slang for the Dealers.
C&E bet – This is a two-in-one bet where the player combines a craps bet on 2, 3, or 13 with a bet on 11. There are two split payouts with this bet.
Capped Dice – Cheating dice, fixed to favour certain numbers.
Centre Field – A slang term for a roll of nine.
Cold Table – A table where most of the players are losing.
Cold Dice – When it’s not rolling your way.
Colour In – What you say when cashing out smaller valued chips for larger valued chips.
Come Bet – A bet made after the point is established. The same as a pass line bet.
Come-out roll – The first roll of the dice to establish a point.
Crap Numbers – The numbers 2, 3 and 12.
Crap Out – To throw a 2, 3, or 12 on the come-out roll.
Craps Check – Betting on any craps during the come-out roll, therefore hedging your pass line bet.
Don’t Come Bet – A don’t pass bet made after the point is established.
Don’t Pass Bet – A bet that the shooter will not make his point.
Double Odds – An odds bet that is twice the size of the original pass/come bet.
Down – Lowering or removing a bet from the table.
Easy Way – Rolls of 4, 6, 8, or 10 made without a double.
Fever – Slang term for a roll of five.
Free Odds – This bet has no house edge and it must be placed with another bet.
Front Line – Another name for a pass line bet.
Garden – Slang for the field bet.
Hard Way – A winning bet on 4, 6, 8, or 10 but only if the dice roll as pairs; 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5.
Hi-Lo – A one-roll bet on 2 & 12
Hi-Lo-Yo – A one-roll bet on 2, 12 & 11.
Hop Bet – A bet that the next roll will result in one particular combination of the dice, such as: 3-5, 2-
2, 3-3, 4-4. etc.
Horn Bet – A bet that the next roll will be 2, 3, 11, or 12, made in multiples of 4, with one bet on each of the numbers.
Horn High Bet – A bet made in multiples of 5 with one bet on 3 of the horn numbers, and two bets on the “high” number (number 12).
Hot Dice or Hot Table – When players are winning.
Inside Numbers – Place bets on the numbers 5-6-8-9
Insurance Bet – A wager made to protect against a losing bet.
Lay Bet – A bet that a 7 will be rolled before the number you are placing (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) comes up.
Lay-Out – The printed area on the felt where wagers can be placed.
Lay Odds – After a point has been established, an extra odds bet can be made that wins, only if the original ‘don’t pass’ bet wins.
Little Joe – Slang for a pair of twos or Hard 4.
Little Phoebe – Slang term for a roll of five.
Marker – The plastic disk used to mark the point. One side is printed “on” and the other “off”.
Mark the Point – The dealer puts the Puck on the layout to indicate the point number.
Mechanic – This is the type of player who believes that they have total control over the dice.
Midnight – Slang for the 12. Also called box cars.
Natural – A seven or 11 thrown on the come-out roll for a winning bet.
One Roll Bet – A bet in craps that is won or lost with a single roll.
Odds Bet – An extra wager made in addition to the pass line bet.
Off – This is what a player says when they aren’t placing a bet on the next roll.
Off and On – Dealers pay off come bets when a new come bet on the same number has been placed.
On – This means that your bets are working or in action.
Outside Numbers – Place bets on the 4-10–5-9.
Parlay – Parlaying is when you add all your current winnings to your next bet.
Pass Bet – This bet is that the shooter will pass the come-out roll and roll either an 11 or 7.
Pass Line Bet – A wager made on the come-out roll where you bet that the shooter will make the point.
Payoff – The amount received from a winning bet.
Payout – The odds associated with a bet, or the amount received from a winning bet.
Payout Odds – This is the payout when a particular craps bet wins. Odds are as low as +/- 100 and can go up to +3,000.
Place bet – A bet that a selected number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) will be rolled before a 7 is rolled.
Point – The number established by the come-out roll.
Press a Bet – Adding money to an existing bet (typically doubling it).
Proposition Bet – A wager on one of the bets in the centre of the layout.
Puppy Paws – Slang for a roll of ten.
Rail – The area around the top of the craps table where players keep their chips.
Right Better – A player with a bet on the pass line.
Rack – The grooved rail where you keep your chips.
Seven Out – Phrase used when a shooter rolls a seven before making their point thus losing the pass line bet.
Shooter – The player rolling the dice.
Skinny McKinney – Slang for a roll of seven.
Snake Eyes – Slang for the number 2. Also called aces.
Square Pair – A slang term for a hard eight (a pair of fours).
Stickman – The dealer with the stick that runs the table
Toke – Slang for tipping the dealer.
Up Pops the Devil – Slang term for a roll of seven.
Winner on Dark Side – A slang term for a roll of three.
Working Bets – Bets that remain in play for the next roll.
World Bet – A bet on the horn numbers along with any seven. (2-3-11-12)
Wrong Bettor – A player betting against the shooter.
Yo or Yo-leven – The word used for rolling an eleven so as to not confuse it with “seven.”
FAQ
Shooters can keep rolling even after crapping out. The dice only need to be passed if a shooter rolls a seven after a point has been set. Rolling a 7 or 11 on the come-out roll is a “natural,” meaning the Pass line wins and the Don’t Pass line loses. Other possible numbers are 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10, which are point numbers.
A “ballerina” gets its name because two 2s sound like “tutu.” It’s a simple play on words, not rocket science.
Pass Line. This is a bet made on the first roll of the dice, called the “come out roll.” You win if a 7 or 11 is rolled, or lose if 2, 3, or 12 is rolled (called “craps”). If any other number comes up, that number becomes the “point.” To win, the point must roll again before a 7 does.
There’s a 1 in 36 chance of rolling snake eyes in craps, which is a 2.78% chance. This means the odds of rolling snake eyes are not great for the player.
Previous: Craps Strategy
Next: Craps Guide
