Craps Glossary

Craps has a language of its own. Dealers call totals in shorthand, players use nicknames for numbers, and the felt includes terms that can be confusing the first time you see them. This glossary pairs well with the beginner rules, bet explanations, and etiquette guide.

Use these definitions as a reference while watching a table or practicing online. Some terms describe official bets, some describe casino staff roles, and others are slang that varies by region. If a dealer uses a phrase you do not know, wait until the dice are in the center and ask politely. Craps crews answer beginner questions all the time.

A

Aces: A roll of 2, made with two ones. Also called snake eyes. It is a craps number on the come-out roll and a common target in horn-style proposition bets.
Any Craps: A one-roll proposition bet that wins if the next roll is 2, 3, or 12.
Any Seven: A one-roll proposition bet that wins if the next roll totals 7. It pays quickly but carries a high house edge because the payout is lower than the true odds.
Arm: A slang term for a shooter, especially one believed to be skilled or lucky.

B

Backline: Another name for the Don't Pass line.
Bar the 12: A common rule where Don't Pass and Don't Come push instead of win when their first roll is 12. Some tables bar 2 instead, so check the layout.
Behind the Line: The area behind a Pass Line bet where odds are placed after a point is established.
Big Red: Table slang for the number 7, often used because players avoid saying seven during the point phase.
Bones: Slang for dice, originally referring to dice made from bone.
Bowl: The container or area where the stickman holds the dice before offering them to the shooter.
Boxcars: A roll of 12, made with two sixes.
Boxman: The casino employee seated between the dealers who supervises chips, payouts, and game procedure. The boxman also watches for disputes, verifies buy-ins, and keeps the game orderly.
Box Numbers: The point numbers on the layout: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10.
Boys, the: Informal slang for the dealer crew.
Buffalo: A combination bet covering each hardway and Any Seven.
Buy Bet: A bet on a number that pays true odds minus commission, commonly used on 4 and 10. It can be better than placing those numbers if the casino charges commission only after wins.

C

C&E: A combination one-roll bet split between Any Craps and Eleven.
Center Bets: Proposition bets located in the center of the layout and handled by the stickman.
Cold Table: A table where shooters are sevening out quickly and players are losing frequently.
Come Bet: A bet made after the come-out roll that behaves like a new Pass Line bet. It wins immediately on 7 or 11, loses immediately on 2, 3, or 12, and otherwise travels to a come point.
Come-Out Roll: The first roll of a new hand, before a point is established.
Come Point: The number to which a Come bet travels after its first roll.
Craps: A roll of 2, 3, or 12 on the come-out roll, causing Pass Line bets to lose.
Crew: The dealers, stickman, and boxman working the craps table.

D

Dark Side: Betting against the shooter with Don't Pass or Don't Come wagers.
Dead Cat Bounce: Slang for a brief winning moment during an otherwise cold session.
Dealer: A table employee who places bets, pays winners, collects losing chips, and helps players.
Dice: The two cubes rolled by the shooter to determine outcomes.
Do Bettor: A player betting with the shooter, usually on Pass Line or Come.
Don't Come: A wager made after the come-out roll that works like Don't Pass. Its first roll usually wins on 2 or 3, pushes on 12, loses on 7 or 11, and otherwise travels to a don't come point.
Don't Pass: A line bet that usually wins on come-out 2 or 3, pushes on 12, loses on 7 or 11, and then wins if a 7 appears before the point. It is mathematically strong but socially quieter because it bets against the shooter.
Double Odds: A table rule allowing odds up to twice the flat bet.

E

Easy Way: A roll of 4, 6, 8, or 10 made with non-matching dice, such as 5 and 3 for easy 8.
Eye in the Sky: Casino surveillance cameras watching the table from above.

F

Field Bet: A one-roll bet that wins on 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12 and loses on 5, 6, 7, or 8. The value depends heavily on whether the table pays double or triple on 2 or 12.
Five Count: A betting discipline system that waits several rolls before joining a shooter.
Floorman: A casino supervisor responsible for the pit area and table decisions.
Free Odds: An additional bet behind Pass, Come, Don't Pass, or Don't Come that pays true odds with no house edge. It is the main reason craps can be one of the best table games for disciplined players.
Front Line: Another term for the Pass Line.

G

Garden, the: Slang for the Field area on the layout.

H

Hardway: A bet that 4, 6, 8, or 10 will roll as matching pairs before rolling easy or before 7. For example, hard 8 is 4-4; easy 8 is 2-6, 3-5, 5-3, or 6-2.
High-Low: A split bet on 2 and 12.
Hop Bet: A one-roll bet on a specific dice combination, such as 3-2 hopping.
Horn Bet: A one-roll combination bet covering 2, 3, 11, and 12.
Hot Table: A table where shooters are making numbers and players are winning.
House Edge: The casino's long-term mathematical advantage on a bet. A lower house edge does not guarantee a win in one session, but it reduces expected loss over repeated play.

I-J-L-M-N-O

Inside Numbers: The place numbers 5, 6, 8, and 9.
Juice: Commission charged on certain Buy and Lay bets. Also called vigorish.
Lay Bet: A wager that 7 will roll before a chosen box number, usually with commission.
Layout: The printed felt surface showing betting areas.
Little Joe: Slang for a roll of 4, often specifically 2 and 2.
Marker, Puck: The ON/OFF disc used to show whether a point is established.
Natural: A come-out roll of 7 or 11, which wins for Pass Line bettors.
Nickel: Casino slang for a $5 chip.
Outside Numbers: The place numbers 4, 5, 9, and 10.

P

Pass Line: The main bet with the shooter. It wins on come-out 7 or 11, loses on come-out 2, 3, or 12, and then wins if the point repeats before 7.
Pit Boss: A supervisor overseeing multiple tables in the casino pit.
Place Bet: A bet that a selected number will roll before 7. Place 6 and Place 8 are popular because they hit more often and carry a lower edge than placing 4, 5, 9, or 10.
Point: The number established on the come-out roll: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10.
Press: To increase a bet after a win, often using some or all of the payout.
Proposition Bets: One-roll or special-condition bets in the center of the layout, usually with higher house edges. They create excitement and dealer action but are poor choices as a main strategy.
Push: A tie where the bet neither wins nor loses.

R-S-T-V-W-Y

Rack: The rail area in front of each player where chips are stored.
Right Bettor: A player betting with the shooter.
Seven Out: Rolling 7 after a point is established, ending the shooter's hand.
Shooter: The player rolling the dice. The shooter normally must have a Pass Line or Don't Pass bet and must throw both dice so they hit the far wall.
Snake Eyes: A roll of 2, made with two ones.
Stickman: The dealer who controls the dice with a stick and manages center bets.
Take the Odds: To add a free odds bet behind a Pass Line or Come bet after a point is established.
Three-Way Craps: A bet split across 2, 3, and 12.
Toke: A tip for the dealers, either given directly or made as a bet for them.
Toss: The act of throwing the dice.
True Odds: The mathematically fair payout for an event, with no casino advantage built in. Free odds bets use true odds, which is why strategy guides emphasize them.
Vigorish: Commission charged by the casino, often on Buy and Lay bets.
Whirl Bet: Another name for a World bet, covering horn numbers plus Any Seven.
World Bet: A five-part bet on 2, 3, 11, 12, and 7.
Yo, Yo-leven: Dealer slang for 11, used to avoid confusion with seven.

How to Use Craps Terms at the Table

You do not need to sound like a veteran to play correctly. Clear plain language is always acceptable. Saying "I want to place the six for twelve dollars" is better than using slang incorrectly. Dealers will translate your request into table procedure as long as the bet is legal and made before the dice move.

Some slang is useful because it prevents confusion. "Yo" is clearer than "eleven" on a loud table because eleven can sound like seven. "Big red" is a polite way to refer to 7 when a point is ON. "Odds behind" tells the dealer and boxman that chips placed behind your line bet are free odds, not a separate wager.

Other phrases are mainly cultural. Hot table, cold table, virgin shooter, and arm describe how players feel about momentum, luck, and personality. They do not change the math, but they are part of the social texture that makes craps different from quieter games. Understanding them helps you follow conversations without feeling lost.

If you are practicing online, keep this glossary open while you play. Watch how each term maps to a visible part of the layout. The Pass Line is not just a phrase; it is a long betting area. The point is not just a concept; it is the number marked by the puck. The more you connect words to table actions, the faster craps becomes intuitive.

For strategy purposes, pay special attention to house edge, true odds, free odds, place bet, buy bet, lay bet, proposition bet, and contract bet. Those terms affect money decisions directly. Slang is fun, but the mathematical vocabulary is what protects your bankroll.