Craps Terminology: The Complete Glossary Every Player Should Know

Basic Craps Table Terms

A standard craps table features a long, curved wooden frame with a green felt layout marked for bets. New players often confuse the two staff members running the center: the stickman and the boxman. They wear similar attire, but their responsibilities are completely different.

• Stickman: Calls out each roll’s result, retrieves the dice with a flexible stick, and handles center proposition bets.
• Boxman: Sits at center table as the chief supervisor, tracking the bankroll and settling disputes.
• Base Dealers: Stand on both sides of the boxman to collect losing wagers and pay out winners.
• Rail: The padded, raised outer border where players keep chips out of play.
• Rack: The grooved wooden section on the rail that holds individual chip stacks.
• Marker Puck: A thick disc that shows whether a point is active. One side reads “Off” (black) and the other reads “On” (white). The puck rests in the Don’t Come area during a come out roll. Once a point is set, the dealer flips it to “On” and sits it directly on that point number.

Understanding these roles keeps the game orderly. Directed questions go to your base dealer, while the boxman handles payout disputes.

Dice Roll Terminology

Every round starts with a come out roll, which sets the pace for a new betting cycle. Rolling a 7 or 11 produces a natural, paying Pass Line bets immediately. Rolling a 2, 3, or 12 is “craps,” which causes those same bets to lose. Any other number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) becomes the point. The shooter keeps rolling until hitting that point again or landing a 7. Rolling a 7 before the point is a seven out, ending the turn.

Specific dice combinations carry long-standing nicknames. Two ones are “Snake Eyes,” while two sixes are “Boxcars.” Players often say “Big Red” instead of “seven” to avoid bad luck. Rolling a number with matching pairs, like two 4s for an 8, is the hard way. Landing that same 8 with a 6 and 2 is the easy way. That difference dictates how Hardways bets pay out.

Other frequent terms include “Ace Deuce” for a 3 and “Little Joe” for a hard 4.

Betting Terminology Explained

Two core terms apply across almost every wager: payout and vigorish. Payout is your total return on a winning chip. Vigorish (or “vig”) is the fee a casino charges on specific wagers to secure its edge. Every category of craps bets, from Pass Line to proposition wagers, carries distinct payout odds.

Line Bets (Pass/Don’t Pass, Come/Don’t Come)

Most players start with Pass Line, Don’t Pass, Come, and Don’t Come wagers. They feature simple mechanics and carry the lowest house edges in the pit, which is why they are the central focus of our guide on playing casino craps for beginners.

Place and Field Bets

Place Bets and Field Bets offer direct actions on specific numbers. A Place Bet targets a point number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) to land before a 7 appears. A Field Bet is a single-roll wager covering 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. It covers a broad range of outcomes, though the casino edge runs higher than basic line options.

Inside and Outside Bets

Players often group their Place Bets based on the numbers’ position on the layout. Inside Numbers refer to 5, 6, 8, and 9 — the most frequently rolled point numbers. Conversely, Outside Numbers are 4 and 10. Betting on the “inside” covers more probable outcomes, while betting “outside” targets less frequent rolls with higher payouts.

Proposition and One-Roll Bets

Proposition wagers (Any Craps, Any Seven, Horn Bet, and Hardways) offer higher payouts on single rolls. That potential return comes with a catch: the house advantage on proposition bets is steep. Buy and Lay bets charge a flat vigorish fee to unlock true mathematical odds instead of inflated house margins.

Odds Bets and Reducing the House Edge

House edge represents the casino’s mathematical advantage over time. The Odds Bet is a true exception. Placed behind a Pass Line wager after a point is established, it carries zero house edge. Most tables cap this bet at 2x or 3x your initial stake, making maximum odds the strongest statistical play on the floor.

Common Craps Slang and Phrases

When a shooter rolls ten straight winning numbers, players call it a hot table. A fast sequence of seven-outs is cold dice. Table chatter moves quickly during a session. Dealers say “Yo-leven” to distinguish an 11 from a 7. A “C&E” wager combines Craps and Eleven into a single bet, while “crapping out” means rolling a 2, 3, or 12 on the come out roll.

Regulars also use social slang tied to tipping and rewards. A toke is a tip handed to the dealer crew, while comps are free room or dining perks earned through total play. Dealers refer to generous tippers as a “George.” You may also hear dealers called “The Boys,” and chips referred to by their color, such as “Green” for $25 chips or “Black” for $100 chips.

Players fall into two operational groups: Right Bettors and Wrong Bettors. These labels reflect strategy rather than player skill. A Right Bettor backs the shooter on the Pass Line. A Wrong Bettor plays against the shooter on the Don’t Pass Line.

Practicing Craps Terms and Strategy Online

Transitioning from reading terms to using them in live play happens fastest with practice. Players across the US often test betting sequences on social sweepstakes platforms like Fortune Coins, where free digital table games allow you to get comfortable with line bets and dice calls before stepping onto a physical casino floor.

Tips for Remembering Craps Terms as a Beginner

Memorizing casino terminology from a static list can feel overwhelming. Contextual practice helps these terms stick during live play.

• Group terms by category (table roles, dice outcomes, bet types) instead of memorizing them randomly.
• Practice on free online simulators before risking real money.
• Watch live table sessions online or in person to hear calls in real time.
• Focus on one category per session rather than cramming the entire glossary at once.