For those looking to start their journey with playing craps games, there are hundreds of terms to get to grips with before you jump right in. These terms cover a wide range of key terms and phrases which can really help you and lead you to a smoother and more enjoyable craps gaming experience.

We have provided you with the lowdown by displaying a complete A – Z glossary of the most prominent terms and topics associated with craps games.

Craps Terms

Craps games in the gambling world are quite simple to get the hang of, but the terminology that is used is not that easy to understand. The craps terms and phrases are in a language of their own and are filled with a few slang words that gamblers may already know.

By going through our A-Z guide of craps terms and phrases, you can become a pro in no time. We will also mention a lot of terminology that is used at some of the best craps casinos.

Craps Terms and Phrases

After doing some extensive and in-depth research, our experts have come up with this list of craps terms and phrases that will be most useful to use. You will be able to use the information you receive in this article, and you can apply the knowledge gained on this page at some of the top new craps sites.

  • Action – All the wagers currently active on the table.
  • Apron – The outer edges of a real-life craps table.
  • Box Numbers – Different names for the place bets in craps.
  • Duker – A player using a lot of money for a stake / a high-roller.
  • Easy Way – Rolling 4, 6, 8, or 10 without pairs.
  • Fifty Yard Line – The fifty yard line is known as the middle of the craps table.
  • Front Line – Alternate name for the pass line bet.
  • Green – Slang for chips.
  • George – Is known as a good tipper.
  • Hawking The Dice – Refers to the craps dealer watching the dice as they are rolled to the other end of the table.
  • Hit A Brick – When the dice roll into a stack of chips.
  • Insurance Bet – Placing two or more bets where one wins if the other one loses.
  • Jam Up – A jam up means that the action has slowed the game down.
  • Juice – Juice is a commission fee on some wagers.
  • Key – Mathematical formula used for figuring out payouts on complicated proposition bets.
  • Knot – Player’s wad of cash that is usually kept rolled up in a rubber band.
  • Late Bet – A bet made while the dice are in the air.
  • Lump – Craps slang for a dealer who has a difficult time with heavy craps action at the table.
  • Marker – Plastic disc used to mark the point on the table / also known as the puck.
  • Midnight – Another alternative name for a roll of 12.
  • Natural – Rolling 7 or 11 on the come-out roll.
  • No Roll – If the dice does not roll to the other side of the table from the shooter or roll off the table / an invalid roll.
  • Off – Bets that are currently not active.
  • Parlay – When a player wins a bet, then uses its stake and winnings to place the next bet.
  • Payoff – This is the player’s winnings.
  • Rack – When you keep your chips in a rack.
  • Seven Out – Often used when a shooter rolls a seven before a point is made, resulting in losing the pass line bet.
  • Shooter – The person throwing / rolling the dice.
  • Stack – The chips that are stacked up.
  • Toke – A tip for croupiers / casino employees.
  • Two Way – A bet split between the player and the croupiers.
  • Vig – Vig or vigorish is referring to the house commissions that are taken on a particular bet.
  • Yo or Yo-leven – To prevent seven and eleven from sounding the same, Yo or Yo-leven is used for rolling eleven.

Gambling Terminology Explained

Now that we have provided you with the most popular and common craps terms, let’s dive in deeper and take a look into each one and give you some examples along the way.

Action

When you are playing craps and it is your turn to act, the expression used by the dealer is “action”. The action is also the play at the casino or the total amount of money that is active on the table.

Apron

The apron is known to be the outer area and edges behind the pass line on the real – life craps table where all the free odd bets are placed.

Box Numbers

Box numbers are used to refer to the numbers between 4 and 10, with the exception of 7. The full list of craps box numbers are 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10. When a player bets on a box number, the bettor wins if the box number appears and the casino wins if a 7 appears.

Capped Dice

Capped dice are known to be crooked or loaded craps dice. These types of dice are mainly used for cheating. Capped dice are normally covered on one or more sides with resilient faces.

Crap Numbers

In gambling, the numbers 2, 3, and 12 are called crap numbers. If you roll one of these numbers during the come-out roll, this is known as crapping out.

Dead Table

A dead table is the term used when the craps table has no players around it and it is empty.

Duker

A Duke or Duker are known as players who play with a lot of money. This term is often used when big money is suddenly entering a craps game. When this happens at a craps table, the dealers and Boxman get prepared for the action to get heavy.

Easy Way

The easy way bet is known as a multi-roll wager. This is when the shooter must either roll the wagered numbers of 4, 6, 8 or 10 in order to win before rolling a seven. The player loses the bet automatically, if a seven is rolled.

Eye In The Sky

Eye in the sky is a term used by crap players and staff when they refer to the numerous cameras used in casinos to monitor their actions.

Fifty Yard Line

The fifty-yard line separates the “home-visitors” zones, as you are on the craps field where you’re in the middle point from your end zone to the opponent’s. Spectators are seated closest to the fifty-yard line as it offers the best view of the game.

Front Line

The front line is the line on the table used for placing a pass line bet. Betting on the front line is the most common type of bet. Making such a wager called betting right. Craps players who make front line bets are called right bettors, because they bet with the rest of the table.

Green

Green is just another word used for the chips. Meaning that if you have $25 in gaming chips, it is referred to as Green as the chips are usually green in color.

George

If a player is known to tip generously, they are known as a George.

Hawking The Dice

Hawking the dice is a term referring to the craps dealer watching the dice as they are rolled to the other end of the table. To protect the game and provide better customer service, the craps dealer is supposed to always watch their end of the table.

Hit A Brick

This is when the dice rolls into a stack of chips and knocks them over. For example, they have hit the brick wall of chips over and it stops the game.

Inside Numbers

The numbers 5, 6, 8, and 9 are known as the inside numbers. This means that when you bet inside you are betting all the inside numbers, in the same unit amount, not including the point.

Insurance Bet

Insurance bets are the side bets, supposed to get a small profit or minimize losses from the main bet. Although usually insurance bets are disadvantageous for a player, sometimes they can be used to gain at least a small win or stay in the game longer with a small bankroll.

Jam Up

A jam up is also known as the slowing down of the motion in the craps game. This usually happens when there is heavy proposition betting action in the middle of the craps table.

Juice

Juice is also known as vig (short for vigorish). Juice is the commission which the casino takes on some special bets.

Key

A classic term used when using the mathematical formula in order to figure out the payouts when the bets get complicated.

Knot

A knot in craps is known as the players cash that is kept rolled up in a rubber band. Players will untie their knots and unravel their wads of cash when buying more chips.

Late Bet

A late bet is a bet made by a player after the point has been established or the dice have been rolled. The dealer will then make the call and decide on the result.

Lump

Lump is a slang word for a dealer at the craps table who has a difficult time with heavy craps actions.

Marker

The marker is known as the plastic disc / puck that is used to mark the points on the table with playing craps.

Midnight

Midnight is an alternative name for when players roll a 12 in craps games. This is a bet where players wager on the shooter rolling a 12. This consists of a six on each dice.

Natural

The first possibility is that you roll either a 7 or an 11 in any combination and this winning throw is known as a natural number.

No Roll

This is also known as an invalid roll. This happens when a die lands on top of the chip bank, in the dice bowl or in the rail and remains in full view of the stickman, “no roll” is called and the dice are returned directly to the game.

Off

When you are playing craps and hear the word “off”, you must know that these bets are currently not active.

Outside Numbers

Outside numbers are known to be the numbers 4, 5, 9 and 10. But when the point is 6 or 8 you are betting all four outside numbers. This is when the cost is going to be the most.

Parlay

Parlay betting is when players take advantage of consecutive wins. This is accomplished by reinvesting profits in the subsequent bet. For example, a craps shooter might wager $10 on the pass line, roll a seven and collect a $10 payout, but instead of pocketing the winnings, the shooter will let it ride and carry on.

Pay Off

Pay offs are known as the amount players will receive if they win their bet.

Rack

The rack is the rail around the craps table where the craps players can place their gambling chips. Crap players should manage their chip racks with top notch knowledge as this could increase their chances of winning.

Seven Out

The term seven out refers to a situation in which the shooter rolls a 7 during the initial roll before the point has been established.

Shooter

Players take turns rolling two dice and whoever is throwing the dice is called the “shooter”.

Stacks

These are known as the working stacks. This is the stack of chips that the dealers place in front of themselves and are used to pay bets. For example, the dealer will have piles of different chips in front of them that they place onto the table as players bet.

Toke

Toke is the word used to refer to the tip given to the dealer by one of the players. Most players tip the dealer as they play, but do not make that mistake too early as you still need that money to carry on playing. Other players prefer tipping dealers right at the end, especially after winning.

Two Way

Two way in craps games is known as a bet that is split between the player and the croupiers. For example, a player may toss in two chips and say, “Two Way Hard Eight”, which will be understood to mean one chip for the player and one chip for the dealers.

Up Pops The Devil

Up pops the devil is a term used in craps games when players roll the dice, and it lands with an outcome of 7. For example, 5 & 2 or 6 & 1.

Vig

Vigorish is abbreviated as Vig. This is a term used to refer to the percentage that is charged by a craps operator on bets. It is now sometimes used to refer to the House edge.

Yo / Yo-leven

Yo or Yo-leven is the slang term that is used for the number eleven. Since it sounds like seven, eleven is called as yo –leven or simply yo to avoid confusion around the table while players bet.

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