Craps is one of the most lively games in a Las Vegas casino, and it’s also one of the games with the most colorful jargon.

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Over the decades, craps dealers (many of them bored out of their skulls) have come up with clever ways of calling out dice numbers, often based upon rhymes.

Words changed, twisted around and manipulated to distort the truth or to provide complete BS to what could be a very simple conversation or said simply by saying 'Duh!' Usually spoken by MDMA eaters, Meth smokers and sniffers, Cocaine snorters, crack smokers, sometimes pot heads but most always drug dealers to make themselves sound kewl (actually spelled cool), but most always used. Craps Shooting a 2, 3 or 12 on the come out roll. Craps Out Throws a craps on the come out roll, an automatic loss for Pass Line bettors. Crew Casino employees who manage the craps table – they are two dealers; the stickman and the box man. Dealer Casino employees at a craps table who collect losses and pay winning bets to the craps players.

Here’s a collection of our favorite names for dice combinations in craps.

Because the number seven is the most frequently rolled number on the dice, it has the most nicknames. Sevens, by the way, are jerks, except on what’s called the “come-out roll.” Long story.

Many of the slang terms for craps numbers have fascinating stories behind them. We obviously won’t be talking about those here, because we have a reputation to preserve.

An “Australian yo” is called that because on the opposite sides (“down under”) of a 1 and 2 are a 6 and 5. Those total 11, and “yo” is another name for 11. It’s called “yo” because it’s bad luck to say “seven” at a craps table. Please keep up.

It’s the “lumber number” (2-4) because of 2-by-4s, woodwise.

A “ballerina” is called that because, wait for it, two 2s sound like “tutu.” Hey, we didn’t say this was rocket science.

A 4-5 combination is called a “Jesse James” because the notorious outlaw was shot with a .45 caliber pistol.

A pair of threes is called “Brooklyn Forest” because, wait for it, “two trees.” The reference may date back to the 1943 novel, “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.”

A hard six is also sometimes referred to as “sixie from dixie.”

An easy six (a five and one) is sometimes called “alien handshake.”

A pair of fives can also be called as a “pair of sunflowers.”

At one time, the 3-2 combo was called “O.J.” (his uniform number was 32), before, you know, he murdered people. Now, the script has been flipped, and that combo reversed is 2-3, or Michael Jordan’s uniform number, 23.

Craps, of course, is a male-dominated game, so we hear the roll of 2-3 is also known as the “waitress roll,” because it’s a “pair and a tray.”

Naturally, our list isn’t complete. Names like “boxcars” for 12 have sometimes been replaced with colorful counterparts. A 12 can also be referred to as “all the spots we got.”

Thanks to our reader James H. for this gem: A roll of three is sometimes called a “shocker,” because its a two and a one. Saucy!

Reader Jonathan T. says he’s heard dealer refer to the hard six as “Colombian breakfast” because, well, two lines.

Various terms and sayings heard at the tables.
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2X odds: Making a bet at double your pass line bet. You make this bet behind your pass line bet and get paid at true odds.
3-way craps: A bet made in units of 3 with one unit on 2, one unit on 3, and one unit on 12. This is a horn bet without the bet on 11.
5 Count: A system developed by the 'Captain' to avoid bad rolls, stretch your time and money at the table and sets you up for the good rolls. For more information read Beat the Craps out of the Casinos by Frank Scoblete.
5 the fever, Wally Clever loves the beaver: A five

A ballerina special: Two twos
A hobos delight on a cold and rainy night: Boxcars-12.
Ace Deuce, No use.
An ace caught a loose duce: Three
Any craps a bet that the next roll will be 2, 3, or 12. This bet pays 7:1 and has a house edge of 11.1%.
Any seven:A bet that the next roll will be 7. This bet pays 4:1 and has a house edge of 16.7%.
Australian Yo: A three is on top of the dice and the eleven is down under.

BEAVER: Hard ways and 7 working on the come out roll (Canada/Buffalo-USA), 5 unit bet-Beaver nickel inCanada,BuffaloinUSA.
Big red: A one roll bet that the next number thrown will be a seven.
Big 6:A bet that a 6 will be rolled before a 7 comes up. This bet pays even money, and has a house edge of 9.1%. A place bet on 6 pays 7:6 but is identical otherwise. The place bet is preferred, having a house edge of 1.5%
Big 8:A bet that an 8 will be rolled before a 7 comes up. This bet pays even money, and has a house edge of 9.1%. A place bet on 8 pays 7:6 but is identical otherwise. The place bet is preferred, having a house edge of 1.5%
Boxcars: Twelve
Brooklyn forest: Hard six (two threes)
Buy bet : Giving the house a 5% commission in order to be paid correct odds for a place bet. The buy bets on 4 and 10 allow the player to reduce the house edge from 6.67% to 4% on these bets. Some casinos collect the commission only on winning bets, while others collect it at the time the bet is made.

C & E: A one roll bet on the 2, 3, 11.
Choppy: No players are making more than one or two points before sevening out. Many or few numbers may be thrown.
Come bet: A wager that the dice will pass, or win, made after the come-out roll.
Come out roll: The roll that establishes a point number.
Cornbred: Horn bet, high on big red. A drunk was calling this out. Meant to say Hornbred. See below. Heard at Texas Station, North Las Vegas.
Craps. A roll of 2, 3, or 12.

Dept. of the Interior: When you want to make an inside bet. Heard at Texas Station, North Las Vegas.
Dice pass:The dice are said to 'pass' when the shooter rolls a 7 or 11 on the come-out roll. The dice 'don't pass' when the shooter rolls a 2, 3, or 12 on the come-out. If the come-out roll is a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10, this roll sets the 'point', and the shooter continues to roll until the point is rolled again or a 7 is rolled (see 'seven out'). If the shooter rolls the point before rolling a seven, the dice pass. If the shooter sevens out, the dice don't pass and the shooter loses control of the dice. NOTE: in this context, 'pass' does NOT mean that the dice to given to the next player. Control of the dice is transferred only when the shooter 'sevens out' or when the shooter has completed a game and no longer wishes to roll the dice.
Die in the wood, roll no good: One of the dice landed in the players chip rack.
Double odds: An odd bet that is about twice as large as the original pass/come bet. Some casinos offer higher odds, such as 5X or even 10X odds.
Don't come bet: A 'virtual don't pass bet'; a bet made after the come out roll but in other respects exactly like a don't pass bet.
Don't Pass: A bet made on the come-out roll that the dice will not pass.

Eighter from decatur: Eight
E.T.: A bet on the eleven and twelve.
Evealine: Eleven, after the point is made.
Excuse me ma'am/sir we need to feed the chickens not kill them: A player that is throwing the dice to hard.
Excuse me sir/ma'am craps is a game of skill not strength: A player that is throwing the dice to hard.
Excuse me sir/ma'am you did not loose the dice only your money and your friends: Player throws craps on come out.
Eyes of Texas shine upon us: Hard Ten

Field: A one roll wager that the next number will be a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12.

General Patton: A hard ten. 5 stars on the dice.
George Jones the 6: A lay bet on the 6.When George Jones in his younger days, had a bad drinking problem, they had to cancel many of his bookings. Thus he got the nickname NO SHOW GEORGE. This player was laying the 6 in his unique way betting it wouldn't show. (like George)
Gutted: An unfortunate occurrence. You buy in at a table and you immediately lose your money in a matter of minutes. No matter what you bet on, you lose. You feel as though the game has strung you up and gutted you for your money.

Hard Ten: A women's best friend.
Hard way: A bet on 4, 6, 8, or 10 that wins only if the dice show the same face; e.g., 'hard 8' occurs when each die shows a four.
Hi/Lo: A bet on the twelve and two.
Hop: A one roll wager that a particular number will come up on the next throw of the dice.
Horn: A one roll wager on the 2, 3, 11 and 12 combined.
Hornbred: Horn bet, high on big red. A drunk was calling this out. Eventually started to say Cornbred. See above. Heard at Texas Station, North Las Vegas.
Horn high bet: A bet made in multiples of 5 with one unit on 3 of the horn numbers, and two units on the 'high' number (number 12). '$5 horn high eleven': $1 each on 2, 3, 12, and $2 on the 11.
Hot dice are mighty nice: Hot table

I can't read 'er, she's in the cedar: One or both of the dice landed in the players chip rack.
In the plank, not worth a wank: One or both of the die landed in the rail.
Inside bet: A place bet on the number 5, 6, 8, or 9
Inside numbers: 5, 6, 8, 9

Jesse James: A nine. Jesse James was shot by a forty-five.
Jimmie Hick: A six.

Lay: A bet against a particular number by the wrong bettor, who gives the casino a 5% commission.
Lay odds: After a point has been established, the don't pass bettor can place an additional odds bet that will win if the original don't pass bet wins. The odds bet is paid at the correct odds for the point, and is a fair bet with no house edge. This also applies to a don't come bet. Making this bets is referred to 'laying the odds' for your don't bet.
Line bet: A bet on the 'pass line' or the 'don't pass line' is called a 'line' bet. These bets are placed at the beginning of the game, before the 'come out' roll. The shooter is required to make a line bet in order to shoot the dice.
Little Joe: Four
Long and strong: When the stickman asks you to throw hard enough to hit the backboard.

Midnight: Twelve

Nina from Pasadena : Nine
Nina at the Marina: Nine
Nine, Nina. You should have seena in the back of my Cortina: Nine
No roll, number in the lumber: One or both of the dice landed in the players chip rack.

Odds off:An odd bets that are 'not working'. Odds bets can be called 'off' by the player at any time, but are left on the felt until the bet is resolved. Also, come odds bets are usually 'off' during the come out roll, unless the bettor asks to have the odds bets 'working'. Come odd bets that are 'off' will be returned to the player if the line bet loses on the come out roll. Don't come odds generally work on the come-out roll.
OJ: Three and two (32, O.J. Simpson's football #)
One-eyed chicken in the weeds: A five rolled 1:4. Heard at Frontier in Vegas.
Ozzie and Harriet: A square pair. (Hard eight)

Pass: A winning decision for the dice.
Pass line: The area on the layout where a pass line bet is made.
Pass line bet: Betting that the point number will be thrown before a seven.
Pair of aces in the wrong places: Two
Penny Any: $1 bet on any craps
Place bet: A bet on either the 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 as individual numbers or in any combination. The wager is that they will repeat before a seven is thrown.
Point: The number established from the come out roll. This number needs to be thrown before a seven in order to win a pass line bet.
Put bet: Is a pass line bet that you put up without going through the come-out roll. i.e.: If you have not placed a pass-line bet and the shooter rolls a point of six, you can then put a bet on the pass line, with the appropriate odds. The big advantage to put bets is that you get to choose your own point numbers. The disadvantage is that you lose out on come out sevens and elevens. But remember, you don’t add odds until the point is established, so on come out sevens and elevens, all you win is your flat bet.

Rat's Eyes: Two
Rhythmic Rollers: People who can influence the dice to change the odds. ( Dice pre-setters )
Right bettor: A player who bets that the dice will pass.

Same bet, press method: Used for place bets. When you win your first bet you say same bet to the dealer. On your next win you would tell the dealer to press it. Keep repeating the process.
Seven out: When the shooter rolls seven after a point has been established. Control of the dice is transferred to the next shooter. Another term for this is 'miss out.' You will sometimes hear players call this something else, but we can't print those things here. This is often incorrectly called 'crap out.'
Shooter: The player who is rolling the dice. The shooter must place a 'line' bet ('pass' or 'don't pass') in order to be eligible to roll the dice. Of course, the shooter can place other bets in addition to the required 'line' bet. Most shooters (and players) tend to play the 'pass' line. Note that shooters who make 'don't pass' bets are not betting against themselves, they are simply betting that the dice will not 'pass'.
Shooter on the dark side, says he won't - A don't pass bet by the shooter, heard at Circus-Circus in Reno.
Slow bleed: You lose your bankroll in a slow and consistent manner. No matter how you bet, you can't win enough back to stop losing. You might win an occasional bet, but you are losing over the long term.
Snake eyes: Two
Square pair: Hard eight
Stickman: Dealer who calls the game and handles the stick.
Studio 54: Nine

Ten the hard way---ladies delight !
The dice are cold as ice, sweet as honey, bet the don't and win the money: Cold table
Two crap, Two. Double in the bubble: Two
Two rolls and no coffee: Sevened out after two rolls.

Vig or Vigorish: A gambler's term for the house edge.

Weaki Weaki: 'Hawaiian' for when the roll doesn't hit the backboard. Reno dealer advised the shooter to 'throw the dice like your ex was standing at the far end of the table'.
Whirl bet: A one roll bet on the 2, 3, 7, 11 and 12.

Yo: Eleven
Yo, Elevine. Lost her draws in the men's latrine: Eleven

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