Craps sounds more complicated than it is because several conversations happen at once. The stickperson calls the dice, base dealers book wagers, players name bets, and the puck shows whether the game is on a come-out roll or a point cycle.
The fastest way to learn the language is not alphabetically. Follow one round from the moment a shooter receives the dice.
Before the first throw
Shooter — The player rolling the dice. A shooter normally makes a Pass Line or Don't Pass wager before receiving the dice, subject to house rules.
Come-out roll — The first roll of a new Pass Line sequence. It either resolves the line bet immediately or establishes a point. A new come-out roll also follows a made point or a seven-out.
Pass Line — A contract wager backing the shooter. On the come-out roll, 7 or 11 wins; 2, 3, or 12 loses. If 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 appears, that number becomes the point.
Don't Pass — The opposing contract wager. On the come-out roll, 2 or 3 wins, 7 or 11 loses, and 12 normally pushes, although the barred number can vary by rules.
Natural — In standard casino craps, a come-out total of 7 or 11 that wins the Pass Line.
Craps numbers — Totals of 2, 3, and 12. On the come-out roll they defeat the Pass Line. The phrase “Any Craps” also names a one-roll proposition wager on those three totals.
The word contract matters. Once a point is established, Pass Line and Don't Pass wagers generally remain until the point or 7 resolves them. They are not ordinary one-roll bets that can be picked up at will.
The point is established
Suppose the come-out roll is 8.
Point — The number the shooter must repeat before a 7 for the Pass Line to win. The possible points are 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10.
Puck — The round marker used to show table state. “OFF” indicates no point; “ON” placed on a number identifies the current point. Electronic and compact games may use a screen or light instead.
Point cycle — The series of rolls after a point is established and before that point or 7 appears.
Make the point — Roll the established point before 7. The Pass Line wins, Don't Pass loses, and the next roll is a new come-out.
Seven-out — Roll 7 before making the point. Pass Line and most right-side multi-roll wagers lose, Don't Pass wins, and the dice move to the next eligible shooter.
“Seven-out” is not simply any roll of 7. A 7 on the come-out is a Pass Line winner and is usually called a natural. The table state changes the meaning.
Bets that begin after the point
Come bet — A wager that starts its own mini Pass Line sequence after the main point exists. Its first roll acts like a come-out roll for that wager. If a come point is established, the bet travels to that number and waits for the number or 7.
Don't Come bet — The opposing version of the Come bet. It has its own first-roll result and, if it travels, generally wins if 7 appears before its number.
Odds bet — A supplemental wager placed behind a Pass, Don't Pass, Come, or Don't Come bet after a number is established. Standard odds wagers pay according to the true mathematical odds and therefore have no house edge by themselves. The underlying contract bet still has its own edge.
This is why “taking odds” does not mean the casino is quoting a probability. It means adding a specific supplemental wager.
Flat bet — The original Pass, Don't Pass, Come, or Don't Come amount, excluding odds.
Place bet — A wager that a selected box number will appear before 7. Place bets can usually be made or removed at many points in a roll, unlike contract bets.
Buy bet — Similar to a place-to-win bet, but paid at true odds with a commission or vigorish under the house's stated procedure.
Lay bet — A wager that 7 will appear before a selected number. The player risks more than the possible win and may pay a commission.
The craps bets explained guide compares these families. The craps odds chart separates true odds, payout odds, and house edge.
“Working,” “off,” and other status words
Craps bets do not all behave the same way on a come-out roll.
Working — The wager is active on the next roll.
Off — The wager is inactive and neither wins nor loses on the next roll. Dealers may place an “OFF” marker on the wager.
On — The wager has been activated, often by player request on a come-out roll.
Always working — A rule or instruction meaning the wager remains active unless the player turns it off. Don't-side odds are a common example, but procedure varies.
Never assume. Ask whether a bet is working before the dice are out. The answer may depend on bet type, table rules, and a previous player instruction.
One-roll and proposition language
Proposition bet — A wager usually placed in the center of the layout and resolved by a specific event. Many are one-roll bets; some modern propositions last through a hand or series.
Any Seven — Wins if the next roll totals 7.
Any Craps — Wins if the next roll is 2, 3, or 12.
Horn bet — A four-part wager on 2, 3, 11, and 12 for the next roll.
C and E — A split one-roll wager on Any Craps and 11.
Field bet — A one-roll wager on 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. The special payout on 2 or 12 varies by table and changes the house edge.
Hardway — A wager that 4, 6, 8, or 10 will be rolled as a matching pair before a 7 or the same total appears “easy.” Hard 8 means 4-4; easy 8 means 2-6, 3-5, 5-3, or 6-2.
Hop bet — A one-roll wager on an exact two-dice combination, such as 3-4. Some layouts distinguish ordered and unordered combinations.
Yo — Dealer shorthand for 11, used to reduce confusion with the word “seven.”
Boxcars — A total of 12, showing 6-6.
Snake eyes — A total of 2, showing 1-1.
Official definitions can be far more detailed than floor shorthand. Pennsylvania's current craps and mini-craps rules, for example, specify the exact dice combinations and settlement conditions for numerous wagers. The live table compresses that legal detail into short calls.
Instructions players give dealers
Same bet — Repeat the previous wager in the same amount after it wins. This should not be confused with “same number” or “put me back up,” which may require clarification.
Press — Increase a wager after a win. “Press one unit,” “full press,” and “press to a stated amount” are different instructions.
Take down — Remove a removable wager and return it to the player.
Take the winnings — Pay the win but leave the original wager working.
Parlay — Add the winnings to the original wager, increasing the next amount at risk.
Player control — A wager physically placed by the player in an accessible area, such as the Pass Line or Field.
Dealer control — A wager that the dealer positions in the correct box or center location, such as many place, buy, lay, and proposition bets.
Say the desired final amount when the table is busy. “Press my 6 and 8 to $30 each” is clearer than “press them.” Place chips on the layout only where player placement is permitted, and wait for the dealer to confirm the bet before the dice are released.
The people behind the calls
Stickperson — Controls the dice, calls the roll, manages many center bets, and moves the dice to the shooter.
Base dealer — Handles wagers and payouts on one side of the table.
Boxperson — Supervises the game from the center, watches dice and procedure, controls fills and credits at the table level, and resolves or escalates disputes.
Floorperson — Supervises one or more games, ratings, limits, decisions, and procedural issues. Staffing models vary by property and game format.
A complete round in plain English
- The puck is OFF and a new shooter has a $10 Pass Line bet.
- The shooter rolls 8 on the come-out. Eight becomes the point; the puck moves ON to 8.
- The player adds odds behind the Pass Line and asks for a place bet on 6.
- A 6 rolls. The place bet wins and stays up unless the player changes it.
- A 5 rolls. It does not settle the Pass Line or the place 6.
- An 8 rolls. The point is made, the Pass Line and its odds are paid, and the puck goes OFF.
- The same shooter begins another come-out roll.
Once that sequence is understood, the calls stop sounding like unrelated slang. Every term identifies one of four things: the phase of the round, the condition of a wager, the requested dealer action, or the dice result.