Craps terms and slang
A short craps glossary with dice examples, so you can follow the table talk from the first roll.
Shooter, come-out and point
- Shooter – the player who rolls the dice.
- Come-out – the first roll of a new round.
- Point – a four, five, six, eight, nine or ten rolled on the come-out. The shooter now tries to roll it again before a seven.
- Puck on / off – a disc on the table. On marks the point number; off means the next roll is a come-out.
- Seven-out – a seven rolled after a point is set. The round ends and the dice go to the next shooter.
Check the puck before you bet: off means come-out, on means a point is set.
Betting talk: come, press, take down
- Come – a bet made after the point is set. It works like a fresh pass line bet: the next roll is its own come-out.
- Press – make a bet bigger after it wins, usually by adding the winnings to it. Example: a place bet wins, you say "press it" and the dealer raises it.
- Take down – remove a bet from the table.
- Working / off – a working bet counts on the next roll; a bet that is off stays on the table but does not win or lose.
The pass line and come bets carry a house edge of 1.41%; see all bets on the craps bets page.
Snake eyes and ace-deuce
- Snake eyes – one and one, a total of two. There is only 1 way to roll it.
- Ace-deuce – one and two, a total of three. There are 2 ways to roll it.
- Craps – a two, three or twelve on the come-out. Pass line bets lose.
Boxcars, yo and Big Red
- Boxcars – six and six, a total of twelve. Only 1 way.
- Yo – a total of eleven (2 ways). Players say "yo" so it does not sound like "seven".
- Big Red – the seven, the most common total (6 ways). Many players avoid saying "seven" at the table.
Hardways, easy ways, Little Joe and ballerina
- Hardway – a four, six, eight or ten rolled as a pair: two twos, two threes, two fours, two fives.
- Easy way – the same total without a pair. Example: one and three is an easy four.
- Little Joe – a total of four, often a hard four (two twos).
- Ballerina – regional slang for a hard four, two twos.
Hardway bets look fun but cost much more than the pass line; compare them on the prop bets page.
Stadium craps and the name craps
Stadium craps – a craps game with many player terminals around an electronic table. Each player bets on a screen; the dice or a machine decide the roll.
Why "craps"? The origin of the word is debated, and no single story is proven.
Learn the round step by step on the craps rules page, then try it free in the craps simulator.
Questions
What does come mean in craps?
A come bet is placed after the point is set. It acts like a new pass line bet, and the next roll is its own come-out, with a house edge of 1.41%.
What does press mean in craps?
Press means making a winning bet bigger, usually by adding the winnings to it instead of taking them back.
What are double twos called in craps?
Two twos make a hard four. Players also call it Little Joe, and in some places a ballerina.
What is stadium craps?
Stadium craps is a craps game with many player terminals around an electronic table, where each player bets on a screen.
Why do they call it craps?
The origin of the name is debated, and no single explanation is proven. Today craps also means rolling a two, three or twelve on the come-out.