Craps Terms and Glossary: Every Word at the Table
A plain-English glossary of craps slang and terminology, from pass line and hard way to box numbers and seven out, so you can follow the table without guessing.
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Craps Terms and Glossary
The short answer
Craps has its own language, and most of it exists because the game moves fast and dealers need short words for complicated bets. This glossary covers the terms you'll actually hear at a live table or see on an online felt, grouped so you can look things up fast. Bookmark it. You'll need it.
Craps rewards you for knowing the vocabulary before you play, not during. If you want the full mechanics of how a round actually unfolds, read our guide on how craps is played first. This page is the dictionary, not the tutorial.
The most important term to learn before anything else is "seven out." It means the shooter rolled a 7 after the point was established, and every pass line and come bet loses. Knowing this one phrase tells you when the table's mood is about to change.
What are the core game structure terms?
These describe the basic flow of a craps round. If you already know them from our craps basics guide, skip ahead to the bet-specific sections.
Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
Come-out roll | The first roll of a new round, before a point is set |
Point | The number the shooter must repeat to win, set by the come-out roll |
Point numbers | 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 — the only numbers that can become the point |
Box numbers | Another name for the point numbers, named after the boxes printed on the layout |
Shooter | The person rolling the dice |
Seven out | A 7 rolled during the point phase, ending the shooter's turn and losing pass line bets |
Craps (the roll) | A roll of 2, 3, or 12 on the come-out |
Natural | A roll of 7 or 11 on the come-out, an instant pass line win |
Hot table | Slang for a table where shooters keep making their points |
Cold table | The opposite — points keep sevening out |
What terms cover the pass line and don't pass family?
These are the two foundational bets, and almost every other bet builds on the logic behind them.
Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
Pass line | A bet that the shooter wins — either 7/11 on come-out, or the point repeats before a 7. House edge ~1.41% (UW-Madison Statistics) |
Don't pass | The opposite bet — you win if the shooter sevens out or craps on come-out (with 12 usually a push). House edge ~1.36% |
Come bet | Like a pass line bet, but placed after the point is already set, on the next roll |
Don't come | The don't-pass equivalent of a come bet |
Odds bet / free odds | An optional extra bet added behind a pass, don't pass, come, or don't come bet, paid at true odds with a 0% house edge (Casino.org) |
Working | A bet that's currently active and eligible to win or lose on the next roll |
Off | A bet that's temporarily not in play, common for come bets during a come-out roll |
Curious exactly how much edge each of these carries and why the gap is so wide? Our house edge breakdown lays out every number side by side.
What terms cover place, buy, and lay bets?
These are bets you make directly on a number without needing a pass line bet first.
Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
Place bet | A bet that a specific number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10) rolls before a 7. House edge ranges roughly 1.52%-6.67% (Casino News Daily) depending on the number |
Buy bet | Like a place bet, but you pay a 5% commission (Casino News Daily) to get paid true odds instead of place-bet odds |
Lay bet | The opposite of a buy bet — you're betting a 7 rolls before the number, again paying commission |
Vig / vigorish | The commission the casino takes on buy and lay bets, usually 5% (Casino News Daily) |
Big 6 / Big 8 | A bet that 6 or 8 rolls before a 7, paid at even money — almost always a worse version of a place bet |
What terms cover proposition and center-table bets?
These live in the middle of the layout and are handled by the stickman. Most carry a steep house edge, which is exactly why they're worth understanding before you bet them.
Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
Field bet | A one-roll bet that the next roll is 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, or 12. House edge ~2.7%-5.5% (Casino.org) depending on the casino's payout rules |
Any craps | A one-roll bet on 2, 3, or 12. House edge ~11.1% (Wizard of Odds) |
Any seven | A one-roll bet that the next roll is a 7. House edge ~16.67% (Wizard of Odds) |
Hard way | A bet that a number (4, 6, 8, or 10) rolls as a matching pair (like 3-3) before it rolls "easy" or before a 7 shows. House edge ~9.09%-11.11% (Wizard of Odds) |
Easy | A number rolled as two different dice values, like a 5 made from 4-3 instead of a hard way pair |
Horn bet | A combination bet split across 2, 3, 11, and 12 |
C&E | A combined bet on craps (2, 3, 12) and eleven |
Yo / yo-eleven | Table slang for the number 11, used to avoid confusion with "seven" |
What terms describe table roles and etiquette?
Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
Stickman | The dealer who controls the dice and calls the roll |
Boxman | Supervises the table and payouts, usually seated |
Base dealers | The two dealers who handle chips on either side of the table |
Rail | The rim around the table edge where you can rest chips |
Puck | The marker (On/Off) that shows whether a point is active |
Hop bet | A one-roll bet on a specific dice combination before it's rolled, usually offered informally |
Table etiquette and dice-handling rules go deeper than we can cover in a glossary entry — see our full craps basics guide for that.
How do bet names map to what you're actually betting on?
You'll hear | It means you're betting on |
|---|---|
"Pass" | Shooter makes the point (or 7/11 on come-out) |
"Don't pass" | Shooter sevens out (or craps on come-out) |
"Place the 6" | 6 rolls before a 7 |
"Hard 8" | 4-4 rolls before easy 8 or a 7 |
"Field" | Next roll is one of seven specific numbers |
"Any seven" | Next roll is exactly a 7 |
Getting these terms straight before you sit down means you won't be the person asking the dealer to repeat themselves three times. It also helps you evaluate whether a bet is actually good value — see our house edge and odds table references for the numbers behind each of these names.
If you're new to real-money play, start small while these terms sink in, and only bet what you're comfortable losing.
For the equivalent glossary on a different game type, try keno and see how its own terminology compares.
Ready to see it in action? Play craps or browse the full craps category on Wild.io.
A quick note on playing smart: craps math is fun to study, but the house edge never goes away no matter how well you know it. Set a budget before you sit down, treat losses as the cost of entertainment, and use Wild.io's responsible gambling tools if you ever want to set limits or take a break.
Sources
- Wizard of Odds: Craps — proposition and hard-way bet house edges (retrieved July 2026)
- UW-Madison Statistics: Re-learning the Pass Line Bet in Craps — pass line (1.41%), don't pass (1.36%), and free odds (0%) analysis (retrieved July 2026)
- Casino.org: The Craps Field Bet — field bet and free odds house edges (retrieved July 2026)
- Casino News Daily: Craps House Edge — place bet, buy bet, and vig figures (retrieved July 2026)
- Wikipedia: Craps — general terminology and game history (retrieved July 2026)
What's the single most important craps term to learn first?
"Seven out." It signals a 7 rolled during the point phase, ending the shooter's turn and losing every pass line and come bet still on the table. Knowing this phrase tells you exactly when a table's mood is about to flip.
What's the difference between a hard way and an easy way?
A hard way means the number came up as a matching pair, like two 4s making a hard 8. An easy way means the same total came from two different dice values, like a 5 and 3 making an easy 8. Hard way bets pay more because matching pairs are less likely to come up than mixed combinations.
Why do "buy" and "lay" bets involve a commission?
Because they pay true odds instead of the worse place-bet odds, casinos charge a vig (usually 5%) to keep their edge. It's a trade-off: better payout math in exchange for a flat fee on the bet.
What's the difference between a come bet and the come-out roll?
The come-out roll is the very first roll of a new round for the pass line. A come bet is a separate wager you can place at any time during the point phase, and it behaves like a fresh mini pass-line bet that gets its own "come-out roll" on the next throw.
Are "box numbers" different from "point numbers"?
No, they're two names for the same thing — 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10, the numbers printed in boxes on the layout that can become the point. Dealers and regulars use both terms interchangeably.
Why does a "hot table" matter if every roll is independent?
Strictly speaking, it shouldn't change your odds on the next roll — dice have no memory. "Hot" and "cold" are just descriptive slang for a run of results, not a signal that future rolls are more or less likely to favor the shooter.
Frequently asked questions
What's the single most important craps term to learn first?
"Seven out." It signals a 7 rolled during the point phase, ending the shooter's turn and losing every pass line and come bet still on the table. Knowing this phrase tells you exactly when a table's mood is about to flip.
What's the difference between a hard way and an easy way?
A hard way means the number came up as a matching pair, like two 4s making a hard 8. An easy way means the same total came from two different dice values, like a 5 and 3 making an easy 8. Hard way bets pay more because matching pairs are less likely to come up than mixed combinations.
Why do "buy" and "lay" bets involve a commission?
Because they pay true odds instead of the worse place-bet odds, casinos charge a vig (usually 5%) to keep their edge. It's a trade-off: better payout math in exchange for a flat fee on the bet.
What's the difference between a come bet and the come-out roll?
The come-out roll is the very first roll of a new round for the pass line. A come bet is a separate wager you can place at any time during the point phase, and it behaves like a fresh mini pass-line bet that gets its own "come-out roll" on the next throw.
Are "box numbers" different from "point numbers"?
No, they're two names for the same thing — 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10, the numbers printed in boxes on the layout that can become the point. Dealers and regulars use both terms interchangeably.
Why does a "hot table" matter if every roll is independent?
Strictly speaking, it shouldn't change your odds on the next roll — dice have no memory. "Hot" and "cold" are just descriptive slang for a run of results, not a signal that future rolls are more or less likely to favor the shooter.
About the author
Trust & Responsible Play Writer
Marcus focuses on judging casinos before you deposit — licensing checks, red flags, scam patterns — and the bankroll habits and limit tools that keep play under control.
