Craps Terms / Craps Dictionary

1. Craps Vig Chart
2. Craps Vig Chart Interpretation
3. Craps Vig Chart Meaning
4. Craps Vig Chart Historical
5. Craps Vig Chart Calculator

Aces Betting that the next roll will be the total sum of 2 (1,1).

There are many different bets you can make on the craps table. This often confuses new players but in actual fact craps is not that complicated. In this section we outline all of the possible betting options and show you where those bets go on the table. The Craps Table. Below is an example of a craps table. Craps is a game of streaks. Streaks of Point – Seven Out. Streaks of Point – Pass, and most often, choppy streaks where there is no dominant trend. Recreational gamblers tend to believe strongly in streaks and trends, probably because in hindsight, this is when they’ve won most of their money. Advantage players, with their math-based background, quickly point out.

1. Most online casinos on a $10 4/10 buy bet return 19.00, they claim a 5% vig. I always thought this was on the bet amount, not on the win amount which means the return should be 19.50 which is how Bodog does it.
2. Knowledge of betting progression at the craps table offers a way to win larger amounts of money. See charts on the press and pull, pull and press and up a unit betting progressions to see how they work.
3. The vig is the upfront payment you must make in exchange for getting mathematically fair payoff odds. Usually, the vig is 5% of your bet, but not all casinos treat the vig in the same way. Check the house rules where you play to see if the vig is rounded up or down for bets not evenly divisible by 20.

Craps Vig Chart

Any Craps A bet that the next roll will be 2, 3, or 12.

Any Seven A bet that the next roll will be 7. Don’t play this. See my Craps Vig chart.

Back Line Another term for the Don't Pass Line.

Bar 12 The 12 is a push or tie for Don’t Pass Line Betters on the Come out roll.

Betting Right Betting the throw will win on the Pass Line and Come bets.

Betting Wrong Betting the throw will win on Don't Pass Line and Don't Come bets.

Big Eight A bet that an 8 will be rolled before a 7 comes up. Don’t play this. See my Craps Vig chart.

Big Six A bet that a 6 will be rolled before a 7 comes up. Don’t play this. See my Craps Vig chart.

Big Red Placing a bet on Any Seven.

Bones nickname for dice

Boxcars (Betting or referring to the number 12) Two 6’s rolled are known as Boxcars.

Boxman Casino employee who sits between the two dealers at the Craps table and is responsible for the chips the casino keeps at the table. The Boxman oversees all play and counts your chip total when you color up.

Buffalo Placing a bet on each of the Hard ways and Any Seven.

Buy Bet Giving the house a 5% commission in order to be paid correct odds for a place bet. Buy bets are made the same way as a place bet, but at corrected odds with a 5% fee involved.

C and E Bet A one roll bet that the next roll of the dice will be any craps (2,3, or 12) or 11.

Center Field Referring to a 9 being thrown. Nine is in the center of the field bets.

Choppy Table A table where the shooters are throwing one or two numbers then sevening out. Tough to make money on a choppy table.

Cold Table A table in which shooters are sevening out before the point is made.

Color Up Handing in your chips to the dealer in order to receive larger chip denominations. This makes the handling your chips much easier. You then proceed to the cashier to cash out.

Come Bet As secondary Pass Line bet made after a point has been established.

Come Out Roll The beginning roll when the puck is in the off position. Pass Line Bet pays 1 to 1. On the 'come out' roll (the first roll), you win on a natural 7 or 11, and will lose if 'craps' (2, 3 or 12) is rolled. Any other number rolled is your 'point,' and you must throw your point again before a 7 to win your pass line bet.

Craps when a 2,3 or 12 is rolled.

Dealer Person to the left and right of the Boxman. The dealer physically handles all bets and payouts.

Double Odds A bet double the amount of the initial Pass Line bet, Don't Pass Line, Come or Don't Come bets. Double odds pay true odds when you win.

Easy Way A dice roll of 4, 6, 8, 10 each die being different from the other. i.e. 5.3 for an eight or 2,4 for a six.

Edge The advantage the casino has on the player on any given wager.

Even money bet a bet that pays 1 to 1.

Free Odds Bet see Double Odds

Front Line Same as a Pass Line.

Hi-Lo A bet that the next roll of the dice will be a 2 or 12.

Hop Bet One roll bet stating an exact dice combination.

Horn Bet One bet that covers the 2, 3, 11 and 12.

Horn High Bet bet amount is split into five parts. Two parts on the high number 12 or 11 and three units for the other numbers 2, 3 and 11. Horn High Yo means one unit bet on 2,3,and 12 and two units bet on the 11.

Hot Table A table in which most shooters are making The Point.

Lay Bet Paying a 5% commission in order to get true odds on (4,5,6,8,9,10). You are betting against the Pass Line players. You are betting the 7 will be rolled before the point.

Layout referring to the Craps table layout

Line Away Stickmen will yell this when the shooter sevens out.

Line Bet Bet on the Pass Line or Don't Pass Line.

Little Joe Also known as a Hard 4 or (2-2).

Long and Strong Stickmen will yell this if the shooter does not hit the back wall when rolling the dice.

Marker A Plastic disk that the dealers use to mark the point on the Craps table; Displays either 'Off' or 'On'.

Midnight One roll bet on 12.

Natural when the shooter rolls either a 7 or 11 on the come out roll

Off Term used when stating which bets will be off or not working on the following roll.

OJ Term used referring to a 3,2 combination. aka soft 5

One Roll Bets Outcome of these bets are established by the next dice roll. Depending on the next roll, the bet either wins or loses.

Outside Numbers The numbers 4,5,9, and 10.

Pair of Aces Dice rolled with an outcome of (1,1). aka snake eyes

Pair of Roses Term used for a hard 10 ( 5,5)

Payoff The return or payback the player receives for his or her wager.

Pit The area that is roped off inside the playing tables. Casino employees pace this area while observing for fair play.

Pit boss Casino employee who is in charge of a certain section of the table games in a casino.

Place Bet bet stating a place number will be thrown before a 7 comes out.

Place Numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10.

Point Number One of the numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10 determined on the come out roll.

Press a Bet To double an existing bet.

Proposition Bets All one-roll bets and the hardway bets.

RailThe grooved area along the top of the craps table perimeter where players keep their chips

Right Bettor A player betting the shooter will make the point..

Seven Out Line Away When the shooter rolls a 7 after a point has been established and before repeating the point number. At his point, the shooter relinquishes the dice.

Shooter The player rolling the dice.

Single Odds a bet amount behind the line matching the bet on the Pass Line or Don’t Pass Line.

Snake Eyes When a two is rolled.

Square Pair Term used for a hard 8 (4,4).

Stickman A casino employee who calls out the dice rolls and returns the dice to the shooter, also responsible for the placing and paying the proposition bets.

Taken Down Term used to denote a bet that has been taken off the table and returned to the player.

Toke A tip given to the dealer.

The Hard Way Bet You win if the number comes up exactly as on the table; lose if the number comes up any other way, or if a 7 is thrown. For example, if you have $1 on the hard 4, the dice must roll two two's to win. If the dice roll is 1 and 3, the bet loses. HARD WAY bets will remain on the table in play until the number rolls, or if a seven rolls. A Hardway 4 or 10 pays 7 to 1. A Hardway 6 or 8 pays 9 to 1.

The Point The number that is established on the come-out roll. Only place numbers (4,5,6,8,9,10) can become the point. The shooter will attempt to repeat throwing the point before throwing a 7 in order to win that round of betting.

Three-way Craps A bet made in units of 3 with one unit on 2, one unit on 3, and one unit on 12.

Vigalso known as vigorish The casino’s edge or advantage..

Working Opposite of off. Term used when stating which bets will be on or working on the following roll.

World Bet Betting on 2, 3, 7, 11 and 12 together. The World bet is always bet in increments of five. Example: A $10 world bet would be $2 each on 2, 3, 7, 11 and12.

Wrong Bettor A player betting the dice will not pass. A player who bets the shooter will not make the point and instead will Seven-Out.

X Odds this is an additional wager thats bet along with the Pass Line and Don’t Pass bets. You can wager X times the amount of your original bet. The X amount is determined by the Casino. Many Casinos offer 2X odds. Others are now offering 3X on the 4 and 10, 4X on the 5 and 9, and 5X on the 6 and 8.

Yo The number (5,6) or 11. Also called Yo-lev or Yo-leven

If you buy the 4 for $40 the vig is $2.
If you lay the 4 for $40 the vig is $1.
Why is the vig for buying a number based upon the amount of the bet while the vig for laying a number is based upon the expected win amount?

Why is the vig for buying a number based upon the amount of the bet while the vig for laying a number is based upon the expected win amount?

the Buy and Lay bets, as my understanding, came about the same time.
Both being a fair bet
the vig back then (early 1900s) was always collected when the bet was made.
The Buy bet house edge is about 4.76% on all numbers
where the Lay bet house edge is less than the buy. (depends on the number)
IF they charged the Lay the same as the Buy (on the bet) and they could have done just that,
the house edge would be higher than the Buy. That could make for less action using the Lay bets
it is just what they did way back to start and has stuck around
trying to make the Lay a better bet than the Buy without gouging the player.
(I did not find a clear answer to this in any of my old books)
interesting to find other thoughts on this

If you buy the 4 for $40 the vig is $2.
If you lay the 4 for $40 the vig is $1.
Why is the vig for buying a number based upon the amount of the bet while the vig for laying a number is based upon the expected win amount?

A $20 buy bet on the 4 and a $40 lay bet against the 4 are actually the same bet.
You can choose either side of the bet and pay $1 (5% of the wager) as vig.

the Buy and Lay bets, as my understanding, came about the same time.
Both being a fair bet
the vig back then (early 1900s) was always collected when the bet was made.
The Buy bet house edge is about 4.76% on all numbers
where the Lay bet house edge is less than the buy. (depends on the number)
IF they charged the Lay the same as the Buy (on the bet) and they could have done just that,
the house edge would be higher than the Buy. That could make for less action using the Lay bets
it is just what they did way back to start and has stuck around
trying to make the Lay a better bet than the Buy without gouging the player.
(I did not find a clear answer to this in any of my old books)
interesting to find other thoughts on this

Thank you sounds logical.

A $20 buy bet on the 4 and a $40 lay bet against the 4 are actually the same bet.
You can choose either side of the bet and pay $1 (5% of the wager) as vig.

I really do not understand you answer. 5% of the $40 lay bet wager is $2.
I agree that a casino will charge $1 on a $40 lay against the 4, but it is 5% of the expected win, not 5% of the wager

Craps Vig Chart Interpretation

Thank you sounds logical.
I really do not understand you answer. 5% of the $40 lay bet wager is $2.
I agree that a casino will charge $1 on a $40 lay against the 4, but it is 5% of the expected win, not 5% of the wager

I’ll try for him again. There’s one bet: will the four come before the seven. Taking the yes side (pays 2:1) is a “buy” and the no side is a “lay” (pays 1:2). It’s the same bet and the casino charges the same $ whichever side you take.

Craps Vig Chart Meaning

Craps Vig Chart Historical

ETA: so if you and I are on the same table and you buy the four for $20 and I lay the 4 for $40, the house has a balanced book. Our bets cancel our for them. They are the “same” bet on different sides, and the casino charges the same price for both of them.

Craps Vig Chart Calculator