Playing Craps

This is the page where the mystery of craps is revealed, or rather, the language explained. Having been around for quite some time now, craps has grown on players and to make it more interesting, certain names are applied to various dice outcomes. Oftentimes, you'll find that they rhyme in a rather funny way, utilizing names and palces sometimes imaginary. If you stand by a craps table, you might notice the unique flow in the game. Although carps is a fast-paced game and requires you to pay close attention, everything still has its time and place. Of course, each casino may choose to run the game in a different fashion and even that might vary from table to table. However, no matter how the game might appear to the observer, it's still based on the same rules and follows the same order. Let us show you what playing craps is all about.

Although the craps table is surrounded by all kinds of individuals - young and old, experienced and novice - huddled together, the game in not a group effor; the play of one person does not affect another person's ability to win in any way. Playing craps involves more than just knowing how to throw the dice, crossing your fingers, and hoping you win. While it might seem to work for some, it's just a case of pure luck. Understanding which bets are the most favorable, which bets to avoid, how to recognize and capitalize on a winning streak, and when to quit can rake you in a lot more money.

To break the ice as well as to create more excitement among the players or simply let the shooter know he's up, you'll often hear the stickman perform his little rhyming spiel: "So shooter, you're coming out, hands up, feet off the table, let'em loose and I'll make the calls", or something to that effect. Now, what exactly does he mean by 'call'? Well, there are various ways of calling out a number when it comes up on a roll. Let's take a look:

TWO:
"craps", "two aces", "rats eyes", "snake eyes", "push the don't", "eleven in a shoe store", "twice in the rice", "two craps two", "two bad boys from Illinois".

THREE:
"craps", "ace-deuce", "ace caught a deuce", "winner on the dark side", "three craps three, the indicator", "small ace deuce, can't produce".

FOUR:
"little Joe", "little Joe from Kokomo", "hit us in the tu tu", "ace trey, the country way".

FIVE:
"after five, the field's alive", "thirty-two juice roll", "little Phoebe", "fiver, fiver, racetrack driver", "we got the fever".

SIX:
"big red, catch'em in the corner", "like a blue chip stock", "pair-o-treys, waiter's roll", "the national average", "sixie from Dixie".

SEVEN:
"Seven out, line away", "grab the money", "five two, you're all through", "six ace, end of the race", "front line winner, back line skinner", "six one, you're all done", "seven's a bruiser, the front line's a loser", "up pops the devil", "Benny Blue, you're all through".

EIGHT:
"A square pair, like mom and dad", "Ozzie and Harriet", "the windows", "eighter from Decatur".

NINE:
"Center field", "center of the garden", "ocean liner niner", "Nina from Pasadena", "What shot Jesse James? A forty-five".

TEN:
"Puppy paws", "pair-a-roses", "pair of sunflowers", "the big one on the end".

ELEVEN:
"Yo leven", "yo levine the dancing queen", "six five, no jive".

TWELVE:
"Craps", "boxcars", "atomic craps", "all the spots we got", "outstanding in your field", "triple dipple, in the lucky ducky", "double saw on boxcars".

Of course, some names apply only to certain combinations of the dice. Take "six one, you're all done" for instance; to call that, you would actually have to have a 6 and a 1, not 3 and 4 (also makes a seven). Hopefully this will make playing craps a little easier and more fun. Understanding what's going on around you will only add to your experience at the craps table.