The first time one walks up to a craps table is a daunting experience, as it may be a sea of noise and activity. Chips are dropping, people are screaming, and dice are flying. And in the very thick of it all, you can hear a staff member shouting in what sounds like a foreign tongue. “Six, the hard way! Eighter from Decatur! Come on, new shooter!” This is a place with its own unique culture, rules, and most importantly, its own secret language. Understanding it is your key to not just fitting in, but to playing using your National Casino login smarter.
The most important figure in this sonic landscape is the stickman, who is the one with the long, curved stick, deftly moving the dice around the table. But he’s so much more than a dice-retrieval system. He’s the conductor of this chaotic orchestra, the game’s hype man, and its chief communicator… And he speaks in code.
The Stickman’s Strange Chants
There is a reason behind each call the stickman makes, and it is a finer bit of information given with panache, so when a new player is coming to roll, he will declare, “The dice are out, seeking another shooter!” This indicates to the whole table that another round is underway, and when a point number is set (say a four), he will sing out, “Four point, now place your bets!” He is constantly describing what is being done to keep the game moving and to make sure that everyone knows what has been played.
Common Number Calls
- Two (Snake Eyes): “Ace-deuce, aces in the place!” or “Two, the hard way!”
- Three: “Trey, with an ace!” or “Three craps!”
- Eleven: “Yo-leven!” or “Winner, winner, on the yo!” (He says “Yo” to clearly distinguish it from “seven”).
- Twelve (Boxcars): “Twelve, it’s midnight!” or “Boxcars on the tracks!”
The One Word You Must Never, Ever Say
Let’s get to the biggest rule, the one that feels almost superstitious but is rooted in practical psychology. You should never, ever say the word “seven” at a craps table. Why? Because the number seven is the most powerful in the game, and on the “come-out” roll, a seven is an instant winner for most players, but after a point is established, it becomes the “seven-out,” an instant loser that ends the shooter’s turn and clears all the place bets from the table.It is the Grim Reaper. It’s the killer. To say its name is to tempt fate, and it is thought to be a great jinx. This superstition is so strong that it even has a catchphrase of its own, so that when an uncultured newcomer dares to utter the forbidden word, you will as likely hear a choir of experienced gamblers each singing in unison: “Don’t invite the devil!” They are trying to neutralize the ill fortune you have just brought, and it is a fascinating table culture that brings out the superstitious nature of the mentality that surrounds the game.