Las Vegas from A to E, making a brief stop at K, then continuing on to Q, and then, after a layover at U, ending at Z

By Phil

The Encyclopedia Vegasana is a compendium of terms used by the Big Empire staff. Many are not currently in the Las Vegas lexicon, but should be. They are terms we have either coined or have heard and made our own. The inclusion of certain terms and not of others is a decision that is made at the sole discretion of Phil, our lexicographer. To be honest, we don't know his criteria, so don't ask us. Don't ask him either. You'll be sorry you did.

A-G

H-M

N-R

S-Z

Acey-Deucey	(Craps) A roll of three (a crap) which can only be formed by a one and a two.
Alien Handshake	(Craps) a roll of six formed by a 1 and a 5
Back from Cairo	(Craps) Successfully making a point of eight with a roll of 2 and 6. See Trip to Cairo.
Bad News	(Craps) A roll of three, which is indeed bad news if you bet on the pass line on the come-out roll. After the come-out roll, it is completely indifferent news, unless you just put a bet on the come line.
Barry	1. To borrow money with no intention of ever paying it back. 2. To delay paying back owed money for a long time in an attempt to have the debt forgiven (at least in the debtor's own estimation), by causing the owed party either actually to forgive it (unlikely), forget it, or simply resign any hope of ever getting it. This term is named for a person we know named Barry. Guess what he did? Also note that the word is phonetically similar to the word “borrow.”
Big Gulp Challenge	A contest in which participants purchase a Big Gulp, Double Gulp, or similar very large drink on the way out of town, and then attempt to drive (or ride) all the way back home without stopping. Home must be a good driving distance away, such as southern California.
Big Dick	(Craps) A point (or a roll) of ten. It can be formed the "easy way," with a 6 and a 4, or one can roll a "Big Dick, the hard way," with two 5s. This is a traditional gambling term that no one seems to use anymore. I wonder why. See also Little Joe. Etymological Note: This term probably can be traced all the way back to its Indo-European roots. The Indo-European root “dekm” means “ten,” which is used (in various forms) in Greek, Romance, and Germanic languages. In some European countries today, the word for the number 10 is “deck” or “dick.”
Big Dick Daddy from East Cincinatti	(Craps) See previous entry. To add even more confusion to where this ever-more-mysterious person is from (see the next two entries), we now have another rhyming term for this guy. Is he really from Cincinnati? And why specifically east Cincinnati? Is East Cincinnati just the east side of the city, or is it a separate city, like West Hollywood or South Pasadena? I don’t know since I’m not from that area, and I don’t really care enough to look it up. Especially since I happen to believe he’s from Boston. Did he have a child in Cincinnati? The odds of rolling a ten are only 1 in 12, and the odds of a hard ten are 1 in 36. Do we really need this many Big Dicks? (Submitted, perhaps superfluously, From Fowler, Indiana)
Big Dick (from Boston)	(Craps) A roll of hard ten, i.e., two fives. See previous entry. Several people submitted this apparently traditional term (George Klander got it in first), which is even more obscure than the plain old "Big Dick." Nobody uses this one either. Doesn't it make you nostalgic for those halcyon years of Las Vegas' heyday, which you never actually experienced, when people would regularly say things like "Big Dick," "halcyon," and "heyday?"
Big Dick (from Detroit)	(Craps) A roll of hard ten, i.e., two fives. See previous entry. Apparently, there is some confusion about where Big Dick is from. On the other hand, there is not yet any controversy about where Little Joe (q.v.) is from. The first Detroitist was Robt, and the Bostonists so far outnumber the Detroitists by a small margin. It really doesn't matter, because many such terms often have more than one version. There's plenty of room in the English language, and even in the Encyclopedia Vegasana, for both versions. Can't we all just get along?
Birds and Squirrels	(Craps) The four and ten points, collectively. The two hardest points to make, and consequently, the ones with the largest payoffs. This phrase may also be used to urge the shooter to roll one or both of these points. See also Call the Doctor.
Boxcars	(Craps) A roll of twelve (a crap), which of course, can only be formed with two 6's. This comes from the vague resemblance of the six face of a die to the roofed railroad freight car.
Breakfast at Harrah's	(Pai-Gow Poker) A nine-high, no-pair hand, which is the worst possible hand to have in a game of Pai-Gow Poker. Rumor has it that if you are unfortunate enough to be dealt this hand at the Harrah's in Reno, you get a free breakfast as consolation. The B.E.E.V.L.E.C. makes no claim as to the accuracy of this rumor.
Bree Walker	(Craps) A roll of three (a crap), which of course, can only be formed with a 1 and a 2.
Buckshot	(Craps) Making the point on the roll immediately following the come out roll. Thus, you may describe or call for an instance of such a phenomenon as, "Buckshot Six!" "Buckshot Nine!" etc.
Buffarf	A very bad buffet, such as are readily available at many of the casinos. Guess the etymology of this one.
Bun Boy	A ridiculously named restaurant chain, both of which are on the way between L.A. and L.V. If the name is said in a high-pitched voice, it can be used to annoy people. One of them is the home to the world's largest thermometer. Look out the window at it as you drive by. Whatever you do, don't eat there.
California Blackjack	(Blackjack) A blackjack hand consisting of an ace and a nine. Not an actual blackjack. What this has to do with California, the BEEVLEC does not know. Submitted without explanation by Hochelaga.
Call the Doctor!	(Craps) Covering both of the two hardest points to make in craps, i.e. the ten and the four. One covering both of these points with either a come or a place bet may be said to be "calling the doctor." "Call the Doctor!" may also be used to demand such a winning roll from the shooter. If in a whimsical mood, one may substitute a specialist for the doctor, e.g., "Call the Chiropractor!" "Call the Anesthesiologist!" "Call the Neurosurgeon!" or perhaps even, "Call the Acupuncturist!" Note: proctologist and gynecologist, while technically correct, are considered less than optimal choices by the Encyclopedia Vegasana Usage Panel. See also Birds and Squirrels.
Campbell's Soup?	A meaningless code phrase used by people in the know to determine if the one addressed is also hip and cool. If s/he is, the correct response would be, "Chunky Soup!"
Casino	Spanish for "probably not."
Chicken Eggs	(Craps) A C&E bet (craps and eleven). Submitted anonymously. This replaced the earlier medieval term “cockatrice eggs.” OK, I’m lying.
Chunky Soup!	The proper hip and cool response to the query, "Campbell's Soup?" (q.v.)
Clark County	The county that Las Vegas is located in. The only reason anyone outside of Nevada politics would care is if they are interested in the legal prostitution that goes on in the state. It is not legal within Clark County ­ gambling interests own that county! ­ but it is legal in nearby Nye County, as those little brochures they hand out on the Strip always point out.
Circus Jerkus	A good alternative name for Circus Circus. Contributed by Laura. I found this one to be so apropos, I'm surprised we didn't think of it ourselves.
C-Note	A one hundred dollar bill. A traditional term, from the Roman numeral for 100.
Cold Turkey	(Blackjack) A hand consisting of two face cards. A good hand. Submitted by Hochelaga.
Copper Mine	An area of penny slot machines. That is, slot machines where you can actually put a penny into the slot, not merely where you can insert a dollar bill and then gamble it one cent at a time. The Copper Mine refers specifically to the one at the Gold Spike Casino, the best damned copper mine of 'em all! And the only one to be specifically labeled with a sign saying "Welcome to The Copper Mine." This is the copper mine to which all other copper mines aspire.
Craps Rolls	You know how regular dictionaries have various tables of information at certain entries, like the periodic table of elements, or world currencies? Well, now the Encyclopedia Vegasana has ‘em too! There have been so many terms submitted and discovered (and invented) that it’s more convenient to put some of them in a table. We’ve got one for Craps Rolls and one for Poker Hands. So Noah Webster can kiss my well-defined ass! Dice Values Nicknames 1-1 aces, cat eyes, post holes3, to me they look like mice, snake eyes, Two Bad Boys from Illinois 1-2 acey-deucey, bad news, Bree Walker 1-3 “Baskin Robbins” (=”31”) 1-4 Handy Andy 1-5 alien handshake 1-6 “Happy Birthday” “Sweet” “You’re beautiful and you’re mine” 2-2 Little Joe from Kokomo 2-3 “Hail Eris! All Hail Discordia!” 2-4 “All day and all night”, “Meaning of Life” (=”42”) 2-5 “Full Deck” (=”52”) 2-6 Trip to Cairo 3-3 Sixie from Dixie, Colombian Breakfast 3-4   3-5 Eighter from Decatur 3-6 Devil’s briefcase 4-4 square pair, windows 4-5 Ginger’s Toes, Nina from Pasadena, What killed Jesse James? 4-6 “Still need me” (=”64”) 5-5 Big Dick from Boston, Big Dick from Detroit, Big Dick Daddy from East Cincinnati, Puppy Paws, Texas Sunflowers1, twin fins 5-6 mana from heaven, ye olde eleven, yo eleven 6-6 6-6 boxcars, hobo’s delight on a rainy night, midnight, hobo bet Sum of Both Dice Total Nicknames 4 Little Joe 5 fever, fiver-fiver race car driver, Phoebe, Phoebe the Preacher’s Daughter 6 Jimmy Hicks, Sister Hicks, Tom Mix 7 magic number, Savannah 8 eight skate and donate, “Go Octopus, Go!” 9 El Señor Nine, German housewife, quinine, strychnine, baseball bum, Caroline Nine, Nina from Pasadena, Nina from Argentina (Oh, great! Now there’s a controversy about where Nina is from.) 10 Big Dick Bets on Multiple Numbers Bet Nicknames 2, 3, 11 & 12 chicken eggs 4 & 10 birds & squirrels, call the doctor, pimples & braces 5 & 9 meats & greens 6 & 8 mean streets, weights & measures Hardways & 11 buffalo
Debutante	(Craps) The come-out roll. Quite logical, really. The phrase submitted by “Big B from Boston” (not to be confused with Big Dick from Boston) was “We’ve got a debutant and we’re having a coming out party!” Losing all your money is no reason to stop partying.
Devil's Briefcase	(Craps) a roll of nine formed by a 3 and a 6.
Doberman's Dilemma	(Blackjack) a low busting hand, such as 12 or 13, that you must hit, because of the dealer's good up card, such as a 10 or 9.
Dobie's Dilemma	Shortened name for Doberman's Dilemma (q.v.).
Dogs on the Table	Perhaps the most cutthroat variation of poker ever invented. Far too difficult to be played in any casino, as least "officially." I would explain the rules to you here, but I don't think your heart could take it!
Dollar Dollie	A woman, often dressed in a somewhat sexy uniform, depending on the particular casino, selling dollar tokens or dollar coins for use in the slot machines. It’s so much nicer having that personal touch rather than buying them from a cold, heartless change machine. Submitted by Kollene Jackson, Ex-Westward Ho Dollar Dollie. Thank you for your noble service.
DST	Abbreviation for "Do Some Throwing" of dice, i.e., playing craps.
DSTU	Abbreviation for "DST Up," another popular activity in Las Vegas.
Eighter from Decatur	(Craps) A roll of eight formed by a 3 and a 5. Decatur is a fairly well known city in Illinois that is popularly believed to be the origin of this term. Even the BEEVLEC formerly believed this. However, new evidence has come to light that strongly suggests that the term comes from the less well known city of Decatur, Texas. Mysteriously, the sign below depicts a hard eight, rather than a 3 and a 5, which is how the term is usually defined.
Ernest Hemingway Becomes a Man	(Blackjack) A hand totaling 21, consisting of a 6, a 7, and an 8.
Eighter from Decatur	(Craps) a roll of eight formed by a 3 and a 5.  In case you were interested or wondering, Decatur is a city in Illinois. This fact does little to shed light on the origin of this term.
El Señor Nine	(Craps) any roll totaling nine. Note: It is a serious faux pas to refer to a nine card (such as in a game of blackjack) as El Señor Nine. It is also considered substandard usage to refer to a nine in some other game, such as keno or roulette, as El Señor Nine.
Elmo	A more fun name for the El Morocco (now part of the La Concha)
Excuse	A nickel, as in, "I've got a nickel, therefore I've got an excuse to go to Las Vegas."
Fever	(Craps) Based on the similar sounding word "five," a roll of five. Some readers emailed variations on this traditional term, some vulgar, of the form "fever in the [location]."
Fin	A five-dollar bill. From the German or Yiddish word for "five."
Fiver-Fiver Race Car Driver	(Craps) A roll of five. Traditional though it may be, it sounds more like something said by kids in a playground. Who says that adults can't join in the fun of rhyming taunts?
Franklin's Ace	(Blackjack) an ace paired with a card other than another ace, a ten, or a face card. That is, an ace that doesn't form an immediate blackjack, (or splitable pair). One who receives such a hand is said to be "Franklined." One may also exhort the dealer, "Don't Franklin me."
Freeno	Keno played without money. A keno card is filled out, and the numbers are watched, but no bet is placed so you can't win anything, or much more likely, you can't lose anything. Playing freeno is an excellent way to pass the time waiting for a meal to be served in a non-buffet casino restaurant, as well as demonstrate the incredibly poor expected payoff of keno. Also called theoretical keno (q.v.).
Fun Book	Often a misnomer, since most are neither fun nor books. At best, they can be considered booklets. They contain coupons, certificates, tickets, and advertisements for various souvenirs, food items, attractions, shows, and gambling opportunities available at a particular casino. Depending on the casino, fun books may offer things cheap, things for free, things expensive but slightly cheaper than they would be otherwise, or things of absolutely no value whatsoever.
Gambient Noise	The sound of a casino. Any casino. The continuous tootling of electronic (or occasionally real) bells and clinking coins emitted simultaneously from hundreds of slot machines until they almost seem to merge into a smooth, eerily cheerful drone that is heard nowhere else in the world
Gamboling	Playfully running around, skipping, etc. A highly recommended activity to undertake out of doors. Not as much fun as gambling perhaps, but more profitable, especially at the rest areas on the long drive to the destination.
Ginger's Toes	(Craps) A roll of nine formed by a 4 and a 5.
Glop Glop	(Pai-Gow Poker) A worthless hand in Pai-Gow Poker. No further information is available yet, since none of the Big Empire staff plays Pai-Gow. Perhaps with some encouragement, Lucky Ned could be persuaded to write a guide on this mysterious game.
Grab Bag	A poker variant usually not played in the public, common areas of casinos.
Handy Andy	(Craps) a roll of five formed by a 1 and a 4
Hang 'em High	(Craps) To throw the dice in a very high arc. This makes for a good chance of a rock fight or lawsuit. Be careful: the croupiers may get annoyed at one who deliberately hangs 'em high, but can't keep 'em on the table.
Hell Morocco	A more appropriate name for the El Morocco.
High Roller	If you have to ask what a high roller is, you aren't one. Especially fun and cool to say with a long, drawn out "high" and "roller." (e.g. Hiiiiiiiiiii-roooooollllllllaaaawwwrrr)
Hobo's Delight on a Rainy Night	(Craps) A traditional fancy alternate nickname for a roll of twelve (two sixes), more commonly called boxcars (q.v.).
Ill Cortez	A more appropriate name for the El Cortez.
Indian Poker	A poker variant in which the players cannot see their own cards, but other players can. For high-roller master bluffers only!
Jackpot Roll	A fake paper-wrapped roll of coins or chips given out in front of a small downtown casino in a manner similar to stupid bucks (q.v) to get you to go in and gamble away your life savings. If one were to unwrap a jackpot roll, one would find, not coins or chips, but a small piece of wooden dowel. Jackpot rolls are no longer available from any casino. Apparently, the wood was a far too expensive natural resource; the jackpot roll itself was invariably more valuable than the fun book or other stuff for which it could be exchanged.
Jackson Five	The act of changing a one hundred dollar bill in for five twenties, or the resulting set of five twenties. Andrew Jackson is depicted on the twenty. This term rolls trippingly off the tongue much better than, say, Hamilton Ten, or Lincoln Twenty, or Jefferson Fifty.
Jewish Poker	A poker variant played without cards. Two players each think of a number and the person who thought of the higher number wins. A game of subtle strategy and timing for studious gamblers only. The full details are far too complicated to go into here. Inquisitive students should refer to Ephraim Kishon's definitive work on the subject.
Jimmy Hicks	(Craps) An almost Cockney-like rhyming slang term for a roll of six. See also Sister Hicks.
Justification	A quarter, as in "Having a quarter is a perfect justification to go to Las Vegas."
Kid Tag	A game in which players score points by touching little kids on the head without them or their parents catching you. Since Las Vegas has become more family oriented, there are more opportunities to play kid tag than there used to be. Prime locations are the upper level of Circus Circus, where the midway games are; and the Fremont Street Experience, where no one under eighteen should have ever been, during the recently past glory days of downtown, but now feels more like a food court at a shopping mall.
Law Suit	(Craps) A rock fight (q.v.) in which one or both dice hit another player.
Legend	A blackjack dealer who beats all the players at the table several times in a row. Often used in the phrase "he's a legend", said in a loud voice with stress on legend. Often used in conjunction with the phrase "he's a legend", said in a loud voice with stress on legend. Contributed by "T and Stov from Michigan." T and Stov caution the user of the phrase not to confuse it with THE Legend, who is a specific dealer they know at the Westward Ho. Why they, or anyone for that matter would spend so much time playing blackjack at the Westward Hole (q.v.) that they actually get to know, or at least recognize and remember one specific dealer (especially one that keeps beating you), remains a mystery.
Let It Go!	A more appropriate term for "Let it ride." Contributed by Laura. You should probably already know what "let it ride" means, but in case you don't, it means to leave one's winnings from a wager on the table to serve as the money for the next wager, thus achieving the potential to either increase one's winnings exponentially, or lose the previous winnings.
Lick Me	(Blackjack) A hipper, sexier way to say "hit me."
Literature	Porno magazines, especially those with letters to the editors in them suitable for making Mad Libs.
Little Joe	(Craps) A point (or a roll) of four. See also Big Dick. These two points have been distinguished by these traditional names presumably because they are the two hardest points to make in craps.
Little Joe from Kokomo	(Craps) A roll of hard four, i.e., two two's. See previous entry. Several people submitted this traditional and nearly extinct term, and one might assume that all those who did so are very old. Of course this may be an incorrect assumption. The first to send it in was K. Fox. I urge all readers of the E.V. to make a concerted effort to revive such terms as this whenever they find themselves in L.V. Together, we can make Little Joe a household name again!
Lost Wages	If you don't know what this old chestnut means, then I don't know what. This term was not originally intended to ever appear in the E.V. because everyone already knows it. However, people keep sending it in for inclusion. Well, here it is. You can stop now.
Love Cheese	1. a wedge from the wheel of ~ sex. 2. dripping mound of melted ~ a fat or obese woman such as may be seen quite frequently in Las Vegas.
Lucky the Clown	The huge neon clown that forms the sign outside of Circus Circus on the strip. As familiar as his face is, few know his actual name.
Magic Number	(Craps) A roll of seven (a natural). Presumably, this term would only be used on the come-out roll, where it would indicate an immediate win for the pass line. After the come-out roll, it is considerable less lucky and not so "magical" for pass bettors.
Manna from Heaven	(Craps) A traditional rhyming-slang term for a roll of eleven (a natural).
Manny Bucks	The official mascot and logo of the Lady Luck casino. A cartoony version of a medieval court jester with no corresponding medieval courtiers around. Once available for free in keychain form.
Martingale	Perhaps the more correct name for Martinique (See next entry). Though I have seen this system referred to as the "Martinique" in a textbook on game theory, "Martingale" is the term that appears in my dictionary. Perhaps both terms are correct, or perhaps my colluj perfesser got it rong. A guy who signed his e-mail as "Bob Nelson" pointed this out. Thank you, Bob, if that is your real name!
Martinique	A gambling system in which the bet is doubled on every loss and restored to its starting value on every win, thus generating a profit equal to the initial bet on every win. Although this is mathematically sound, there are two problems which cause Martiniquers to go broke very quickly. One is that it is assumed that the gambler has an infinite amount of money. If you lose ten times in a row, the next bet would have to be 1024 times your initial bet. The other problem is that the Martinique assumes that there is no upper limit to the allowable size of the bet, which is never the case. One contributor who wished to remain anonymous claimed that the Martinique is actually a slight variant of the Martingale system (See previous entry). This e-mailer failed to describe exactly how these two strategies differ, but asserted that they are both valid and distinct terms.
Mean Streets	(Craps) The six and the eight points, collectively. These are the two easiest points to make, and are thus the ones with the lowest payoffs. A craps player with bets on these two points may be said to be "working the mean streets." The shooter may be encouraged thusly: "Let's send 'em to the mean streets!" See also Weights and Measures.
Meats and Greens	(Craps) The nine and the five points, together. If you have come, pass, or place bets on both the nine and the five, you may hold your head up high and assert, "I've got my meats and greens." While this may feel healthy, a much more practical and emphatic use of this phrase would be to exhort the shooter to roll one of these points. Address him by his proper bestowed nickname when doing so. To wit: "Meats and Greens, Stinky!"
Mixed Media	(Craps) A throw of the dice that knocks over a stack of chips on the table. One of the most fun things to do at the craps table. Note: It is a faux pas to appear to attempt mixed media intentionally, after all, anyone can aim for the chips and knock them over. The trick is in appearing to do so unintentionally.
Monkey	A five hundred dollar bill (which are no longer printed in the U.S.A.). This traditional term originally came from the U.K., where it referred to a 500-pound note. However, Paul James tells us that there is no 500-pound note in the U.K., nor was there ever, but the term “monkey” still referred to the amount of 500 pounds. Now why would they need a term for an arbitrary amount of money for which there was no corresponding bit of currency? Just chalk it up to the general wackiness of Brits. “[The system of] British currency…is a fearsome and wonderful thing. Just to point out how preposterous it is, let me say that the British people who, over the centuries, have, with monumental patience, taught themselves to endure anything at all provided it was “traditional” –are now sick and tired of their currency and are debating converting it to the decimal system.” –Isaac Asimov, 1964 2. A face card, particularly in Blackjack. This second definition was submitted by many people who associated it with Asian culture, presumably Chinese. There’s more than one culture in Asia, folks! It’s the largest continent on earth! Some have claimed that this is because traditional “Asian” playing cards have pictures of monkeys on them. The BEEVLEC finds a more probable explanation in the claim that it is a perhaps intentional humorous mispronunciation of the word “monarchy.” 3. Hochelaga the Prolific supplies yet a third definition for this word. Rumor has it that the pit crew use it to refer to a gambler who thinks he knows what he’s doing, but doesn’t. Don’t worry about seeming a monkey to the pit staff, as long as you impress your fellow players. Now, if only we can figure out what a “Hochelaga” is.
Mother-in-Law Hand	(Blackjack) A hand of hard seventeen. This is not a particularly good hand and stands a good chance of losing, however hitting it would likely result in busting. Thus the term for the hand: You'd like to hit it (her), but you can't. This term and its etymology were provided by Alesia the Ex-Vegas Dealer. She claims this is a traditional one, and who am I to argue? For those of you who don't understand the technical explanation of the Blackjack strategy involved here, or the term "hard" in this context, please refer to Lucky Ned's guide to Blackjack, elsewhere on this site.
Mr. O'Lucky	The leprechaun mascot of Fitzgerald's Casino, a three-foot statue whose bald head one would be well advised to rub for good luck before gambling. The statue was once displayed in one area of the casino, with a rock that was claimed to be part of the Blarney Stone in another area. Both were removed at one time, but were replaced by a different statue of Mr. O’Lucky, this time resting one foot on a rock, which is made of plastic and may be intended to represent the Blarney Stone. This new statue is placed near the entrance of the casino, giving Mr. O’Lucky the position of prominence that he deserves. However, it seems this newer statue of Mr. O’Lucky is only displayed on special occasions, such as St. Patrick’s Day. The rest of the time, the good folks of the Fitz show their pride in their Irish heritage by having a bank of slot machines occupy the same space. There is also a much larger than life statue of Mr. O'Lucky on the façade of the building. This one replaced an earlier awkward-looking, façade-mounted Mr. O'Lucky whose arm moved back and forth, beckoning to passers-by with his hat, much like Vegas Vic (q.v.) and that neon woman above Glitter Gulch, whose arm and leg, respectively, once moved but don't anymore.
Nevada	State in which Las Vegas is located. Also a now defunct scrotel and casino in Las Vegas. However, there is a California Hotel & Casino, and a New York, New York Hotel & Casino for those who prefer hotels and casinos named after U.S. states. Also, rumor has it that there will be a new H&C opening in a year or so called "Nebraska Style."
Nevadagate, Nevadagating, Nevadagation	To take shortcuts or longcuts through air-conditioned casinos on the way to your destination on a hot day in Las Vegas. Many find that it's worth it to add five or ten minutes to ones walk to avoid ten or twenty minutes in extreme heat. In most cases, there is an entrance at both ends of a casino, so you can walk in one door, go all the way through and out the other door on the way to where you want to go.
Nina from Pasadena	(Craps) A roll of nine, formed from a five and a four. A distaff entry into the list of personified craps rolls that includes Big Dick, and Little Joe (q.v.). Those interested in equal representation of the sexes should use this term as often as possible. Those interested in showing off their knowledge of obscure gambling lore should do the same.
O'Lucky	A traditional and honorable family name of a proud and distinguished line of leprechauns. See Mr. O'Lucky.
Other Side, The	The state of Nevada, the other side of the state line. As in, "I'll see you on the Other Side."
Paint	(Blackjack) To add a face card or a ten, as the second card, to an ace which was dealt as the first card. A blackjack player may exhort the dealer to "paint that boy" or "paint the ace."
Pay off	By metaphor to the activity of slot machines, to vomit. As in, "I've just stuffed myself on a huge buffet, I've had several drinks, and I think I'm about to pay off," or "How many ninety-nine cent shrimp cocktails can you eat without paying off?" See also DSTU.
Phoebe	(Craps) A roll of five. Presumably because "five" and "Phoebe" both start with f. Well, actually, "Phoebe" doesn't. They both start with the unvoiced labiodental fricative. Note that this is another feminine name for a craps roll. See Nina from Pasadena.
Pimples and Braces	(Craps) The four and ten points, collectively. Also called Birds and Squirrels (q.v.). Some members of the BEEVLEC preferred this term, because it comes from a song that they like.
Piping Pop Rivets!	A meaningless interjectional phrase to express surprise, approval, anticipation, etc. Often used with "It's time for"
Plotsam	See Plotsam and Rejectsam.
Plotsam and Rejectsam	The wreckage and remains of one's meal at a buffet. Plotsam is the food you took which you became too full to eat, i.e., your eyes were bigger than your tummy. Rejectsam is the food you took which you decided not to eat because it didn't taste as good as it looked in the steam tray. Plotsam is that which, if you ate it all, would cause you to plotz. Rejectsam is that which you consciously rejected.
Polish Maverick	Bob Stupak, the world's greatest gambler. Owner of the once great Bob Stupak's Vegas World, which was the only casino with a space exploration theme. It had carpeting with Stupak's name on it every three feet. It had a world class horrible buffet, called "The Moon Rock Buffet" in which diners eat plates of congealed grease under a very large model of the space shuttle. It had a big six wheel shaped like the Skylab. It had a swimming pool on the roof. There were incredible package deals available which enabled visitors with a modicum of intelligence to make a profit of one hundred dollars for staying there. Then, one fateful day, Bob had the monumentally stupid idea of building the Stratosphere Tower, an ill-fated venture which cost him his controlling interest in V.W., which was converted to the slightly less cheesy, much more sterile, much less fun, much more expensive Stratosphere Hotel & Casino.
Pornslapper	A person paid to stand on the sidewalks of the Strip and hand out pamphlets and business cards advertising “adult services.” So called because of the attention-getting technique they use of rolling up the mini-pulp-magazine-like-objects, holding them tightly in one hand, and slapping them forcefully against their other hand, thus making a noticeable slapping sound in hopes that you will be distracted enough for the object to wind up in your hand. Sunday Bennet of Texas submits this term and admits that the sound of the pornslappers is music to his ears (or is it his Vegasian evil twin?). The word works so well, it could easily achieve official status, despite the fact that the printed material they hand out is technically not pornography. There are apparently some strict laws governing what words and images can appear in these advertising supplements. For example, nipples must always be covered by various Zapf Dingbats, usually hearts or stars, as must the buttocks if more then 6.5 centimeters of bifurcation would otherwise be shown. This insures that if a child picks up one of these pamphlets, his soul will be no more than 28% corrupted. And “adult-service-advertising-slapper” is much too long a word to be useful. “Pornslapper” is additionally appropriate because “slapper” is apparently British slang for “slut” or “whore” or something similar to that.
Pretense	A dime, as in "Every dime you have is a pretense for going to Las Vegas."
Puppy Paws	(Craps) A roll of hard ten, i.e., two fives. The contributor, Robt, implied that this is a traditional term, though no members of the B.E.E.V.L.E.C. had ever heard it before. We find it difficult to imagine old time gamblers saying, "Look! I just rolled puppy paws!" However some of the members found it amusing and enjoyable to say.
Queen	A card ranking below a king and above a jack, counts as ten toward to hand total in blackjack.
Quinine	(Craps) A traditional rhyming nickname for a roll of nine, or perhaps specifically one formed from a five and a four. See also strychnine. Also a two-card poker hand consisting of a Queen and a Nine.
Rainbow	(Poker, specifically Texas Hold ‘em, and presumably similar games) All three cards in the flop of different suits. This is significant, as it greatly decreases the likelihood of a flush. The BEEVLEC has yet to see any documented evidence of an actual rainbow (the meteorological phenomenon) that was exclusively black and red.
Rat Biscuit	A twenty-five cent chip used in quarter craps such as is available at the El Cortez and precious few other casinos. May also be used to refer to twenty-five cent chips used in other games such as roulette. One should never refer to a justification (q.v.) as a rat biscuit, nor vice versa.
Reason	A penny, as in "Every penny is a reason to go to Las Vegas." See Copper Mine.
Red Snapper	(Blackjack) A blackjack consisting of red cards only. Is this really an important enough distinction to warrant its own term? Apparently someone thought so. That someone may have been Hochelaga, who submitted the term.
Rejectsam	See Plotsam and Rejectsam
Rock Fight	(Craps) When one or both of the dice, from being thrown perhaps too vigorously, leave the table.
San Reamyou	A more appropriate name for the San Remo Hotel & Casino.
Sawbuck	A ten dollar bill. Possibly from the alternate word for a sawhorse with X-shaped ends. X being the Roman numeral for ten.
Scrotel	A cheap, sleazy hotel or motel that feels somewhat unsanitary and/or unsafe to stay in. Scrotels abound in Las Vegas, but it is proper to describe such a place as a scrotel in other regions as well, such as Fresno.
Siegfried and Roy	A pair of queens. This one is obviously a recent creation, but it has gained significant popularity, indicated by the number of readers who sent it in. At first, the BEEVLEC resisted including this entry because it is somewhat insulting and not “traditional,” but it has earned legitimacy through proliferation. The first one of you out there to send it in was Sir Spanks-a-lot, Big Empire Buddy #666. He had a long time to wait. Nearly thirty different people have submitted it since. No more are necessary. See Lost Wages.
Silver State	The official nickname of the state of Nevada, not because you can win silver at the gambling establishments, but because silver was discovered there once, who-cares-when.
Sister Hicks	(Craps) Another rhyming slang term for a roll of six. Traditional, but superfluous. See also Jimmy Hicks. Jim and Sis may be related, married, or both. Or maybe Sister Hicks is a nun, in which case she may be in some trouble for falling in with gamblers.
Sixie from Dixie	(Craps) A roll of six (usually only a hard six). See also Eighter from Decatur. Even though "Sixie" and "Eighter" are not people's names, it doesn't stop them from being from someplace. Unlike Joe, Dick, Nina, et al., who are people, and can therefore be said more reasonably to have a hometown, fictitious though they may be.
Sleeper	(Craps) A bet that the player has made but forgotten about. The chip(s) will just sit there “working” until it loses. If it wins, the dealers are usually obligated to “wake it up” – the player, that is. It becomes progressively easier to leave sleepers the more free cocktails you’ve imbibed. It’s worth it, though. Submitted by the ever-vigilant Hochelaga.
Slots-of-Dumb	A more appropriate name for the Slots-A-Fun casino.
Snake Eyes	(Craps) A roll of two (a crap), which of course, can only be formed with two 1's. The dots on the top faces of the dice, apparently resembled the eyes of a snake to some long forgotten gambler from the days of yore.
Square Pair	(Craps) A roll of hard eight (i.e. two fours). Old time craps players sure loved to rhyme, didn't they?
Station to Station	(Craps) Rolling two or more consecutive naturals (seven or eleven) on the come out roll. The pass line bettors will greatly appreciate a shooter playing station to station.
Strychnine	(Craps) A traditional rhyming nickname for a roll of nine, or perhaps specifically one formed from a five and a four. See also quinine.
Stupid Bucks	Fake, oversized paper money that was given out in front of some of the smaller casinos downtown in order to entice passers-by into gambling while waiting around to get a free keychain or plastic digital watch. It's not a scam; it's a gimmick.
Sweat Card	(Blackjack, and presumably other games with cards) The plastic card used to cut the deck before dealing. Submitted by Hochelaga. Prolific one, ain’t he?
Theoretical Keno	See freeno. Players can talk about money theoretically won or lost, and may freely change the amount of their theoretical bet or their chosen numbers after viewing the winning numbers. After all, such events were theoretically possible.
The Meadows	The English translation of the Spanish words "Las Vegas" hence, Las Vegas. One may refer to a trip to Las Vegas as a "walk in The Meadows." This is especially odd since Las Vegas is actually in a desert. See xerothermic.
To Me They Look Like Mice	(Craps) Snake Eyes. (q.v.)
Trip to Cairo	(Craps) a roll of eight formed by a 2 and a 6.
Trip to Cairo and Back	(Craps) A trip to Cairo on the come out roll, followed eventually by successfully making the point with another trip to Cairo. See Back from Cairo.
Twin Fins	(Craps) A traditional term for a roll of two fives (ten). See fin.
Two Bad Boys from Illinois	(Craps) A roll of two (a crap) which can only be formed by two ones. This is a losing roll, of course, which is why these boys are "bad." The name of the state of Illinois, when pronounced incorrectly, rhymes with "boys," which is why they're from there. There is a city in Illinois called Decatur, See eighter from Decatur. Coincidence? Probably not.
Two-Way Bet	Jay from the Bronx reminds us of this practice: to make a two simultaneous bets on the same roll or hand, one bet is the normal bet that you hope to win for yourself, and the other is made as a tip for the dealer, croupier, or other staff.
Upper-Tanker	This term has absolutely nothing to do with Las Vegas. However, ambitious readers are encouraged to attempt an upper tanker while visiting the fabulous city. Such activity may provide one with a most satisfying and amusing entertainment, and after all, Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world. The Big Empire will assume no responsibility for upper tankers perpetrated by its readers.
Vegas Honeymoon	To gamble away the use of your wife's body for a night, or the act of doing so, or the act which results from doing so.
Vegas Vic	The big neon cowboy that can be seen towering above the Pioneer Casino in downtown Las Vegas. Once upon a time, his arm actually moved back and forth, beckoning to weary travelers to come in from the garish lights of outside to the garish noise of inside and set a spell and lose all their money.
Weights and Measures	(Craps) The six and the eight points, collectively. The two easiest points to make. This phrase may be used as a command, ordering the shooter, in a no-nonsense manner, to roll one of these points. See also Mean Streets.
Westward Hole	A more appropriate name for the Westward Ho.
What's Your Status?	A general question that means pretty much what it says. Equivalent to "How's it going?" or "How much money have you lost?" To be said properly, the querier should have both hands near his hips, palms upward, pointing both index fingers at the subject.
Windows	(Craps) Another traditional name for a roll of eight formed by two fours. The square arrangement of the dots apparently suggested windows to a sufficient number of dicers. It doesn't take much to inspire a slang term. It's sort of like when you look up at clouds and try to see pictures of things in their shapes. Was Rorschach a gambler? Who knows? "I just rolled a hard eight. What do you see in it?" "I see me losing all my money."
Xerothermic	Dry and hot. Las Vegas is located in a desert, which is a xerothermic environment.
Ye Olde Eleven	(Craps) A traditional term for a roll of eleven (five and six). A shortening of this phrase may be the origin of yo eleven (see next entry), despite the fact the "ye" means "the" and is properly pronounced "the."
Yo Eleven	(Craps) A roll of eleven, which of course can only be formed from a 5 and a 6. So named because that's what the croupier shouts when an eleven is rolled. The Big Empire staff was at a loss to explain why he does this until da_austins (who gave no other name) submitted the following explanation, which was later confirmed by several other emails: It is done to prevent confusion with seven, which is easy to do amid the raucous noise which may surround a craps table. It is similar to the way the military uses "niner" for the number nine, so that on a noisy battlefield, it will not be mistaken for "five." This may also be part of the reason why the croupier shouts "five, no field" when a five is rolled, and simply "nine" for the nine.
Zymurgy	The science of fermentation, without which, Las Vegas would be a very different place indeed. Also the last entry in many dictionaries, including this one.