What is double 6 called? An in-depth look at the elusive "boxcars" roll in craps

As an avid gamer and numbers geek, I‘m fascinated by casino games like craps that blend chance, statistics, and exciting lingo. Few rolls capture the imagination more than landing "boxcars" – a pair of sixes. Let‘s delve into the rarity, history, and strategy around rolling this coveted combination.

Craps 101

For the uninitiated, craps is a fast-paced dice game found in casinos worldwide. Players wager on the outcome of rolls made by a designated "shooter" with two six-sided dice. It‘s you against the house, not other players.

Here‘s a quick craps overview:

• The shooter‘s first roll is the "come out" roll. This establishes the "point" number for that round based on the roll:
  • 7 or 11 automatically wins
  • 2, 3, or 12 automatically loses
  • 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 becomes the point
• The shooter continues rolling until either:
  • Rolling the point number again, winning
  • Rolling a 7, losing
• Other players can bet with or against the shooter on each roll

So while you‘re ultimately hoping to roll specific numbers, there‘s a complex betting system around the simple premise of rolling dice. Pretty neat!

Now, on to the good stuff…

What‘s in a name? The history behind "boxcars"

In craps lingo, when the shooter rolls a pair of sixes it‘s referred to as "boxcars". This colorful term has uncertain origins, but several compelling theories help explain it:

Theory 1: Viewing the dice from the side, the two sixes visually resemble the long rectangular shape of a freight train boxcar. This imaginative connection to railroad boxcars likely led to the nickname.

Theory 2: Some early 20th century dice were manufactured in a way that made rolling a 12 easier to load or control. Dishonest players took advantage of these rigged "boxcars" dice for cheating, leading to the association.

Theory 3: Even fairly made dice marked 1-6 twice could have reminded players of the repeating freight boxcar style. The name may have naturally emerged from that appearance.

Whatever its exact etymology, "boxcars" is an evocative encapsulation of rolling double sixes. For craps fans, hearing those words shouted is electric, capturing the daring and risk that make the game so fun.

By the numbers: How rare is a boxcars roll?

Now for the stats – just how unusual is it to land a boxcars in craps?

With two fair six-sided dice each with an equal 1-in-6 chance of rolling a 6, the probability is:

• Chance of single 6: 6/36 = 1/6 = 16.67%
• Chance of double 6: (1/6) x (1/6) = 1/36 = 2.78%

So out of 36 total possible dice combinations, boxcars has just a 1 in 36 chance of occurring. You can expect to see it come up only around once every 36 rolls on average.

To put that rarity in perspective:

• Snake eyes (double 1s) also has a 1 in 36 probability.
• There‘s a 5 in 36 chance of rolling a 7 – nearly twice as likely as boxcars!
• Rolling an 8 has a 1 in 9 chance, four times more likely than boxcars.

In the wild randomness of craps, getting those elusive box cars is a special event. Maybe 1-2 times per hour of play. Don‘t take it for granted when you see them hit the table!

Analyzing boxcars strategy and betting

Beyond just the novelty of the name, how does rolling a 12 actually impact craps strategy?

If boxcars comes up on the come out roll, here are the key implications:

• Pass Line bets win automatically.
• Don‘t Pass bets lose automatically.
• The shooter has established 12 as the point number for that round.

Once the point is set, boxcars becomes just one of many numbers you want to roll before a 7. Two strategic notes:

• Having 6 set as the point is better since there are more dice combinations (5/36) that can roll a 6.
• Consider a Place Bet on 6 after establishing 12 as the point. This takes advantage of the added ways to roll 6.

Finally, one of the riskiest craps bets is a one-roll 12 wager, which pays 30 to 1 but has a steep 13.9% house edge. While betting 12 might seem smart after hitting boxcars on the come out, it‘s still an extremely risky bet!

Legendary rolls: The craps players who defied the odds

Part of the magic of craps is that anything can happen on any given roll, despite the odds. These tales of incredible boxcars rolls defy probability:

• Patricia Demauro rolled for 4 hours and 18 minutes without crapping out (154 rolls). She hit the boxcars an astonishing 4 times during her record run – extremely improbable!

• Frank Scoblete once rolled double sixes 3 times in a row. The probability of that happening is 1 in 46,656 – truly remarkable dice control.

• The late Stu "The Kid" Ungar also had a knack for rolling boxcars. Stories tell of him routinely landing 12 while holding the dice peculiarly to manipulate the outcome.

These unbelievable tales show that in the hands of crafty players, luck can sometimes shine on box cars in uncanny ways.

Conclusion: The enduring appeal of "boxcars"

Part of the legacy of casino games like craps is the storied history and language that builds up around them. For craps enthusiasts, "boxcars" will forever represent the pinnacle of fortune on the felt.

Sure, rolling double sixes doesn‘t come up often. But when those sideways pips line up just right, giving that satisfaction of boxcars being called out, it‘s a moment of pure gambling joy. That kind of magic keeps players coming back to ride the hot dice.

So next time you‘re playing craps and hear the stickman holler "boxcars!", take a second to appreciate the unpredictable thrill of the game. Then put your chips on that twelve and let it ride!