Casino Glossary & Gambling Terms Ultimate Guide
Fact Checked
Roulette, slot, and other games are easy to learn. The hardest part is figuring out the terms related to casinos and gambling. It’s necessary to get the basics straight before playing casino games online for real money. That’s where our dictionary of gambling terms comes into play.
You’ll get to know all major phrases to ensure there are no surprises when visiting a casino. Check out more than 200 definitions below and learn all terms that a casino player should know!
A
Ace
Ace is the strongest card in poker. If you compare high cards, it’s stronger than the King.
Action
This gambling terminology marks a total sum that a player wagers during an entire session in a casino.
Active Player
It’s another poker term that marks a player who still actively participates in the game.
Add-On
If you decide to buy additional chips in poker, that will be an add-on to your stack.
Aggregate Limit
This is a term that marks the maximum payout liability of a casino during a single game.
Aggregate Winnings
It marks the entire sum to win in a game.
All-In
Players use this term when they wager all chips they have in poker. You can bet all chips even when another player wagers more. If you go all-in, that other player will reduce the bet to match your stake.
All or Nothing
It’s a keno term that refers to a ticket that can win in two situations – if you match all numbers or don’t match a single number.
American Roulette
The American version of roulette has “0” and “00” pockets on the wheel.
Ante
If ante is active, every poker player at the table needs to contribute this bet before the dealing starts.
Arm
This craps term refers to players who can throw dice in a way that can change the game odds. It’s uncertain if this is just a myth. The house requires throwing dice against the table’s wall to avoid this potential effect on the game.
Automat Club
It describes a casino that has only software-based games and no casino operators. Another term for these facilities is arcade casinos.
B
Baccarat
Baccarat is a famous table game often available in online casinos.
Balance
Balance indicates the amount of money you have available in your casino account.
Bankroll
This describes how much money a player wants to spend when heading into a casino.
Beef
If a player gets into an argument with the house (bookmaker or casino), that’s beef.
Beginners’ Luck
It refers to beginners who do well at something, such as casino games. The term’s origins come from confirmation bias.
Bet
Bet or wager is among the most famous casino terms. It describes the sum you are willing to risk in a single game round.
Betting Limits
Some casinos might place betting limits on particular games. They restrict how much you can wager per round.
Big Blind
This is the bigger of two mandatory bets in a poker hand.
Bingo
It’s a game where you need to match the numbers on your ticket with the ones drawn in that session. The bingo history goes back to the 16th century.
Blackjack
It describes a card game and a situation when you have a hand valued at “21” in that game.
Blinds
These are mandatory bets in Hold ’em and other poker variants.
Bluff
If you play poker and fake a strong hand, you are bluffing.
Bonus
Online casinos often issue different bonuses to new players and those who remain loyal to their platform.
Bonus Round
The bonus round is among the most important slot machine terms. It refers to free spins or another bonus mode available in slots.
Bug
This refers to the joker-card, which can be a semi-wild in Pai Gow.
Burn Card
In poker, this is the top card in the deck. The dealer will discard or “burn” it, and the players won’t use it in that round.
Button
It marks the player who acts as a dealer in poker games. You play last if you are at the button position.
Buy-In
This is the sum (chips or money) that you need to invest to gain access to a tournament or a table game.
C
Call
In poker, this is the name for matching the current wager.
Card Counting
This is a strategy some players use in blackjack. Many casinos consider it illegal and might throw you out if they figure out you’ve been counting cards. Many movies use card counting as inspiration.
Caribbean Stud
It’s a type of poker you play with a single card deck and against the casino.
Cashback
It’s a type of casino bonus where players receive a portion of the money they wagered back.
Casino
This is an offline facility or website offering gambling games to visitors.
Casino Advantage
It’s another name for house edge – the advantage that the casino has over players in a particular game.
Check
This is a poker term where you choose to remain active in hand but also don’t want to increase the stakes.
Check in the Dark
If you check before checking out your cards, you do that “in the dark.”
Cold
It’s a slot machine or another game that doesn’t seem to pay at a high rate. This also refers to a player in a losing streak.
Comp Points
Many casinos have loyalty programs that involve earning these points. You usually get them for wagering on particular games.
Craps
This is a popular casino game, but also the name for “2,” “3,” and “12” in that game.
Croupier
It’s a synonym for the dealer in casino terms.
D
D’Alembert System
This strategy in roulette involves doubling your wager after losing the previous bet.
Dealer
The casino games’ host and a person who deals with cards in blackjack, spins the ball in roulette, etc.
Deposit
In online casinos, this is the sum added to your account to play games.
Deposit Bonus
This is a bonus you get for investing funds into your account in a particular casino. A first deposit bonus is quite common.
Deuce
It’s another name for a “2” in casino terms and phrases.
Dolly
Roulette dealers place this marker on the winning number, so the players can easily identify it.
Double Down
You can use this bet in blackjack. It refers to doubling your wager and receiving only one more card.
Down Card
It’s a card that the blackjack dealer gives with its face down.
E
eCOGRA
It’s a recognized certificate that guarantees fair play conditions in a particular casino game.
En Prison
This roulette rule ensures players have another chance if they made an even-money wager on “0” or “00.”
European Roulette
The European roulette is a variation with a single-zero pocket on the wheel.
Even Money Bet
It’s a wager that pays exactly double the amount invested.
F
Face Card
This is the card shown with its face up in blackjack or poker.
Final Schnaps
The gambling glossary uses this term if you place a wager on 11, 22, or 33 in roulette.
Flat Betting
It happens when you don’t change a bet size between hands.
Flop
This is the name for the poker situation where the dealer reveals the first three community cards.
Fold
It’s an action in poker where you admit defeat in the current round.
Freeroll
This is a tournament, usually in poker, that you can play without investing real money.
Full House
It’s a poker hand where you have three identical and two other identical cards. For example, “K, K, K, 4, 4.”
Free Spins
These are spins you receive in slots without the need to bet your own money.
G
Going All-In
If you choose to bet everything you have in your balance, that’s going “all-in.”
Grind
Those who choose to play poker with low stakes for hours to secure a steady profit.
H
Hard Hand
It’s a hand in blackjack that only has a single value. For example, “3, 3” is a “hard 6.”
Hit
If you want an extra card in blackjack, you ask the dealer to “hit” you.
High Roller
This refers to a player willing to invest large money sums in a casino.
Hi-Lo
You’ll see this bet in craps. It involves wagering that the next throw will be 2 or 12.
Hole Card
These cards remain face down so nobody can see their value. They are available in blackjack and poker.
House Edge
It’s the advantage that the house has in a particular casino game.
Hot
It refers to a player that has a winning streak. The term could also mark a machine that gives high payouts at a particular moment.
I
Inside Bets
In roulette, these are all bets on particular numbers.
Insurance
It’s a type of bet in blackjack where you wager that the dealer receives a natural. You can use the insurance if the face card is an Ace.
Irregular Playing Patterns
This term refers to players chasing to convert their online casino bonus sum to actual money for withdrawal. As a result, they adapt their playing style to the bonus’ rules.
IVT
It’s an abbreviation for Interactive Video Terminals.
J
Jackpot
This is the main cash prize in a particular casino game.
Jacks or Better
It’s a classic variation of the video poker game.
Joker
Joker is a special card not used in all games. These are additional cards that often act as wilds.
K
Keno
It’s a game that might remind you of bingo or lottery. Keno has numbers from 1-80, and you need to match the ones drawn to the ones on your ticket.
L
Ladderman
In land-based casinos, laddermen sit above the table and oversee a baccarat game.
Limit
This is a certain restriction imposed by the casino, usually on bet sizes.
Live Dealer Games
These are casino games where human dealers are hosts and guide you through the game.
M
Martingale
It’s a wagering system that started in France. Martingale implies doubling your wager each time you lose.
Maximum Bet
The maximum amount you can wager in a particular game, round, or position.
Minimum Bet
The minimum amount you can wager in a particular game, round, or position.
Muck
It’s when you choose not to show your hand but admit defeat in poker.
Multiplier
This slot term describes how many times the game will multiply your winnings if the multiplier is active.
N
Natural
It’s a specific hand in blackjack (valued at 21) and baccarat (8, 9).
No-Deposit Bonus
It’s a bonus an online casino is willing to offer without asking for a deposit.
Non-Value Chip
This is a chip that doesn’t have an exact value. The dealer calculates it by dividing the buy-in by the number of chips.
Nut
If you get the best possible hand in poker, that’s a nut.
O
Odds
These are the statistical chances of your bet being the winning one.
Online Casino
It’s a website that offers gaming services to players.
Outside Bets
The gambling glossary describes outside bets as a roulette term for all wagers not placed on numbers. For example, these bets are red/black, odd/even, etc.
P
Pair
A pair refers to two cards of identical value. For example, two Ks make a pair in poker.
Payline
In casino terms and phrases, this one marks a potentially winning combination in slots.
Pay Table
It’s a payout structure in slots, poker, and other games.
Payout Percentage
This marks a theoretical percentage of wagers in a game that players can expect to receive back. RTP describes a long-term percentage of all bets in that slot. For example, 90% RTP means that the game will return 90% of the stakes to players.
Poker
It’s a popular card game and a phrase that describes four cards of the same strength (for example, four 7s).
Pot
It’s the total bet sum accumulated from what players invested during a single poker hand.
Pot Limit
The house limits the bet per round to the current pot size in this game type.
Progressive Prize
Also known as a progressive jackpot, this prize increases with every hand played on that machine. It’s a common reward in slots.
Push
If a blackjack hand finishes without a winner, it’s a push. The player gets their wager back, and the game proceeds to the next round.
Q
Quads
If you have a hand of four identical cards, you have quads.
Quick Pick
This gives you an option to pick numbers for a keno or lottery ticket randomly.
R
Random Number Generator – RNG
It’s a complex mathematical algorithm that guarantees the randomness and fairness of casino software.
Raise
This action marks increasing the current bet in a poker hand.
Re-Bet
In the gambling glossary, this marks the repetition of your previous wager.
Reel
In slot machine terms, reels are locations where symbols appear.
River
This is the name for the final card dealt in poker.
Roulette
Roulette is an extremely popular casino game where you need to guess the socket where the ball will land on the wheel.
Royal Flush
It’s the strongest hand in poker. You get it when combining 10, J, Q, K, and A in the same suit.
S
Scatter
Scatter is a slot symbol that usually activates the bonus round, such as free spins.
Session
It marks a single gaming session for a player.
Shark
This is a smart and experienced card player, especially in poker.
Slot Machine
This is an offline or online game where you spin the reels with symbols and look to land a winning combination.
Snake Eyes
The gambling glossary considers snake eyes when double 1s appear on the dice.
Split Hand
In blackjack, you have the option to split the first two cards received into two hands. It’s only possible if both cards have the same value.
Stand
A player who decides to stand in blackjack doesn’t want any more cards and is happy with the current hand value.
Straight
It’s a poker term describing five cards of consecutive values in a single hand (for example – 5, 6, 7, 8, 9).
Surrender
In blackjack, it’s a move where you give up and forfeit your hand in a particular round. You get half of the wager returned if you surrender.
T
Table Limit
These are restrictions for bets on a particular table.
Tapping Out
If you lost your money and can’t play anymore, you tapped out.
Texas Hold ’em Poker
This is the most popular poker variation these days.
Three of a Kind
In poker, it marks three identical cards (for example, Aces).
Toke
It refers to the chips you use to tip the dealer.
U
Underlay
It’s a bet that doesn’t seem much likely, which is why it might bring extra money in case of winning.
Up Card
This is a card shown face-up by the dealer.
V
Video Poker
This is an old-school automatic poker game. The popular variants are Deuces Wild and Jacks or Better.
VIP
It’s an abbreviation for a very important player who usually has different special benefits in the casino. The term VIP originated in the 1930s.
VLT
It’s an abbreviation for a video lottery terminal.
W
Wagering Requirement
A wagering or play-through requirement marks how many times you need to bet the bonus sum to make it available for withdrawals.
Wager
A wager is a synonym for bet – it’s how much money you want to risk per a single gaming round.
Whale
It’s a high-roller willing to invest big sums but also a player bad at casino games.
Wild Symbol
In slot machine terms, Wild marks a symbol that replaces some other symbols in that game.
Conclusion
You need to understand important gambling terms before entering a casino. The phrases you’ll hear will depend on the game you choose. Knowing what each term means will ensure you understand the game. That automatically means you have a better chance of winning, so make sure to check the gambling glossary before you start playing!
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