The online gambling world is fun and exciting, but also can sometimes feel like you’re trying to crack a secret code. All those gambling terminologies can make even the most experienced players scratch their heads. That’s exactly why we’ve put this casino glossary guide together.
We’re here to break down the most common gambling terms and explore the slang terms that pop up from time to time. Consider this your go-to reference for all things gambling language. Whenever you bump into a term that’s got you stumped, just pop back here for a quick refresher. By the end of this article, you’ll be way more comfortable with all the gambling terminology out there.
Gambling Glossary – Basic Gambling Terms and Phrases
A
Action
The play at the casino or the total amount of money that players are wagering. The term may also refer to the dealer’s letting the player know it’s their turn to act.
Add-On
An add-on is when players can buy an extra number of chips during a poker game tournament at a designated time.
Admission Packet
A term used to describe the minimum number of cards you need to buy to take part in a bingo game.
Aggregate Limit
The maximum amount a casino can pay out in one round. If this limit is hit, winnings might be scaled down for players.
All-In
When a player bets all their chips at once, putting everything they have into the pot.
American Roulette
American Roulette refers to a type of roulette game featuring a wheel with 38 pockets, including one marked with a double zero (’00’).
Ante
This is a required bet that each player must place to receive cards in a hand.
Arbitrage
When differences in odds let a bettor wager on both sides to ensure a win.
All or Nothing
A type of ticket in bingo that wins if either all the selected numbers are drawn or if none of the selected numbers come up.
B
Baccarat
Also referred as Punto Banco, is a card game with multiple versions where players bet on whether the player or the dealer will have the winning hand from a two-card or three-card hand. The goal is to have a hand with a total point value closest to nine. It’s important to remember that face cards and 10s count as zero points.
Back Door
Back door is used in a game of poker and refers to a hand created from the last two cards that are dealt.
Back Hand
Back Hand is the first hand formed of five cards that must be the strongest among the player’s three hands.
Bad Beat
When a hand that was favoured to win ends up losing.
Banker
The banker is the person who bets against all other players at the table game. Usually, the role of the banker rotates every turn or every other turn.
Bankroll
Bankroll refers to the funds a gambler needs to have for playing casino games.
Blinds
Blinds are required bets in Hold’em Poker that a player must place. Typically, there are two blinds, but sometimes it can go up to three.
Bluff
In poker, “bluff” is when a player pretends to have a strong hand, even though their hand is actually weak and unlikely to win the pot.
Big Blind
A forced bet placed by the player seated two positions to the left of the dealer.
Blackjack
A table game where players compete against the dealer, aiming to score a hand totalling 21 points or as close as possible without exceeding it. The ultimate winning hand, made up of an ace and a card worth 10 points, is known as a Blackjack.
C
Call
Matching the current bet is known as “calling.”
Cap
Cap is a betting limit, showing the maximum number of times players can raise the bet in a betting round
Cashback
A cashback is a refund credited to a player’s account, calculated as a percentage of their losses over a certain period.
Chips
Chips” are tokens used in place of real money for betting in casino games, available in various denominations.
Color Up
Asking to exchange smaller chips for larger ones.
Check
In poker, “check” is when a player chooses to stay in the hand without betting yet keeps the option to call or raise later in the same betting round.
D
Deposit
This is the amount of money you need to put into your account to start playing.
Dealer
A casino employee who deals the cards.
Double Down
When you feel confident about your hand, you can place an additional bet equal to your original one.
E
eCOGRA
Short for e-Commerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance, this organization sets the standards for online gaming, ensuring that it’s safe and fair for players. It’s a seal of approval for trustworthy online casinos.
Expected Value
Expected Value represents the average return a player can expect from a specific bet over an extended period. It can be positive or negative, depending on whether the bet is expected to win or lose.
F
Face Cards
These are the cards that have faces on them, specifically kings, queens, and jacks.
Free Spins
Also known as extra spins or casino spins, these are spins on slot games that you don’t have to pay for, often awarded as a bonus.
Full House
In poker, this is a hand that includes two cards of one rank and three cards of another rank.
Flop
This term refers to the first three community cards dealt face up in a game of poker.
G
Garbage Hand
In poker, this is a hand with very low value, almost certain not to win, and generally not worth playing.
Grind
The act of playing many poker games with small stakes for long hours regularly for the chance of winning a steady income. Someone who does this is known as a grinder.
H
High Roller
High Roller, or the Whale, is a player known for wagering large amounts of money. Casinos have varying criteria for what makes someone a high roller.
House Edge
The slight advantage the casino has over players, usually represented as a percentage of each bet. It’s the likelihood that the casino will win money, typically represented as a percentage.
Hit
In Blackjack, asking for another card.
Hot Table
A casino term for a table where players betting are on a winning streak.
Hold
Hold refers to the percentage of the total amount wagered that the casino expects to keep by the end of the day.
I
Inside Bets
In Roulette, bets placed on the numbers inside the table layout.
J
Jackpot
The biggest prize available in games like slots, often found in progressive slot machines or through a side bet.
K
Kicker
In draw poker, the highest card in a hand that doesn’t contribute to the hand’s main value, often an Ace or King.
L
Low Poker
A poker variant where the goal is to have the lowest value hand to win.
M
Martingale
A type of betting system from France that involves doubling the bet after each loss.
Monkey
Slang for either a 10 or a face card in poker.
Minimum Bet
The smallest bet amount that a player is allowed to bet in a game.
Maximum Bet
The largest amount of money that a player may wager in a game.
N
Natural
A two-card hand totaling a specific value – eight or nine in Baccarat, or 21 in Blackjack.
Number Pool
The range of numbers from which players select in games like Keno, lotteries, or Bingo. For example, Keno typically uses numbers 1-80, while lottery and Bingo number pools vary.
O
Odds
The ratio set by the casino that defines a player’s chances of winning and determines the payout for a winning bet.
Optimal Strategy
In games where players make strategic decisions, like Blackjack or Video Poker, this is the best set of actions that lead to the highest returns. You can often find charts outlining these strategies.
Online Casino
A digital platform where people can gamble and place bets, accessible through a web browser, as opposed to visiting a physical casino.
P
Payline
In slot machines, a line or combination of symbols results in a win.
Payout Percentage (Return to Player – RTP)
The theoretical amount of money that will be paid back to players over time.
Progressive Jackpot
A slot game feature where the jackpot increases with each bet placed until it’s won.
Pit
The casino area containing gaming tables.
Pit boss
A higher-ranking casino employee responsible for overseeing the operation of several tables.
Q
Quads
Four cards of the same number in poker.
R
Random Number Generator (RNG)
A device used to produce random numbers to ensure game outcomes are unpredictable and fair.
Reel
A column on a slot machine displaying symbols, which spins to produce potential winning combinations.
Rank
The value of cards in a poker game.
S
Short stack
A term in poker for having the smallest amount of chips at the table.
Snake Eyes
In Craps, rolling a two, named for the dice resembling snake eyes, usually an unfavorable roll.
Session
A period spent playing a game.
Slot Machine
A gambling game where players spin reels to match symbols on pre-defined paylines.
Shoe
A device holding multiple decks of cards, used in games like Blackjack.
Stand
Choosing not to take additional cards, commonly used in Blackjack.
Scatter Symbol
In slots, a symbol that can trigger bonuses, like free spins, regardless of its position on the reels.
Simple Bet
Simple bet means betting on a single number, with the payout varying based on how often that number appears in a single roll.
T
Tapping Out
Losing all your money and having to stop playing.
U
Under the Gun
The poker player immediately to the left of the blinds, who must act first in the betting round.
V
Vig (Vigorish)
The fee charged by a bookmaker for accepting a bet, also known as vig or juice.
W
Wager
Another term for a bet used by casinos. Wagering means to place a bet.
Wagering requirement
Conditions set by casinos that players must meet before they can withdraw bonuses, usually involving betting a specified amount. These wagering requirements always come with terms and conditions attached.
Final Words
It’s overwhelming to memorize all this casino and sports betting slang but don’t worry; you don’t need to remember every single gambling term and definition. You can always come back to our guide to gambling terms to find what you’re looking for. It’s handy to have all gambling terms explained and compiled in one spot. We make sure to update our gambling terms and glossary guide regularly so you’re always up to date.
The world of casino language is ever-expanding, and even for us, it can be a challenge to stay on top of all the new phrases. Chances are, you’ll bet on the favourite games and only need a handful of these terms. However, if you ever stumble upon a gambling term you’re not familiar with, our complete glossary of gambling terms guide is here to help.
