Comprehensive Glossary of Gambling Terms

To maximize your casino winnings, it’s essential to know the terminology. Understanding casino jargon is the first step to playing skillfully. We’ve compiled a list of the most important terms in our glossary below to help you understand the words, expressions, and concepts used in the casino.
You’ll know the game’s rules and understand the instructions when you open a casino account. You’ll find a detailed glossary with everything you need to know and more. Start expanding your casino vocabulary now.

Blackjack Glossary

• Bankroll: The total amount a player has available to play blackjack. Effective bankroll management is crucial for a successful player.
• Blackjack: The name of the game and the winning hand. It consists of a two-card hand totalling 21 points (an Ace and a face card or 10).
• Blackjack Strategy: Skills required for planning moves based on the player’s hand.
• Bet: The amount a player wagers on a specific hand in blackjack.
• Bust: When a player’s hand exceeds 21, resulting in an automatic loss.
• Bust Card: A card that, when added to the player’s hand, causes the total to exceed 21.
• Card Counting: A system to help players win more consistently by keeping track of the cards dealt.
• Chips: Tokens used to play blackjack after depositing funds. Players exchange chips for cash after the game.
• Dealer: The person who deals cards to the player. The dealer may not be visible in online games, but in live casino versions, a real dealer handles the cards.
• Double Down: An option allowing players to double their initial bet in exchange for one additional card.
• Edge: The percentage advantage the casino has over the player.
• Expose: Revealing a card to see its value and impact on the hand.
• Face Cards: Jack, Queen, and King, each worth 10 points.
• Flat Betting: Betting the same amount on each hand.
• Hard Total: A hand where the Ace is counted as 1.
• Hit: Requesting an additional card from the dealer.
• Hole Card: After completing all hands, the dealer’s face-down card is revealed.
• Insurance: A side bet that the dealer has a blackjack, usually made when the dealer shows an Ace.
• Martingale: A betting system that encourages players to double their bet after each loss to recover losses on the next winning hand.
• Natural: Another term for blackjack (Ace and face card).
• Pair: A hand with two cards of the same rank.
• Push: When both the dealer and player have hands of the same value, resulting in a tie.
• Shoe: The container that holds multiple decks of cards the dealer uses.
• Soft Hand: A hand with an Ace counted as 11.
• Split: Dividing a pair into two separate hands with an additional bet.
• Stand: Choosing not to take any more cards.
• Surrender: Opting to forfeit half the bet after the initial deal.
• Upcard: The dealer’s face-up card.

Roulette Glossary

• American Roulette: A version with 38 numbers, including 0, 00, and 1 to 36.
• Ball Track: The outer track where the ball spins before falling into a numbered slot.
• Biased Numbers: Numbers that the ball lands on more frequently due to a biased wheel.
• Biased Wheel: A faulty wheel causing unfair results.
• Black: A bet placed on black numbers.
• Bottom Track: The part of the table between the numbers and the ball track.
• Column: One of three columns of numbers on the roulette table.
• Combination Bet: Betting on multiple numbers with a single chip placement.
• Corner Bet: Betting on four numbers at the corners of a square on the table.
• Dealer: The person who spins the wheel and handles the bets. Live roulette games feature real dealers.
• Double Zero: An additional slot found in American roulette, marked 00.
• Dozen: A bet on a group of 12 numbers.
• En Prison Rule: Applicable to even-money bets, allowing players to either lose half their bet or leave it for the next spin when the ball lands on zero.
• European Roulette: Also known as French roulette, it has 37 numbers (0 to 36).
• Even: A bet on even numbers.
• First Four: Betting on the first four numbers (0, 1, 2, 3).
• Five-Number Bet: Betting on 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3, only in American roulette.
• Green Numbers: Refers to 0 and 00.
• High Bet: A bet on the numbers 19 to 36.
• House Edge: The casino’s advantage over the player.
• Inside Bet: A bet placed on the numbers inside the grid on the table.
• Line Bet: A bet on six numbers in two adjacent rows.
• Low Bet: A bet on the numbers 1 to 18.
• Martingale: A system where players double their bet after each loss.
• Split Bet: Betting on two adjacent numbers.
• Odd: A bet on odd numbers.
• Orphans: A bet on three numbers close together on the wheel (e.g., 6, 34, 17).
• Outside Bet: A bet placed on the outer parts of the table, such as red/black or odd/even.
• Parlay: Letting winnings from a bet ride on the next bet.
• Red: A bet placed on red numbers.
• Straight-Up Bet: Betting on a single number.
• Six-Number Bet: Betting on six numbers at once.
• Street Bet: Betting on three numbers in a row.
• Tier Bet: A bet on 12 numbers opposite the 0 on the table.
• Zero Bet: Betting on 0.

Online Slots Glossary

• Action: The total time a player spends playing slots.
• All Ways: Different ways a player can win, such as 243 ways.
• Bankroll: The total amount a player will bet and lose on slots.
• Bet Max: Automatically betting the maximum allowed credits per spin.
• Bet 1: Betting the minimum amount per spin.
• Bonus: A special feature allowing players to win extra credits.
• Cascading Wins: A feature where new ones replace winning symbols for additional wins.
• Certified Slots: Slots are certified for their payout percentage.
• Coins per Line: The number of coins bets per payline.
• Coins per Spin: The number of coins bets per spin.
• Coin Value: The amount paid for one credit.
• Cold Slots: Slots that rarely pay out.
• Double Pay: A feature allowing players to gamble winnings to double them potentially.
• Expanding Wild: A wild symbol that expands to cover the entire reel.
• Fixed-Value Slots: Slots with fixed coin values.
• Fixed Jackpot: A set jackpot amount.
• Hit Frequency: How often a slot pays out.
• Hot Slots: Slots that pay out frequently.
• Instant Win: A jackpot that pays out immediately.
• Jackpot: The highest payout a slot offers.
• Paylines: Activated lines on multi-line slots where players place bets.
• Linked Progressive Jackpot: A progressive jackpot linked across multiple machines.
• Multiplier: A special symbol that multiplies winnings.
• Multi-Line Bonus Slots: Slots with multiple paylines and a bonus round.
• Online Slots Tournament: A competition where players compete for prizes.
• Progressive Jackpot: A jackpot that grows with each bet placed.
• Payout Percentage: The percentage of total bets returned to players as winnings.
• Payline: The horizontal line of symbols on the screen.
• Payout: The amount received from a slot.
• Paytable: A chart showing payout information for different winning combinations.
• Reel: The spinning component displaying symbols.
• RNG (Random Number Generator): Software generating random outcomes for spins.
• Scatter: A symbol triggering bonus features or free spins.
• Slot Type: The slot category, such as classic, video, bonus, or progressive.
• Spin: Activate the reels by clicking the “Spin” button.
• Sticky Wild: A wild symbol that remains in place for multiple spins.
• Video Slot: A slot without physical reels, using a virtual screen.
• Wild: A symbol that substitutes for others to form winning combinations.

Video Poker Glossary

• Action: The total amount wagered in a video poker game.
• Average Payout: The average amount a player is expected to win over time.
• Bet Max: The maximum amount a player can bet per hand.
• Cash Back: A promotion where players receive a percentage of their losses back.
• Cash Out: Converting winnings to cash.
• Complete Hand: A hand where all cards form a winning combination.
• Deuce: A card with a value of 2, acting as a wild card in certain games.
• Discard: The action of discarding a card.
• Draw: Drawing new cards to replace discarded ones.
• Face Card: Jack, Queen, or King.
• Fish Hook: Another term for a Jack.
• Flush: A hand with five cards of the same suit.
• Four of a Kind: A hand with four cards of the same rank.
• Full House: A hand with three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank.
• High Card: Any face card or Ace.
• Inside Straight: A hand needs one specific card to complete a straight.
• Inside Straight Flush: Similar to an inside straight but with all cards of the same suit.
• Multi-Hand: Playing more than one hand at a time.
• Pair: A hand with two cards of the same rank.
• Paytable: A chart showing the payouts for different winning hands.
• Progressive Jackpot: A jackpot that increases with each bet until it is won.
• Rejected Cards: Cards discarded by the player.
• Royal Flush: The highest hand, consisting of 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace of the same suit.
• Straight: A hand with five consecutive cards of any suit.
• Straight Flush: A hand with five consecutive cards of the same suit.
• Three of a Kind: A hand with three cards of the same rank.
• Wild Card: A card that can substitute for any other card to complete a hand.

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding gambling slang is vital for anyone in this complex domain. Whether you are a novice or seasoned, familiarity with these casino terms and phrases sharpens your strategic edge. This casino vocabulary is a valuable resource, guiding you through the nuances of gambling language. Utilizing this glossary allows you to navigate the gambling topic more confidently and understandably.