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.

General Gambling Terms

• House Edge: The mathematical advantage the casino has over players in a game.
• RTP (Return to Player): The percentage of money a game is expected to pay back to players over time.
• Volatility: Describes how often and how much a game pays—high volatility means fewer but bigger wins, while low volatility means smaller but more frequent wins.
• Wagering Requirements: Conditions you must meet before withdrawing winnings from a bonus.
• Comps: Complimentary rewards casinos offer, such as free meals, cashback, or hotel stays.
• High Roller: A player who bets large sums of money.
• Pit Boss: A staff member who supervises table games in a land-based casino.

Blackjack Glossary

• Bankroll: The total money set aside to play blackjack. Managing it well is vital for long-term play.
• Blackjack: Both the game’s name and the best hand—an Ace plus a 10 or face card, totalling 21.
• Double Down: Doubling your initial bet and receiving one extra card.
• Bust: Going over 21, which means losing the hand.
• Card Counting: Tracking dealt cards to estimate the chance of certain ones appearing next.
• Split: Turning a pair into two separate hands with an extra bet.
• Stand: Sticking with your current hand instead of taking another card.
• Insurance: A side bet against the dealer having blackjack when they show an Ace.
• Push: A tie between dealer and player, where the original bet is returned.

Poker Glossary

• Blinds: Forced bets (small and big) that start the action in Texas Hold’em and Omaha.
• Flop, Turn, River: Community cards dealt in stages during Hold’em games.
• All-In: Betting all of your remaining chips.
• Tilt: Playing recklessly due to frustration or anger.
• Pot Odds: The ratio of the current size of the pot to the cost of a call, used to decide whether to continue.
• Fold: Discarding your hand and giving up on the pot.
• Raise: Increasing the size of the current bet.

Roulette Glossary

• American Roulette: A wheel with 38 pockets—numbers 1–36 plus 0 and 00.
• European Roulette: A wheel with 37 pockets—numbers 1–36 plus a single 0.
• Inside Bet: Bets placed directly on numbers inside the grid.
• Outside Bet: Bets placed on broader options like red/black or odd/even.
• Corner Bet: Betting on four numbers that meet at one corner.
• Straight-Up Bet: Betting on a single number.
• Martingale: A system where you double your bet after each loss.
• House Edge: The built-in advantage the casino has over players.
• En Prison Rule: A rule in some games that lets you keep your even-money bet for the next spin if the ball lands on 0.

Sports Betting Terms

• Accumulator (Parlay): A single bet that links multiple selections together for bigger payouts.
• Moneyline: A simple bet on which team or player will win.
• Spread: A handicap added to level the betting field.
• Over/Under: Betting on whether the total score will be above or below a set number.
• In-Play Betting: Placing bets while the event is still ongoing.

Online Slots Glossary

• Payline: A line where symbols must land to form a win.
• Wild: A symbol that substitutes for others to complete a win.
• Scatter: A symbol that unlocks free spins or bonuses. See our scatter symbols guide.
• Jackpot: The highest prize offered by a slot. Can be fixed or progressive.
• RNG (Random Number Generator): Software that makes every spin random.
• Multiplier: A feature that multiplies winnings by a set value.
• Expanding Wild: A wild symbol that covers an entire reel.
• Progressive Jackpot: A jackpot that grows each time players bet until it is won.

Bonus & Promotion Glossary

• Welcome Bonus: A promotion given to new players on their first deposit.
• No Deposit Bonus: A small bonus offered just for signing up, without a deposit.
• Free Spins: Bonus spins on selected slot games.
• Reload Bonus: A deposit match bonus for existing players.
• Cashback: A refund of a percentage of net losses over a set period.
• Loyalty Program: Rewards system for frequent players, often with points or tiers.

Video Poker Glossary

• Royal Flush: The best possible hand—10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace of the same suit.
• Straight Flush: Five consecutive cards of the same suit.
• Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank.
• Full House: Three of one rank and two of another.
• Pair: Two cards of the same rank.
• Wild Card: A card that can act as any other to complete a hand.
• Discard: Getting rid of cards you don’t want to keep.
• Draw: The act of receiving new cards to replace discards.
• Paytable: A chart that shows payouts for different hands.

Security & Responsible Gambling Terms

• KYC (Know Your Customer): The identity verification process required before withdrawals.
• AML (Anti-Money Laundering): Regulations casinos must follow to prevent illegal transactions.
• Self-Exclusion: A tool that lets players block themselves from gambling for a set period.
• Deposit Limits: A responsible gambling feature to cap how much you can add to your account.
• Loss Limits: A cap on how much you can lose in a given timeframe.
• GamStop / Gamban: Third-party tools that help block access to gambling sites.

Conclusion

Knowing the language of the casino is a powerful tool. From blackjack and roulette to slots, poker, sports betting, and more, each game has terms that can shape how you play. Use this glossary to build confidence, make smarter decisions, and approach gambling with a clear understanding of the rules, risks, and opportunities.