Some terminology is helpful to learn when participating in casino games, so we've created this handy dictionary of the most often used terms and expressions. Some of these phrases are exclusive to online casinos, while others are seen in both land-based and online casinos.
A
Advantage Player - A casino player who is legally able to obtain an edge over the house. The phrase is generally applied to blackjack players who can effectively count cards, but it may also refer to craps players who employ dice control or players who understand how to maximize the value of bonuses and comps.
Ante - A stake that is needed in various casino games ahead of the start of the hand/round.
B
Banker - A person in charge of accepting lost bets and handing out winnings. The dealer is usually in this position.
Bankroll - A set sum of money intended solely for gaming purposes.
Bet - Sum of money for playing.
Betting Layout - A section of a gaming table where people can put their chips to place their bets.
Betting Limits - Information about minimum and maximum stakes.
Bonus - Extra cash added to a player's account as an incentive for joining up and depositing, or as a prize for betting a particular amount on games.
Burn Card - A card drawn from the top of the deck and thrown after the deck has been shuffled or before the next round of cards is given.
C
Card Counting - Trying to keep track of which cards were dealt in blackjack so that you can predict which cards will be dealt next. Card counting, when done correctly, can provide a player with an advantage over the casino.
Card Shark - An specialist in card games.
Card Sharp - A slang term for a card shark.
Card Washing - A card shuffling technique in which a dealer spreads all of the cards on the table and mixes them up.
Cash Bonus - A particular sort of online gambling bonus. A cash bonus is one that may be withdrawn after meeting the wagering conditions.
Cash Out - To have cash from your online account returned to you using your preferred payment method.
Chasing - Increasing stakes in an attempt to recoup earlier losses.
Chips - Tokens used to represent actual money at gaming tables.
Coat Tail - To mimic another person's betting tendencies.
Cold Streak - A long run of poor luck.
Croupier - A casino employee who is in control of a gaming table. A dealer is another term for a broker.
D
Dealer - A casino employee who is in control of a gaming table. A croupier is another term for a dealer.
Deck Penetration - The (approximate) proportion of a deck, or decks, of cards until they are shuffled.
Deposit - Transferring money to your casino account using your preferred payment option.
Deposit Bonus - A particular sort of gambling bonus. A deposit bonus is one that you receive when you make a deposit into your online casino account.
Deposit Method - The technique of depositing cash into your gaming account.
Dirty Money - The lost bets that the dealer collects.
Down Card - A card dealt face-up that is, facing the table.
E
Expected Win Rate - The proportion of a game's entire stake that you may anticipate to win back. For example, in a game with a 95% anticipated win probability, you would expect to earn about $95 for every $100 wagered in the long term (net losses would be $5).
F
Face Card - In a deck of cards, any jack, queen, or king.
Face Down Card - A card dealt face-up that is, facing the table. A down card is another name for a down card.
Face Up Card - A card that is dealt uncovered, that is, facing upwards. An up card is another name for a trump card.
Flat Betting - A betting strategy in which you wager the same amount each time.
G
George - A dealer's colloquial name for a person who tips generously.
Gross Winnings - The whole amount returned following a successful bet or sequence of winning bets, including the original stake.
H
High Roller - A player who wagers on high-stakes games.
Hot Streak - A long streak of good fortune.
Hot Table - A gaming table when all or the majority of the players are winning.
House - An another name for a casino.
House Edge - The casino's inherent edge in all games. It is generally obtained by paying out at odds that are somewhat lower than the real chance of winning and is stated as a house edge. In the long term, a play with a 2% house edge, for instance, should pay the casino $2 for every $100 gambled.
House Rules - Game regulations that are unique to a certain casino.
J
Jackpot - A huge reward, generally connected with slot machines.
L
Live Dealer Games - Online casino games in which gamers compete against actual dealers at real gaming tables via real-time video streams.
Loyalty Program - A way through which online casinos may benefit their users based on their gaming activities.
M
Marker - Amount of cash that can be loaned to a person for the purpose of gambling at a casino if the player has a pre-existing line of credit.
Maximum Bet - The most money a player may bet on a single bet.
Minimum Bet - The smallest amount a player can wager on a single bet.
Multi-Hand Game - Any game in which participants can play more than one hand at the same time.
Multi-Player Game - Any game in which several players can participate at the same time.
N
Net Winnings - A player's profit from a successful bet or sequence of winning bets.
O
Optimal Strategy - There is a "proper" technique to play some games that will offer players the best chance to win. This style of play is referred to as optimum strategy.
P
Paint - A slang name for any of the jacks, queens, or kings in a deck of cards.
Payout - Amount paid to a player following a successful wager.
Payout Odds - The sum a player will gain on a winning bet in relation to the original investment. For example, a payout of 2:1, for example, means that a player will earn $2 for every $1 bet.
Payout Percentage - The overall amount returned to players over time as a proportion of money invested. For example, a game with a payout ratio of 98 percent will return an average of $98 for every $100 spent.
Play Bonus - A particular sort of online gambling bonus. A play bonus may only be used for wagering and cannot be withdrawn.
Play For Fun - Most online casinos include play-for-fun versions of some or all of their games, allowing users to test the games without risking any of their own real money.
Progression Betting - A betting strategy. Positive advancement entails raising stakes following a win, whereas negative progression entails increasing stakes following a loss.
Progressive Jackpot - A jackpot that rises in size and increases until it is won.
Push - A different word for a tie.
R
Reload Bonus - A particular sort of online gambling bonus. For example, existing players are eligible for a reload bonus in exchange for putting a deposit into their account.
RTP - The projected proportion of wagers that a given game will give to the player in the long term is referred to as the return to player (RTP).
S
Shuffle - The process of randomly shuffling a deck of cards such that their arrangement is unknown.
Side Bet - In some blackjack variations, for example, you can put a side wager on whether the overall value first two cards would be greater or less than 13.
Sign Up Bonus - A particular sort of online gambling bonus. When new players initially join, they are given a sign up bonus.
Stake - A wager's size.
Stiff - A player who does not tip.
T
Table Hold - The total profit produced by a table during a given time period.
True Odds - Based on probability, the real probabilities of a wager winning. The real chances are generally greater than the payout odds, and this is how casinos gain an advantage. In European roulette, for example, the payoff odds for a single number stake are 35:1. The real chances of winning a wager like this are 36:1.
U
Up Card - A card that is facing upward, unexposed.
W
Wager - Synonym for Bet.
Wagering Requirements - Wagering requirements are frequently attached to online casino bonuses, and they specify how much a player must bet on games before they may withdraw any profits linked with a bonus.
Welcome Bonus - Synonym for Sign Up bonus.
Whale - A high-value player is one who consistently loses and/or plays for huge stakes - High Roller.
Withdrawal - When you request a withdrawal from your online casino account, you are requesting that cash be returned to you using the payment method of your choosing.
