Learn the basic gambling terminology right here at CasinoToplists. Find a specific word or phrase in our casino dictionary or just study the whole word list and make sure you know the correct casino lingo by heart.
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Gate 777Stating that there is a special casino language might be to stretch it, but knowing the terms used by the dealer and other players too for that matter, is essential for you to play the games right. Throwing out some of the more unusual gambling expressions will off course also give you some well-deserved respect at the tables.
If you are searching for a word or a gambling related term but can’t find it in our list, please contact us here.
A – B – C – D – E – F – G – H – I – J – K – L – M – N – O – P – Q – R – S – T – U – V – W – X – Y
A
Ace-King
A Caribbean Stud hand where the total hand value is less than a pair but the hand contain an ace and a king
Action
The amount one player wager during a session
Add-on
An optional buy-in amonut that can be used to aquire additional chips
Advantage
The percentage the casino has on a bet – same as the edge
Aggregate limit
The payout limit of a casino game
Aggregate winnings
Total earnings
All-in
Origionally a poker term for wagering all your money in play
All or Nothing
A Keno ticket that pays off if either all or none of its numbers has been drawn
The person playing the last box on the right hand side of the Blackjack dealer
Ante Bet
A mandatory bet posted prior to the dealing of the cards in some casino card games
Any craps
A one-roll wager in Craps that the next roll is 2, 3 or 12 – pays 7 to 1
Any seven
A one-roll wager in Craps that the next roll is 7 – pays 4 to 1
Arm
Term used to describe a skillfull craps player. See also Dice Control
Auto dauber
A tool that automatically marks your numbers on an online Keno ticket
B
Back Line
Same as ‘Don’t Pass line’
Backtrack
The outside rim where the ball spins in the Roulette wheel
Banca Francesa
A three diced casino game played in Portuguese casinos
Banco
The banker in Baccarat
Banker
The banker is the player’s opponent in a Pai Gow poker game
Banking game
A slot machine game where continued play stores up credits in a “bank”. Clearing a certain task in the game “releases” the bank and awards you the credits. Banking games are used to encourage players to keep on playing the machine. If you leave a banking machine in a live casino. you are also leaving the bonus credits for a new player to win
Bankroll
The money you have available for gambling. Avoid putting your entire bankroll in play at one time and keep your gaming bankroll separate from your other budget.
Bet
To place a wager
Bet max
A feature on the slot machine giving you the option to play the maximum amount of coins allowed on the machine. This button will speed up your play
Biased numbers
Frequently winning numbers on a Roulette wheel
Biased wheels
A faulty Roulette wheel where certain numbers appear more often than probability allows
Big 6
A bet that 6 will be rolled before 7 in Craps – pays 1 to 1
Big 8
A bet that 8 will be rolled before 7 in Craps – pays 1 to 1
Big red
Another name for 7 in Craps
Blind bet
A pre-posted bet in poker placed before the player have seen his or her cards
Black bet
A bet on the next number to come out on the Roulette wheel to be black
Black book
People not allowed into Las Vegas Casinos are in the Black Book
Blank
See Brick
Blackjack Trainer
A Blackjack Trainer is an online program that helps you to play strategically correct Blackjack.
Blower
A glass container from which Keno balls are drawn
Bones
See Dice
Bonus
A game offers a special online casino bonus for hitting certain types of hands. Also can refer to a sign-up or loyalty bonus, which is extra money added to your account for signing up or continuing to play at a specific online casino
Boxcars
A roll of two sixes in Craps
Boxing
Betting on which three horses will finish first, second and third in correct order in a horse race
Boxman
The casino employee who is in charge of the bets in Craps
Brick
A playing card that apperars not to help any of the players to improve their hand in a poker game. also called blank.
Brick and Mortar
Land based casinos
Bug
Online slang for software failure, also another word for a joker in card games
Bump
A raise
Burn cards
Cards that are removed from the top of the deck to obstruct dishonest play
Bust
To go broke, OR in Blackjack, to exceed the hand value of 21
Buy in
To buy casino/table credits
C
Card counting
To keep track of the cards that have been dealt in order to give the player an advantage
Card sharp
A competent card player, sometimes also a cheating player
Carousel
A group of slot machines arranged in a circle formation
Carpet joint
Slang for a luxurious casino
Carré
A corner bet in Roulette
Casino advantage
See House Edge
Casino Junket
See Junket
Chasing
Trying to win back money lost to the casino
Chemin de Fer
A casino card game, similar to Baccarat
Center bets
The bets in the middle of the Craps layout – one-roll wagers
Cheval
A split bet in Roulette
Coat tailing
To follow the same betting patterns as a winning player at the table
Co-banking
A Pai Gow option that is available in some casinos (not all), where the player and the house are 50/50 partners as the bank
Cold
A player who hasn’t won in a while
Cold streak
A long session without winning
Color up
Change smaller chips to ones with a higher value
Column bet
A bet on one of three columns on the betting layout of roulette
Combination way ticket
A Keno ticket in which a group of numbers are bet in several ways, allowing you to spread your money over several different combinations
Come bet
Can only be made after the come-out roll in Craps and works like a pass-line bet Come out roll – The come-out roll starts a round of betting in Craps. Pass-line and don’t pass-line bets have to be placed before this roll
Community cards
The shared open cards placed in the middle of the poker table
Comp
Gifts that live casinos offer players for continued play at the casino. It can take the form of free meals, shows or even cash rewards. See also Sign-up Bonus
Copies
Another name for a tie in Pai Gow. When the player’s and the banker’s hand have the same value, the hand is won by the banker
Corner bet
A Roulette wager where the player marks four numbers by placing the chips in the between four numbers
Coup
A round of play in Baccarat
Cracking the nut
Covering all your expenses with your casino winnings
Craps
When the craps shooter throws 2, 3 or 12 on the come-out roll
Credits
A bet at an online casino is expressed in credits
Croupier
The casino employee who manages the Roulette wheel or Baccarat game
Cut card
A plastic card used to cut a deck of cards
Cycle
Number of video poker hands you should expect to have to play before hitting a jackpot. A typical jackpot cycle is 40,000 hands, although playing 40,000 hands of course does not guarantee you will hit a jackpot
D
D’Alembert system
A betting system in which you raise your bets one unit when you are winning and drop one when you are losing
Dauber
The tool you use to mark your numbers on a Bingo/keno ticket
Deposit
The money transferred into an online account
Deuce
The number two (2)
Deuces wild
A variety of video poker where a deuce becomes the best card possible for your hand and the payouts are harder to achieve
Dice
Numbered cubes used in casino games
Dice contol
The ability to control the outcome of the dice in a craps game
Die
Singular for dice
Dime bet
A $1,000 bet
Dolly
A marker used in Roulette to display the winning number
Don’t come line bet
Can only be made after the come-out roll in Craps and works like a don’t pass-line bet – pays 1:1
Don’t pass line bet
A Craps wager that the come-out roll is 12, 3 or 2 and looses if it’s 7 or 11. All other numbers establish a point
Double or nothing
Even money bet where the winner of the previous bet puts the winnings at stake to win the double amount
Doubling down
A betting option in Blackjack. Player gets one additional card to complete the hand
Double zero
Additional pocket on the American Roulette wheel
Down card
A playing card dealt face down
Down to the felt
Out of gambling chips, broke
Dragon Hand
A Pai Gow hand dealt to an empty seat at the table. In some casinos a player may be allowed to pick up the dragon hand and play it as his/her own
Drop box
The tray on the gambling table used to store the chips while playing
E
e-COGRA
E-Commerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance. An organization overseeing the interests of fair gaming on the internet
Edge
Advantage. See also House Edge
Encryption
A system for secure money transactions online
En prison rule
Also known as the surrender rule in Roulette. A rule that allows players who have made an outside bet (Black/red, odds/even) to lose half the bet if the ball stops at 0, or to leave the money on the table as a new bet for the next round
Exclusive bonus
A bonus deal negotiated by a third party affiliate
Expected win rate
A percentage of the total money wagered that can be expected back to the players in form of winnings. See also Payout percentage
Eye in the sky
Surveillance cameras in the roof of live casinos
F
Face cards
A King, a Queen or a Jack in any card game
Ficheur
A tool that helps the croupier to separate each player’s chips at the Roulette table
Field bet
A Craps wager that the next roll is 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12 – pays 1 to 1
First base
The first betting box to the left of the dealer at a Blackjack table
Flat top
A casino machine without a progressive jackpot
Flash casino
An online casino that uses the web programming language Flash. It allows you to play games directly in your web browser
Flush
A hand with all five cards in the same suit, i.e., spades, hearts, clubs or diamonds. All suits have the same value
Four-of-a-kind
A hand that contains four cards of the same value
Full House
Three cards of the same value plus two of another (same) value
Full Pay
A machine that offers the most favorable payouts. These are also called 9/6 machines because they pay nine coins for a full house and six coins for a flush.
G
Gambler’s fallacy
The belief that a previous, isolated event will affect the outcome of the next.
Gambler’s Anonymous
A support group for people who suffer from problem gambling
Gross
Gross winnings. The total payout. How much did you gross?
Gutshot straight
A term used in poker and video poker for a straight that can only be filled by one rank of card. For example, if the screen shows 8 9 T 4 Q you can discard the 4 and go for one of the four jacks to make a gut shot straight. This is not a recommended play
H
Hand Behind
The name given to the five-card hand in Pai Gow, as it is placed behind the smaller two-card hand, also High Hand
Hand in Front
The name of the two-card hand placed in front of the five-card hand in Pai Gow, also Low hand
Hard hand
A hand risking to go bust if the player hits. See soft hand
Hardway
Means that the craps dice show the same number; 22, 33, 44 etc.
High Card
If no player has a Pai Gow poker hand with a pair or better, the highest card, or sequence of cards, will determine the winner
High hand
Same as Hand behind
High roller
A player wagering amounts high above the average gambler
Hit
Draw another card in Blackjack
Hold your own
To break even in a gambling session
Horn bet
A Craps bet on that the next roll is 2, 3, 11 or 12 – pays 15 to 1 or 30 to 1
Hot streak
A long period of winning
House
The casino
House edge
The amount the casino is mathematically guaranteed to win over a long enough period of play. If the House has an edge of 5 percent on a particular game, they will win five cents over every dollar played at that game over a long enough time
House way
A predetermined strategy in table games where the players let the dealer set their hands
I
Inside bet
When players place their bets on or between the betting layouts of the casino tables
Inside numbers
A place bet on 2, 6, 8 and 9 in Craps
Insurance
If the dealer showing an Ace up in Blackjack, the players are offered to insure their wagers in the case of a natural blackjack for the dealer. Insurance is not a recommended Blackjack strategy in the long run
IVT
Interactive Video Terminals
J
Jackpot
A large payout. See also Progressive Jackpot
Jacks or Better
A Video Poker game where you need at least a pair of jacks to win
Joker
A card that works as a “wild card” in Pai Gow. It can be used to complete a straight, a flush, or a straight flush. If it can’t be used this way, it is automatically used as an ace
Joker Poker
A video poker variation where the joker is wild as in Deuces Wild
Juice
See Vig
Junket
Free trip offered by casinos to get high rollers to come out to the casinos. Also a large group trip organized by the casino and or a casino affiliate.
Junket Rep
Person responsible for the casino junket
K
Keno runner
A casino employee in live casinos who collect your bets and handle the prizes
Kalooki
A card game played with wild cards
L
La partage rule
A Roulette rule where the player only loose half his/her outside bet if the ball stops at 0
Ladderman
Casino personnel overseeing the gambling action in table games
Lay bet
A bet that the craps shooter rolls a 7 before the number – pays 1 to 2, 2 to 3 or 5 to 6
Lay odds
An additional craps bet when a point is established, offers true odds
Layout
The betting area on the casino table where players place their wagers
Le Grande Natural
A natural nine in Baccarat. Beats ‘Le Petit Natural’
Le Petit Natural
A natural eight in Baccarat. Loses to ‘Le Grande Natural’
Let it Ride
To keep the latest winnings on the table as a new bet for the next round
Load up
To wager the maximum amount on a machine OR to ask for more chips
Lobby
From where you navigate to the games or to the cashier at online casinos
Loose games/machines
Games or machines with a generous payout
Low hand
Same as Hand in Front
M
Martingale System
A roulette strategy system where a player doubles his losing bet for the next wager. The system has not proven to be very profitable in the long run
Match bonus
A certain percentage of your deposit will be matched by the casino and added to your account as a bonus
Mechanic
A cheating dealer
Money management
A healthy approach to make your bankroll last longer
Multiplayer Casino
A casino where you can play with or against other players
N
Natural
When the come-out roll is 7 or 11 in Craps OR eight or nine with the two first Baccarat cards
No-deposit bonus
A bonus given by the casino without the player depositing any money. However, most times there are at least some strings attached. See Wagering Requirements
Non-negotiable chips
Casino credits that cannot be traded into cash
Non-negotiates
Promotional casino chips that cannot be traded back to cash. This is not negotiable
Number pool
the range of keno numbers from which you select your numbers to play. Most common is the range from 1 to 80
Nuts
the strongest poker hand possible, depending on the community cards
O
Odds
Ratio of probability. See also True Odds
One-Armed bandit
An old name for slot machines, named for the “arm” on the side of the machine that once had to be pulled in order to set the reels in motion
On tilt
A player gambling wrecklessly, see also Tilt
Orphans or Orphelins
Three numbers that are close on the roulette layout but far apart on the wheel
Outside bet
When players place their bets outside the betting layout of the casino tables. (for example, an even number bet in Roulette)
Outside numbers
The place-bet numbers in Craps: 4, 5, 9 and 10
Over-lay
A well-paid bet where the player has an edge over the casino
P
Paint card
See Face Cards
Pair
A hand with two cards of the same value
Palette
A long flat tool used in Baccarat to move the cards on the table
Parlay
A single bet that is linked together with another wager. For example, if you bet on number 18 in Roulette, you could also bet on the color red, or even numbers
Paroli
In European Roulette, Paroli is the order given to the croupier to let the latest winnings stay on the table as a new bet. See also Let it ride
Pass line bet
A craps bet that wins if the come-out roll is 7 or 11 and looses if it’s 2, 3 or 12. All other numbers establish a point
Pay Line
The line on a slot machine where the symbols should line up in order for you to win
Pay Table
The chart that lists how much each hand pays out when you win
Payback
The opposite of House edge, it’s the amount of every dollar put in that the casino gives back to the players
Payout
The amount you win for hitting a specific hand or number in any casino game
Payout Percentage
The percentage of the total money wagered in one game that will be paid out to the players
Pigeon
Inexperienced, unsophisticated gambler
Pit
Gambling area in the casino
Pit boss
Casino supervisor
Pit manager
Casino employee who deals with the customers and handles the comps
Pinching
Cheating by removing chips from the table after the result has been settled
Place bet
A craps wager that the numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 is rolled before 7 – pays 9 to 8, 7 to 5 or 7 to 6 depending on which number is chosen
Point
The number that is established when the come-out roll in craps is 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10. Anyone who bet on pass line must hit the point before a 7 is rolled
Progressive jackpot
A jackpot that builds as players pay into it. All the machines connected to and eligible for a specific progressive jackpot contribute to the jackpot with each spin. Since it is a very rare combination of symbols that triggers the jackpot, all progressive jackpots can reach enormous amounts of money. You can only win the progressive jackpot by playing the maximum amount of coins
Proposition bets
All ‘hardway’ and one-roll bets in Craps
Punto
The player in Baccarat
Punto Banco
European Baccarat
Push
A tie in casino games like Blackjack, Caribbean Stud and Baccarat
Q
Qualifier
A tournament where one or several players qualifies for the next round. See also Satellite
Quads
Four of a kind
Quarter bet
A four number bet, similar to Corner Bet and Carré in Roulette
R
Racinos
Racetrack casinos
Rack
A plastic container used to hold your casino chips/tokens
Reload bonus
A bonus offered by a casino to reward re-depositing players
Red bet
A roulette bet on the next number to be red
RFB’d
Complemented by the casino with free room, food and beverage
RNG
Random Number Generator, the program that randomly selects the cards that will be dealt out
Rouletto
Irish Roulette
Royal flush
The highest hand in poker. A-K-Q-J-T of the same suit, i.e., spades, diamonds, hearts or clubs
S
Satellite
A qualifying tournament. See also Qualifier
Sawdust joint
Slang for a non-luxurious casino
Scared money
Money used for wagering that a player cannot afford to lose
Scatter
A symbol often found on slots machines, that enables free spins. A specified number of scatter symbols anyware on the screen will award free spins or other bonuses
Seven out
When a 7 is rolled after a point has been established but before the point is rolled again. This ends a round in Craps
Shill
A casino employee who fills empty seats at the tables
Shiner
A reflecting devise used to determine unexposed cards
Shoe
A device used in card games to store the cards
Shooter
The craps player rolling the dice
Short pay
In contrast to a full pay machine, a short pay machine does not offer the optimal payout odds to the player
Shuffle tracking
A technique used by card counters to locate important cards in the deck
Sign-up bonus
A bonus rewarded to players for registering and depositing money at an online casino
Silver mining
To search for coins in unattended gambling machines. See also Slot Walking
Single zero
The European roulette wheel without the American 00 pocket
Six number bet
A roulette bet on six different numbers, also Sixainne
Sixainne
See Six number bet
Slot walking
To search slot machines for credits/coins. See also Silver Mining
Snake eyes
When you roll a two in Craps
Soft Hand
A hand that is not risking to ‘go bust’ if the player hits in Blackjack. See also Hard hand
Stack
Chips available for gambling
Standoff
a Tie
Stiff hand
A hand between twelve and sixteen in Blackjack, Very likely to go bust if the player hits
Stickman
The casino employee handling the dice and calling the rolls in Craps
Straight
A hand with five sequential cards, i.e., 9-8-7-6-5, regardless of suit
Straight flush
A hand with five sequential cards of the same suit, i.e., 9-8-7-6-5, all hearts
Straight bet
A roulette bet on one single number
Street bet
A roulette bet on three numbers. See also Transversale
Surrender rule
See En prison rule
T
Tapping out/ Tapped out
Losing one’s entire bankroll
Three-of-a-kind
A hand with three cards of the same value
Third base
The position closest to the dealer’s right. Last person to act before the dealer in blackjack
Tiers du cylinder
A French roulette term where a player bets on several numbers close to each other on the betting layout
Tilt
Wreckless gambling often caused by unlucky previous bets
Token
Gambling credit/coin
Touch wand
A pointing device used to pick the numbers on some keno machines
Transversale
French word for Street bet
Trips
Three of a kind
True odds
The real odds of an event to occur, not the odds presented to you by the casino
Two Pair
A hand with two pairs (cards of the same value)
U
Upcard
The one dealer card showing in casino games like Blackjack and Caribbean Stud
V
Vig
The casino Commission. Abbreviation of vigorish. Also Juice
Voisins du zero
When you bet the on a group of numbers close to the zero on a roulette wheel
W
Wagering requirements
Obligations to wager a certain amount in order to clear different bonuses at online casinos
Washing
To show that they are not taking any chips from the table, croupiers show (wash) their hands when leaving
Web wallet
Generic term for payment solutions for monetary transfers online
Whale
A gambler making unusually large bets, not necessarily a very good player
Wild Card
Another name for the Joker
Wonging
(Named after Blackjack expert Stanford Wong) To count the cards at a table and join the game when the count is in the players favor
Y
Yo/ Yo-Leven
Are used instead of 11, so it’s not confused with seven at the craps table
