Casino gambling dictionary

This is a casino gambling dictionary which provides several terms that you will find at online casinos. Most of the terms available are relevant to gambling. This dictionary is also essential for those who are starting to learn how to play various casino games.

A

  • All-In – This is usually a term used in poker when a player no longer has chips to continue betting with but the hand is allowed to stay in. The player is able to put all his or her money into the pot even if the amount does not cover the total amount of bet required by the table. The player will no longer be betting.
  • Action – This is when a player places money in the pot. It is basically the money that is being wagered by the player.
  • Active – A player who is still in the game.
  • Aggressive – In poker, this is the term used to refer to a player who plays by raising or re -raising his hand.
  • Anchor – This is a term used in blackjack referring to the player who is sited last position before the dealer. Actually, in blackjack, the last person to make the final decision is known as the Anchor.
  • Ante – This is a fee that each player would have to make before they are dealt with cards on the table. Stud games are the card games which usually require the ante.
  • Any Craps – One-roll dice bet covering 2, 3, or 12
  • Any Seven – One roll dice bet coving any 7
  • Arm – This is the term which is used in slot games referring to the lever used to spin the reels

B

  • Backline – This is a term used in craps referring to the Don’t Pass Line
  • Baccarat – This is a card game where players would have to bet on either two hands the Player or Banker. The Player hand or Banker hand should total to 9 or a number close to 9.
  • Bad Beat – This is a term used in poker referring to a good hand which is beaten by a superior hand
  • Bankroll – The total amount of money that a player has got during a gaming session. The amount of money that a player is willing to risk with. Bankroll is also known as the players risk money.
  • Behind The Line – This is a term used in craps referring to the free odds bet made behind the Pass Line.
  • Bet Unit – A player’s standard bet size or minimum bet amount
  • Base – A section on the dice table where bets are made and paid frequently
  • Base Dealer – The dice dealer who is in charge of any of the bases
  • Basic Strategy – Simple skills of how to win a game
  • Bet – Gamble or Wager. This is the amount of money wagered by a player on any casino game.
  • Betting Interval – This is also known as the betting round, the term is usually used in the card games. This is the session at which players get to bet or wager on their hands. The numbers of intervals vary and depend on the card games
  • Betting Limits – The minimum or maximum bets allowed by a table
  • Betting Right – Betting with the shooter or on the pass line
  • Big 6 And Big 8 – A term used in craps to refer a bet placed stating that the shooter will roll 6 or 8 before a 7 has been rolled.
  • Blank – A card that does not add any effect to a hand
  • Blackjack – A card game where players will be betting against the dealer by getting a hand equal to 21 or close to 21. The game is also known as 21
  • Blackjack Hand – If two cards total to 21
  • Blind Bet – These are compulsory bets for two players sited left to the dealer button
  • Blind Open – This is also known as the small blind. The first compulsory bet made by a player sited left to the dealer button. This bet is half the amount of the early bet required by the table.
  • Blind raise – This is also known as the big blind. This is a compulsory bet that is made by the second player left to the dealer button. The bet is the total amount of the early bet required by the table.
  • Bluff – A technique used by players so as to deceive opponents to make them think that your hand is very stronger than theirs.
  • Break / Bust – This is a term used in blackjack when a player or dealer hits a number higher than 21
  • Bust Card – This is a term used in blackjack for the dealer’s cards that have a value of 6 or less than 6
  • Box – This is a term used in craps for the section of the dice table which is controlled by the box man, and this is where the center bets are placed
  • Board – This is a term used in poker referring to the cards that are shared by all players. These are cards that are placed on the center of the table face-up(exposed) and they are also known as community cards.
  • Boxcars – This is a term used in craps when two sixes are rolled. Basically, it’s a name used in craps when a 12 is rolled
  • Boat – This is also known as a Full House, a hand consisting of a three-of-a-kind and a pair.
  • Bounty – This is a bonus prize that is awarded to a player for defeating another player. Bounties are not available to all online poker games and tournaments.
  • Bonus – This is the additional money that is given to a player by the casino. Various casinos can offer bonuses such as sign up bonuses, deposit bonuses and so on.
  • Boxman – This is a term used in craps for the dealer in charge of the table
  • Bring -In – This is a term used in seven card stud referring to the mandatory bet which has to be placed by the player who has the lowest up card (exposed card) in the first betting interval
  • Bump – To raise
  • Burn Card – A card from the deck that was not entered in to the game
  • Buy -In – This is an amount that is paid by the player to participate in an online poker tournament
  • Bicycle/ Bike – This is a hand which is formed by a combination of 5 cards and is the lowest straight consisting of an Ace i.e. 5, 4, 3, 2, A

C

  • Call – This is a term used in poker referring to a bet made by a player that matches to the highest bet in the pot. This is a bet made by a player is s/he is staying in.
  • Cap or Capping – This is a term used in limit Texas holdem (Poker) for a player who wagers the final money prior to the highest allotted number of raises
  • Card Counting – A strategy used in blackjack to track the percentage of high and low cards that have been played before the deck has been re -shuffled
  • Caribbean Stud Poker – This is a 5 card stud game where players get to play against the house
  • Capped – This is when the highest wagering amount is met and the betting round is ended
  • Change Color – The changing of chips from one color to another. For example, when you change your chips into another denomination
  • Card Cap – This is a marker which is placed on your cards so as to show that you are still playing in the game
  • Cash Out – Exchanging your chips into money and exiting the casino game
  • Check – This is a poker term at which a player is able to make a bet without placing any money in the pot.
  • Chips – These are tokens used on the casino tables which represent money
  • Cold Dice – This is a term used in craps referring to the rolls of a dice that don’t pass constantly
  • Cold – A slot machine that is not paying out or a player who is on a losing streak
  • Color Up/Out – An exchange of chips from a lower denomination to a higher denomination
  • Column Bets – This is a term used in roulette for areas marked “2 to 1”
  • Community Cards – These are cards dealt face-up on the board and players are able to share these cards and make a winning combination by the use of their pocket cards and the community cards
  • Combination bets – This is a term used in roulette referring to bets placed on the lines between different bet areas
  • Come Bet – A term used in craps referring to a bet made on the Come Line
  • Come Line – The section of the craps table where the Come Bets are placed
  • Come Out Roll – This is a term used in craps referring to the initial roll after a point has been made.
  • Complete Hand – A term used in poker referring to the hand defined by all five cards i.e. flush, straight, or a full house
  • Conner Bets – This is a term used in roulette also known as quad bets referring to bets placed on the intersection of the lines between any four number groupings
  • Craps – A roll of 2,3, or 12
  • Credit Button – This is a term used in video poker referring to the button which allows a player to bank his or her coins won and also to make use of the credits without depositing more money.
  • Crew – This is a term used in craps referring to the dealers assigned to the game
  • Croupier – A term used in roulette and baccarat referring to the dealers
  • Cycle – This is a term in video poker referring to the statistics of the average hands played per top jackpot
  • Cut – This is when a dealer divides the deck of playing cards into two parts after they have been shuffled
  • Cut Card – This is a tough plastic card which is used by dealers to cut the deck
  • Cutoff Seat – This is a term used in poker referring to the seat at the right of the dealer button

D

  • Dealer – A casino employee in charge of the table
  • Dealer’s Position – This is also known as the dealer button placed on a spot during the betting round
  • Dice – A cube which is numbered 1 to 6 on each side
  • Die – Singular for dice
  • Deposit – The amount of money that you place into your casino account through making use of several online payment options
  • Discard Rack – This is a section on the table to place cards that have been used
  • Don’t Come Bet – This is a term used in craps referring to a bet placed on the Don’t Come Bar.
  • Don’t Pass Bet – This is a bet made that a seven will be rolled before repetition of a point
  • Don’t Pass Line – This is a section on the craps table where the Don’t Pass bets are placed. It is also known as the back line.
  • Double Down – A term used in blackjack to double your bets or wagered amount. The double down cannot be done after a player makes a hit.
  • Dozen Bet – A term used in roulette for bets made on 12 numbers, i.e. 1-12, 13-24 or 25-36
  • Draw – A term used in draw poker where players get to discard their cards and the dealer replaces the card.
  • Drawing Dead – This is an online poker hand that will lose no matter if the hand improves
  • Drawing Hand – This is a hand that would need to improve so as to win the pot. For example, when you are trying to make a flush when you are one card shot
  • Draw Button – A term used in video poker at which players are able to draw five new cards
  • Drop Box – A section on the table where there are the markers, cash, and chips.
  • Down Card – This is a term used in blackjack referring to the dealer’s card that is face-down

E

  • eCOGRA – Acronym for e-Commerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance
  • Edge – This is the advantage of the casino over the player and it is also known as the house edge
  • Early Surrender – This is a term used in blackjack when a person discards his fist two cards and is given back half his or her amount that had been wagered
  • Even Money – A bet that pays you back the same amount wagered, usually the pay-off is 1:1
  • Eye-in-the-Sky – These are the cameras in the casinos which are over-head above the tables
  • Expected Return – This is a term used in video poker referring to the average amount paid back per day or the amount paid back to a player for a particular bet
  • Expected Win Rate – The average amount that is player is able to win on a particular bet over time
  • Easyway – A term used in craps referring to rolling out a combination of 4, 6, 8 or 10

F

  • Fish – this is a term given to online poker players who are loose or players who can not play well
  • Face Cards – The jack, queen, or king of each suite.
  • Field Bet – This is a term used in craps referring to a bet placed on an exact point being rolled for 12, 11, 10,9,4,3 or 2
  • First Base – A term used in blackjack for the first seat close to the shoe
  • Five Number Bet – This is a term used in roulette for the only bet possible which is 00, 0,1,2,3
  • Flash Casino – This is when the online casino offers you with software that you can play using the browser without the need of you downloading it band installing it on to your computer
  • Flat Top – This is a term used in slots referring to slot machines whose jackpot is fixed
  • Float – the table bank
  • Fifth Street – This is a poker term referring to the last card dealt on the board in holdem games
  • Forth Street – the forth card dealt on the board in holdem games
  • Flop – This is a poker term referring to the second betting interval and three community cards face-up (exposed) will be placed on the center of the poker table
  • Flush – A hand in poker which consists of five cards of the same suit
  • Fold – A term used in poker at which a player is able to decline the bet and sit out
  • Four Of A Kind – A poker hand consisting of four cards of the same rank. It is also known as quads For example, 4 Kings, 4 jacks, 4 Tens
  • Full House – A poker hand consisting of a three-of-a-kind and a pair
  • Full Pay – Term used in video poker referring to the best payout offered for a particular period during game session

H

  • Hand – This is the cards that are given to a player. Literally, a hand refers to the cards that a player is holding
  • Hit – A term used in blackjack to take another card
  • House – The host / the casino providing the games for you to play
  • Hole Card – The card of the dealer which is face-down (not exposed)
  • High Card – Cards higher than 9 excluding Aces. In poker, it refers to lowest hand
  • Hard Hand – This is a term used in blackjack referring to any hand that does not have an ace or the ace has a value of 1
  • Horn Bet – A bet which is a combination of 2,3,11 and 12
  • High limit – in poker, this is the high bets that are being used by the table
  • Hardway – A term used in craps when you roll out 4, 6, 8, or 10. Literally, rolling out even numbers
  • High Card Rich – This is a term used in blackjack referring to a deck which is now containing a higher percentage of high cards
  • House Odds – Some houses payout at house odds rather than making use of true odds

I

  • Inside Bet – a term used in roulette for bets placed on any combination of numbers including 0 or 00
  • Insurance – A term used in blackjack when a dealer’s face-up card is an Ace and player are able to buy insurance that the dealer has got a blackjack. If the dealer does not have a blackjack then players lose their bet insurance but if the dealer has a blackjack the payout is 2-1.

J

  • Jackpot – The prize that is won by a player if s/he achieves the objectives required by the casino on its various games

L

  • Let It Ride – a poker card game
  • Loose/Tight Slots – A term used in slots referring a machine with higher payout over a period of time.
  • Live Hand – A hand that has not been folded
  • Low Card – Cards lower than 6
  • Low Limit – A table that requires low limits only

M

  • Mini -Baccarat – A baccarat version which is played by a few players but making use of the same rules as baccarat.
  • Monkey – This is a term for a card whose face value is ten

N

  • Natural – A term used in blackjack, baccarat and craps. In blackjack it refers to a winning hand of an Ace and a Ten. Natural is also known as blackjack. In baccarat, a nine or eight dealt in the first two hands. In craps, a 11 or 7 rolled on the come out roll
  • Non -negotiable – chips which cannot be exchanged for cash
  • Nut – The amount which is fixed for gamblers to win

O

  • Odds – The amount or ratio probabilities that a bet pays. For example, 3-2, 2-1
  • Off – Bets that are scratched or not working
  • Open – in poker, the first bet in a betting interval
  • One-Roll Bets – Wagers that lose or win depending on the outcome of the next roll of the dice
  • Outside Bets – This is a term used in roulette referring to the bets placed on the outside section layout and these involve bets such as the 1-18 and 19-36
  • Overcards – A card that is higher than the community cards

P

  • Pair – A poker hand that consist of two cards of the same rank. For example, 2 kings, 2 Aces and so on
  • Palette – This is the paddle used in baccarat to scoop cards
  • Pass – to fold or decline bet
  • Pocket Cards – The cards dealt to the player
  • Pass Line – the section on craps table where a Pass-Line bet is placed and this is also known as the Front Line
  • Pass Line Bet – A bet made prior to the Come Out roll that the repetition of a point will occur
  • Pay Cycle – The total number of cycles required for all non winning and possible winning combinations
  • Pay Line – This is the line at which the symbols should show for each reel and also to include winning combinations. Slots machines have got several pay lines
  • Payoff Schedule – This is a term used at slots which shows various winning combinations and payouts that a player can get from playing the slot machines. The payoff schedule is also known as the Payout table
  • Pit – This is the section on the table which is restricted only to the dealers
  • Pre-flop – This is a poker term which refers to the initial betting interval before the flop
  • Player – The person who is wagering on the table
  • Point – A term used in craps for the number rolled on the Come Out roll.
  • Pot – A term used in poker, this is where players get to place their bets and the pot is situated at the center of the table. The pot is awarded to the player who has the highest hand.
  • Press – This is the increase of a bet twice the amount
  • Progressive Slots – These are slot games whose jackpot is not fixed and it keeps increasing every time a coin has been played.
  • Proposition Bet – These are dice bets on number combinations
  • Punter – A term given to a casino player
  • Push – This is a term used in blackjack referring to a tie that would have been made by the dealer and a player. No one wins or loses money

Q

  • Qualifier – In poker, this is the amount that is required to meet the minimum bets required by a table.

R

  • Rake – This is the small amount that a casino takes from the pot for each poker hand played. Usually the casinos rakes ranges from 5 -10% or a fixed fee that is taken from each pot after a betting round
  • Rank – the value of a set of cards
  • Raise – in poker, This is when a player increases the total amount required by a previous bet
  • Rag / Rags – Cards that are worthless
  • Reels – This is the wheel of a slot machine which is printed symbols. Slots may have three to five reels
  • Right Bettor – A better who bets on the Pass Line
  • Rock – A player who plays rigid and calm
  • River – A poker term referring to the fifth betting interval at which a fifth card (community card) is placed on the table
  • Ring Game – This is a term in poker referring to the regular poker games excluding tournaments.
  • RNG – Acronym for Random Number Generator
  • Random Number Generator – This is the processor or computer inside slot machines which produces the outcomes of combinations randomly
  • Rebuy – In poker, this is whereby you lose all your money and you purchase addition chips to get back into the poker tournament
  • Royal Flush – This is a term used in poker referring to a straight flush which consists of 5 cards A,K,Q,J,10. This is the highest hand that a player can get if no wild cards are used in poker

S

  • Seven-Out – when a point is established and a rolling 7 comes out thus losing the bet
  • Shooter – A term in craps referring to the person rolling the dice
  • Shoe – This is the section where the dealer placed cards that have been shuffled from two or more decks
  • Suited – Cards that are of the same suit
  • Singleton – This is a term used in poker referring to a card that is of its own rank
  • Slot Schedule – This is also known as the slot table which shows the winning combinations, payouts and various information of the slot machine
  • SnakeEyes – Term used in craps when you roll out a two
  • Soft Hand – A term used in blackjack referring a hand that contains an ace with it value counted as eleven
  • Show Down – In poker, if two or more players remain in the game after the last betting interval (river) players would have to show (expose) their hands and the pot is awarded to the player with the highest hand.
  • Split Bet – this is a term used in roulette referring to a bet placed between two adjacent numbers and the payout is 17-1
  • Spot – A term used in Keno referring to any number that is selected on the ticket.
  • Stand – Decline to take another card
  • Steal – Winning the pot through the use of a technique called bluffing
  • Stickman – A name given to the dice dealer who controls the stick and also calls out the numbers rolled out.
  • Straight – A poker hand consisting of 5 cards in a sequence e.g. 5, 4, 3, 2, A
  • Straight Flush – A poker hand consisting of five cards in a sequence of the same suit.
  • Stud Poker – A poker game which has no draws
  • Surrender – A term used in blackjack referring to a player who discards his cards and is given back half the amount s/he wagered. It is also used in roulette to refer to a ball that lands on 0 and players who did not place on 0 will be given back half the amount they had wagered

T

  • Three Of A Kind – A poker hand consisting of three cards of the same rank
  • Trips – This is a term in poker referring to Three-of-A-kind
  • Token – The coins that are used in a slot machine
  • Two Pair – A hand in poker which consist of a combination two set of pairs e.g 2 Kings & 2 Aces
  • Tight – A player who does not fold his or her hand easily
  • Turn – This is a term used in poker referring to the forth betting interval at which the forth card (community card) is dealt on the table face up
  • Table Stakes – The amount of money required by a table, the bets on the table are known as early bet limits and late bet limits
  • Tell – An act that is done by a player such that other opponents will be able to predict the player’s hand

U

  • Upcard – In Blackjack, this is the card of the dealer which is exposed to the players before they play their hands

W

  • Wired – When your pocket cards are of the same rank
  • Whale – High roller.
  • Wrong Bettor – A term used in craps referring to a player who places bets on the Don’t Pass Line
  • Wild card – This is a term referred to a card such as a joker or any other card used which is not part of the 52 cards in the deck.
  • Working – This is a term in craps meaning that the bets are in place