If you are a complete novice at gambling, you will probably want to know what are some gambling terms and phrases mean before you head out and play at your local casino!
10 Gambling Words and Phrases Explained Suzan Vega Gamble Gambling is a great form of entertainment for many, but it is also considered a good way to make money.
This article is a work in progress and we aim to cover as many terms as possible.
- Gambling slang is a general term for all the words and phrases which are associated with gambling. Common examples include snake eyes for a double one dice roll, cowboys for the kings in a deck of cards and a flutter, meaning a bet or a wager.
- Our Ultimate Gambling Glossary is designed to help. Here you can familiarize yourself with phrases, casino terms, gambling meanings, slang terms, definitions, and the online chat abbreviations of.
General gambling terms
The following is a quick synopsis, in alphabetical order, of common terms you will find at a given casino. If you want a full list you can visist the gamblingsites glossary which covers terms used by online casinos in addition to land based casinos.
A
Automatic card shuffling. Some casinos will have this machine at the card tables which is used to shuffle the cards.
This is the initial bet required before a game will start. Typically used in card games such as poker. The term “ante” means “before” in Latin.
B
The banker manages winnings and losses. They will take the lost bets and pay winnings to the winners.
The money you have in chips that you will use for gambling. It can also be the casino’s bankroll which is used to service winners.
Your wager or stake you put at risk in order to stand a chance of winning more than your initial bet.
The minimum and maximum bet allowed for a given game.
A type of reward or incentive offered by casinos for achieving certain goals such as signing up and making a deposit.
the top card of a deck which is removed after a shuffle.
C
This is the place where cash and casino chips are stored.
When the dealer spreads the cards on the table. Its a form of shuffling.
The area where you will exchange chips for cash, typically found near the Cage.
When a player increment bet sizes in order to win back losses. This is a quick way to lose money.
The tray found near the dealer of a given game. It is a bit like a till in a shop.
Plastic styled discs used to represent real money.
Follow someone elses bets.
A run of bad luck.
Free goods and service in return for playing. “Comp husstling” is when a player minimises losses in return for comps. And in many instances, “comp points” are used as a means to reward players.
A machine that continuously shuffles cards during game pay, typically used to discourage card counting.
An employee at the casino in charge of running a table.
A blank plastic card used to separate a deck of cards.
D
An employee at the casino in charge of running a table.
A term used to describe the percentage of a deck before it is re-shuffled.
A way to throw a dice in order to control the outcome.
The losing bets collected at the end of a game.
A tray found next to the dealer containing the discarded cards.
A card dealt face down.
E
A bet with odds of 1:1.
A game with odds of 99% will return $99 for very $100 bet in the long term.
A security camera in a casino.
F
A King, Queen or Jack.
A card dealt face down.
A card dealt face up.
When each stake bet is the same.
G
Believing the outcome of a bet is influenced by the previous outcome.
A card dealt face down.
H
A player that places large bets at a given table. Typically Poker and Blackjack.
A player who is on a winning streak.
A table with a lot of winners on it.
A term used to describe the casino.
The built in advantage that the casino has over its players.
The rules of a specific casino.
J
A large prize typically associated to a slot machine or some type of progressive game.
M
A player that places large bets at a given table. Typically Poker and Blackjack.
The highest amount a player can bet.
The lowest amount a player can bet.
Any game where the player can play more than one hand.
Any game that can accommodate more than one playwer.
N
A players profit from his bets.
P
A slang terms used to describe the royal cards.
The amount paid out after a bet.
A designated area for a certain selection of games in a land based casino. This area is typically run by the Pit Boss.
Another way of saying “tie”.
R
A casino located at a horse racing track.
S
A card dispenser used at casinos.
Randomly mixing up cards.
A bet unrelated to the outcome of a given game. For example, the suit of the next card to be drawn.
The bet size.
A slang term used to describe a player who does not tip, as apposed to a “George”.
T
A slang term used to describe a tip to the dealer.
The profit made by a table over a specified period of time.
W
A player that plays high stakes.
Poker Phrases
Despite its huge popularity all over the world, poker can be difficult for new players to get into. Playing casino poker online means you might not have anyone to dish out essential advice. In the casino, people can take the game very seriously and it’s enough of a battle just to keep a straight face! As with other card games, poker has its own terminology and gambling words that could leave you more than a little stumped. Luckily, we’ve translated some of the most useful phrases for you.
The Ante
Before the first hand is dealt, everyone playing must make a small bet. This will go into the pot contributing to the winnings. This is called the ‘ante’ and it comes from the Latin word meaning ‘before’. It is similar to a ‘blind’ in that they are both forced bets. However, the difference with a ‘blind’ is that only a couple of players have to make a bet, as it rotates around the table.
Call or Raise?
If you want to ‘call’ it means that you are willing to match the bet the player before you placed. By doing this, you get to stay in the game without raising the stakes. If you’re feeling a little more confident, you may well want to ‘raise’. This just means that you want to bet higher than the previous player. This raises the stakes for everybody, as other players will have to match that bet.
What to Do with a Bad Hand
There are a couple of options available if you think the game is running away from you. You could ‘bluff’ by calling or raising on your bad hand. Deceiving your fellow players can help you to stay in the game longer. You’ll have to keep a deadpan poker face for this, as you might get rumbled! If you’re absolutely done with the game then you’ll have to ‘fold’. This means that you’re out of the game and surrendering your hand.
Roulette: The Run Down
Roulette is a pretty simple game. Just pick your number and which that little ball go, right? That doesn’t mean it’s not a minefield of jargon that you have to be in the loop to understand. Get ahead of the game with these essential roulette terms.
The Roulette Wheel
First of all, it’s a good idea to know what the different parts that make up the roulette wheel are called. The croupier you will spin the wheel, and then spin the ball in the opposite direction into the Backtrack. Sometimes known as the Ball track, this is the outside rim of the wheel. The ball will go round and round the wheel until it loses momentum. Then it will head towards the middle of the wheel, passing through a section containing deflectors. These little raised diamond shapes are designed to throw the ball off course. The ball will then come to rest in a pocket marked with a color and a number. It is up to the player to predict the color or number correctly.
The Croupier
Before you even get started on your game, you’ll need to know what a croupier is. When you’re playing a casino game, whether it’s roulette, blackjack or some other card game, the croupier is the dealer. It’s their job to deal and manage the game. If you’re lucky enough to win, the croupier will assist you with your payout too. In roulette, it is the croupier who will spin the wheel and place a chip on your chosen number.
Chips and Checks
You will use chips to place your bets. The chips will have a value applied to them for the table. Each player will have their own colored chips so that they can tell them apart. You can choose how many chips you want to buy in. For instance, if you’d like to buy in for $100, you might get 10 chips worth $10 each. During play, you will keep your chips in the check rack. This is sometimes called a check tray or a well. When you’re asking the croupier for chips, you simply ask for a stack. A stack is usually twenty chips.
Casino Terms And Phrases
Inside and Outside Bets
A single or straight bet simply means that the player is betting on one number on the wheel. An inside bet is a bet on the numbers on the inside of the betting surface. Examples of inside bets include straight bets, street bets and split bets. A ‘street’ is a bet on three consecutive numbers, e.g. 3, 4, 5. A ‘split’ is a bet on two numbers that are horizontally or vertically adjacent to one another on the table, e.g. 16 and 17 or 27 and 30. These types of bets are all linked by being numerically based on the table layout– they’re inside bets. An outside bet is placed on the outer area of the betting table. These tend to bring more frequent wins with lower payouts because they are broader. Choosing odd or even, red or black are examples of outside bets.
Getting to grips with Blackjack Terms
Magic worl online. Blackjack is a strategic card game popular all over the world. Unlike many other card games, players do not play against one another. Instead, each player takes it in turns to play against the dealer. Some people practice card counting – a technique which requires remembering cards that have been shown to make educated guesses about which cards are left. Be aware that while this technique might be useful, some casinos will remove players found to be counting cards from the game. There are lots of terms associated with this game but don’t worry, we’ll go through the most important here. Alternatively, check out our blackjack glossary for more info.
Blackjack – the name of the game?
You might think this one is obviously the name of the card game, but it also has a more important meaning. ‘Blackjack’ is what the dealer will say when someone gets face-up cards to the exact value of 21, winning the pot. While we’re on the subject of names, Blackjack is the most widely used name, but it has several others, including Pontoon, Twenty One and Vingt-et-Un. Don’t let this last one confuse you – it’s just French for twenty-one!
Gambling Terms Slang
Hole Card and Up Card
When playing, you’ll notice that while your cards will be facing up, the dealer usually has one card face down and one card face up. These are respectively the hole card and the upcard. The face-up one should give you some indication of your chances of success.
Going bust
‘Bust’ of ‘busted’ is a term you will hear used when a hand has exceeded a value of twenty-one – whether the dealer or the players. The word originally comes from a form of cuss or swearword.
Insurance
When you’re playing, you might reach a point when things aren’t going the way you want them to but you think the dealer’s hand will equal exactly twenty-one. This is when you’ll need the term ‘Insurance’. If you place an insurance bet and the dealer gets a blackjack, you stand to win 2:1 on your original bet.
Surrender
Finally, if it doesn’t look like things are going well then you can choose to surrender. This play will allow you to lose half your original bet. Of course, it’s better than going bust but you’re forfeiting your chance to bring chips your way, so make sure to use this play tactically!
Slots – the gambling words you need to know
Slots are wildly popular on the casino floor and on online casinos. Due to their nature of being a solitary, one player game they don’t have as many specific gambling words associated with them as some other casino games, however, we thought we’d go over one of the basics so you’re covered. If you’d like more words to learn, our page on common features in slot games, which have specific names.
Return to Player or RTP
If you’re just sitting down to relax playing a game of slots you might not want to be having to get your head around statistics and percentages, but the RTP is as simple as they come. Basically it is the percentage of what the player can expect to earn back from the slot machine over a period of extended play. It lets you know the house edge of a game on average. Of course, you won’t be playing for the many thousands of spins used to determine this number, so if the RTP is 92% you can still stand a solid chance of going home with a few more dollars in your pocket!
Gambling Terms
Now to use your new found knowledge!
Casino Phrases
Once you get your head around these terms you can enter the casino with your head held high, safe in the knowledge that you’re on the same level as everyone else there. Of course, depending on your interest there are many other gambling words that you will become familiar with. Whether you game of choice is poker, blackjack or roulette, the best way to learn in-depth is to spend some time around the table, talking with players and the dealer until you become a casino vocab pro. Whether you’re playing at your favorite land-based casino or at your leisure online, we’re sure these phrases will come in useful! If you would still like to learn more, you can find other useful phrases on our baccarat terms page.