Casino Glossary

Casino Games

Banker: The hand representing the house, usually found in Baccarat.

Basic Strategy: A way to play a casino game (eg. blackjack) that has been determined to give the dealer the lowest advantage possible.

Bet: A form of wager.

Betting Limits: The amounts determined by the casino to be the minimum and maximum bets which can be placed by the player at one time. These are also known as table stakes.

Chips: Disks that are used to represent money (real or play) at the casino.

Collect: The button on a game (usually slots) which allows players to convert their credits into cash.

Deal: The act of distributing cards to the player by the dealer.

Deuce: Aka Two. Used in a number casino games to refer to the number two.

Edge: Advantage. Could be the player over an opponent or the house, or the house over the player.

Even Money Bet: A wager placed where the odds are 1:1 (ie. the bet pays the amount that was wagered).

Face Card: A card featuring a face (ie. Jack, Queen, King).

Flat Betting: Where the player places the same sum wager time after time without varying the amount bet.

Free Spin: A free game in a slot game, usually won through a bonus feature.

Hand: The cards which are dealt to the player by the dealer.

High Roller: A player who makes large bets during a gaming session.

Hole Card: The card dealt face down, usually in poker or blackjack.

Hot: A player who is experiencing a winning streak during a gaming session.

Insurance: A side bet made in certain casino games, usually optional.

Layout: Markings on a casino game table indicating where bets need to be placed.

Maximum Bet: The highest sum players are allowed to bet in a casino game.

Micro Limit: Casino games where wagers are kept to the minimum.

Multiplier: A bonus feature in games such as slots where payouts are multiplied several times over.

Payout: The money received for winning a bet.

Push: A tie between the dealer and player. The player’s original bet is returned in a push hand.

Random Number Generator: A system which ensures that all numbers generated in a casino game are random to ensure fairness.

Wager: A bet made on a casino game.

Wild: Symbols which stand in for others (usually in slots) to for winning combinations.

Blackjack

Bankroll: The amount of money you have to spend on your blackjack session.

Basic Strategy: A proven strategy which you use to increase your advantage in the game.

Blackjack: Besides the official name of the game, also refers to two cards which equal a total of 21 – known as a natural blackjack.

Cut: Splitting the deck of cards and putting them back together again.

Deal: The act of distributing cards to the player by the dealer.

Double Down: To place a second bet on the blackjack table based on the cards in hand.

Draw: Receiving another card.

Early Surrender: Surrender your bet before the dealer checks for a Blackjack.

Face Cards: Cards with a ‘face’ in a deck – ie. Jacks, Queens, Kings

Hit: Requesting another card in an attempt to reach 21.

Insurance: Insurance on a bet should the dealer have a face up card that’s an Ace.

Split Hand: When you are dealt a pair, you have the option of splitting the cards to form two separate hands.

Stand: When you hold on 17 or higher. Also known as Stay.

Surrender: A decision to fold your hand and receive half your wager back.

Roulette

American Roulette: A variant of roulette where an extra zero has been added to the roulette wheel.

Ball: Round object thrown into the spinning roulette wheel. When it lands on one of the numbers, it determines the rewards on that spin.

Black: A wager on all the black numbers.

Block Betting: A set of numbers on a section of the roulette wheel.

Carre: Meaning corner bet in French.

Combination bet: Bet on more than one number simultaneously.

Croupier: The person responsible for running the roulette table on behalf of the casino.

Double zero: A wager on the number 00.

En Prison Rule: A rule in some variants of roulette where you can surrender half your bet or allow the bet to be ‘imprisoned’ for another spin. If you choose the latter, your wager will be returned to you if you win.

European Roulette: Classic roulette game with only one zero. AKA French Roulette.

Even Bet: A wager on all the even numbers, which pays out 1:1.

Five Number Bet: Wager on the numbers 0, 00, 1, 2 and 3 simultaneously. Only possible in American Roulette and carries a house edge of 7.89%.

French Wheel: Another name for European roulette wheel.

Green numbers: The zero (and the double zero where applicable) on the roulette wheel.

House Percentage: The advantage which the house (casino) has over the player. Changes according to the roulette variant being played.

Inside bet: A wager placed on the numbers inside the layout.

Jeu Zero: French for ‘zero game’. A series of wagers on the numbers on either side of the zero.

Low Bet: A wager on the number being in the lower half (ie. 1 – 18).

Neighbors: The numbers which are adjacent (left or right) to the winning numbers.

Outside bet: A wager on anything except the numbers. These could be red, black, high, low, odd, even or column bets.

Parlay: Leaving your winnings from the previous wager on top of your current wager. Also known as Press.

Red: A wager on the red numbers on the roulette table, with odds that pay 1:1.

Run: A series of similar results.

Six Line Bet: A wager on two adjacent horizontal numbers on the roulette wheel, eg. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, with a payout rate of 5:1.

Slots: In Roulette, this refers to the sections on the wheel which hold the numbers.

Square Bet: A wager on a square of four numbers with a payout of 8:1. Also known as Quarter Bet.

Straight Up Bet: A wager on just one number on the roulette table.

Table Limit: The amount you can place on a specific bet.

Trio Bet: A combination bet on three numbers at the same time.

Wheel: The object around which the game of roulette is played. The wheel is numbered from 1 – 36 and a 0 (plus a 00 in the case of an American Roulette wheel). The ball spins around in the wheel until it falls into one of the slots.

Zero: One of the numbers on the roulette wheel. American roulette has a double zero (00) added to the wheel.

Slots

Bet: The amount which the player wagers on the slot game.

Bet Max: The maximum number of coins you can wager.

Bonus Feature: A feature within a slot game that gives you extra ways of winning.

Bonus Trail: A popular bonus feature found in fruit machines where players progress on a trail with the objective of winning credits or other bonus features.

Branded Slots: A slot game based on a popular brand, be it a movie, book, character or comic series (eg. Marvel Comics series).

Classic Slots: Slot games with a traditional design, usually consisting of 3 reels and any number of pay lines. May or may not include features such as scatters or multipliers.

Coin Size: The denomination of the coin you wish to play in the slot machine.

Coins Per Line: The amount of coins wagered on each pay line.

Coins Per Spin: The amount of coins chosen to wager on each game.

Credits: Tokens which represent money in a slot game.

Fruit Machine: Another name for a slot game, usually played in the United Kingdom. Has unique features such as hold and nudge options.

Gamble Feature: An optional bonus feature which allows players to double or even quadruple their wins, usually by guessing the correct card color or suit.

Hit: A win on a slot machine.

Hit Frequency: A term used to measure how often a slot machine pays out a winning combination.

Hold Feature: A feature where you can hold one or more of the reels on their next spin. Usually found on fruit machines.

Jackpot: The highest win on a slot machine.

Loose Slot Machine: A machine which returns a high percentage to the player and is therefore a popular choice.

Maximum Bet: The highest possible wager in coins for a slot game.

Multi-denominational: Slot games which accept a number of different coin denominations.

Multi-line slot: This is a slot game which has more than one pay line.

Nudge Feature: A feature usually found on a fruit machine which allows you to nudge either one or more of the three reels on the next spin.

One Armed Bandit: A colloquial way of referring to a slot machine.

Payback: The percentage of rewards which the slot machine will pay out to the player in relation to the amount of money wagered.

Payout: The amount of money paid to the winner after a successful lineup of specific images or winning a bonus feature.

Payout Percentage: The percentage of wagers that a machine pays back over a long period of time.

Pay Table: A table which charts how much the particular slot machine will pay out on each winning combination. Also indicated on the pay table are usually bonus features and sometimes game rules.

Pokies: The common name given to slot machines in Australia.

Progressive Slots: A group of slot games by the same software provider which share a communal jackpot. Each time one of the games are played, the jackpot increases and can be hit on any of the progressive slots.

Progressive Ticker: A part of the slot machine which shows how much the progressive jackpot is currently valued at.

Random Number Generator: Generates new numbers in the slot machine on a random basis. Used by online casinos to prove to players that the results of slot games are completely random.

Reels: The symbols on a slot machine appear on these rotating barrels. The majority of slot machines have up to 5 reels.

Spin: The turning of the reels until they come to a stop to reveal whether you win a payout.

Stacked Wilds: A bonus feature where wild symbols are positioned on top of each other on the reels for extra payouts.

Symbols: The images on the reels.

Tilt: A slot machine which is not functioning correctly.

Video Slots: A slot machine comprising a video screen where reels are generated as a picture.

Wild Multiplier: A wild symbol which substitutes for others to create winning combinations and multiplies the winnings it helps create.

Winning Combinations: The number of ways to win as seen on the pay table.

Craps

Aces: Wagering that the next roll will be equal to the sum of 2.

Back Line: Another name for the Don’t Pass Line on the craps table.

Betting Right: Wagering that the throw of the dice will win on Come and Pass Line bets.

Betting Wrong: Wagering that the throw will not win on Don’t Come and Don’t Pass Line wagers.

Big 6: Wagering that the number 6 will be thrown before a seven.

Big 8: Wagering that the number eight will be thrown before a seven.

Big Red: Wagering on Any 7.

Bones: Another name for dice.

Boxcars: Two 6’s rolled or wagering on the 12.

Buffalo: Wagering on a Hardway or Any 7

Craps: The numbers 2, 3 or 12 in a game of craps.

Crap Out: When the dice lands 2, 3 or 12 on the first roll.

Don’t Pass Bar: A thin line on the craps table where players place their Don’t Pass bets.

Double Odds: Doubling of the original Pass Line, Don’t Pass Line and Don’t Come wagers.

Easy Way: A roll of 4, 6, 8 and 10 with the craps dice.

Edge: The advantage that the casino has on a player’s wager.

Front Line: Another name for a Pass Line.

Hardway: A wager that the numbers 4, 6, 8 or 10 will be thrown as doubles on the dice.

Hope Bet: A one roll dice bet on a certain combination.

Horn High Bet: The wager is split into 5, including two units on the 12.

Insurance Bet: Making two or more bets to cover one another.

Lay Bet: Wagering that 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 won’t be thrown before a 7.

Line Bet: A wager on the Pass Line or Don’t Pass Line

Little Joe: A pair of 2’s

Midnight: A one roll wager on the number 12.

Outside Numbers: the numbers 4, 5, 9 and 10 in craps

Parlay Bet: Raising a bet

Payoff: Credits received from a successful craps bet.

Place Numbers: The numbers 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10.

Point: The number which is established on the Come Out roll in the game – 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10.

Proposition Bets: One roll bets and the Hardway wager.

Snake Eyes: Rolling a two in the game of craps.

Three Way Craps: Wagers made in units of three – on 2, 3, and 12.

Whirl Bet: Wagering on 2, 3, 7, 11 or 12 with the same amount.

Video Poker

Aces and Eights: A variant of video poker where 4 Aces or eights earn bonus payouts.

Aces and Faces: A variant of video poker where 4 Aces or 4 Face cards (of the same rank) earn bonus payouts.

All American: A variant of video poker where the Straight Flush earns higher payouts than in regular video poker.

Average Payout: The amount, on average, that you can win on a video poker machine over a long period of time.

Bet Max: the maximum bet that can be made on the video poker machine.

Bonus Deuces Wild: A variant of video poker where the deuces (2’s) act as wild cards for extra payouts.

Bonus Video Poker Deluxe: Jack or Better type of video poker where four of a kind earns higher payouts.

Cash Out: A button which allows players to collect their credits and withdraw them into their account.

Complete Hand: A video poker hand which uses all the cards in one combination.

Denomination: When used in the context of a card, it is its number.

Deuces: Cards with a value of 2.

Deuces Deluxe Video Poker: A variant of video poker where higher payouts are awarded for 4 Deuces, a natural straight flush, a royal flush with a Deuce and others.

Deuces Wild: A variant of video poker where Deuces (2’s) act as wild cards.

Deuces and Jokers: A variant of video poker where Deuces and Jokers act as wild cards.

Discard button: When pressed, this button discards the card it is placed under so that a new card can be dealt in its place.

Double Bonus Video Poker: A variant of the game where bonus payouts are awarded for 4 Aces and more.

Draw: Replacement cards dealt in place of those that were discarded.

Edge: The advantage held in a game of video poker.

Face Cards: Cards in a deck with a ‘face’, ie. Jacks, Queens and Kings.

Flush: A poker hand which consists of five cards of the same suit.

Four of a Kind: A poker hand with four cards that are of the same denomination.

Full House: A poker hand consisting of three of a kind and a pair.

Hand: The five cards that are held.

High Card: Face cards (ie. Jack, Queen, King) and Ace.

Hold: The cards you opt to keep as part of your hand.

Jackpot: A bonus paid to players when the highest hand is hit.

Jacks or Better: A variant of video poker where the Joker acts as the wild card.

Kings or Better: A variant of video poker where players need to land a pair of Kings as a minimum winning hand.

Loose Deuces: A variant of video poker similar to Deuces Wild.

Max Bet: the maximum number of coins that are played per game. You need to wager the max bet in order to put yourself in line to win the progressive jackpot.

Pair: Two cards of the same value.

Payout Schedule: Each video poker game has a schedule which lists the number of coins which are paid out for each type of winning hand. Schedules vary from game to game.

Quads: Four of a kind.

Rank: The card’s numerical value.

Rejected cards: Cards which were discarded by the player after a round of play, to be replaced with new ones.

Royal Flush: A video poker hand consisting of ten, Jack, Queen, King and Ace of the same suit.

Sevens Wild Video Poker: A variant of video poker where 7’s act as the wild card and extra bonus payouts are earned on four 7’s, a royal flush with a 7, and 5 of a kind.

Straight: Five cards in sequence but not of the same suit.

Straight Flush: Five cards in sequence and of the same suit.

Three of a Kind: A video poker hand with three cards of the same denomination.

Tens or Better: A variant of video poker where tens or higher are considered the minimum paying hands.

Two Pairs: A hand in video poker which consists of two pairs.

Wild Royal: A wild card which helps to create a Royal Flush.

Live Casino

Bankroll: The amount of money you bring with you to the gaming session.

Betting Limits: The minimum and maximum bets you can make at the table you choose to play at.

Broadband Internet Connection: Need to play live dealer games reliably, using streaming video to make the games work.

Cashier: The tab at the online casino where you can make deposits into your account and request to have winnings withdrawn.

Chat: A way to communicate with the Live Dealer. While the most common form of chatting is through VOIP with a microphone, it is also possible to ‘chat’ with the dealer via text.

Chips: Tokens which represent the money played by the player.

Highroller: A player who approaches the gaming session with a large-sized bankroll.

Leaderboard: this shows the top winners for a game or ‘race’ promotion over a period of time.

Live Casino Games: Games played from the comfort of your own home on screen, across from a live dealer who will play according to your instructions. Examples of live casino games include live blackjack, live roulette and live baccarat.

Live Dealer: A professional dealer who manages the game you choose to play from a remote location. The dealer can hear your request and play according to your instructions. You can see live dealers throw the dice, deal the cards or spin the reel.

Mobile Live Dealer Games: Live dealer games played from a mobile device such as smartphone or tablet.

Optical Character Recognition: Acronym – OCR. This technology allows the live casino software to analyze the results obtained in a Live Dealer casino game.

Streaming Video: Technology developed by software companies to allow Live Dealer games to operate. High quality video feed transfers games to players, also enabling top notch sound quality and imagery.