Gambling Glossary Guide

A

Action – The sum of money that you can bet across an entire gaming session.

All-in – This is a term used in poker where you wager all the chips you have left in one bet.

American Roulette – This is a variation of Roulette that has 38 numbered slots with an extra 00 added to the wheel.

Ante – This is a wager that has to be placed before the game starts and is commonly found in games of poker.

B

Baccarat – This is a popular card game for those betting big where you will choose your hand as either the banker or the player.

Banker – This is the term that often refers to the dealer of the game and it can be a betting option in games of Baccarat.

Bankroll – This is the funds available to you, the player, to gamble. It is normally set aside before gambling begins.

Bet – This is the wager you have placed on a gamble.

Blackjack – A popular table game where you play against the dealer. Get a hand as close to, or on, 21 points as possible, while not exceeding 21. It can also refer to a hand with an ace and 10 point card.

Blind – This is a bet you have to make before you have seen the cards and is a term used in popular poker games such as Texas Hold’Em.

Bonus – Look out for bonus incentives that are offered by online casinos to new players. You can sign up and make a deposit to be awarded bonus cash.

Bonus Game - Usually found in slot games where you will get the chance to play for extras such as cash and free spins.

Burn Card – This is the top card in the deck in games such as poker that is removed to ensure there is no cheating.

Bust – When you go over 21 in Blackjack, you lose the game and go bust.

Card Counting – Blackjack players may use this trick to get ahead in the game. It involves mentally keeping track of the cards that have been played so you can deduce the value of the remaining cards.

Cashier – This is the area where you can make deposits and withdrawals.

Casino Advantage – Another term for house edge which is the mathematical edge the casino has on the player.

Casino Hold’Em Poker – Play against the house instead of other players. This is a simpler version of Texas Hold’Em.

Chemin de fir – The French version of Baccarat.

Chips – These are the tokens used in games in replacement of real money.

Come Out – The first roll in a game of craps.

Comps – Incentives for players, usually in brick and mortar casino, such as drinks, meals and free parking.

Craps – A dice table game with the aim of rolling specific numbers.

Croupier – The dealer of the gambling game.

D

Deposit – Crediting your casino account with real money. Online casinos will offer various methods such as debit cards, e-wallets and e-vouchers.

Double Down – A Blackjack term that allows you to double your original bet and you’ll get an extra card.

E

eCogra – A reputable, independent testing agency that ensures regulation in the industry is safe and fair for players. Look for its logo on online gambling sites to ensure player protection.

European Roulette – The standard roulette game with 37 numbers.

F

Face Cards – Playing cards with a face such as Jack, Queen and King.

Flush – When the cards in a hand all have the same suit.

Four of a Kind – The same numbers or faces on 4 cards.

French Roulette – A roulette variation that has improved odds with en prison and la partage rules.

Full House – In poker, a 5 card hand with a triple and a pair. It can also refer to the ultimate bingo prize when all numbers on a ticket have been called.

H

Hard Hand – A hand in Blackjack with no ace or an ace value of 1.

Hit – Getting an additional card in games of Blackjack.

High Roller – Referring to a player who gambles with a lot of money.

Hole Card – The name given to any card that is dealt face down.

House Edge – Also known as the casino advantage. It is the statistical advantage that the casino has over the player. Usually it is referred to as a percentage.

House Rules – These are rules that are specific to either a game or a casino.

I

Inside Bet – The inner numbered area of a Roulette table where you can place a bet.

Insurance – A side bet in games of Blackjack that pays out if the dealer has Blackjack.

J

Jacks or Better – A variation of video poker.

Jackpot – A big sum of money or the top prize that can be won in a game.

Joker – Extra cards in the deck with a court jester.

K

Keno – A lottery style game with numbered balls.

L

Live Dealer Games – Gambling games that are streamed from a real table and human croupier.

Low Poker - A poker game where the player with the lowest hand value is the winner.

M

Martingale Betting System - A wager system where the bet is doubled each time you lose.

Max Bet – An option found on slot machines where you can quickly choose to bet the maximum that the game allows.

Minimum Bet - The lowest amount you can bet in a game.

Multiplier – A feature in slots that increase your payout by the stated multiplier number.

N

Natural - A 2 card hand in games of Baccarat and Blackjack with a specific figure.

O

Odds – This lets you know your chances of winning and how much you can win on your bet.

Open - The first person who places a poker bet.

Outside Bet – The outside perimeter of the roulette wheel where you can place a bet.

P

Pai Gow – A gambling game with 2 versions. The American version features cards while the Chine version features dominos.

Pair – Two cards with the same number value.

Pay Line – Slot games will have different payline structures. The payline is where symbols can land to award you wins. Some slots will allow you to choose the number of paylines you want to bet on.

Pay Table – Check the pay table in slot games to see the value of symbols landing on the reels and how much you can win.

Payout Percentage – This is the value of the total bet that will be won back by the player over the long run of playing a game.

Pit - The section of table games with a dealer.

Progressive Jackpots – A large prize that players contribute to over time to allow it to grow. One player will win and the jackpot will be reset.

Punto Banco – A type of Baccarat.

Push – When a game is tied and the player doesn’t incur a win or lose, instead getting money returned.

R

Rake – The fee paid by the player to the poker room.

Roulette - A gambling game featuring a numbered wheel and ball. Place bets on where the ball will fall to achieve a win.

Royal Flush – A winning hand in Poker containing a ten, Jack, Queen, King and Ace from each suit.

RNG - This is short for random number generator. It is the technology which ensures all games are fair and reflects real outcomes.

S

Scatters - A symbol found in slots that pay out winnings and/or trigger features in the game such as free spins.

Shoe - Used in games such as Blackjack. This holds the cards from where they are dealt in the game.

Showdown - When players reveal their hand to determine a winner.

Sic Bo - A popular table game involving three dice.

Slot - A game with symbols on reels that you can spin to get matching combinations on winning paylines.

Split - In a game of Blackjack, if you are dealt a pair of the same cards, you can split them to create two new hands.

Stand - Choosing not to take an additional Blackjack card.

Straight - A hand of cards in numerical order.

Straight Flush - A hand of cards that are the same suit and in a continuous sequence.

Surrender - Dropping your hand in Blackjack, resulting in a loss of half your bet.

Symbols - These are the icons found on the reels of slots that create combinations to award wins.

T

Tapping Out - Losing your money and quitting a game.

Three of a Kind - Three cards in a hand with the same rank.

Tight - A term used for slot games that have below average payouts.

U

UK Gambling Commission - The regulatory authority in the United Kingdom for both online gambling sites and offline premises.

V

Video Poker - An electronic poker game with five card draw.

VIP - Stands for very important person. Casinos offer this to those who meet certain criteria and provide extra special perks.

VLT - This stands for video lottery terminal.

W

Wagering Requirement - This details what you have to wager before you can claim your winnings.

Welcome Bonus - An incentive for new players to join a casino. This can be in the form of bonus cash, free spins and more.

Wild Card - A card that can substitute for another card value in games of poker and video poker.

Wild Symbol - A symbol found in slot games that replaces other symbols on the reels to help form new winning combinations.