Action – The amount of money that a player bets across the whole playing session.
Add-on – In poker, you can buy and use more chips during the game, and these are known as add-ons.
Aggregate Limit – The casino’s total payout liability during any one game.
Aggregate Winnings – Cumulative or total winnings of a game.
All-in (Going All-In) – The term in poker to bet all your chips. During a No Limit game, if another player bets more than what you have you can use everything you have by going All-In and they will bring down their bet to match yours.
Arm – In craps, this is the player with ‘special skills’ throwing dice, giving them the power to alter the odds of the game.
Automat Club – Also known as Videomat Casino, Arcade Casino, and Slot Hall. Just as it sounds, it’s full of automatic games that don’t need a casino operator, e.g., slot/video machines, electronic Derby horse racing, etc. They’re usually 24/7, free to enter and lax on dress code, so a more casual experience.
Baccarat – A favourite game amongst high rollers. Kept simple since players can only bet on the banker, player, or tie.
Bankroll – Money set aside for gambling.
Beef – A dispute between a player and the casino or bookmaker, usually over the outcome of a bet.
Betting Limits – Limits set by the casino on how much you can bet on certain games.
Blackjack – A table game where players are set against the dealer trying to score a hand of 21 points.
Blinds – In Hold'em Poker, it’s a bet you’re forced to make.
Bonus – An incentive used by the casino to encourage players to sign up and play with them.
Burn Card – The card dealt face down at the start of a poker game to prevent players from seeing the top card.
Card Counting – A way of outdoing the dealer and the game in blackjack. It’s a form of cheating whereby you remember the cards that have been played so as to make an informed guess on the remaining cards and cheat the game.
Casino Advantage – The mathematical advantage the casino has over players in any bet. See also House Edge.
Chase – Where money has been lost in gambling, the bet placed to try and retrieve it is known as the chase.
Chips – Tokens used as money to make bets in casino games. Available in many denominations.
Craps – A table game where players try and predict the outcome of the dice rolled.
Croupier – French word for “dealer”.
D'Alembert System – A staking plan that works by adding a unit for every losing bet and deducting one for every winning bet.
Double Down – When a bet matches that of the initial bet, like in blackjack.
eCOGRA – The acronym for e-Commerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance and internationally renowned for monitoring and regulating the safety of an online casino. Look for their logo on any site.
Eye in the Sky – Slang for security cameras in casinos.
En Prison – The stake that stays on the roulette table for another spin when the ball lands on zero or double zero.
Expected Value – What the player can expect to see in return on a bet over the long run.
Fill – Also known as “full house” or “straight flush”. In poker, this term refers to the fifth card drawn that makes a full hand.
Fish – The sad player who’s losing all their money. Can’t spot ‘em at your table? It’s probably you!
Fixed odds – Where the chances of winning are set and fixed ahead of time, as well as the payouts. Applies to games like scratch cards, simulated horse game, and most table games. Poker and sports betting are subject to change since the probability is changeable and unknown.
Gambling – Betting on an event with an uncertain outcome.
George – The gambler who tips the dealers generously.
High roller – A gambler who spends a lot at the casino.
House Edge – The advantage the house has over the player n a certain game, expressed as a percentage.
IVT – Interactive video terminals.
Jackpot – The biggest prize you can win on slot machines, or other games, particularly in progressive jackpots.
Junket – A VIP prize trip covering flights and hotel in reward of their high deposits or time spent at the casino.
Keno – A game that works like the lottery. Players choose numbers ahead of a draw and if they match what’s drawn, they win.
Kicker – In a draw poker tournament, it’s the high card in a hand that doesn’t make up the fill, usually in the form of an Ace or King card.
Ladderman – The dealer in charge of baccarat, positioned high above the table in a chair.
Martingale – Originating in France, it’s a betting system that involves the gambler doubling the bet after each loss.
Maximum/Minimum Bet – The limit imposed by the casino on how much you can bet.
Negative Expectation – The loss you can expect to see over the long-run of playing a game repeatedly.
Non-negotiable Chips – Promo chips dished out by the casino for betting only.
Odds – The probability of the player’s chances of winning, which also affects how much money can be won.
Pay Table – The place to check for payout information before you play any game.
Pit – The area of a casino where you’ll find the tables manned by dealers.
Progressive Prize – The prize from a slot machine that increases in value from every coin put into it by any player.
Random Number Generator – RNG is a device that produces random numbers. This is what online casinos use for dice rolls or cards dealt and is the only way to ensure complete randomness.
Roulette – The wheel game where the ball can fall into any numbered pocket and players place bets on where it’ll land. European and American roulette are around but the European version offers players better odds.
Shark – A clever player that tricks their opponents by pretending to know nothing at the start of the game then striking when everyone’s guard is down.
Slot Machine – A game where players spin reels to match up symbols in a bid to win.
Snake Eyes – In craps, when the dice land on a two. So-called because the dice look snakey this way up, and if you just rolled it, it’s bad news.
True Odds – When a casino lists its “odds” they’re not usually the true chances of whether something will happen. True odds are and include the house edge.
Underlay – A bad bet that’s highly unlikely to win.
Vigorish – The figure a bookmaker charges the gambler for placing a bet.
Wagering Requirement – The amount of money a player needs to bet online before they can collect their bonus.
Whale – A mega high roller who will hugely impact the casino’s business.
Wild Card – The card that can substitute any value in poker.
