Casino Dictionary: Know The Terms Before Hitting The Casino Floor
The next time you visit a casino, be sure to look out for these popular terms and use them to your advantage.- Published by Kunal Chowdhury on .
The next time you visit a casino, be sure to look out for these popular terms and use them to your advantage.- Published by Kunal Chowdhury on .
There's excitement in the air as you walk through the casino doors. The clink of coins, the rattle of dice, and the murmur of voices all make for a thrilling experience. But if you're not familiar with the terms used in casinos, you may not be able to fully enjoy the action. Our casino dictionary is here to help! In this post, we'll define some of the most common casino words and phrases. So read on and learn before you hit the casino floor!
A mandatory bet in card games is required to start a hand. In a variation of Stud poker, the initial bet into the pot is required to receive your cards.
In tournament poker, an ante is an additional blind that is introduced in the later stages of a tournament, paid at each hand by each player. For example, the term "Blind level 200/400 ante 50" means that the small blind is 200, the big blind is 400 and that's how much is paid by those to the left of the dealer in the hand and in addition to that, each player puts 50 chips into the pot - including players on the small and big blind.
(English: hand). A term used in craps for players who have mastered the art of throwing dice in such a way as to influence the outcome of the throw and tilt the odds of winning in their favor. The actual existence of such people, however, is subject to doubt and many casino players consider them only a legend.
In casino card games, otherwise known as the dealer (croupier). In some games, each player becomes a banker (dealer) in his round.
Game budget. A specific amount of money allocated by a player for gambling. By bankroll, we mean the total amount available over a long time for gambling (spread over, for example, various accounts, caches, claims, etc - for example: "His bankroll is estimated at half a million dollars") or a specific amount available at a given time that a gambler can use (e.g., "I'm not playing at this table today, my bankroll doesn't allow me").
A self-respecting gambler refers to a bankroll as an amount set aside solely for gambling, the loss of which does not affect his overall financial situation - so in the case of professional gamblers, it is a kind of their "initial capital" rather than their entire life's assets.
A dispute, a discussion with the casino staff. Most often it concerns issues related to the intentions of the player, understood differently by the dealer (as a rule, to the disadvantage of the player). Such a situation can occur, for example, when placing banknotes on the gaming table, which can be considered in some situations as a bet, and in others only as a request for exchange for chips. In contentious situations, the casino staff uses video camera recordings to resolve.
The amount of money wagered in one round of play. In poker, also a term for the first raise in a round of betting.
An amount of money (or other gratification) given to a player by a casino for promotional purposes. A bonus may be designed to encourage a player to start playing, register at an online casino, make the first deposit, or return to play after a break. Bonuses can also take the form of an incentive to play more, move to higher stakes, or be a reward for player loyalty.
With the rise in popularity of online gambling, the best online casinos are competing for customers by offering various types of bonuses. Here are the most popular forms of bonuses:
First Deposit Bonus, Welcome Bonus - a welcome bonus, for the first deposit. The amount is awarded when the first real funds are deposited into the player's account. The amount of the bonus can be fixed (e.g. $100) or expressed as a percentage relating to the amount of the first deposit (e.g. 200% = with a deposit of $100 you will receive a $200 bonus).
Reload Bonus - a bonus awarded to a player for making another deposit, generally used as an incentive to play again or return to the casino.
Loyalty Bonus - a loyalty bonus. A bonus awarded for active play by a player over a given period, often specified or contingent on the player meeting certain conditions (for example, the amount of turnover in a casino or the level of earned commission (rake) in a poker room).
Free Bet, Lucky Chip - an "incentive" bonus. As a rule, small amounts are awarded individually to the player for him to test this form of gambling or betting he has not yet used. Usually, it is an amount that can not be withdrawn but only lost or multiplied by the casino game.
An English phrase for a $100 bet on casino games.
Another term in English for a joker.
A sum of cash is exchanged for chips before playing on a particular table (blackjack, poker, craps, roulette, etc.).
In tournament poker, the term "buy-in" is also applied to the total amount needed to participate in a tournament (buy-in). The buy-in in such a situation consists of the principal amount, going into the tournament pool, and the fee (commission) to the casino or game organizer (fee, rake).
In cash game poker, the amount of the buy-in may be limited depending on the stakes (blinds) in effect at a particular table. For example, in Texas Holdem, No Limit with stakes of $0.05-$0.10, the minimum buy-in is $2 (20 times the big blind) and the maximum buy-in is $10 (100 times the big blind).
A term used very often in casinos and online poker parlors for the service panel where we can make deposits (deposit) or withdrawals (withdraw) of funds to play.
English: token(s). The basic form of "currency" in a casino, which is used for playing and betting. Chips can be purchased at the casino's cashier's desk or the dealer's table and redeemed at the cashier's desk back into cash when the game is over. In most land-based casinos, chips can also be paid for with a credit card, as in online casinos.
Betting on the same numbers or bets as the person currently winning at the table.
A series of hands, sessions, or games in which nothing is won. Also used in English to refer to a one-armed bandit (slot machine) that has not paid out anything in a long time.
The exchange of smaller denomination chips for larger denomination chips.
A popular casino game in the U.S., where the outcome of each round is determined by the player using a dice roll at a special table. The game is also available at virtually any good online casino.
A unit of wager. A term used most often in online casinos and slot machines (slots). Credit refers to the basic unit of bet that can be placed in a single game.
TIP:
If the value of CREDITS in a slot machine in a casino or bar is higher than zero, it means that someone has left funds to play, or has not completed the game. It's a good idea to make sure you can play on that slot machine using the credits left! In establishments with a dubious reputation (so-called gambling parlors), such a practice is common, regulars leave a few credits and when a new player does not notice this and adds his coins, they immediately appear and demand a refund of the entire amount, usually greatly inflating it!
In card games (blackjack) the separation by the dealer or player of all cards into two parts, one of which will be used for play.
A single-color (usually red or black) plastic card is used to cut the deck (in blackjack) or to cover the last card from underneath (in poker).
The dealing of cards to players. In video poker games, starting a new game or exchanging cards.
TIP:
Also used in tournament poker, where deal means an agreement between the final table players to divide the remaining pot differently than originally stipulated in the tournament rules.
An expression used in craps and poker.
Two identically numbered dice. One dice is referred to in English as "die".
A bet of $1,000
A term used with the so-called Martingale system (progression). Doubling the bet after a loss to make up for losses and come out on top. Also used in tournament poker when playing for everything, when we double our chip balance in the event of a win.
Also referred to as advantage. Can refer to games against other players (e.g. poker), where the "edge" is considered to be a better knowledge of the statistics of the game, a stronger mentality, a better place at the table, etc. About games against the casino, the term "house edge" - the casino advantage of the casino - is used.
It is fixed and expressed, as a rule, in the percentage that the casino statistically has over the player as a result of the game. The advantage varies from game to game and generally ranges from 0.5 to 5% in favor of the casino. In some games, such as blackjack or video poker, for example, the player can reduce the casino's advantage by making better decisions and playing according to the so-called basic strategy.
A bet with odds of winning 1:1. A bet that pays exactly the amount wagered plus the entry stake.
A security camera is located in a semicircular housing on the casino ceiling above the gaming area. Interesting fact: nickname for the security systems boffin in the movie "Ocean's Eleven".
A figure in cards. Jack, queen or king of any suit.
(English: literally: fifth avenue).In a variation of seven-card stud, in the third round of betting, the player then has five cards. In a variation of Texas Holdem, the fifth and last community card on the table and the last round of betting in a hand. The more common name for "fifth street" in Texas Holdem is a river.
The last card giving the completing player a five-card hand (straight, poker, flush, full house).
On the blackjack table, the position most to the left looking from the dealer's side. From this position, the distribution of cards to the next players begins.
"Flipper," "bream." A slang term in the poker world for a player who loses often due to lack of skill. A very common epithet in online poker that can be heard after losing a hand with an opponent's weak hand.
Betting the same bet amount regardless of the outcome of a previously completed game. The opposite is playing based on progressive systems (e.g., increasing the bet after a loss).
A slot machine that has a fixed jackpot payout. The opposite are slots with a progressive (increasing) jackpot.
An annoying player playing for small amounts of money who expects to be treated like a big shot, hoping for privileges and bonuses from the casino.
In poker variations such as Texas Holdem or Omaha, the first three community cards are dealt to the table by the dealer. The flop is then completed in these variations by a fourth card (known as the turn) and a fifth card (known as the river). All five community cards on the table are board.
(literal - fourth avenue). In the seven-card stud poker variety, the second round of betting, the point at which a player has a total of four cards. In the Texas Holdem variety, the fourth community card is on the table and the third round of betting. A much more common name in the fourth street variety of Texas Holdem turns.
A very common term in poker literature, has two meanings:
1. hand - specific cards received by the player in the hand.
2. poker hand - everything that happens on the poker table between the next shuffle of cards.
The act of counting coins collected from slot machines (slots). As a rule, it takes place in a separate room under the close supervision of casino security.
In blackjack, any hand of cards adds up to 11 without an ace.
A player who plays for high stakes, a rich person who has special privileges and special treatment at the casino because of this.
An option in blackjack to draw another card.
In poker (Texas Holdem, Omaha, stud) the player's hole cards, which only he can see. In blackjack, the hole card that the dealer receives first.
A player who is on a roll, winning a lot and often. Also a term for a slot machine that pays out a lot.
A term applied to a gambling promoter/operator, a casino.
A margin, an advantage of the casino, written into the rules of the game, generally consisting in paying the player a minimally smaller amount than the statistics and the chance of winning (e.g., a number on roulette pays 1-35 and the chance of hitting (with one zero on the wheel) is 1-36.
Inside bets - bets placed on roulette on numbers or small combinations of numbers.
Insurance in blackjack. An additional bet is offered to the player when the dealer's exposed card is an ace and he has a higher chance to get a blackjack (the sum of the eyes on both cards = 21). If the dealer actually has a blackjack, the insurance pays out at a ratio of 1:1, if he doesn't - the player loses the sum of the insurance bet.
A big win on slots (slot machines). A popular form of promotion and incentive to play slots is the so-called progressive jackpot, which is a very large win that accumulates as a result of draining a small amount from each bet on slots of one network or one type into a common pool. The longer no one hits the jackpot on a slot machine, the bigger the payout - so it's the equivalent of rollover in public lotteries.
It's worth noting that in many cases to get the right to the biggest jackpot you need to play on the highest stakes or the maximum number of slot machine lines. In the most popular online casinos, the accumulated jackpot, as a rule, goes into hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars!
A popular form of video poker, where any poker hand above a pair of jacks inclusive is eligible to win. A pair of tens and less does not pay out.
The 53rd card in the deck, used in rare varieties of poker and other games, sometimes appears as a so-called "wild card," that is, a card that replaces any card at the player's discretion.
An American term for a commission charged by a casino or bookmaker. Another name operating in the industry is also vigorous. The term most commonly used in poker for this type of fee is rake.
A person who runs a casino game and is the betting party in player-versus-casino games. A common term is also a dealer.
The cloth on a gambling table. Markings on the surface of the table shows where the chips must be placed for the bet to be valid.
A technique used by experts to play blackjack in land-based casinos. It involves remembering the amount of all cards dealt, which helps determine the probability of the cards coming up, and as a result, adjust the betting amount accordingly and increase your chances of winning.
A place within the software of an online casino or poker room where you can select a game, see information about your account balance and current promotions or find a customer service contact. As a rule, this is after the first screen you see when you log in to play online after installing the software.
Martingale system - a betting system that involves doubling the stake of the next bet after each loss. The system is based on the belief that sooner or later we have to win and then the winnings will cover all previous losing bets and additionally give a win in the form of an initial stake. We can read more about this system in the "Systems and Strategies" section.
The maximum amount of money (chips) we can bet in one game on a given table.
In blackjack, a hand with a value of 21 from the first two cards (also called simply blackjack). In baccarat, a hand of two cards with a value of 8 or 9. Visit BACCARAT BLOG to learn even more about this game.
In a specific number of games played, the total wins minus the total bets placed. Otherwise, the total profit or loss from a game.
Odds of winning, the probability of an event. The number of degrees by which the number of a player's bets will be multiplied if he is entitled to receive a win (plus his bet amount). In sports betting, the most common term is simply odds.
A bet in a casino game with which we have a statistical advantage over the casino in tournament poker: the difference between the real pot (the sum of the entry fees from all players) for a tournament and the pot guaranteed by the tournament organizer (happens especially often with new poker rooms that want to attract new players to their offerings in this way).
To fold, to give up further play. Also encountered is the term fold.
Payline. A line in slots on which symbols guarantee a payout must be arranged on each cylinder from left to right. In most slots, we can determine for ourselves how many active pay lines in one spin of the slot's reels we want to bet on. Classic slots had only one central straight line on which the pictures were arranged, modern slots can have up to 50 different lines.
The amount of money paid to a player in the event of a win.
(also referred to as PAYBACK Percentage) - the percentage the machine is programmed to pay back to the player from every dollar wagered on video poker or slot games (100% minus the casino's markup). The standard payback of slot machines is about 94-98%.
A table of payouts of individual lines on a slot machine. It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with them before playing, especially if you play slots where you have the option to hold individual reels until the next spin.
An area in a casino surrounded by gaming tables, where its central area is only accessible to dealers and other casino staff.
A manager in a casino who oversees a designated area of the gaming room, usually several tables at a time.
A shift manager in a casino, overseeing the operation of all gaming tables, solving the most difficult problems in the room, dealing with the most important players or those who cause the most problems.
A collective name for several card games played against other players, the common denominator of which is playing for stakes expressed in real money, which increase during a hand as a result of bidding, and a hierarchy of poker hands common to all varieties (high card, pair, two pair, three of a kind, etc.).
In general, there are three groups of poker varieties:
- games with community cards (flop games - texas Holdem, Omaha)
- games with exposed cards (stud games)
- games with exchanged cards (draw games - "drawn" poker)
There are a great many genres of poker and its variations in the world, each of which is experiencing its period of popularity. The most commonly played form of poker today is Texas Holdem, which back in the 1970s was a very niche variety.
Pot. In poker, the amount of money that accumulates in a hand in the middle of the table as a result of betting: blinds, ante and raises.
A large bonus accumulates with each bet by players in a particular system (group of slots or tables). See more under "jackpot".
A drawing hand in casino games (e.g. blackjack) - both the player and the dealer have cards of the same value and the sum of the player's bets goes back to him, no one in such a hand wins.
A coach in poker (a hand of four identical cards).
A qualifying tournament in poker in which the winners receive seats in a higher-level tournament (with a higher buy-in) instead of cash prizes. See more under "satellites".
English: Random Number Generator - Random Number Generator. The heart of every casino and online poker. A complicated algorithm (computer program) that is responsible for the total randomness of the cards played, numbers on roulette, combinations of pictures on slot machines, etc. Advanced RNGs guarantee fair play and in good online casinos, their performance and operation are audited by independent third-party auditing companies.
A symbol on slot machines that guarantees a win even if it does not lie on a winning line (scatter). As a rule, the win is a bonus round, free spins or other extra attraction of the slot machine, and the minimum number of "scattered" symbols is three.
A container from which the dealer draws more cards.
A hand in blackjack with an ace, in which an ace is counted as 11 points.
An option to play each of the two cards held as a separate new hand (a split also involves making a second bet, equal to the original stake).
The decision in blackjack not to take any more cards.
A stack (of chips). A colloquial English term for all the chips we have in front of us in a game. Shortstack - a player with relatively few chips in play.
Three cards of the same value in poker; a three of a kind.
Bet, wager, the same as "bet".
Joker, "wild card." A symbol substituting for any symbol or card that will complete a winning hand.
A round plastic object used as currency in a casino. Tokens are the equivalent of cash in gambling games. Tokens can be purchased from the dealer and cashed in at the cashier.
Chips have a nominal value (the value of a chip is equal to the cash we paid for it and is specified by the corresponding number on the chip) or a contractual value - specified for specific conditions and games, such as roulette or tournament poker, where for a given amount of cash (e.g. 100) we receive a specific value in chips (e.g. 1500). In this case, the chips we receive cannot be exchanged for cash - they are only used to play in a specific tournament and to determine the position taken in it.
The next time you visit a casino, be sure to look out for these popular terms and use them to your advantage. With a little bit of knowledge about the game you’re playing and how the casino works, you’ll be on your way to winning big!
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