The Beginner’s Guide to Online Casino Terminology

Introduction:

Welcome to your go-to guide for online casino terms! If you’re just starting out or want to brush up on what you know, this resource explains key phrases in simple language. You’ll learn about important concepts like the house edge and different betting strategies. With this glossary, you’ll feel more at ease navigating online casinos, which will make your gaming experience even better. Let’s explore the exciting terms used in online gambling and help you succeed at the virtual tables!

A

  • Accumulator: A bet that combines multiple selections; all must win for the bet to pay out.

  • Action: The total amount of money that players bet in a casino.

  • Aggregate Limit: The highest amount of money you can bet across multiple bets in a casino.

  • American Roulette: A type of roulette with a wheel that has 38 slots: numbers 1-36, 0, and 00.

  • Anchor: In blackjack, this is the dealer’s hidden card, which can impact the game.

  • Arbitrage: A betting method that takes advantage of different odds to ensure a profit.

B

  • Baccarat: A popular card game played between two hands: the player and the banker.

  • Back Line: In craps, this is the area where players place bets on the Pass Line or Don’t Pass Line.

  • Banco: The banker’s bet in baccarat; also used in roulette for a specific type of bet.

  • Banker: The player who bets against others in baccarat; can also refer to the card dealer.

  • Bankroll: The total money a player has for gambling.

  • Beginners’ Luck: When new players win unexpectedly, which can lead to misunderstandings about skill.

  • Bet: A wager on the outcome of an event.

  • Betting Limit: The highest and lowest amounts you can wager on a bet.

  • Blackjack: A popular card game where players try to get a hand value closer to 21 than the dealer without going over.

  • Bones: A slang term for dice used in various casino games.

  • Bonus: Extra money or benefits given to players, often as part of promotions.

  • Bonus Hunting/Bonus Whoring: The practice of taking advantage of casino bonuses without planning to play fairly.

  • Bonus Round: A special feature in slot games that lets players win extra prizes or spins.

  • Break: To stop playing or lose a game, often used for a dealer or player’s break from the game.

  • Bust: To go over 21 in blackjack, leading to an automatic loss.

C

  • Cap: A limit on betting in certain games or situations.
  • Capping a Bet: In blackjack, this is when a player raises their bet after winning.
  • Carte: A French word in blackjack meaning “hit” or to take another card.
  • Cash Bonus: A bonus that can be withdrawn after meeting specific requirements.
  • Cashback: A program giving players a percentage of their losses back as a bonus.
  • Casino: A place where various gambling activities, like card games and slot machines, take place.
  • Casino Advantage: The built-in edge that a casino has over players in games.
  • Chase: Increasing bets to try and win back losses.
  • Chat Room: An online space in a casino where players can talk to each other.
  • Chips: Tokens that represent money in casino games.
  • Cold: A term for a slot machine that hasn’t paid out in a while.
  • Cold Table: A gaming table that hasn’t seen any winning bets for a long time.
  • Color Up: Trading lower-value chips for higher-value ones.
  • Column Bet: A roulette bet covering one of the three vertical columns on the table.
  • Combination Bet: A horse racing bet that includes multiple selections.
  • Commission: A fee charged by a casino or bookmaker for taking bets.
  • Comp Points: Rewards players earn based on their play, which can be redeemed for cash or other benefits.
  • Corner Bet: A roulette bet that covers four numbers at once.
  • Credit: A system allowing players to gamble with borrowed money instead of cash.
  • Credit Button: A button on a slot machine to add credits to your balance.
  • Croupier: The dealer in a casino game, especially in roulette.
  • Cut: In blackjack, this is when a player splits their hand into two separate hands.

D

  • d’Alembert: A betting system in roulette that involves increasing or decreasing bets.
  • Dead Heat: In horse racing, when two or more horses finish at the same time, resulting in a tie.
  • Dealer: The person who manages the game, deals cards, and oversees the bets.
  • Deposit: Money added to a player’s casino account.
  • Deposit Bonus: A bonus for players who make a deposit.
  • Dolly: A marker used in roulette to show the winning number.
  • Double Down: A blackjack strategy where a player doubles their bet after receiving the first two cards.
  • Double for Less: A blackjack option allowing players to double down for a smaller amount.
  • Double or Nothing: A bet where a player can double their wager based on a winning hand.
  • Down Card: A hidden card in blackjack that players cannot see.
  • Down to the Felt: A phrase used when a player has lost all their chips.
  • Dozen Bet: A roulette bet covering a group of twelve numbers.

E

  • Edge: The advantage that either a player or casino has in a game.
  • Eighty-Sixed (86’d): A term meaning someone has been kicked out of a casino or bar.
  • En Prison: A roulette rule allowing players to get back half of their even-money bets after a zero is rolled.
  • Encryption: Technology that secures online transactions in casinos.
  • European Roulette: A roulette version with 37 slots (1-36 and a single 0).
  • Even-Money Bet: A wager that pays out at even money if successful.
  • Exotic: A type of bet that is not standard, often found in horse racing.
  • Expectation: The average result you can expect from a bet over time.
  • Eye-in-the-Sky: Surveillance systems that monitor activities in casinos.

F

  • Ficheur: A chip used in roulette.
  • Figure: The odds or statistics related to a game or event.
  • Final: The last outcome of a bet or game.
  • Final Schnaps: A term in roulette for the last number bet on.
  • First Base: The position at the blackjack table closest to the dealer.
  • Five Card Charlie: A blackjack rule that automatically wins for a player if they have five cards without busting.
  • Fixed Odds: Betting odds that stay the same, no matter what happens in the event.
  • Flash: A term for a quick play in poker.
  • Flat Betting: A strategy where a player bets the same amount every time.
  • Flat Top: A slot machine with a fixed payout structure.
  • Free Spin: A bonus feature in slot games that lets players spin without using their own money.
  • ftw: An acronym for “for the win,” commonly used in gaming slang.

G

  • Getting Down: The act of placing bets, especially in sports betting.
  • gg: An abbreviation for “good game,” often used in gaming.
  • gla: Stands for “good luck all,” commonly used in betting circles.

H

  • Hand: The cards a player has in a card game.
  • He: A casual term for a male player.
  • High Bet: A wager that is higher than usual.
  • High Roller: A player who bets a lot of money.
  • Hit: In blackjack, it means to take another card; in slots, it refers to winning.
  • Hole Cards: The face-down cards dealt to a player in poker or blackjack.
  • Hot: A term for a winning streak or a popular table.
  • Hot Table: A gaming table where many players are winning.
  • House: The casino or place where you gamble. The house always has an advantage, which means it makes money over time.
  • House Edge: The casino’s mathematical advantage over players, usually shown as a percentage.
  • House Rules: Specific rules that a particular casino or game has, which might be different from the usual rules.
  • Hit and Run: A strategy where players quickly play and leave a table after winning.
  • Hit: In blackjack, it means to take another card; in slots, it refers to winning.
  • House: The casino or place where you gamble. The house always has an advantage, which means it makes money over time.
  • House Edge: The casino’s mathematical advantage over players, usually shown as a percentage.
  • House Rules: Specific rules that a particular casino or game has, which might be different from the usual rules.
  • High Card: In poker, if no one has a winning hand, the player with the highest card wins.
  • Hit and Run: A strategy where players quickly play and leave a table after winning.
  • Hit: In blackjack, it means to take another card; in slots, it refers to winning.

I

  • Insurance: A side bet in blackjack when the dealer shows an Ace, letting players protect against the dealer having a blackjack.
  • Inside Bet: A wager placed on specific numbers in roulette.
  • IP Address: A unique address for each device connected to the internet, used for identifying users in online gambling.
  • In the Money: Refers to players who finish in a position that earns them a payout in tournaments.

J

  • Jackpot: A large prize in a gambling game, especially in progressive slots, where the payout increases until someone wins.
  • Joker: A card that can be used as a wild card in some games.
  • Join: To enter a game or table, especially in poker.

K

(No terms provided for K)

L

  • La Partage: A rule in French roulette that lets players get back half of their even-money bets if the ball lands on zero.
  • Live Dealer: A feature in online casinos where players can interact with a real dealer via video while playing games like blackjack and roulette.
  • Lock: To secure a profit or guarantee a win in a betting situation.
  • Low Roller: A player who bets small amounts compared to high rollers.

M

  • Martingale System: A betting strategy where players double their bet after a loss to recover losses with one win.
  • Max Bet: The highest amount you can bet on a specific game or spin.
  • Multi-Game Table: A table where multiple games are played at the same time, often found in online casinos.

N

  • Number Bet: A bet on a specific number in roulette.

O

  • Odds: The ratio that shows how likely something is to happen, used to determine potential payouts.
  • Online Casino: A website where players can play casino games over the internet.
  • Over Bet: A bet that the total score in a game will be higher than a certain number.

P

  • Payline: A line in a slot game that shows winning combinations based on the symbols.
  • Paytable: A chart in slot or table games that shows potential payouts for winning combinations.
  • Payout: The amount of money returned to players after winning a bet.
  • Payout Percentage (RTP): The percentage of total bets that a game returns to players over time.
  • Player Bet: A bet made by the player in games like baccarat, usually against the banker.
  • Plop: A casual term for a player who makes small bets and is often slow to act.

R

  • Return to Player (RTP): The percentage of total wagers that a game gives back to players over time.

S

  • Shoe: A device in blackjack that holds multiple decks of cards for dealing.
  • Side Bet: An extra bet made in addition to the main bet in a game.
  • Slot Machine: A gambling machine with spinning reels that pays out based on symbols lining up on paylines.
  • Soft Hand: In blackjack, a hand with an Ace counted as 11, giving the player more flexibility.
  • Split: In blackjack, the option to divide two cards of the same rank into two separate hands.
  • Spread: The range of points given to a team in sports betting to even out the odds.
  • Stakes: The amount of money wagered in a game or bet.
  • Stand: To keep your current hand in blackjack without taking another card.
  • Straight: A poker hand made up of five cards in a row.

T

  • Tilt: A state of emotional frustration that can lead to poor decisions in poker.
  • Toke: A tip given to a dealer for good service.
  • Total Bet: The total amount of money wagered in one round or session.
  • Transferring Funds: Moving money between accounts in an online casino or between a bank account and a casino account.

U

  • Up Card: A face-up card in blackjack or poker visible to all players.

V

  • Variance: The level of unpredictability or risk in a game or bet, indicating how much winnings can fluctuate.
  • Video Poker: A casino game combining poker and slot machines, where players try to form winning hands.

W

  • Wager: The amount of money placed on a bet.
  • Wagering Requirement: The conditions players must meet to withdraw bonus money, usually a multiple of the bonus amount.
  • Whale: A high-stakes gambler who bets large amounts of money.
  • Wild Card: A card that can substitute for any other card in a game, improving a player’s hand.

Y

  • Yard: A term used in some sports betting contexts to refer to a measurement for yardage in American football.

Z

  • Zero: A slot on the roulette wheel that is neither red nor black, which increases the house edge.

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