Glossary

Casino games are fun, but they can also be a little tricky at times! After all, gambling terms and phrases are not always easy to understand, even for the most experienced gamblers. For this reason, we have decided to present a complete game glossary, with game jargon and common expressions of gambling and casino language, including English terms.

You can use this as your own casino dictionary and refer to it whenever you come across some of the terms and can’t understand their meaning. By the time you reach the end of this blog, you will certainly understand casino terms and gambling phrases a lot better.

A

• ABC Player – slang used in poker when the player is predictable. When the player has a strong hand and plays aggressively, as opposed to when he has a weaker combination of cards.
• Abuse (Bonus abuse) – situation where a person requests multiple bonuses for their own financial benefit. Bonus abusers are banned from the casino and cannot claim other bonuses in the future. In addition, this may result in the loss of the gains made.
• Action – this term can indicate the total amount bet, but it is also a common word used by the dealer to indicate to the player that it is his turn.
• Affiliate – person or organization that earns commission by promoting the product of other companies.
• Against the Spread – in sports betting parlance, this term refers to the outcome of an event that considers points given to opposing teams.
• Ante – another poker term to indicate the initial bet made by the player. This guarantees a smoother game, as all players at the table have already placed their mandatory bet.
• Accumulated Bet – when winnings from the previous round are added to the current bet. Betting on two or more games in order to invest the value of the first win in the next round.
• All in – in the poker dictionary, the term indicates the moment when the player bets all his chips.
• All or Nothing – a common English bingo term to indicate a card that pays a prize if all selected numbers are drawn or if none are drawn.
• Autoplay – feature present in online slot machines where the player can choose the number of times the reels will spin automatically and without interruption.

B

• Baccarat – popular card game, also known as Punto Banco. The game has different variations and, to win, you must have a hand of 2 or 3 winning cards. Over the course of the game, players accumulate points and whoever is closest to the total 9 wins.
• Bet – one of the terms used in casinos to indicate the amount applied in any type of game of chance.
• Bonus Ban – When a player receives a bonus ban, it means that he will not be able to receive bonuses from a certain casino or group of casinos.
• Banker – person who bets against the table.
• Bingo – popular game that consists of hitting the numbered balls that will be drawn. It is also game jargon used to indicate success or when someone understands a certain situation.
• Blackjack – Classic card games, Blackjack is found in most casinos where players play against the dealer. The object of the game is to have a better hand than the dealer and add up to 21 or closer.
• Bluff – expression that indicates when a player tries to show that he has a better hand than his opponents, but in fact he has a much smaller combination of cards. This is casino jargon that is used a lot in many situations, not just for gaming.
• Blinds – word from betting and casino language to indicate a bet that the player is forced to make in Hold’em poker.
• Bonus – prize or incentive that players can claim. In general, the bonus is granted when a new player opens an account at the casino and can be free of charge or as a result of a deposit. The bonus amount varies with each casino, but players need to be aware as there are requirements that must be met. For a better understanding of the subject, check out our casino bonus guide.
• Bookmaker (Bookie) – place where players can place sports bets. In Portuguese, this is game jargon for the professional who defines odds and lines.
• Breaking the Bank – also known by the Portuguese expression breaking the bank, the term refers to the player who wins a large amount and which may be more than the banker (casino or table) has in hand at the moment.
• Buy-In – one of the casino terms present in online slot machines and which indicates the option to buy a special feature of the game instead of waiting for it to happen randomly.
• Buzzword Bingo – game inspired by bingo, but which uses words instead of numbers.
• Beginner’s Luck – A rookie player who achieves a winning streak.
• Balance – amount that the player has in his casino account to play, either through the money deposited by him, the bonus obtained or both.
• Betting Exchange – known as an exchange, in English, the term refers to a platform/site that allows betting between players.
• Bonus Round – Video slot term for a special feature present in the game. It can be activated randomly or as a specific combination of symbols appears.

C

• Classic Slot Machine – Slot Machine has few paylines and features compared to video slots. In general, this type of game mimics those presented in physical slot machines and is much simpler. If you want to know more about the types of slot machines, take the opportunity to check out our blog.
• Cantar – bingo jargon that indicates the announcement of the number drawn.
• Check – when the player hits the table to stay in the game, but does not want to bet at the indicated time.
• Chips – still known as chips, this casino term refers to the colored discs that represent money in land-based casinos and usually present in table games. In online casinos, chips can indicate the player’s bet.
• Clusters – type of payline in slot machines in which the winning combination is formed by a group of identical symbols in adjacent positions, and the greater the number of symbols, the greater the prize.
• Craps – English name for the popular game with dice. The objective is to guess which number will be indicated after rolling the dice.
• Cascading Reels – casino phrase for the functionality of online slot machines in which the symbols that make up a winning combination give way to new images, something similar to what happens in Candy Crush.
• Hand ranking – list of poker hands, also known as poker straight.
• Cashable – one of the casino terms in English that refers to the bonuses that allow you to withdraw funds after being wagered.
• Card – one of the bingo terms for the card with numbers that must be purchased before the game starts.
• Contribution – when a player who originally raised before the flop bets off the flop.
• Croupier – originating from the French term, this is the most used word in Portuguese for the term dealer (see more in dealer).
• Cashback bonus – bonus given to the player considering the losses he has had over a period.

D

• Dealer – one of the most common casino terms for a croupier, that is, the person responsible for the table and the distribution of cards.
• Demo – also known as demo mode, the term refers to the fun version, different from the real money mode.
• DNB – acronym to indicate that the result of a tie nullifies or invalidates the bet. In sports betting, the stake is returned in this case.
• Double Chance – betting on two of the three possible outcomes of an event. Term is quite common in sports betting.
• Deposit – amount the player deposits into their casino account in order to play.
• Deuce – English game lingo for word two, as in Deuces Wild game.
• Double or Nothing – one of the most common casino phrases to indicate that players can double their bets and if they win they will win double. But if they don’t win, they lose everything.
• Deposit Bonus – when the casino grants a bonus according to a certain percentage applied to the player’s deposit. Thus, the amount obtained is added to the account balance.
• Deposit Methods – Payment options available for the player to fund their casino account. They vary by casino and player country.

E

• eCOGRA – independent testing agency that verifies that online casinos operate to the fairness standard. The institution’s full name is e-Commerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance.
• En Prison – bet that you will remain at the Roulette table for another spin.
• eSports – professional video game or video game competitions that are usually broadcast via the internet. It can also refer to games.
• Even Money – when the player wins the same amount bet.
• Expected Value (EV) – average expected return over a long period of time. The amount will depend on how profitable or not the bet is. Generally, this term is represented by the symbols EV+ and EV-.
• Exposure – maximum amount a sportsbook can expect to lose in a single game.
• Extension – amount the house will risk losing in a game or race.
• Extra Spin – the term indicates the amount of Free Spins the player will get when claiming or earning the bonus.
• Expanding Symbol – Special symbols present in the slot game that fill the entire reel when activated.

F

• Flop – one of the poker dictionary terms for the set of the first three community cards on the table.
• Freebet – one of the sports betting terms to indicate a bet that can be placed for free or that will have a guaranteed profit.
• Flush – Another common casino term in the game of poker and which indicates a hand made up of cards of the same suit.
• Fruit slot/Fruit machine – classic slot machines that feature a simpler design and traditional symbols. They are quite popular, but more basic than video slots. On our blog you can learn more about the different types of casino games.
• Full House – poker term that indicates a combination of 5 cards, being a set and a pair.
• Four of a kind – a poker hand made up of 4 cards of equals. If there is a tie, the hand with the highest card wins.
• Fixed Odds Betting – Also known as fixed odds, this is one of the most common sports betting terms, indicating a predetermined number of players who can win. In video slots, for example, the opposite occurs, as the results are determined by a random number generator and depend exclusively on luck.
• Free Spins – also called Free Spins, in English, free spin is the name of a feature present in online slot machines where extra spins of the reels are awarded. Generally, a certain combination of special symbols is required to activate the feature.

G

• GAMSTOP – self-exclusion service that allows players to control their gambling activities. It is possible to restrict the practice of online gambling, as well as block access to certain websites and applications.
• Getting Down – another term for placing a bet.
• Gambler – person who bets an amount on games that have an unknown outcome at the time of the bet.
• Gaming software or casino software – program by which the online casino makes games of chance available. The casino website may feature software developed by several companies, such as Microgaming, NetEnt, Pragmatic Play, among others.

H

• Hand – cards that the player holds and intends to use to make a good combination. In the game of poker, hand, or hand, in Portuguese, also indicates the valid combinations in the game.
• Handicapping – when a player tries to predict the outcome of a sporting event, but based on some sort of previous research done by him.
• High roller – can indicate both big bets and players who bet high amounts.
• Hit – in Blackjack, the term can indicate for the player to request an additional card, while in slot games this is one of the terms for winning.
• House Edge – probability of the casino winning, usually indicated as a percentage. For example, if the casino has a 5% house edge, that means the player will lose 50 cents for every $10 wagered. The lower the house edge, the better the player’s chances of winning.
• House Edge – Also known as House Edge, the term refers to the mathematical advantage the casino has over players.

I

• iGaming – still called the iGaming sector, the term refers to the online gambling industry.

J

• Jackpot – a large amount that the player can win and usually the largest amount that it is possible to win in a single game.

K

• Keno – game that has some similarities with the lottery. To play, you have to guess the numbers and, if they are drawn, the victory is granted.

L

• Limits – Minimum and maximum bets allowed on any game type.
• Live chat – also known as online chat support, the term refers to the service provided by the casino for players to ask questions or ask questions to agents in real time. Some are open 24 hours a day, while others offer partial service.

M

• Martingale – strategy known in roulette or sports betting and which consists of doubling the amount bet after having lost the previous one consecutively until the victory occurs. In some online casinos this is banned.
• Money Ball – one of the bingo terms for the number chosen before the game starts and which, if drawn, will grant bonuses.
• Muck – poker term for the discard pile.
• Multiplier – one of the terms used in online casinos for a symbol that can multiply the winnings of a winning combination. The values ​​vary widely, but the most common are 2x and 3x multipliers.
• Minimum bet – minimum amount that can be bet in a single round.
• Maximum bet – maximum amount that can be bet in a single round. This casino term can also refer to the maximum amount that can be wagered when bonuses are used to play.
• Mobile Slots – Online slot games optimized to work on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. The slot machine will be the same as the web version in terms of the way it is played and its features.

N

• Nap – in sports betting, it means the best bet made in a specific period.
• Nine on the heels – gaming jargon known among bingo fans. As the number 9 and 6 can be confused, a dot is marked in each of them, which is responsible for the emergence of the bingo term.
• Nudge – A common feature on classic slot machines that allows the player to move a reel to complete a win.
• Number pool – English bingo term referring to the game’s sample of numbers, usually ranging between 1 and 75 or 1 and 90.
• Next to Score – Bets placed to guess which team will score the next goal or score.

O

• Odds – also known as odds, odds are the player’s chances of winning as defined by the casino or bookmakers. In the event of a win, the odds determine how much the player will receive.
• Oddsmaker – professionals who indicate the odds of various sports events from bookmakers.
• Overlay – one of the poker terms that refers to rooms that add money to the value of the pot to make up for a possible difference in the announced prize. It can be used in sports betting when the odds are higher than they should be and in favor of the players.
• Online casino – establishment where players can bet online on games of chance. Most casinos make instant play options available through a compatible web browser.

P

• Paint – one of the English names that can be given to the face cards in the deck (King, Queen and Jack).
• Parlay – when previous wins are added to the current stake. It also means betting on two or more games with the intention of reinvesting the winnings from the first round into the next.
• Payoff – cash payment that the player receives as a prize.
• Pick or Prognosis – sports betting term referring to the guess, with due explanation, about an event, whether in relation to odds, field command, player, statistics, among other aspects.
• Pit – area of ​​the physical casino where the tables are managed by the dealers.
• Pit boss – Casino employee who holds a supervisory position.
• Poker – type of table game in which bettors use playing cards to beat their opponent, either by having the best hand or by bluffing.
• Payout Percentage – Statistical percentage of each bet placed that will be returned to the player. The casino term is also known as RTP, indicated below.
• Pot – total amount of the amount bet on a hand during the game of poker. When the pot is split, the term slip pot is used.
• Progressive Jackpot – A type of game where the value of the prize (referred to as a jackpot) grows the more players bet on it. In general, such games are connected to a slot machine network that will share the prize. Once the prize is awarded, the jackpot is reset and the process will repeat again.
• Payline – virtually all slot machines feature paylines, which are nothing more than the required order in which the symbols must appear to form a winning combination. In fact, the number of them varies greatly, reaching the thousands.
• Pay Table – this term refers to information about how the game works and how it is possible to win, and many casinos use the expression Pay Table in English. Incidentally, the paytable also indicates the value of the symbols and an explanation of the features of the online slot machine.

R

• Random Number Generator (RNG) – the term refers to the random number generator used by the casino to produce random results all the time. The algorithm guarantees players a fair and unbiased experience, and is most commonly used in slot machines. You can learn more about how RNG works in slot machines on our blog.
• Re-Bet – when a player bets the same amount as in the previous round.
• Return to Player (RTP) – see Payout Percentage or visit our blog about best RTP slots.
• Roulette or Roulette – table game consisting of a numbered wheel and a ball. Players must provide guesses for a single number or a group of them, with whoever guesses the number that the ball stops after the spin wins. There are several variations of Roulette available, but American and French are the most popular.
• Royal Flush – a winning hand made up of the Ace, King, Queen, Jack or Ten cards of each suit in poker.
• Reel/Reels – One of the terms used in casinos to indicate the columns of the online slots grid. They are occupied by game symbols and can appear in different amounts. Many slot machines have 5 reels, while classic slots have 3 reels.

S

• Scatter – one of the terms used in slot machines to indicate the symbol that can appear in any position and, depending on the rules of the game, activate a feature such as Free Spins.
• Session – time spent in a game.
• Shoe – term often used in Blackjack to indicate the device that contains several decks.
• Slot symbols – these are the images present on a slot machine and which must be aligned according to the payline to provide a win. The greater the amount of symbols combined, the greater the win.
• Stake – amount applied by the player to a bet.
• Self-Exclusion – A player who voluntarily decides to exclude himself from a casino. When this happens, he will no longer be able to play at a particular casino or group of casinos.
• Special features – term used in slot machines to indicate extra features of the game and which involve special symbols or a certain combination of them to activate them.
• Spin – term used in slot machines to indicate the turn the reels make before stopping and revealing random symbols.
• Slot machine – one of the types of casino games where you have to spin the reels. Winning happens when symbols form part of a payline or winning combination.
• Scratch Card – an online game in which you have to scratch a card that can be awarded or not. In general, a combination of values ​​is required to win the amount indicated on the card.
• Steal – Gambling slang used when a player does not have the best hand, but “forces” the opponent to fold.

T

• Terms and conditions of use – found in every online casino and also known as T&C, they present the rules and requirements that all players must follow, a kind of contract. If the player breaches any of the terms and conditions, he may be banned from the casino and forfeit possible winnings.
• Tickets – one of the most used casino terms in bingo halls to indicate the grids purchased by players.
• Three of a kind – three cards of the same rank. In the game of poker, if players have trips, the one with the highest value will be the winner.
• Table Games – One of the casino terms to indicate games played under a table, such as poker and blackjack.

U

• Underlay – a bet that the player does not want to make as it costs more than it is actually worth.
• Underdog – game jargon to indicate who is not a favorite. The term zebro or underdog can also be used in English.

V

• Video Bingo – electronic or online version of bingo that also has some features of the slot machines, although the cards replace the reels.
• Video Poker – one of the most popular online casino games, inspired by 5-card poker, but with some features of slot machines.

W

• Wild – also known by the expression joker, in Portuguese, wild is a type of card found in several table games (poker or video poker, for example), but it is also a special image in online slot machines capable of substituting other symbols for form winning combinations.
• Win Rate – hit rate considering the total number of bets placed.
• WSOP – acronym for the prestigious poker tournament, the World Series of Poker.
• Withdrawal methods – payment methods that can be used by players when withdrawing prizes. They may vary depending on the casino and player’s country, but we have a complete guide on different deposit and withdrawal methods, so be sure to check it out.
• Wager requirement – one of the most important casino terms for those who are going to use bonuses. Wagering requirement, translated from English wagering requirement and also known as rollover, determines the number of times the bettor must play before it is possible to request the withdrawal of an eventual winning. For example, if the player receives a €10 bonus with a wagering requirement of 35x, he will have to wager a total amount of €350 before being able to withdraw winnings generated with the bonus.

Casino dictionary with gambling slang and jargon

It may seem like a lot in a single casino dictionary, but you don’t have to memorize everything. There are many gambling terms and phrases and now you can count on this blog as a reference whenever you need to.

Even for us it’s hard to keep up, as there’s so much slang and jargon used in gambling and casino language! Depending on the type of game, you may need to know a term or a more specific one, but nothing that harms your entertainment. However, whenever something new comes up or generates doubts, our dictionary with casino terms and phrases will be here to help you!