Gambling Dictionary

Welcome to Casino Maze's comprehensive dictionary of the most commonly used gambling words, terms and expressions at online casino Web sites and traditional land-based casinos. Wondering what a certain term means? You'll find the answer right here. So whether you're playing to win, or just have a good time playing your favorite games, we'll help you learn the lingo.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Action - The money wagered by a player during a complete gambling session.
Active Player - A poker term describing a player who still remains in the game.
Add-on - A poker term meaning the option to buy additional chips during a tournament.
Aggregate Limit - A casino's entire payout limit over the course of a single game.
Aggregate Winnings - Same as total winnings.
All or Nothing - In Keno, a ticket that will only pay when either all or none of the numbers picked are drawn.
Anchor Man - A blackjack term, the player betting on the last box on the table is said to be ‘anchoring' the game.
Ante - In card games, a wager necessary to begin a hand. Also, the initial required bet before receiving your cards in Caribbean Stud Poker.
Any Craps - One-roll dice wager covering two, three and 12.
Any Seven - One-roll dice wager covering any seven.
Arm - In craps, a player with such dice-throwing skill that he/she can alter the game's regular odds. A player such as this is also called "an arm" and is generally not appreciated by dealers.
Audition - A test a dealer must pass prior to a casino hiring him/her.




B

Baccarat - A table game using six or eight card decks which requires no skill. Also known as Punto Banco.
Back Line - In craps, same as Don't Pass Line.
Bag - British casino expression for ‘thousand.' Three bag, for example, equals three thousand.
Banker - Same as dealer in a card game.
Bank Roll - Also known as "Roll." Refers to the total cash a player has in order to support their bets.
Bar the 12 - A craps term, this converts the 12 into a Push on the Don't Pass Line.
Banned - Same as barred. A player who is longer allowed into a casino.
Base - The area on a craps table where most of the bets are placed.
Base Dealer - Craps dealer overseeing one of the Bases.
Basic Strategy - Common reference to the proper way to play blackjack according to statistics.
Bet - Same as wager.
Betting Limits - The minimum or maximum amounts of money that a player may wager. Different games and casinos typically have dissimilar wagering limits.
Betting Right - A craps term meaning "betting along with the shooter."
Betting Wrong - A craps term meaning "betting against the shooter."
Bingo - A game in which players purchase cards with numbers on them in a 5 x 5 grid corresponding to the letters in the word BINGO. Numbers are selected at random and the first contestant to complete the word BINGO in a horizontal, vertical or diagonal line is declared the winner.
Black Book - A list of players barred from entering a (Nevada) casino.
Blackjack - A card game whereby contestants bet against the dealer and attempt to get as close to 21 as possible, but without exceeding 21. Also, blackjack refers to a hand whereby the first two cards add up to precisely 21.
Blind Bet - A poker term meaning a bet placed without the player actually seeing any of his or her cards.
Blinds - A forced wager in Texas Hold'em Poker.
Boxing - A horse racing term meaning a single ticket including more than one parlay.
Book - The acceptance of a bet.
Box - In craps, the area on the craps table that the Boxman controls.
Boxman - In craps, the casino employee overseeing play at a craps table.
Break - A blackjack term meaning going over 21.
Break Even Point - Theoretical gambling term meaning the point at which one's bets & payoffs would equal each other if a player played indefinitely.
Buck - A one hundred dollar wager.
Bug - Also known as a joker.
Bump - Same as "to raise."
Burn Cards - Undealt cards placed in the discard tray once the dealer has shuffled and cut the deck.
Bust - Blackjack term meaning going over twenty-one. The same as Break.
Buy In - To buy chips. Also, the amount of cash used to buy chips at table games.

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C

Call - Poker term meaning to match the current bet.
Call Bet - Any wager expressed verbally.
Camouflage - Anything a gambler may do to conceal his/her actions from the casino.
Capping - Placing additional chips on a wager after dealing has begun. Considered not legal plus a serious form of cheating.
Card Shark - A term referring to an expert card player.
Caribbean Stud Poker - A variation of 5-card poker whereby players compete against the house.
Carousel - A series of slot machines arranged in a circle with a change person positioned in the middle to exchange players' cash into coins.
Carpet Joint - Slang term for a luxury casino.
Case Money - Emergency funds.
Cashier's Cage - The cash desk in a casino where the cashier exchanges players' chips for cash when a playing session is completed.
Casino Advantage - The edge, statistical or otherwise, that a casino maintains over gamblers.
Casino Rate - A discounted hotel room charge provided to players by a casino.
Catch - In Keno, when the number you've chosen has been drawn.
Change Color - The exchanging of a single-color denomination chip for another color chip.
Chase - To place an additional bet with the hope of reclaiming money previously lost.
Check - In a casino, same as Chip. In poker, to remain in a game without placing another wager.
Chemin De Fer - A table game using six or eight decks of cards. Similar to baccarat but requires skill.
Chips - Plastic round discs representing different cash denominations.
Chip Tray - The tray next to the dealer that holds the table's chips.
Coat Tail - To bet on the identical numbers as someone who's currently winning.
Cold - To be "cold" is to be on a losing streak.
Color Up - To trade lower-denomination chips for larger denomination chips. Also known as "to color out."
Combination Way Ticket - A keno expression for a ticket which bets groups of numbers in various ways in order to provide a player with a greater range of winning combinations.
Comps - Complimentary gifts casinos provide players in order to encourage them to gamble more. In traditional land casinos this often comprised food and beverages. Internet casinos grant cash-valued points.
Come Bet - In craps, a bet a player places on the Come Line.
Come Line - Area on the craps table where a Come Bet is placed.
Come Out Roll - In craps, a shooter's initial roll in any given round. Establishes the point.
Copy - A push in Pai Gow poker in which the player and banker have the same two or five-card hand. Different from a push, however, the dealer wins in the event of a copy.
Counting Cards - Memorizing cards already played in a blackjack game in order to gain an advantage against the dealer on the cards not yet played.
Cracking the Nut - Winning enough money on a gambling journey to cover all the expenses as well as take home a slight profit.
Craps - A popular casino game played by tossing dice.
Craps Out - A craps term meaning a roll of 2, 3, or 12 on the Come Out Roll.
Credit - In slot & video machines, the button allowing players to play coins in the form of credits.
Crew - In craps, the dealers overseeing a game/table.
Crossroader - Slang for a person that cheats.
Croupier - Another word for dealer at baccarat and roulette tables
Cut - To divide a deck of cards into two parts.
Cut Card - A faceless plastic card utilized for cutting a card deck.

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D

D'Alenbert System - A scoring plan where one unit is added for a losing wager and one subtracted for a winning wager.
Deal - The distribution of cards in a card game.
Dealer - A casino employee who deals cards. Also known as the banker.
Deuce - A two rolled in dice.
Dice - Two identically numbered cubes.
Die - Singular term for dice.
Dime - A chip worth 10 dollars.
Dime Bet - A $1000 wager.
Discard Tray - A tray placed by the dealer for cards played and/or discarded.
Dollar Bet - A $100 wager.
Don't Come Bet - In craps, equal to a Don't Pass Bet, but placed following the initial Come Out Roll.
Don't Come Line - In craps, the position on the table where a Don't Come Bet is placed.
Don't Pass Bet - In craps, a bet placed before the opening Come Out Roll, betting that a seven shall be rolled prior to the Point being repeated.
Don't Pass Line - In craps, the place on the table where a Don't Pass Bet is placed.
Double Down - A blackjack wagering option allowing a player to receive one card only in order to attempt to beat the dealer. When the player's hand beats the dealer's, the player's winnings equal double his/her original wager.
Double Up - Gambling strategy by which the player doubles his/her bet after a loss in order to regain his/her lost money. Also known as the Martingale System.
Down Card - A face-down card.
Down to the Felt - Expression meaning out of cash, broke. etc
Draw - To draw a card to complete a hand. Commonly used in poker games.
Drop - Money lost while gambling.
Drop Box - A box on a playing table used as a safe for money, chips & markers.

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E

Edge - An advantage. Generally indicates the advantage a casino has over players.
En Prison - In roulette, the money remaining on a table after a 1 to 1 wager when a zero or double zero emerges. A type of bonus.
Even Money Bet - A wager offering 1 to 1 odds. The payoff amount matches the bet.
Expected Win Rate - In slots, the percentage of all money bet that a player can reasonably expect to win back over time.
Eyes in the Sky - Casinos' overhead surveillance video camera.

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F

Face Cards - The king, queen & jack of any card suit.
Fifth Street - In 7-card stud poker, the third round of betting. Called 5th Street because players have 5 cards.
Fill - In poker, to draw a card that results in a 5-card hand.
Fill Up - In poker, to achieve a Full House.
Firing - Betting a big amount of cash.
First Base - In blackjack, the seat closest to the shoe which is also dealt to first.
Flat Betting - A wagering system/strategy in which the same amount is always wagered, without raising or lowering the amount.
Flat Top - A fixed-jackpot slot machine. Opposite of a progressive.
Float - The bank situated at a table.
Floor man - The casino manager.
Flop - In certain forms of poker, including Texas Hold'em Poker, the first 3 cards that are dealt all at once, facing up.
Foul - In Pai Gow poker, when a two-card hand is greater than the five-card hand, or when the hands contain the wrong number of cards. The result is an automatic loss.
Fourth Street - In 7-card stud poker, the second round of betting. Termed Fourth Street because players hold 4 cards.
Front Line - In craps, the same meaning as a Pass Line.
Front Money - Deposit made to a casino to establish a player's credit.

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G

George - A gambler who tips well.
Grease - Slang meaning to bribe.
Gross Winnings - Total payout, including the original wager. Opposite of Net Winnings.

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H

Hand - The cards a player is holding.
Hard Count - Counting real cash, as opposed to chips.
Hard Hand - In blackjack, any hand that does not contain an ace worth 11.
Hard Way Bet - In craps, a bet which attempts to predict the total of both dice on doubles.
High Poker - Standard poker. where high hands win. Opposite of Low Poker.
High Roller - A player wagering large amounts of cash.
Hit - To request another card.
Hold Your Own - To break even. Neither winning nor losing.
Hole Card - In blackjack, the card the dealer receives face down. Any cards dealt face down.
Horn Bet - In craps, a single-roll bet combining 2, 3, 11, and 12.
Hot - To be hot is to be experiencing a winning streak.
House - Same as casino, dealer or banker.
House Edge - A casino's inherent advantage over gamblers.

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I

Inside Bet - In roulette, a bet placed on the inside of the table: on a single number or combo of numbers.
Insurance - A blackjack term meaning a side bet that the dealer has a Natural (two-card hand totaling 21.) Available only when a dealer's face up card is an ace.

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J

Jackpot - In slot machines, a big win.
Jacks or Better - In poker, a winning hand comprising a pair of jacks or higher.
Joker - A wild card, or the 53rd card deck.
Juice - The casino's commission earned. Also known as Vigorish.

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K

Kicker - In draw poker, an odd high card which does not contribute to a Straight or Flush.

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L

Laying the Odds - Placing a bet on a likely winner in spite of a payoff less than the amount bet. Common in sports betting where a clear favorite is apparent. Opposite of Taking the Odds.
Layout - The surface on a gambling table including the areas where gamblers place their wagers.
Let It Ride - To raise a bet by two. To Press.
Load Up - To play the maximum number of coins/chips in slot machines or video poker.
Long Run - Theoretical term describing the ultimate equaling-out of wins & losses over a long period of time.
Loose - Slang for slot machines with high payoffs.
Low Poker - A type of poker in which the lowest hand wins. Also called Lowball. Opposite of High Poker.
Lumpy - A dealer whose dealing style is not smooth.

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M

Marker - A check written at a table by a player with established credit at the casino. see 'Front Money.'
Martingale System - Betting strategy in which a player doubles up following a loss.
Match Play - Gambling system used in competitive playing (typically tournaments) where gamblers compete against each other until one player achieves a fixed number of points.
Mechanic - A dishonest dealer.
Mini-Baccarat - A smaller type of baccarat requiring fewer players and dealers.
Money - A term sometimes meaning $500.
Money Put in Action - Expression for all money wagered during a playing session, including winnings following each game or round. Not used to indicate just the money initially wagered.
Monkey - Term sometimes describing a card having a value of 10.

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N

Natural - In blackjack, a two-card hand adding up to 21.
Negative Expectation - Theoretical term describing a predicted gambling loss over a long period of time. see also House Edge.
Net Winnings - Total winnings less a gambler's original bet. Opposite of Gross Winnings.
Nickel - A five-dollar chip.
Non-Negotiable Chip - A promotional chip which cannot be exchanged for cash.
Non-Value Chip - A chip whose value is determined by the Buy In amount. Opposite of a fixed-value chip.
Number Pool - The whole range of numbers offered in a game such as keno.
Nut - The amount of cash a player plans to win before quitting.

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O

Odds - The amount a bet will pay off. For example, 100 to 1, 30 to 1, 2 to 1, etc.
Off - Term describing losing bets.
Off-Track Betting - Betting by gamblers not actually present at a race track.
On Tilt - Negative response to a losing poker hand.
One-Roll Bet - In craps, a wager that shall win or lose depending on a single roll of the dice.
Open - In poker, the first player to bet.
Outside Bet - In roulette, a wager placed on the outside of the table where 12 or 18 numbers are bet on simultaneously. Opposite of an Inside Bet.
Overlay - A bet whereby the player enjoys an advantage over the casino.

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P

Paint - Same as a face card. A king, queen, or jack of any suit.
Palette - Tool commonly used baccarat dealers to manipulate cards on the table.
Pass - To pass is to not place a bet. To fold.
Pass Line - In craps, the location on a table where a Pass Line Bet is placed.
Pass Line Bet - In craps, a bet placed before the Come Out Roll which the Point will repeat.
Pat - In draw poker, a hand not requiring any more cards. In blackjack, a hand worth a minimum of 17 points but not more than 21.
Payline - The line(s) on slot machines where symbols must line up.
Payoff - The return paid on a winning bet.
Payoff Odds - The odds accorded to different bets in casinos with varying payoff values.
Payout Percentage - The percent of each dollar played in a slot machine or video poker which is programmed to be returned to the gambler.
Payout Table - A posting that indicates to the gambler what a winning hand shall pay.
Pigeon - Slang for a naive gambler.
Pit - The area in a casino where table games are organized around a central area which is reserved for dealers and other casino employees.
Pit Boss - A casino staff member overseeing the pit.
Pit Manager - Slightly different from a Pit Boss. A Pit Manager manages all problems and enforces casino rules.
Player - A person who gambles in a casino.
Playing the Rush - A expression for a poker player who has won a lot of money in a short amount of time.
Plug - A card-shuffling technique commonly used in blackjack.
Pocket Cards - A poker term meaning cards dealt face down.
Poker - A card game with many variations in which players try to arrange a winning hand according to each different game's rules.
Point - In craps, a dice term for a number rolled in the Come-Out Roll if a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10 are rolled. For a Pass Line Bet to win, the point must be repeated prior to the shooter rolling a seven.
Pot - In poker, the amount of money which accumulates in the middle of the table. The pot is awarded to whoever wins the hand.
Press - To raise a bet by two. To Let It Ride.
Probability - A mathematical calculation establishing the chances of an event happening.
Progression Betting - A form of wagering in which the size of the bet is changed according to a preset formula.
Progressive - A slot machine featuring an increasing jackpot. Opposite of a Flat Top.
Proposition Bet - In craps, a dice bet placed on a number of combinations.
Punch Board - Lottery-type game whereby players punch out a slot for a chance to win cash or a prize.
Punter - Another word for gambler.
Punto Banco - Same as baccarat.
Push - A tie between the player and the dealer. Money is generally returned in the event of a push.

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Q

Quads - In poker, another term for four-of-a-kind.
Qualifier - In poker, a minimum rank of a hand in order to win.
Quarter - A chip worth 25 dollars.

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R

Rack - A container for transporting chips and/or tokens in a casino.
Rake - A fee charged by a casino for every round of poker, usually calculated by percentage.
Rank - In poker, the value of a card hand.
Rated - Term applied to highly skilled gamblers.
RFB - Room, Food & Beverages. See also Comps.
Riffling - A common shuffling process where the dealer intermixes two halves of a single card deck.
Right Bettor - In craps, a person betting on the Pass Line.
River - In poker, refers to the last card dealt in a hand.
Round - One cycle of a game and all the wagers placed during that cycle. A round varies depending on the type of game. In roulette, a round is represented by a single spin of the wheel. In poker, a round includes everything from the time original bets are placed to when a winner has been determined.
RVP - Recreational Vehicle Parking.

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S

Sawdust Joint - Slang for a non-luxurious gambling atmosphere. Opposite of a Carpet Joint..
Sawbuck - Ten dollars.
Scared Money - Slang for money a player can't afford to lose.
Session - A gambling period.
Set - In Pai Gow poker, the separating of a seven-card hand into two hands of five and two.
Seven-Out - In craps, rolling a seven when the Point has been set.
Seventh Street - In seven-card stud poker, the 5th (and final) betting round. Referred to as Seventh Street because gamblers have seven cards.
Shark - A player who cheats, or a very skilled card player.
Shill - A casino staff member whose purpose is to start a game or fill empty seats at a table.
Shiner - A mirror or similar reflecting object for (illegally) viewing hidden cards.
Shoe - A wooden box used for holding and dispensing cards at a table.
Shooter - In craps, the gambler who rolls the dice.
Short Run - A short series of bets or events in any game.
Showdown - In poker, the term for the end of a game when gamblers reveal their cards to determine a winner.
Shuffle Tracking - An illegal form of observation used mainly in blackjack. See also Counting Cards.
Shuffle Up - Expression for shuffling prematurely.
Shuffling - Mixing cards for ensuring fairness. The term includes numerous shuffling techniques.
Shutter - In bingo, the name of the flap on a bingo card used to mark each number as it is called out.
Silver Mining - The act of searching for coins remaining in slot machines.
Single - A simple bet placed on a single event or selection. Also called a Straight Bet.
Singleton - In poker, a card being the only one of its rank.
Sixth Street - In seven-card stud, the fourth round of betting. Known as Sixth Street because each player has six cards.
Skin - One dollar.
Skin Game - In poker, a game involving more than one cheater.
Skinning the Hand - Technique used by a poker cheater for unloading extra cards.
Skoon - One dollar.
Slot Club Member - A frequent gambler who is granted a card for use on slot machines.
Snake Eyes - In craps, a roll of the dice with a result valued at two.
Soft Count - Counting the contents of a Drop Box.
Soft Count Room - The room where a Soft Count is conducted.
Soft Hand - A blackjack term for any hand with an ace counted as 11.
Spinner - A winning streak.
Spooking - Type of cheating in which two players work in concert to cheat a casino. Generally used in blackjack, one player attempts to view the dealer's Hole Card & then secretly passes this info to his/her partner seated at the table.
Spot - A number ranging from 1-80 that a player selects on a keno ticket. Also refers to the amount of numbers indicated on a ticket.
Stack - A roulette term referring to a column of chips (generally 20)
Stand - To reject any additional cards. Also ‘to stay.'
Standing Hand - In blackjack, a hand totaling 17 or more, but will likely bust should the player take another card. See also Pat.
Stay - To refuse any more cards. Also known as ‘To Stand.'
Steaming - A blackjack word for On Tilt. A period of poor judgment by a gambler following a series of losses.
Stick Man - In craps, the casino staff member who calls the rolled numbers & controls the stick.
Stiff Hand - In blackjack, a hand which is not Pat or Standing. A hand amounting to between 12 & 16, which could bust.
Straight Keno - Traditional keno played by marking numbers on a keno ticket.
Streak Betting - Betting on a recent trend or streak. In streak betting, gamblers increase their bets according to the results of what's happening in a game. Also known as Progressive Betting.
Stripping - A card shuffling technique which reverses the order of a deck, from the first to the last card.
Stud Poker - Form of poker played with a combination of exposed and face down cards. Opposite of draw poker.
Suit - Any of the four kinds of cards in a deck: Clubs, Hearts, Spades and Diamonds.
Surrender - To give up a bet before a hand has been played out.
System - A wagering method based on mathematics employed in the hopes of gaining an advantage.

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T

TAB - Totalisator Agency Board, a regulating agency for off-track betting.
Table Hold - The total money won by a casino at a table game from all players during an 8-hour session.
Table Stakes - In poker, a limited amount of money available to players for betting and raising: the cash on the table.
Table Test - A exam a dealer must pass prior to being hired by a casino. See also Audition.
Taking the Odds - Placing a wager which is less than the eventual payoff if the bet is successful. The opposite of Laying the Odds. Together, Taking the Odds & Laying the Odds constitute the 2 major forms of gambling.
Tapping Out - Losing it all causing the gambler to stop playing.
Tell Play - Term associated with reading a player or dealer's body language or facial expressions to guess Hole Cards.
Third Base - In blackjack, the seat played last, right before the dealer's hand is played.
Third Street - In 7-card stud, the first betting round. Called Third Street because gamblers have 3 cards.
Three-Card Monte - Popular three-card game. Similar to Bragg.
Three of a Kind - Poker term meaning 3 cards with the same rank.
Ticket - A card.
Time Cut - Money charged for time played within a casino or poker room.
Tip - A gratuity.
Toke - Short for token. A tip given to a dealer in either money or chip form.
Token - A casino coin required for playing slot machines.
Touch Wand - A device sometimes found on Video Keno machines to choose numbers.
Tournament - A competition among players for a set time period, often with wide, varying rules.
Trips - Three cards having the same rank.
True Odds - The actual chances of an event happening, taking a casino's edge into account.

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U

Underlay - An unwise wager, or a bet whose chances of occurring does not correspond to the amount of money wagered on it.
Unit - Simplified gambling term denoting the smallest amount of money used in a wager. Utilizing units eliminates the need for calculating actual dollar amounts in their various chip denominations.
Up card - A dealer's exposed, or face up, card. Opposite of Hole Card.

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V

Vigorish - A commission received by a casino. Also called Vig or Juice.
VIP - Very Important Person. Usually a High Roller.
VLT - Video Lottery Terminal.

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W

Wager - A bet.
Washing - A shuffling technique in which the dealer spreads the cards on the table and mixes them in a style similar to washing. After, the dealer shuffles the cards in a more conventional style.
Whale - Name allocated to a very high roller, someone who wagers thousands of dollars on single bets.
White Meat - Slang for profit..
Wild Card - A card (usually a joker) that can be used to complete a hand in card games.
Wired Cards - In poker, a pair, triples, or four-of-a-kind dealt back-to-back in a single hand.
Working - In craps, a term used for indicating that bets are in play.
World Bet - In craps, a one-roll wager on the Horn, including the 7.
Wrong Bettor - In craps, a gambler who bets on the Don't Pass Line.