Casino Gambling Glossary Guide

The complex terms used in casino gaming can leave your head spinning if you’ve never been to a casino table before.

We’ve compiled a detailed resource that’ll help you understand gambling terms better.

Learning betting lingo can help you fast-track your journey to being a pro, and start competing with seasoned gamblers. And if you’re an experienced gambler, learning these terms can help you improve your overall game and earn you more money.

Some of the most popular gambling terms include:

3-Wheel slots

These are casino slots that feature three reels. Ideal for casino novice players, they’re simple to play but can sometimes limit you in the number of bets you want to make.

5-Wheel slots

These are casino slots featuring 5 reels. With more possible winning combinations, they have a more modern feel compared to the 3-wheel slots.

Action

The amount of money that you place as a bet during a gaming session.

Advance-Deposit Wagering

Popularly known as ADW, it’s the policy put in place by casinos that requires you to deposit some money in your account before you place any bets.

Advantage Gambling

Also termed ‘advantage play’, it’s the strategy that players use to get an edge when gambling. Advantage gamblers use techniques like card counting to gain an advantage over competitors or the casino. The practice, unlike cheating, doesn’t break gambling rules but is mostly frowned upon by most of the best new casino sites.

Affiliate bonus codes

These are codes you receive from an affiliate of a casino. You can redeem this code to receive special prizes or discounts. To redeem the prizes, you need to sign-up to a casino through the affiliate’s page.

All-in

The act of placing all your chips in one bet.

Ante

Popular in poker games, an ante is a bet you must be placed before receiving any cards.

Beginner’s Luck

This is the phrase used by players when a novice beats a seasoned pro. It’s difficult to explain why an amateur player can outsmart a professional. That’s why most players this phenomenon as a case of ‘beginner’s luck’.

Bonus Code

This is a string of digits or alphabets that you submit to a casino’s promotional box. After submitting it, you receive a specialized bonus. You’re the only one who can redeem the incentives attached to a bonus code. These incentives can either be loyalty bonuses, birthday presents, or VIP reward.

Bookie/Bookmaker

A bookie is an individual or company that accepts wagers on gambling or sporting events like tennis, basketball or horse racing. Bookies use odds to calculate the amount to payout.

Branded slots

A branded slot is a game whose theme is based on either a superhero, tv show, movie, or any other popular franchise. Providers design these games to draw in movie and tv enthusiasts. A slots game like Game of Thrones by Microgaming is based on a popular TV show of the same name.

Card Counting

It’s a technique that helps crafty players determine the possibility of a winning hand is dealt. Even though it’s not illegal, the technique is condemned in most casinos.

Cashback bonus

These are bonuses that allow you to get a percentage of money back from the losses you incurred. They vary from one casino to another, but in general, if you’re a regular customer you can be eligible to receive them. The percentage you receive might range from 5% to about 10%., but you can bet with money and unlock higher percentages. If you’re regularly losing after making huge wagers, then you might be in line for a cashback bonus.

Cashier

A cashier is a page in an online casino that you can use to deposit and withdraw funds. In land-based casinos, the cashier is the are where you exchange your casino chips for money.

Casino bonus codes

These are bonus codes generated by the casinos themselves. Mostly, they’re meant to reward new players and by a means of fixed money.

Casino bonus

Casino bonuses are rewards from casinos to players. They’re meant to attract new players and entice loyal gamblers to keep playing. A bonus can come as a free spin, on-site currency, no-deposit bonus, and many other forms.

Casino house edge

The mathematical advantage a casino has over its customers. In most games, odds are changed slightly to include a marginal profit for the casino. House edges normally vary from 2% to 10%, with video poker having one of the most favourable odds and slots having one of the least favourable odds. If you play a game with a 5% house edge, for instance, each £100 you wager makes the casino a £5 profit.

Casino Token

This is a term used collectively to define coins and chips used by casinos. These tokens have varying values and you can buy them at any time.

Chips

They refer to the tokens used instead of real money in casino tables.

Comp Points

These are a type of bonus you receive after making a wager using either your phone or PC. You can get these points regardless of whether your bet lands or fails. With each bet you place, you get a point. The number of points you receive depends on your casino, and you can accumulate as much as you want. You can later use these points to unlock rewards like fixed cash or free bets. In most casinos, you can redeem £1 after accumulating 100 points.

Croupier

Croupiers are casino workers who oversee a gambling table; they receive and distribute winnings on top of dealing cards and operating roulette wheels.

Dealer

A dealer has similar duties to the croupier but can also act as a card game assistant in some casinos.

Deposit bonus

This is a type of reward casinos give to players for funding their accounts. They’re often in the form of percentages. Generally, casinos offer 1000% matched bonuses that double the amount you deposit. But this deposit sometimes has a limit. Most operators match deposits worth up to £200. Withdrawing winnings from such bonuses might be difficult as they’re normally subject to strict regulations.

Deposit method

This is a banking option that enables you to fund your casino account. Popular deposit methods are e-wallets, banking transfers, and PayByPhone in the UK. E-wallets are online options that allow you to transfer money instantly to your casino account. They include PayPal, Skrill and NetEller.

Deposit

The money that you fund your casino account with. Depending on your casino, deposits can take between minutes and hours to reflect in your account. Most sites have a minimum limit on the money you can deposit.

Developer bonus codes

These are bonus codes generated by suppliers. They’re meant to entice players to play the developers’ games. NetEnt and Microgaming, for example, are known for offering players bonus codes.

Free Spins

Free spins are a type of casino bonuses that allows you to spin slot reels for free. For instance, if an online site offers you 20 free spins, you can play in a specific slot machine, spinning the reels 20 times without having to pay any money. If you win anything, the extra money is added to your balance.

Gamification tools

Gamification is a process where gaming providers beef up their games with some extra design elements. This makes the game more enjoyable and entertaining. For instance, providers can include features such as virtual currencies and tokens that aren’t naturally included in slot games.

Handicapping

Handicapping refers to the practice of bookmarkers applying advantages or disadvantages to the gambling market so that they can offer increased odds. Players use handicapping in sports betting to get better returns if they’re betting on a strong favourite.

High Roller Bonus

This is a bonus reserved for players who stake higher amounts of cash than casual players. It’s often more lucrative than the normal deposit; it might feature a large number of free spins or betting money.

High Roller

A high roller is a player who regularly wages with large amounts of money. High rollers tend to risk more of their own money, and as a result, often earn special treatment.

High volatility slots

High volatility slots are games in which you have a higher risk of losing your stake. These games pay out lesser times than other slot games. The good thing, however, is that they pay out mouth-watering amounts of money. They’re popular with seasoned gamblers who can take on losing runs, and still remain at their A-game.

Hit

Popular in blackjack, a hit is an instruction you give to the casino dealer to tell them that you want an extra card. You can also tap the table to signal a ‘hit’.

Hot Streak

A period of time in which you’re on a winning run.

Hot Table

A table where the majority of gamblers are winning.

House hold

A term mainly used in poker, house hold refers to the number of player chips that casinos win back.

House Rules

A casino’s specific rules.

House

Another name for the casino.

Keno

This is a game that has a similar style to modern-day lotteries. It features numbered balls, and each draw is operated instantly.

KYC process

This is a process that the best new slot sites use to verify your identity and keep your financial details safe. On top of preventing underage gambling, this process helps in thwarting hackers, preventing money laundering, and hamper fraud.

Live dealer games

Games which casinos live stream to players and feature a real-life casino table and dealer. You can play these games from your PC or smartphone, getting an immersive experience from the comfort of your home.

Loose

Games that provide better payouts than other games.

Low variance slots

Also known as low volatility slots, they are generally low-risk games that pay out less than other games. The benefit of these games is that they pay out often, meaning you can preserve your bankroll for a long time when playing them.

Loyalty bonus

These are rewards offered to regular customers. Casinos offer them to encourage their most loyal players to continue playing and place more bets. It takes time to receive such bonuses, but once you establish your loyalty you might start to reap some lucrative rewards.

Marker

A betting amount that a casino loans out to you. To get it, you have to be a regular customer, and have a good credit history.

Martingale betting system

Wagering practises in which you have to double your betting amount after each loss.

Maximum Bet

The highest amount of money you can use to place a bet.

Medium volatility slots

These are games that don’t necessarily come with a lot of risks and pay out regularly. They have a balance between winning frequency and payouts. They’re more suited to casual players with sizeable balances who are willing to take some risks.

Minimum Bet

The lowest amount of money you can use to place a bet.

Mobile Casinos

Mobile casinos are online casinos that provide mobile versions of their websites. With these sites, you can either visit the website directly using your mobile phone or download a designated app. New sites make their sites available to most handheld devices including tablets and smartphones and platforms like iOS, Android, and Blackberry.

Monthly bonuses

Casinos offer these types of bonuses every month. They’re usually reserved for regular customers or players who’ve made large deposits.

Multi-Hand Game

A game that allows you to play multiple hands at once.

Multi-Player Game

A game where multiple players can participate in, or compete against each other.

Multiplier

A feature in slot machines that increase your payout amounts by a specific factor.

Multi-way

Also known as multi-line slots, these are slot machines that feature multiple payout lines. They normally have about 5 to 50 payout lines.

Natural

A term designated for players who get impressive outcomes regularly, in an efficient manner.

No deposit bonus

This is a bonus you receive after joining a casino. You’re not required to deposit any funds to claim the bonus. While they’re among the easiest bonuses you can receive, getting any real money from them can be a challenge as they normally have strict requirements. They can be in the form of live poker chips, timed promotions, or fixed amounts of betting cash.

Odds

Measures the possibility of you winning and is used to calculate how much you can win.

Optimal Strategy

A tactic that allows you to reduce your chances of losing, and helps you come up with the best winning chances. It’s used in games that are mainly based on skills. A game such as Blackjack, for instance, requires good decision making and skills; you’ll need an optimal strategy to get as many wins as possible in the game.

Pay table

A grid that tells you the amount you can win.

Payline

This is a line of winning symbols present in a slot game that offers a cash prize.

Payouts

These are the prize winnings that casinos give to players. External parties audit these payouts to ensure they’re offered fairly.

Payout Odds

Payout odds determine the amount you win from a bet, based on your original stake.

Payout Percentage

A percentage of the returns to gamblers usually in the long run. For instance, if a game has a 95% payout percentage, it returns £95 for each £100 wager.

Payout Table

A table that shows the winning amounts for different winning combinations in slots, winning hands in video poker or winning bets in table games.

Pigeon

Pigeon refers to players who don’t have much experience in casino gaming.

Pit Boss

A pit boss is a house’s employee who oversees a designated pit. They ensure that players follow all protocols and help solve any arising disputes.

Pit

Found in land-based casinos, pits are areas that contain various gaming tables. The centre of these groups of tables can only be accessed by casino workers, as all players are restricted entry.

Play Bonus

It’s a type of bonus that players can’t withdraw, as it’s only meant for wagering.

Play For Fun

Games which players can play for free, without wagering their own money. You can try out these games, and get a feel of them to see whether they’re suitable for you.

Progression Betting

A style of betting used by professional players. With a positive progression, you increase your betting amounts after each win. And with negative progression, you reduce your betting amount after each loss.

Progressive Jackpots

These are games that offer massive payouts. Unlike normal jackpots, they normally grow in value every time a player plays the game. If you’re lucky enough to win the progressive jackpot slot, you might walk away with a life-changing amount.

Random Number Generator

This is a program that ensures game results are random in casinos.

Referral Bonus

You can receive this type of bonus after referring your casino to other people. Recommending your friends to your favourite online site can earn you special rewards and extra funds. While it’s popularity has declined in recent times, this bonus is still lucrative, especially in new casinos.

Segregation

This is a process in which a casino separates players money, ensuring it’s in a different account to its business money. This means that a casino can’t use your deposits to fund its business operations. And in case the casino goes under, you have a higher chance of getting your money back.

Shoe

A type of box that casino operators use to hold and distribute cards.

Shuffle

This is the act of rearranging cards randomly.

Side Bet

A bet you place on an outcome that’s not linked to the game’s result. Some casino games like Blackjack, for instance, allow you to place these types of wagers along with your main bet. In blackjack, you can predict whether the sum of your cards’ values to be greater or less than 13. Getting an exact 13 might result in a loss, but some casinos allow bets on exact 13.

SSL Encryption

SSL encryption is a security mechanism that casino sites implement in their websites. This encryption keeps your financial details safe, ensuring you can enter your information without worrying, just as you would with popular e-wallets and online merchants.

Stake

A stake is the total size of your bet.

Stiff

Mainly sued in land-based casinos to refer to players who don’t tip.

Table game

Table games refer to games where you play against the house. In these games, you’ll often one or more dealers controlling the table. They include roulette, baccarat, blackjack and craps.

UK Gambling Commission

This is an independent body that licenses UK casinos. It ensures casinos follow its strict requirements before providing them with a license.

Wagering Requirements

Also referred to as playthrough requirements, these are stipulations put in place to prevent players from fleeing with a casino’s bonus. Casinos prevent incurring huge losses when they offer bonus promotions by imposing wagering requirements. Without them, players would simply receive a bonus, withdraw the money, and make a break for it.

Generally, wagering requirements range from about 30x to 40x. What this means is that you have to bet your bonus amount about 30 to 40 times to get a chance of withdrawing your bonus cash. For example, assume you get a 30x wagering requirement from a 100% matching bonus of up to £100. If you deposit £50, you’ll have to stake at least £1500 to get your bonus amount.

Wager

This is the amount you place as a bet. The term can be used in many games like roulette, blackjack and slots.

Welcome Packages

These are bonuses offered to you when you register for a casino for the first time. In other instances, you can receive a welcome bonus after making your first deposit. They come in the form of either free spins, free betting money, or both. Most casinos these days offer this day bonus to entice players to join them.

Withdrawal method

A banking option that allows you to take money out of your casino account.

Withdrawal

The amount you take out of your casino account. Withdrawals can take between hours and days to be completely processed.