Casino & Gambling Glossary

Your comprehensive guide to casino and gambling terminology. Learn the meaning of 104+ terms used in online casinos, sports betting, poker, and sweepstakes gaming.

Browse our casino reviews by category: Sweepstakes Casinos, Crypto Casinos, Sportsbooks, and Mystery Box Sites.

A

Action: The total amount of money wagered by a player during a gambling session or over time. High action players are often eligible for VIP rewards.
Accumulator: A bet combining multiple selections where all must win for the bet to pay out. Also known as a parlay or combo bet. Offers higher payouts but greater risk.
Advantage Play: Using legal strategies to gain an edge over the casino, such as card counting in blackjack or exploiting promotional offers.
All-In: Betting all of your remaining chips or bankroll on a single hand or wager.
Ante: A mandatory bet placed before cards are dealt in poker games. Creates the initial pot that players compete for.

B

Bankroll: The total amount of money a player has set aside specifically for gambling. Proper bankroll management is essential for long-term play.
Bonus Abuse: Exploiting casino bonuses in ways that violate terms of service, which can result in account closure and forfeited winnings.
Bonus Buy: Feature in some slots allowing players to purchase direct access to the bonus round for a fixed cost, typically 50-100x the base bet.
Bust: In blackjack, exceeding 21 and automatically losing the hand. In poker, losing all chips and being eliminated from a tournament.
Buy-In: The amount of money required to enter a poker tournament or sit at a table game.

C

Cage: The secure area in a casino where chips are exchanged for cash and financial transactions are processed.
Card Counting: A blackjack strategy involving tracking the ratio of high to low cards remaining in the deck to gain a statistical advantage.
Cashback: A rebate on losses offered by casinos as a promotion. Can be instant or calculated over a period (daily, weekly, monthly).
Cascade: Slot feature where winning symbols disappear and are replaced by new symbols falling from above, allowing multiple wins from a single spin.
Cluster Pays: Slot mechanic where wins are formed by groups of matching symbols touching rather than traditional paylines.
Cold Wallet: Cryptocurrency storage kept offline for security. Reputable crypto casinos store most funds in cold wallets.
Comp Points: Loyalty points earned through wagering that can be exchanged for bonuses, cashback, or other rewards.
Crypto Casino: Online casino that accepts cryptocurrency for deposits and withdrawals, often offering faster transactions and enhanced privacy. Browse our <a href="/crypto/" class="text-accent hover:underline">top crypto casino reviews</a> or read our <a href="/guides/how-to-choose-crypto-casino/" class="text-accent hover:underline">crypto casino guide</a>.

D

Dead Money: Money in a poker pot from players who have folded, making it easier to win with aggressive betting.
Deposit Bonus: Bonus money credited when you deposit funds, typically expressed as a percentage match (e.g., 100% up to $500).
Double Down: Blackjack option to double your bet after seeing your initial cards, receiving only one additional card.
Drop: The total amount of cash exchanged for chips at a gaming table, used to measure table performance.

E

Edge: The mathematical advantage one party has over another in a game. The house edge represents the casino's built-in profit margin.
Expected Value (EV): The average amount you can expect to win or lose per bet over time. Positive EV bets favor the player; negative EV favors the house.
Expanding Wild: Wild symbol that expands to cover an entire reel when it lands, increasing winning potential.

F

Face Cards: Jacks, Queens, and Kings in a standard deck of cards. In blackjack, all face cards are worth 10 points.
Fish: A weak or inexperienced player who is likely to lose money. Term commonly used in poker.
Fixed Odds: Bets where the payout is determined at the time of placing the wager, regardless of subsequent odds changes.
Free Spins: Bonus rounds in slot games where spins cost nothing but can generate real winnings. Also offered as promotional bonuses.

G

Gambler's Fallacy: The mistaken belief that past random events influence future outcomes. Each spin or hand is independent of previous results.
Gold Coins: Virtual currency in sweepstakes casinos used for entertainment play with no cash value.
Grind: Playing conservatively over long sessions to accumulate small, consistent wins or clear bonus requirements.
Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR): Total amount wagered minus total winnings paid out. Represents the casino's total earnings before expenses.

H

Hand: A single round of play in card games, or the cards held by a player.
High Roller: A player who wagers large amounts, typically receiving VIP treatment, special bonuses, and higher limits.
Hit: In blackjack, requesting another card from the dealer to improve your hand.
Hold: The percentage of total wagers retained by the casino as profit over time.
Hot Wallet: Cryptocurrency storage connected to the internet for quick transactions. Contains funds needed for immediate operations.
House Edge: The mathematical advantage the casino has over players, expressed as a percentage. A 2% house edge means the casino keeps $2 of every $100 wagered on average. Compare house edges across games using our <a href="/tools/rtp-comparator/" class="text-accent hover:underline">RTP Comparator tool</a>.

I

Insurance: A side bet in blackjack offered when the dealer shows an Ace, paying 2:1 if the dealer has blackjack. Generally considered a poor bet.
Instant Withdrawal: Withdrawal method that processes immediately or within minutes, most common with cryptocurrency.

J

Jackpot: The top prize in a game, particularly slots. Can be fixed or progressive (growing with each bet placed).
Juice: The commission taken by sportsbooks on bets. Also known as vigorish or vig.

K

Kicker: In poker, a card used to break ties between hands of the same rank.
KYC (Know Your Customer): Verification process requiring players to prove their identity, typically with ID documents and proof of address.

L

Limit: The maximum bet allowed at a table or on a particular wager. Also refers to betting limits in poker.
Live Dealer: Casino games streamed in real-time with human dealers, bridging the gap between online and land-based casino experiences.
Lock: A bet considered almost certain to win. In reality, no bet is truly a "lock."
Loss Limit: A responsible gambling tool setting the maximum amount you can lose in a session or time period.

M

Martingale: A betting system where you double your bet after each loss, attempting to recover losses with a single win. Risky due to table limits and bankroll requirements.
Max Bet: The highest wager allowed on a game. Often required to qualify for progressive jackpots.
Megaways: Slot mechanic by Big Time Gaming featuring variable reel sizes creating up to 117,649 ways to win.
Minimum Deposit: The smallest amount a casino allows you to deposit in a single transaction.
Multiplier: A feature that multiplies winnings by a specified amount (2x, 5x, 100x, etc.).
Mystery Box: In CS2 gambling, a case containing random virtual items (skins) with varying values.

N

Natural: In blackjack, an initial two-card hand totaling 21 (Ace + 10-value card). In baccarat, a two-card hand of 8 or 9.
No Deposit Bonus: Bonus credits or free spins awarded without requiring a deposit. Usually has strict wagering requirements.
Nuts: In poker, the best possible hand given the community cards. Having "the nuts" means you cannot lose.

O

Odds: The probability of an outcome occurring, expressed as a ratio or decimal. Also refers to the payout rate for bets.
Outside Bet: In roulette, bets on outcomes outside the number grid (red/black, odd/even, high/low). Lower payout but higher probability.
Over/Under: A bet on whether the total points/goals in a game will be higher or lower than a specified number.

P

Parlay: A single bet combining multiple selections where all must win for the bet to pay. Higher potential payout, higher risk.
Payline: A line across the reels where matching symbols must land to form a winning combination.
Payout Percentage: The percentage of wagered money a game returns to players over time. Same as RTP (Return to Player).
Pit Boss: Casino supervisor overseeing table games, handling disputes, and monitoring for advantage play.
Progressive Jackpot: A jackpot that grows with each bet placed until someone wins. Can reach millions across linked machines.
Provably Fair: Cryptographic system allowing players to verify the fairness of each game outcome independently.
Push: A tie between player and dealer where the bet is returned. No win, no loss.

R

Rakeback: Return of a percentage of rake (commission) paid in poker games, or a percentage of the house edge on casino games.
Random Number Generator (RNG): Computer algorithm ensuring game outcomes are random and fair. Certified RNGs are tested by third-party auditors.
Rebuy: In poker tournaments, purchasing additional chips after losing your initial stack (when allowed).
Reload Bonus: Bonus offered on deposits after your first, usually smaller than welcome bonuses.
Respins: Additional spins triggered by certain combinations, often with locked wilds or special features.
RTP (Return to Player): The percentage of all wagered money a slot or game will pay back to players over time. A 96% RTP means $96 returned for every $100 wagered on average.

S

Scatter: Symbol that pays regardless of payline position and typically triggers bonus features.
Seed: In provably fair gaming, a string of characters used to generate random outcomes that can be verified.
Session: A period of gambling activity, from sitting down to play until cashing out.
Shark: A skilled player who profits from less experienced opponents. Opposite of fish.
Skin: Virtual cosmetic item in video games, particularly CS2, that can be traded or used in gambling.
Slot Volatility: A measure of risk and reward frequency. High volatility: rare but large wins. Low volatility: frequent but smaller wins.
Spread: In sports betting, the point advantage given to the underdog to level the betting field.
Stake: The amount of money wagered on a bet or hand.
Stand: In blackjack, declining additional cards and playing your current hand total.
Sticky Bonus: Bonus money that cannot be withdrawn, only used for wagering. Winnings from the bonus can be withdrawn.
Sweepstakes Casino: Legal online casino model using virtual currencies (Gold Coins/Sweep Coins) instead of direct gambling, available in most US states.
Sweep Coins: Virtual currency in sweepstakes casinos that can be redeemed for real prizes, obtained through promotions or gameplay.

T

Table Limits: Minimum and maximum bet amounts allowed at a casino table game.
Tell: In poker, a behavioral cue that reveals information about an opponent's hand.
Tilt: Emotional state affecting judgment after losses, often leading to poor decisions and increased losses.
Tournament: Competition where players compete against each other for prizes based on their performance.
True Odds: The actual probability of an outcome occurring, without any house edge built in.
Tumble: Same as cascade - symbols disappear after wins and new symbols fall into place.
Turnover: The total amount wagered over a period, often used to calculate loyalty rewards or meet wagering requirements.

V

Variance: The fluctuation in results from expected outcomes. High variance means bigger swings between wins and losses.
Vigorish (Vig): The commission charged by sportsbooks on bets. Standard vig is 10% on losing bets.
VIP Program: Loyalty scheme rewarding high-volume players with exclusive benefits, bonuses, and personal service.
Volatility: A measure of risk level in games, indicating the frequency and size of payouts. See also: Variance, Slot Volatility.

W

Wagering Requirements: The amount you must bet before bonus funds can be withdrawn. A 30x requirement on a $100 bonus means betting $3,000 total. Learn more in our <a href="/guides/understanding-wagering-requirements/" class="text-accent hover:underline">wagering requirements guide</a> or use our <a href="/tools/bonus-calculator/" class="text-accent hover:underline">bonus calculator</a>.
Whale: An extremely high roller who wagers very large amounts. Casinos actively compete for whale business.
Wild Symbol: Slot symbol that substitutes for other symbols to create winning combinations. Various types include sticky, expanding, and multiplier wilds.
Win Rate: The percentage of bets or sessions that result in profit. Long-term win rate below 50% is expected due to house edge.
Wire Transfer: Bank-to-bank transfer method for deposits and withdrawals. Secure but typically slower than other methods.

X

X Ways: Slot mechanic (popularized by Nolimit City) where special symbols unlock additional ways to win.

Z

Zero: The green pocket on a roulette wheel giving the house its edge. American roulette has both 0 and 00.