Casino Terms and Definitions

Casino Jargon

When you go to the casino you can hear a lot of jargon and it can become awfully confusing. Being confused is not fun, because it can prevent you from playing any of the games being offered due to fear and embarrassment. Below, we’ve created a listing of casino terms and definitions when playing some of the more popular games at the casino. Enjoy.

Baccarat Terms

Baccarat – The name of the game actually means zero. So if you have a hand that is zero, which is the worst hand, it is called baccarat.

Banco – this means bank or banker in Spanish.

Banque – is a version of baccarat that is usually found in Europe. In this version there are three hands, one for the banker and two player hands.

Burning – not necessarily specifically a baccarat term. Burning means discarding a card or cards. In some versions of baccarat after shuffling the top cards on the deck are discarded or burnt.

Chemin De Fer – a version of baccarat that is intended for high rollers. Mostly found and played in Europe.

Face card – also known as picture cards. Can be either Jack, Queen or King irrespective of the suit.

Monkey –  a slang term for face card

Natural –  a hand dealt with the first two cards scoring 8 or 9

Blackjack Terms

21 – a card game also known as blackjack. Pits player vs dealer with closest to 21 the winner.

Blackjack – a card game also known as 21 (twenty one). Pits player vs dealer with closest to 21 the winner.

Bust – if the player or dealer exceeds 21 for their hand value, then they have “busted”. Example of word usage – Often players will “bust”.

Cut – When shuffling the cards, the deck of cards can be divided by a “cut”. Usually players are allowed to “cut” the deck of cards once or twice when a new collection of cards is being used at land casinos. You wouldn’t “cut” a deck of cards for online blackjack.

Discard Tray – the dealer will collect cards after a game has finished and will place them in a “discard tray”. This is not to confuse those cards that have been used with live cards.

Double Down – an option available to the player after the initial cards have been dealt. A dealer may ask “Would you like to double down?” in which a player can reply, “Yes, I would like to double down”.

Draw – could have two meanings. The most common meaning is to add a card to the existing hand. Players may draw a card to add to their hand. Draw could also mean that the value of the dealer and players’ hand are equal.

Early Surrender – An option to a player to forfeit the backjack game early after the first two cards have been dealt. This option is chosen if the player believes the dealer has blackjack and would like to halve (or reduce) his loses.

Hard Hand – a hand that excludes and ace. That is, a hand that can only be summed to one value unlike a hand with an ace which can either be 11 or 1.

Hit – an option that a player has in asking for an additional card. That is, to request from the dealer a card.

Hole Card – when the dealer is dealt his initial two cards, one is face down. The face down card is the hold card.

Insurance – if the player believes the dealer will land on 21, he can place a side wager called “Insurance”. If the dealer achieves 21, the player will win on the side bet “Insurance”, but lose on his normal hand.

Late Surrender – similar to an early surrender, however can occur after the dealers cards have been revealed and are not black jack.

Natural – after the two initial cards are dealt, and the hand is 21, is referred to as a “Natural”.

Push – the dealer and player have the same value of cards on hand. Neither wins or loses.

Side bet – an option that a non-active player has to wager with an active participating player. The Non-active player must ride with the fortunes of the active player.

Shoe – the box to the side of the dealer that holds all the shuffled cards before they are dealt.

Soft Hand – a hand with an ace that can be either 11 or 1.

Split – an option to a player to “split” two identical cards that has been dealt to create two hands for the player.

Stand – an option by the player to communicate to the dealer that no more additional cards are needed.

Stiff Hand – a hand that can bust on a draw of one card.

Surrender – a player can surrender in order to lose only half the amount wagered.

Upcard – the other card of the dealer’s hole card. The card that is face up, on the dealers initial two cards.

Surrender – a player can surrender in order to lose only half the amount wagered.

Upcard – the other card of the dealer’s hole card. The card that is face up, on the dealers initial two cards.

Craps Terms

Any Craps – a.k.a Three Way wagering that the next shooter roll will either be 2, 3, or 12. Odds of winning 8:1, Pays 7:1

Any Seven – a.k.a Big Red wagering that the next shooter roll will be 7. Odds of winning 5:1, Pays 4:1

Big 6 or Big 8 – wagering that the next shooter roll will be 6 or 8. Odds of winning 6:5, Pays 1:1

Boxman – the supervisor of the craps game. employee in control of the craps game

Box Numbers – have the lowest house edge, are 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10

Come Bet – same as a pass line bet, but is made after the shooter passes a point

Come Out Roll – the first and most important roll of a craps game

Crap – a roll of 2, 3 or 12

Don’t Come Bet – similar to the Don’t Pass Bet, except it is made after the shooter passes a point

Don’t Pass Bet – wagering that the first roll will be either a 2,3 or 12 and not a 7 or 11

Hardway Bet – wagering that the roll will show evens and are a pairs combination

Inside –the numbers 5, 6, 8, and 9

Line Bet – betting on the pass line

Little Joe – a pair of 2’s. (adding to 4)

Outside – the numbers 4, 5, 9, and 10

Pass Line – the most played wager. Wins on the initial roll, if a 7 or 11, loses on a 2, 3, or 12

Point – a number rolled besides those in the pass line on the come out. The number become the point

Snake Eyes – a pair of 1’s

Stickman – the casino staff person that collects, controls and manages the game

Slot Machine Terms

Bonus Game – a game that has been awarded to the player as a complimentary or extra game

Buy-A-Pay – a slot machines that has multi prizes for multi coin play

Carousel – a collection of slot machines together in one location

Credit – represents monetary value for wager denominations

Hit – a win

Jackpot – a win on the largest pay out

Max Bet – the maximum credit that can be used to play on a bet or a line

Multi-line Game – many lines can be played on the slot game which can lead to a win

Multiplier – a variation of a slot game which game play allows the prize to be multiplied

Pay Line – a line combination which if appears will result in a hit, jackpot or prizes

Pay Table – a reference table showing what combinations will result in what pay outs

Progressive Jackpot – the jackpot gradually increases in prize pool as more and more people play, until there is a winner

Reels – old school slot machines were created with reels, which turn after the level has been pulled

Scatter Symbol – a wild card symbol which can appear anywhere on the reels (not necessarily on the pay line) and will result in a hit or prize

Wild Symbol – a symbol that can represent any symbol

Video Poker Terms

Bonus Poker – a type of poker game in which the high value cards achieve a bonus

Deuces Wild Poker – a type of video poker which when cards valued 2 are deemed as wild cards

Double Bonus Poker – a type of video poker variant in which the high value cards achieve a bonus

Double Double Bonus Poker – a type of video poker in which a kicker is used to increase winnings

Flush – a type of hand which which are all of the same suite

Full House – a type of hand which has three of a kind and a pair

Joker Poker – a type of video poker that uses single card (usually the Joker) as a wild card

Natural Royal – a type of hand which is a royal flush with no wild cards

Royal Flush – a type of hand which consists of a straight flush made up of the highest-ranked cards; 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace

Straight – a type of hand in which the card values are consecutive

Straight Flush – a type of hand which is a straight of the same suite

Wild Royal – a type of hand which is a royal flush consisting of wildcards

Roulette Terms

American Wheel – a variation of roulette. The game wheel has 38 slots, 0, 00 and numbers 1 to 36

Backtrack – the roulette wheel has an outer rim where the ball is initial spun from. This is called the back track

Chameleon Strategy – someone who copies another player’s strategy

Column Bet – a type of bet placed on a column. There are 3 columns; either 1-12,13-24 or 24-36

Corner Bet – a type of bet placed four number that form a square on the roulette grid

Croupier – the casino employee who manages the roulette table, similar to a dealer for blackjack or poker

Dozens Bet – a type of bet on 12 numbers in a group

En Prison – Found mostly in Europe as a variation to roulette

European Wheel – a variation of roulette. The game wheel has 37 slots, 0 and numbers 1 to 36

Five-Number Bet – a type of bet placed on the group of numbers 0, 00, 1, 2, and 3

Inside Bet – a type of bet that is placed inside the layout. Any money placed on the numbers

High Bet – a type of bet placed on a group of numbers 19 to 36

Low Bet – type of bet placed on a group of numbers 1 to 18

Outside Bet – a type of bet that is placed outside the layout. Any even-money bet or 2 to 1 odds bet

Street Bet – a type of bet placed on 3 numbers

Poker Terms

All-In – an action by the player to wager all their money on one play

Ante – a wager required by every player to start the game

Back Raise – another term for re-raise

Bad Beat – a term for losing a strong hand

Big Blind – a wager that is required to start the initial pot

Call – an action which signifies joining the play by matching a wager

Community Cards – shared by all players and are dealt face up in the middle of the table

Door Card – the first card that is dealt face up

Flat Limit – all wagers are the same amount by each player

Freeroll – a type of tournament with no entry free

High-Low – a type of poker game where the best and worst hand splits the pot

Limit Poker – a type of poker game where there is a maximum bet amount

No-Limit Poker – a type of poker game where there are maximum bet amounts

Pat Hand – a type of hand that is a winner on initial deal

Pocket – a cards first dealt to the players

Pot – the amount of money that has been placed to wager in the game.

Pot Limit – the amount of money that has been placed to wager in the game is restricted in size

Raise – to increase the amount wagered

River – the last card dealt

Rock – a player who is conservative with their wagers

Showdown – all players show their cards at the end of the game

Small Blind – a wager that is required to start the initial pot

Suited – a hand in which two or more cards are of the same suite

Tight – a player who plays not many hands

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