Besides the most obvious perks of gambling, including the chances of getting filthy rich overnight, the beauty also lies in the universality of the games, the common spirit shared by players across the globe. This is to a great extent thanks to the unique set of terms used by every passionate player everywhere in the world. Knowing how to communicate with fellow gamblers makes gambling more personal, and a much more cultured experience. Therefore, we prepared the list of 20 ultimate casino terms and their explanations for you to learn before you go gambling -prepare to embrace the casino lingo!
1. Action
Starting from the most basic of casino terms, action stands for casino play. It is common to hear a dealer say ‘’The action is on you’’ at the table games, like roulette or blackjack, which signifies your turn.
2. Bankroll
You’ve probably heard or read multiple times about the importance of setting limits for your bankroll if you want to keep your finances stable and not bankrupt thanks to adrenaline-rushed decisions. So, the amount of money you allocate for gambling is called a bankroll. Remember, this is not and should never be your total bank balance. However, while for most players, bankroll refers to the cash set aside for gambling, professional players will call bankroll the total they use for ‘’work’’.
3. Bet and betting limits
Bet may be too simple to explain, but it does not hurt to revise the old vocabulary anyways. Bet is also known as a wager and it refers to the amount you bring to the table, or the amount you spend on the slot machine spin. Another term often used – betting limits – has nothing to do with your personal budgeting, but the maximum bet of the table. Not all games have their betting limits, but blackjack and roulette almost always do, and hence it’s important to pay attention and understand the meaning of the gambling terms once you’re at the table.
4. Buy-in
In order to play, you need the currencies for casinos, that is, tokens. Tokens are bought through converting cash for the equivalents, usually called chips, another term that is yet to be explained. The total of chips or tokens you spend is what is known as buy-in. When it comes to poker tournaments, the buy-in also refers to the cost of entering the tournament.
5. Cage
Cage is an important concept since without it you would be walking out of the casino empty-handed most likely. To be more precise, once you make a profit – and we hope you do during every casino visit – the money you made will not be handed to you by a dealer or casino owner. You will have to visit the cage, a secure area of the casino that gathers chips, converts them and gives back your hard-earned money. Cage is a word you want to know and an object you will definitely want to use in a casino.
6. Card sharp
You might not be at that level yet, but soon enough someone at the casino might call you a card sharp. Tellingly, card sharps are pro players, highly skilled in a particular game and the ones to be wary of if playing poker, because in contrast to blackjack when you’re not threatened by the players around you, in poker card sharps will be piling your chips.
7. Card Washing
No, there is no washing of cards involved in the casino, even during COVID-19 times. But there is something known as card washing intended to reassure the players of the dealer’s transparency and fair game. Nowadays, modern casinos have machines that “wash” the cards to save time, but traditionally dealers would spread the cards face down and shuffle them in front of the players.
8. Chips
This may be one of the most known casino terms, as it is a common nomenclature, even for board games. Chips are what we call coins that signify the currency of casino gamblers. These come in many variations, including colouring and denominations, and they tend to be a subject of fiddling and riffling among players. Tellingly, this is a must-know term as chips are your tokens for casino table games.
9. Comps
Points in casinos are known as comps and they can be useful if you decide to sign up for the rewards club, which you should. These comps can later be converted into a tangible reward, chips, a free buffet, or money depending on the casino’s policies.
10. Croupier
Croupier is not as usual, but useful to know as it can contribute to your casino jargon eloquence. It is a French term for table dealer.
11. Double or nothing
Easy to understand, but essential to take into consideration when investing. Double or nothing is a type of bet that is even money, meaning that if you win, you get double your money, but if you lose, you get nothing or lose everything.
12. Face Cards
Face cards are the jacks, queens, and kings in a deck of cards, also known as picture cards. What matters is to remember which ones are these since in most casino games they are valued at ten.
13. High Roller
High roller refers to a player with high stakes, a skilled gambler who will risk more to win more. Be careful if you’re aiming to become one, it takes a lot of time and skill not to be just another whale!
14. House
The house is the casino itself. The most common expression out there is that ‘’the house always wins’’ and it is sadly a true one. Casinos are programmed in a way to always favor the house, and this is called the house edge. Without it, casinos would close down.
15. Juice
Juice or vig is a term for the commission that is required for certain casino plays such as craps, sportsbooks or baccarat.
16. Pit Boss
Pit Boss is the table’s bodyguard. This is a formally dressed staff member standing at a station near to the dealers, seemingly with no purpose, but their job is to oversee the situations at all times and ensure a fair and transparent game.
17. Railbird
Passive casino lovers are known as railbirds. These are individuals who get the gigs from watching other players instead of playing themselves. However, there are rules they must obey, one of them watching from a safe distance so as not to distract the players or influence a game in any possible way.
18. Running cold or hot
Logically, running cold and hot refers to how you’re doing in a game at a particular moment. The losing streak is running cold while piling wins is running hot.
19. Toke
A toke is just a synonym for a tip. Just like in other service-providing industries, it is polite to tip the dealer now and then, particularly after a winning streak.
20. Whale
Whales are every casino’s dream. They are typically filthy rich individuals who aren’t too skilled in gambling but only looking to have some fun and gamble some money away. They don’t have low bankroll limits and are not afraid of big losses – in one sentence, the gambling industry feeds off players like these.
Now when we got you covered with a glossary of casino terminology, you are all set and ready to take some spins, roll a dice or hit the jackpot.
