Demystifying Casino Slangs and Jargons

If you're like me, then the first time you ventured into the world of gambling you were hit with a slew of words and phrases you had never heard before. And since you're risking real money when you play, it can be a little intimidating not completely understanding what you hear. You might bet wrong or miss a hand all because you're not familiar with the lingo. Not to worry! Today, we're going to breakdown some of the terms and phrases you're most likely to hear - whether it be at a land based casino or online casino - so that the next time you gear for a session you'll be able to do so confidently. Let's dive in!

Casino Game Terms

We're going to break these down into categories in the hopes of making them easier to understand. First up are terms and phrases you'll most likely hear playing casino games - table or slot.

RTP - This slot term stands for Return To Player and is the average a slot will pay out over a longer period of time.
Volatility - Another slot term, this is how risky a slot is. A slot with high volatility will pay less frequently but have higher payouts while a lower volatility slot will pay more frequently but with smaller wins.
Jackpot - The biggest prize available on a slot machine.
Croupier - Another term for dealer you're most likely to hear when playing roulette or baccarat.
Hit - A blackjack term, this means to take another card.
Stay - Another blackjack term, this means you're happy with your hand and don't want another card.
Double Down - A blackjack term used when a player doubles their original bet and receives one more card.
Split - Blackjack term for when a player has a pair of cards - like two eights - and splits them into two bets.
Bust - When a player exceeds 21 in Blackjack.
No More Bets - Used by the dealers and croupiers on table games, this marks the end of the betting phase.
Pit Boss - The supervisor who overseas all the tables and dealers in a pit.
Pit - A collection of table games in a land based casino.
House Edge - This refers to the built in advantage of casino games.
Bankroll - The amount of money a player has set aside for gambling.
Buy-in - The act of exchanging money for chips at a table game.
Cage - In a land based casino, this is what refers to the cashier.
Bluff - A poker term for when a player bets or raises with a weak hand.
Pot - The total amount of money wagered during a hand of poker.
All-in - When a player bets all their remaining chips.

Sports Betting Terms

Action - This is a general term for having a bet on any given game. To have 'action' on a game means you have bet on it.
Odds - The likelihood of something happening in a game.
Over/Under - A bet placed various aspects of a game - like total points, points for a single player, homers, etc.
Spread - Refers to the differential between two teams in a given game. The better team will have a minus point spread and the worse team will have a positive point spread.
Even Money - When you stand to win the same amount as your original bet.

Other Casino Terms

Chasing your losses - Referee to when a player continues to bet in hopes of making up for losses and getting back to even.
Heater - When a player is on a prolonged winning streak.
Cold Streak - When a player suffers numerous losses consecutively.
High Roller - A bettor who plays with a large bankroll and makes large wagers.
Betting Limits - The minimum and maximum amounts a player can bet on any given game.
Deposit - When a player puts real money into their gambling account.
Withdrawal - When a player takes out real money from their gambling account and into their bank account or crypto wallet.
Down To The Felt - When a player loses everything.
Grind - Playing slowly and methodically and over a longer period of time.
Nickel - Refers to a bet of $500.
Progression Betting - Adding or subtracting bets as the game goes on.
Session - The amount of time a player spends gambling.

Conclusion

So there we have it. Our list of some of the most common phrases you're likely to hear the next time you hit the casino - land based or online. By familiarizing yourself with these you'll feel more confident and feel like you belong with your fellow gamblers!