Gambling terms glossary

Accumulator

A single bet made up of several selections where every leg must win. The odds multiply together, so returns grow quickly but the strike rate falls. Called a parlay in the US.

Across the Board

In horse racing, backing one runner to win, place and show at the same time. Effectively three equal bets on one ticket.

Action

Money in play. Can mean a player's total wagering across a session, or how much betting volume a market is attracting.

Active Player

In poker, anyone still holding cards and involved in the current hand.

Add-On

An optional chip purchase in a poker tournament, normally offered at the end of the rebuy period and open to every player regardless of stack size.

Against the Spread (ATS)

Betting on the handicap rather than the outright winner. A team's ATS record tracks how often it beat the spread, not how often it won.

Aggregate Limit

The ceiling on what a casino will pay out across a single game or event.

Aggregate Winnings

The combined total of everything a player has won over a defined period.

Aggressive

A poker style built on frequent betting and raising rather than calling and waiting.

All-In

Committing every remaining chip to one hand. You can win only up to the amount you put in, but you cannot be forced out of the pot.

All or Nothing

A keno ticket that pays only if every number you picked is drawn, or if none of them is.

American Odds

Odds shown with a plus or minus sign. A minus number is the stake needed to win 100; a plus number is the profit on a stake of 100. Also called moneyline odds.

American Roulette

The 38-pocket wheel carrying both a zero and a double zero. House edge 5.26%, roughly double the European version.

Ante

A compulsory bet every player puts in before cards are dealt, so there is always something in the pot to play for.

Ante-Post

A bet struck well ahead of the event. Prices are bigger, but the stake is usually lost if your selection does not take part.

Any Craps

A one-roll craps bet that the next throw lands 2, 3 or 12. Pays 7 to 1 and carries a high house edge.

Arbitrage

Covering every outcome of an event across different bookmakers at prices that guarantee a profit whatever happens. Also called arbing or sure betting.

Arcade Casino

See Automat Club.

Arm

A craps player believed to be able to influence the dice with a controlled throw. Casinos counter the idea by requiring every throw to hit the back wall.

Asian Handicap

Football handicap betting in quarter- and half-goal increments that removes the draw, so every bet settles as a win or a loss with no push.

Automat Club

A venue filled with automated machines and no table staff. Also called a slot hall, videomat casino or arcade casino.

Autoplay

A slot setting that spins a chosen number of times automatically, usually with optional loss and win stops.

Baccarat

Card game where you back the Player hand, the Banker hand or a tie. Drawing follows fixed rules and no decisions are made after the bet. Banker carries the lowest edge at around 1.06%.

Backdoor Cover

A late, meaningless score that flips the point spread result without changing who won the game.

Bad Beat

Losing from a position where you were a heavy favourite, usually through an unlikely turn of events.

Banker

In baccarat, one of the two hands dealt. In sports betting, a selection treated as near certain and used as the anchor of an accumulator.

Bankroll

Money set aside specifically for gambling and kept separate from everything else.

Bankroll Management

Deciding in advance what share of that money goes on any one bet or session, so a losing run does not wipe you out.

Beef

A dispute between a player and the house over the outcome or settlement of a bet.

Beginner's Luck

An early winning run by an inexperienced player. It has no statistical basis.

Bet

A single instance of risking money on an outcome.

Bet Builder

A sportsbook feature for combining several markets from the same match into one bet.

Betting Exchange

A platform where players bet against each other rather than against a bookmaker. One side backs an outcome, another lays it, and the operator takes commission on winnings.

Betting Limit

The smallest and largest amount accepted on a given game or market.

Betting Round

One cycle of betting in which each player in turn can bet, call, raise, check or fold.

Big Blind

The larger of the two forced bets in poker, posted two seats left of the button, and normally the minimum opening bet for the round.

Black Book

Nevada's list of individuals formally barred from entering licensed casinos.

Black Chip

A chip worth 100 in most American casinos.

Blackjack

Table game where you try to finish closer to 21 than the dealer without going over. Also the name of an ace plus a ten-value card, usually paid at 3 to 2.

Blind

A forced bet posted before any cards are dealt. Blinds rotate around the table so every player contributes.

Bluff

Betting or raising a weak hand to represent a strong one and force better hands to fold.

Board

The community cards face up on the table in games such as Hold'em and Omaha.

Bonus

Promotional funds, spins or free bets offered by an operator, almost always tied to wagering conditions.

Bonus Abuse

Using promotions in ways the operator treats as outside the spirit of the offer. Can cost you the bonus, the winnings or the account.

Bonus Code

A string entered at registration or deposit to unlock a specific offer.

Bookmaker

A person or company that prices events and accepts bets on them. Also called a bookie or sportsbook.

Boxcars

Craps slang for rolling a total of twelve, two sixes. Also called midnight.

Bug

The joker, used as a limited wild card in some games.

Burn Card

A card removed face down before dealing, used to protect the integrity of the deal if anyone has glimpsed the top card.

Bust

Going over 21 in blackjack, which loses immediately regardless of what the dealer holds.

Buy-In

The cash exchanged for chips before joining a table, or the entry fee for a tournament.

Buy Points

Paying worse odds in exchange for moving a spread or total in your favour, for example shifting -7 to -6.5.

Cage

The cashier's window where chips are bought and redeemed.

Call

Matching the current bet to stay in the hand without raising.

Canadian Bet

A 26-bet combination on five selections, made up of doubles, trebles, four-folds and one five-fold. Also called a Super Yankee.

Card Counting

Tracking the ratio of high to low cards left in the shoe to judge when the deck favours the player. Not illegal, but casinos will bar anyone doing it.

Card Shark

A strong, experienced card player. Note that the near-identical 'card sharp' implies cheating.

Carpet Joint

American slang for an upmarket casino. The opposite of a sawdust joint.

Cashback

A promotion returning a share of losses over a set period, paid either as cash or as bonus funds.

Cash Out

Settling a bet before the event finishes, at a price the book offers based on the current state of play. Lets you lock in a profit or cut a loss early.

Casino Advantage

Another name for the house edge.

Chalk

The favourite. Backing chalk means siding with the expected winner at short odds.

Chase / Chasing Losses

Raising stakes or extending a session to win back what has already gone. One of the clearest warning signs of a gambling problem.

Check

Declining to bet when nobody has bet before you, keeping your hand alive at no cost.

Chips

Tokens standing in for cash at the tables, colour-coded by denomination.

Circled Game

A market with reduced limits, usually because of injury, weather or other unresolved uncertainty.

Closing Line

The final price before an event starts. Consistently beating it is the standard measure of long-term betting skill.

Cold

A player or machine on a losing run. Past results say nothing about the next one.

Cold Call

In poker, calling a bet and a raise in one action without having put money in that round.

Cold Table

A table where most of the players are consistently losing.

Column Bet

A roulette bet on one of the three columns of twelve numbers, paying 2 to 1.

Come Bet

A craps bet placed after the point is set, working like a fresh Pass Line bet from the next roll.

Commission

A fee taken on winnings. Standard at 5% on banker wins in baccarat and charged on net winnings at betting exchanges.

Comp

Something given free by the casino based on how much you play: meals, rooms, tickets or play credit.

Comped

Having a meal, room or play credit covered by the casino on the strength of your play.

Comp Points

Loyalty points earned through play and exchangeable for bonus funds, free spins or other rewards.

Corner Bet

A roulette bet on four numbers meeting at one intersection, paying 8 to 1. Also called a square or quarter bet.

Cover

Beating the point spread, not merely winning the game.

Craps

Dice game with dozens of betting options. Pass Line and Don't Pass carry the lowest house edge on the table.

Croupier

The dealer at a table game. French in origin and most often used for roulette and baccarat.

D'Alembert System

A staking system that raises the stake by one unit after a loss and lowers it by one after a win.

Dead Heat

A tie for a finishing position. The stake is divided by the number of runners involved and each part settled at full odds.

Dealer

The employee who deals the cards and runs the game. In poker the dealer position also rotates to set the betting order.

Dealer Button

The disc marking who is nominally dealing in poker. It moves one seat clockwise after each hand.

Decimal Odds

Odds as a single number. Stake multiplied by the number gives the total return including the stake. Standard in Europe, Canada and Australia.

Deposit Bonus

Extra funds matching a percentage of what you pay in, subject to wagering requirements.

Deuce

A two, whether on a card or a die.

Dime

Betting slang for a wager of 1,000.

Discard Tray

The tray beside the dealer holding cards already played.

Dolly

The marker placed over the winning number at an American roulette table.

Don't Come

A craps bet made after the point is set, effectively betting against the shooter from the next roll.

Don't Pass

A craps bet made before the come-out roll, betting against the shooter. Carries a slightly lower house edge than the Pass Line.

Double

An accumulator with exactly two legs. Both must win.

Double Down

Doubling your blackjack bet after seeing your first two cards, in return for exactly one more card.

Double Street

A roulette bet covering six numbers across two adjacent rows, paying 5 to 1. Also called a line bet.

Dozen Bet

A roulette bet on one of three blocks of twelve numbers, paying 2 to 1.

Draw

Taking replacement cards in poker, or a tied result in sports betting.

Drift

Odds lengthening on a selection, usually a sign that support is weakening or that new information has emerged.

Drop

The total cash and chips taken at a table over a shift.

Drop Box

The locked box beneath the table into which that money goes.

Each Way

A bet split in two: half on the selection to win, half on it to place at reduced odds. Common in racing and golf.

eCOGRA

An independent testing and certification body for online gaming fairness and player protection.

Edge

Any advantage held by one side. The house edge belongs to the casino; a skilled bettor can hold one of their own.

En Prison

A French roulette rule that holds an even-money bet for one more spin when zero lands, rather than losing it outright.

European Roulette

The 37-pocket single-zero wheel. House edge 2.70%, around half that of the American version.

Even Money

A price that returns the same profit as the stake: 1/1 fractional, 2.00 decimal or +100 American.

Exotic Bet

Anything beyond a straight win or lose, such as forecasts, tricasts and prop markets.

Expected Value (EV)

The average result per bet if the same bet were repeated indefinitely. Positive EV is profitable over the long run, negative EV is not.

Exposure

How much a bookmaker stands to lose on one outcome, or a bettor's total risk across all open bets.

Eye in the Sky

The ceiling-mounted surveillance system watching the casino floor.

Face Card

Jack, queen or king. Worth ten in blackjack and nothing in baccarat. Also called paint.

Fade

Betting against a particular team, tipster or the betting public.

Favourite

The outcome judged most likely, carrying the shorter price and the smaller payout.

Ficheur

The device used to sort and separate coloured roulette chips.

Fifth Street

The final community card in Texas Hold'em. Also called the river.

Fill

The card that completes a made hand in poker. Also used for replenishing a table's chip tray.

Finale Schnaps

A French roulette call covering the numbers made of a repeated digit: 11, 22 and 33.

First Half Bet

A wager settled on the first half alone, independent of the final result.

Fish

An inexperienced or losing player, most often said of poker. The opposite of a shark.

Fixed Odds

Odds locked in at the moment the bet is placed, whatever happens to the market afterwards.

Flat Betting

Staking the same amount every time regardless of confidence or recent results. The most conservative staking approach.

Flea

A player who expects comps and favours while betting almost nothing.

Flop

The first three community cards, dealt face up together in Hold'em and Omaha.

Flush

Five cards of one suit in any order. Beats a straight, loses to a full house.

Fold

Giving up your hand and everything already committed to the pot.

Forecast

Picking first and second in the correct order in racing. A reverse forecast covers both orders at double the stake.

Fractional Odds

Odds written as a fraction: the first number is the profit, the second the stake. Traditional in the UK and Ireland.

Free Bet

A promotional stake put up by the operator. Winnings are usually paid without the stake returned.

Freeroll

A tournament with no entry fee but a real prize pool, used to attract new players.

Free Spins

Slot spins that cost nothing, awarded as a promotion or triggered in game by landing specific symbols.

French Roulette

Single-zero roulette with the La Partage and En Prison rules, cutting the edge on even-money bets to 1.35%.

Full House

Three of a kind plus a pair. Beats a flush, loses to four of a kind.

Futures

A bet on something decided later, such as an outright champion before a season starts.

Gambler's Fallacy

The false belief that past results change future odds in a game of chance. Ten reds in a row do not make black any more likely.

Gambling

Staking something of value on an outcome that is uncertain.

George

Dealer slang for a generous tipper.

Grand Salami

An over/under on the combined score of every game on a given day in one sport, most common in hockey and baseball.

Grease

Slang for a bribe.

Grind

Playing long sessions at small stakes for slow, steady returns rather than big wins.

Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR)

Total wagers minus total winnings paid out. The headline measure of operator revenue before costs.

Halftime Bet

A bet on the second half only, priced on the state of the game at the interval.

Hand

The cards held by a player, or a single round of play in a card game.

Handicap

Points, goals or strokes given to the weaker side to level out a market.

Handle

The total amount wagered on an event or over a period. Not the same as what the operator keeps.

Hard Hand

A blackjack hand containing no ace, or one where the ace must count as 1. A hard 16 has no flexibility left.

Hardway

A craps bet that an even number arrives as a pair before a 7 or before the same total in any other combination.

Hedge

Betting the other side of a position you already hold, to lock in a return or cut risk.

High Roller

A player who consistently stakes large amounts and is treated accordingly.

Hit

Asking the dealer for another card in blackjack.

Hold

The share of money wagered that the operator actually keeps. Based on real results rather than theoretical averages.

Hole Card

A card dealt face down and hidden from other players.

Hook

Slang for the half point on a spread. It removes the possibility of a push.

Hot

A player or machine on a winning run. Describes the past and predicts nothing.

Hot Hand

A run of wins, usually said at the poker or blackjack table.

House

The casino or operator.

House Edge

The built-in mathematical advantage held by the operator, expressed as a percentage of everything staked. A 2% edge means the house expects to keep 2 of every 100 wagered.

House Rules

Rules that vary between venues, and sometimes between tables in the same venue.

If Bet

A conditional wager where the second leg is only placed if the first one wins.

In-Play Betting

Betting on an event already under way, with prices moving in real time. Also called live betting.

Inside Bet

A roulette bet placed on the numbered grid itself. Bigger payouts, lower probability.

Insurance

A blackjack side bet offered when the dealer shows an ace, paying 2 to 1 if they have blackjack. Mathematically a poor bet in most situations.

Irregular Playing Patterns

Play designed purely to clear a bonus at minimum risk, which operators treat as bonus abuse.

IVT

Interactive Video Terminal.

Jackpot

The top prize in a game. Fixed jackpots pay a set amount; progressive ones grow until won.

Juice

The bookmaker's cut built into the price. Also called vig or margin. Standard juice on a spread is -110 each side.

Junket

An organised casino trip with travel and accommodation subsidised in exchange for a commitment to play.

Kalooki

A rummy variant played with wild cards, also known as Jamaican rummy.

Kelly Criterion

A formula for sizing bets in proportion to your edge, aimed at maximising long-run bankroll growth. Only as good as your probability estimate.

Keno

A lottery-style draw game. Simple to play and carrying one of the highest house edges available.

Kicker

The highest side card, used to break ties between otherwise equal hands.

Ladderman

The supervisor seated above a baccarat table.

La Partage

A French roulette rule returning half an even-money stake when the ball lands on zero.

Layoff

A bookmaker placing a bet elsewhere to reduce exposure on one side of a market.

Layout

The printed cloth on a table showing where each bet is placed.

Limit

The maximum a casino or book will accept on a game or market. Can be cut for individual accounts.

Limp

Entering a poker pot by calling the big blind rather than raising.

Line

The odds or spread posted on an event.

Line Movement

A change in the posted price after a market opens, driven by volume, news or sharp money.

Live Betting

See In-Play Betting.

Live Casino

Online games run by real dealers and streamed in real time, with bets placed through a digital interface.

Live Dealer

The person dealing cards or spinning the wheel in a streamed live casino game.

Lock

A bet someone is certain about. No bet is ever actually a lock.

Long Shot

A selection with a low chance of winning and a correspondingly big price.

Loss Limit

A cap on losses over a session or period, set by the player or enforced by the operator.

Low Poker

Poker in which the lowest hand wins. Also called lowball.

Lucky 15

A 15-bet combination on four selections, including singles. A consolation bonus usually applies if only one wins.

Lucky 31

A 31-bet combination on five selections, including singles.

Margin

The bookmaker's built-in profit across a market, expressed as the amount by which implied probabilities exceed 100%. Also called overround.

Marker

A line of credit issued by a casino, repayable later.

Marker Limit

The maximum credit a casino is willing to extend to a player.

Martingale

Doubling the stake after every loss so that one win recovers everything. Table limits and finite bankrolls are why it fails in practice.

Match Bonus

A deposit bonus matching a set percentage of what you pay in. A 100% match doubles the deposit.

Maximum Bet

The largest stake accepted on a single bet or spin.

Megalats Jackpot

A linked jackpot pooling contributions from every machine wired to the same network.

Megaways

A slot mechanic developed by Big Time Gaming where the symbol count per reel changes each spin, producing up to 117,649 ways to win.

Middle

Winning both sides of a market by taking opposite positions at different lines and having the result fall between them.

Minimum Bet

The smallest stake a game or market will accept.

Moneyline

A bet on the outright winner with no handicap involved. The simplest sports bet there is.

Multi-Bet

See Accumulator.

Multiplier

A feature that multiplies a win by a set factor. A 5x multiplier turns a win of 10 into 50.

Mush

A bettor treated as a jinx, whose picks seem always to lose.

Natural

A two-card hand of a particular total: 21 in blackjack, 8 or 9 in baccarat, 7 or 11 on a craps come-out roll.

Negative Expectation

A bet or game designed to lose money over the long run.

Nickel

Betting slang for a wager of 500.

No Deposit Bonus

Bonus credit given without any deposit. Usually small and carrying higher wagering requirements than a deposit offer.

Non-Negotiable Chips

Promotional chips that can be staked but not cashed in.

Non-Value Chip

A roulette chip with no printed denomination. Its worth comes from the buy-in divided across the stack.

Novelty Bet

A bet on a non-sporting event such as an election, an awards show or a reality TV result.

Number Pool

The range a draw game selects from: 1-80 in keno, 1-75 or 1-90 in bingo, typically 1-60 in lotteries.

Nut

A player's target figure for the day. In house usage, the casino's running costs.

Odds

The expression of how likely an outcome is and what it pays. Written as decimal, fractional or American, all carrying the same information.

Odds-On

A price implying better than a 50% chance, returning less profit than the stake risked.

Odds Boost

A temporary promotional price set above the standard market.

Odds Compiler

The person who sets and adjusts prices for a bookmaker. Also called a trader or oddsmaker.

Off the Board

A market temporarily withdrawn from betting, usually pending news such as a lineup or injury update.

On Tilt

Playing emotionally after a bad run, which normally makes things worse. Stepping away is the only reliable fix.

Open

The first player to place a bet in a poker round.

Opening Line

The first price posted on a market, before volume and news move it.

Optimal Strategy

The mathematically best set of decisions in a game where outcomes can be calculated, such as blackjack or video poker.

Outright

A bet on the winner of a whole competition rather than a single match.

Outside Bet

A roulette bet placed outside the number grid: red/black, odd/even, dozens or columns. Lower payouts, higher strike rate.

Over/Under

A bet on whether a total will finish above or below a posted number. Also called a totals bet.

Overlay

A price better than the true chance of the outcome, giving the bettor the edge.

Overround

The total implied probability of a market above 100%, representing the bookmaker's built-in profit.

Paint

See Face Card.

Pair

Two cards of matching rank.

Parlay

See Accumulator. The standard term in the US.

Paroli

A staking system that increases the stake after each win rather than after each loss.

Pass Line

The core craps bet, placed before the come-out roll. Wins on 7 or 11, loses on 2, 3 or 12, otherwise sets the point.

Patent

A seven-bet combination on three selections that includes singles, so one winner still returns something.

Payline

A line across the reels along which matching symbols must land to form a winning combination.

Payout

The total returned on a winning bet, stake included.

Payout Percentage

See Return to Player.

Pay Table

The list of payouts for each winning combination in a game. Worth checking before you play, since operators can run different versions of the same game.

Pick 'em

A market with no favourite, where the spread is zero and you simply pick the winner.

Pigeon

An unsophisticated player, easily exploited by stronger opponents.

Pit

The area of the floor containing the table games.

Pit Boss

The supervisor responsible for a group of tables, handling disputes and watching for cheating.

Point

In craps, the number set on the come-out roll that the shooter must repeat before rolling a 7.

Pokies

Australian and New Zealand term for slot machines.

Pot

The total staked by all players in a single hand of poker.

Progressive Jackpot

A prize that grows with every bet placed until someone wins it, then resets to a base amount. Can be linked across many games or casinos.

Progressive Slot

A slot machine attached to a progressive jackpot pool.

Prop Bet

A bet on something within a game that does not depend on the final result, such as the first scorer or the number of corners.

Provider

The studio that develops casino games and sets their RTP, volatility and features.

Puck Line

Ice hockey's standard point spread, set at 1.5 goals.

Punto Banco

The most widely dealt form of baccarat, with the house always banking and no player decisions after the bet.

Push

A tied result where the stake is simply returned, with neither a win nor a loss.

Quads

Four of a kind in poker.

Qualifier

The condition that must be met for a bet or bonus to count, such as a minimum qualifying stake.

Raise

Increasing the current bet, forcing other players to match it, fold or re-raise.

Rake

The poker room's cut of each pot, normally a percentage up to a capped maximum. It is how the house profits from a game players play against each other.

Random Number Generator (RNG)

The software producing unpredictable outcomes in online games. Licensed operators must have it certified by an independent testing laboratory.

Rank

The value of a card or hand relative to others.

Re-Spin

A feature that respins one or more reels at no extra cost, often triggered by specific symbol combinations.

Rebuy

Buying additional chips during the designated early stage of a poker tournament.

Reel

A vertical column of symbols on a slot machine. Classic slots have three, most video slots five or more.

Reload Bonus

A deposit bonus for existing players, usually a smaller percentage than the welcome offer.

Responsible Gambling

Treating gambling as entertainment and keeping control of time and money spent. Licensed operators must provide deposit limits, loss limits, session reminders, cooling-off periods and self-exclusion.

Return to Player (RTP)

The share of all money staked that a game returns to players over the long run. A 96% RTP means a 4% house edge. It is a theoretical figure across millions of rounds, not a session forecast.

Read the full guide

River

The fifth and final community card in Texas Hold'em, dealt before the last round of betting.

Rollover

See Wagering Requirement.

Roulette

Wheel game where a ball settles into a numbered pocket. Single-zero European and French versions give better odds than the American double-zero wheel.

Round Robin

A combination bet creating parlays from every possible pairing within a group of selections, so not every leg has to win to return something.

Royal Flush

Ace, king, queen, jack and ten all in one suit. The best hand in poker and unbeatable.

Same-Game Parlay

An accumulator built entirely from markets within a single match. Also called a bet builder.

Sawdust Joint

American slang for a plain, no-frills casino. The opposite of a carpet joint.

Scatter

A slot symbol that pays or triggers a feature wherever it lands, without needing to sit on a payline.

Self-Exclusion

Voluntarily barring yourself from an operator for a fixed period, during which they must block your account and stop marketing to you.

Session

One continuous period of play.

Shark

A strong player, especially at poker, who makes money from weaker opponents.

Sharp

A professional bettor whose money moves markets. Books track sharp action closely. The opposite of a square.

Shiner

A small mirror used by cheats to glimpse an opponent's cards.

Shoe

The box holding several decks of cards from which the dealer draws. Blackjack and baccarat typically use six or eight decks.

Side Bet

An optional extra wager alongside the main bet in a table game, usually carrying a much higher house edge.

Single

A bet on one selection in one event. The simplest form of sports bet.

Slot Machine

A reel game that pays for matching symbols across active paylines or ways. Modern versions add free spins, multipliers, bonus rounds and jackpots.

Small Blind

The smaller of the two forced bets in poker, posted immediately left of the button and usually half the big blind.

Snake Eyes

Craps slang for rolling two ones, a total of 2. Also called aces.

Soft Hand

A blackjack hand counting an ace as 11, so one more card cannot bust it.

Split

Dividing a blackjack pair into two separate hands with separate bets. In roulette, a bet on two adjacent numbers.

Spread

The handicap applied to the favourite in a points market. Betting the spread means backing the margin, not the winner.

Square

A casual bettor who backs favourites and popular teams without deep analysis. The opposite of a sharp.

Stake

The amount of money risked on a single bet.

Stand

Declining any further cards in blackjack.

Steam

Fast, heavy line movement across several books at once, usually driven by sharp money or syndicates.

Sticky Bonus

Bonus credit you can play with but never withdraw. It is stripped from the balance when you request a cash-out.

Straight

Five cards in sequence but not all of one suit.

Straight Bet

A single wager on one outcome, with no parlays or combinations involved.

Straight Flush

Five cards in sequence, all of one suit. Beaten only by a royal flush.

Straight Up

A roulette bet on a single number, paying 35 to 1. The highest payout and lowest probability on the table.

Street Bet

A roulette bet on a row of three consecutive numbers, paying 11 to 1.

Surrender

Folding a blackjack hand before playing it out and forfeiting half the stake. Not offered at every table.

System Bet

A combination covering multiple parlays within a set of selections, so a return is possible even when not every leg wins. Trixie, Yankee and Lucky 15 are all system bets.

Tapping Out

Losing your entire bankroll and having to stop.

Teaser

A parlay in which each spread or total is shifted in your favour in exchange for shorter odds. All legs must still win.

Tie

A result where neither side wins. In baccarat it is a bettable outcome in its own right.

Tilt

See On Tilt.

Tipster

Someone who sells or publishes betting selections. Claimed records are worth verifying independently.

Toke

A tip for the dealer, given as a chip or as a bet placed on their behalf.

Token

A coin-like disc used in place of currency on some machines.

Total

The combined score of both sides, bet as over or under a posted number.

Tournament

A structured competition with a fixed entry and a prize pool, where players compete against each other rather than the house.

Tourney

Shorthand for tournament.

Trap Game

A fixture where a strong side is vulnerable through complacency or a bigger match ahead.

Treble

An accumulator with exactly three legs. All three must win.

Trixie

A four-bet combination on three selections with no singles. At least two must win to return anything.

Tronc

The pooled tip fund shared among casino staff.

True Odds

The real probability of an outcome before any margin or house edge is applied.

Turn

The fourth community card in Texas Hold'em, dealt after the flop and before the river. Also called fourth street.

Turnover

The total amount wagered over a period, regardless of whether it ended in profit or loss.

Underdog

The side expected to lose, priced longer as a result. Marked with a plus sign in American odds.

Underlay

A price shorter than the true chance of the outcome, leaving the bettor with the worst of it.

Unit

A standard bet size expressed as a fixed percentage of bankroll, so results can be compared independently of how much money is behind them.

Value Bet

A bet where the price offered is bigger than the true probability justifies. Finding value consistently is what separates winning bettors from losing ones.

Variance

The natural swing between short-run results and long-run expectation. Same idea as volatility.

Video Poker

Machine game based on five-card draw, where you discard and replace cards and are paid according to the final hand. Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild are the common variants.

Vigorish

The commission a bookmaker charges for accepting a bet. Also called vig or juice.

VIP Programme

A loyalty scheme offering faster withdrawals, higher limits, dedicated support and exclusive offers to frequent or high-value players.

VLT

Video Lottery Terminal.

Volatility

How a game distributes its payouts. High volatility means rarer but larger wins; low volatility means frequent but smaller ones. Neither is better, it depends on bankroll and temperament.

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Wager

A bet, or the act of placing one.

Wagering Requirement

How many times a bonus must be staked before winnings can be withdrawn. A 35x requirement on 100 means 3,500 in total bets. Also called rollover or playthrough.

Washing

The dealer's open-handed gesture when leaving the table, showing they are taking nothing with them.

Whale

An extremely high-stakes player whose action materially affects a casino's results.

White Meat

Old casino slang for profit.

Wild Card

A card that can stand in for any other card value.

Wild Symbol

A slot symbol that substitutes for others to complete winning combinations. Some also expand, stick across spins or carry multipliers.

Win Limit

A cap on winnings over a session, or on how much can be withdrawn from bonus play.

Withdrawal

Moving money out of a gambling account to a bank, card or e-wallet. Processing times vary by operator and method.

Wong / Wonging

Watching a blackjack game from outside and joining only when the count favours the player. Named after Stanford Wong.

Yankee

An 11-bet combination on four selections with no singles. At least two must win to return anything.

Zero

The green pocket that gives roulette its house edge. European and French wheels have one, American wheels have two.