Online Casino Glossary of Terms

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Oftentimes, online casino players tend to know the terminology for the few online casino games they play. But having the knowledge of a vast amount of online casino terms is extremely beneficial to online gamers.

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Important Casino Terms

Here's a comprehensive list of 90 online casino terms all players should know:

Term

Definition

ACS

an automatic card shuffler

Action

the total amount or pot that goes to the winning player of the round or game being played

Add On

the extra chip amount that could be added when a poker tournament reaches the end of late registration

Aggregate Limit

the total amount paid by hand to the winner of a given round.

All-In

when a player bets all of their chips (money) in a poker hand

Ante

an additional bet that is required before a hand begins

Balance

a player's account value that could be used towards placing wagers

Banker

one of two primary bets in baccarat

Bankroll

the total dollar amount owned by the player

Barred

occurs when a player is unable to participate in an online casino game due to their IP address or physical location

Beginner's Luck

a popular global phrase used when a player enjoys wins at the very beginning of their gambling experience

Betting Limits

the set minimum and maximum bet amounts that each player can make

Blind Bet

a wager placed by the player before cards are dealt

Blinds

mandatory wagers that players must make before a poker hand, typically come in a small blind and big blind

Bonus

a promotion that online casinos use to incentivize players to play on their platform

Breaking the Bank

well-known phrase used when a player wins an incredible amount of money or loses an exceptional amount

Buy-In

the amount that the house or game requires for a player to enter a game

Call

an action in poker that is done when a player matches the bet on any betting round

Cascading/Collapsing Reels

a bonus feature in slots that generates only when the winning combination is found, which can lead to multiplied winning combos

Cashback

a common program provided by online casinos that give funds back to the player

Cash-Out

occurs when a player withdraws their money from their online casino balance

Casino (House) Advantage or Edge

an automatic advantage that the casino or house has over all players which is mathematically proven over the long term

Chips

the medium of exchange when playing casino games

Cold Streak

a losing streak

Deal

a process where dealers dole out cards to players and/or themselves

Deck

the cards being used for a casino game

Deposit

a process where players add funds to their online casino account

Draw

in poker, this type of hand is where a player needs either one or two distinct cards to make a straight or one of a suit to make a flush

Double or Nothing

a betting style where players double their bet after losing a hand

Expanding Wilds

the bonus features offered by slot games

Face Cards

cards that contain faces: Kings, Queens, and Jacks

Flat Betting

occurs when a player consistently bets the same amount each hand

Flop

the first three community cards dealt on the table in poker

Fold

an action taken in poker that requires a player to release their hand, forfeiting the pot to another player

Free Spins

a feature of slots that afford players free chances to win

Hit

the action of requesting an additional card in blackjack

Hole Cards

a player's hand in poker

Hand

the cards that are held and used by each player

High Roller

a player who typically places astronomically sized wagers

House

the casino

House Rules

the set of rules created by a casino

Inside Bet

the primary roulette betting structure where users can bet on numbers 0-36.

Insurance Bet

a side bet created by the player in case the dealer hits blackjack after showing an Ace

Jackpot

the largest prize that could be won in a casino game

Juice

also known as vigorish, this is a fee charged specifically by online casinos for their service

Kicker

the second card in a player's hand that is unpaired and represents a tiebreaker if two players have the same pair

Lay the Odds

a player winning less than they initial bet at the beginning of the game

Limits

the restrictions set for the amount players can bet or raise in a given game

Lobby

the area of a casino app or site that shows all games or game types that can be played

Live Dealer Games

games offered that replicate a physical casino by having a live dealer host the games through a live stream

Maximum

the highest wager allowed by an online casino in an individual game

Minimum

the smallest wager allowed by an online casino in an individual game

Multiplier

a slot feature that multiplies standard payouts by a predetermined amount

Multi-Hand Games

typically seen in video poker, these are games that allow players to play multiple hands at once

Natural

an unbeatable hand, considered a 21 in blackjack and and 8 or 9 in baccarat

Net Winnings

the amount of pure profit that players take

Non-Sticky Bonus

a promotional offer bonus that does not have a wagering requirement attached to it

Odds

a player's direct chance of winning a game or round

Open

the original pre-flop raiser in a poker hand

Overlay

beneficial odds of the player in a casino game

Pass

an action taken when a player folds and decides to not continue participating in a round or game

Pat

a blackjack hand that is worth 17 or higher

Payline

the direction and symbols of winning combinations in slot games

Payoff (Payout)

the total amount a player receives after winning a bet

Payout Percentage

a long-term percentage of the casino's payouts on the average bet

Payout Table

a table containing payout amounts for specific bets placed on a slot

Pigeon

an ignorant casino player.

Pocket Cards

the face down cards that players receive during a game.

Pot

rhe total amount of money or chips that is awarded to the winner of a hand of poker

Progressive Jackpot

a jackpot that increases in size until it is hit

Provably Fair

an algorithm used to verify the authenticity and fairness of an online casino game

Reload Bonus

an additional bonus in the form of cash or casino credit players are given when they deposit a certain amount into their account balance

River

the last community card in a poker hand, also known as Fifth Street

Random Number Generator (RNG)

the randomized system used to generate numbers, cards, and reels in online casino games.

Skin

also known as money inside the casino

Sign-Up Bonus

a bonus or promotion that online casinos offer to incentivize players to sign up on their platform

Stake

another term for a bet

Sticky Bonus

a bonus that is not removed from a player's account until they fail to meet the requirements to retain it

Standing Hand

a hand that is valued at a 17 or higher in blackjack

Sticky Wilds

slot machine Wild symbols that do not move from their landing spot for the entirety of a free spin period

Suit

the symbol on casino cards that include clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spades

Tap Out

a term used for when a player loses their entire account balance and cannot participate in games until another deposit is made

Trips (Three of a Kind)

a hand containing three of the same cards

Underplay

occurs when a player chooses to play their strong hand slowly at the beginning of a poker hand

Up Card

the dealer's card that is showing in blackjack

Vigorish (Vig)

the fee that online casinos charge their players

Wager

a bet

Wager Requirements

the play-through requirements set by online casinos that allow players to withdraw their winnings by betting a certain amount of money

Wild Symbols

symbols found in slot games that can provide different effects to maximize payouts

Withdrawal

the act of taking money or earnings out of one's online casino balance

More Information About Online Casinos

If you'd like to learn more about online gambling, specifically the best online casino brands and the best virtual games to play, check out The Best Real Money Online Casinos in the U.S.