Casino slang and terminology can sometimes seem like it is another language. The phrases can be quite intimidating for someone who is not up to speed with them. Imagine living on another planet and not knowing any of the customs. That is how it can feel in a casino if you are unaware of how things work.

It is because of that feeling that we have decided to put together a list of various casino phrases and slang that is used quite often. Hopefully, this will allow you to know exactly what people are talking about and then be able to act appropriately. Here is our casino term dictionary.

Hit

This is one that you are likely to hear quite a lot. There is no need to worry – it is not an expression with violent undertones. It is mainly used when playing blackjack. If you hear a blackjack player say “Hit me”, make sure that you keep your fists to yourself because all it means is that they are asking for another card. Depending on the nationality of the player, they might also say “Twist”, but that is much rarer than hit.

Stand

This is not an order to leave your chair. Again, this is a blackjack term. When a player does not want any more cards to be dealt to them, they will say “Stand”. Make sure that you stay in your seat if you hear someone say “Stand”. Also, depending on the nationality of the player once again, they might also say “Stick”. This is also much rarer than a player saying “Stand”.

Double down

Once again, this is a blackjack term. Double down is a really simple term to understand. All it means is that you will be doubling your bet and receiving one more card in return.

All in

The term “all in” is generally used in poker. As there is a pot (we will cover that term next) in the middle, if a poker player says they are “All in”, it means that they are putting all of their remaining money into the next hand. In this situation, all of the other players have a choice of whether they want to match the bet or if they want to fold. This can be one of two things: it can be the action of someone who is very confident, or the action of someone who is desperate and wants to scare away the other players.

Pot

The pot is the amount of money that has built up from wagers that have been placed during a game of poker. The longer the game goes on, the bigger the pot is likely to be.

Banker

No, it is not a person who works at a bank – at least not in a casino, anyway. In a casino, the banker is the person who is in charge of dealing the cards in a card game. If you were playing a game of Live Dealer Baccarat, the person who dealt the cards during the game would be the banker. They can also sometimes be in charge of handling any chips, but for an online casino, this would not be a relevant job for them.

Edge

An edge is the advantage that is held by one of the players. For example, when playing video slots, they will have a 3-5% house edge depending on the game. Every game has a different edge in favour of different people. It is up to you to decide which is best for you.

Croupier

“Croupier” is a really fancy way of saying dealer. What is surprising to a lot of people is that a croupier does not always deal cards. A croupier can also refer to the dealer in a game of roulette.

Hand

It may sound crazy, but the term “hand” does not refer to what is connected to the end of your arm. Your hand is the name that is given to the collection of cards that you are dealt during a card game. This is most commonly used in poker.

Hot

No, it does not mean the heat levels. If you are on a winning streak, then you, or the streak itself, will be described as hot. Which brings us to…

Cold

Again, it does not mean the temperature. If you are on a losing streak, then you, or the streak itself, will be described as cold.

Card counting

This is quite a complex one. It does not mean just counting the number of cards that have appeared. It is most commonly used as a technique for blackjack. During a game, some players will take note in their mind of which cards have come out of the deck, or shoe, already. They will then use that knowledge to work out which cards are left to come out. From there, they can work out the probability of the next card to come out. They can then decide on what is the sensible bet for them to place based on the cards that they have in their hand. Contrary to popular belief, card counting is not illegal. It is, however, extremely difficult.

Payline

A payline is related to video slots. Whenever the reels (we will cover that next) are spun, they will land in a variety of different layouts. A payline is a line across the reels of a video slot that pays out. Some games will only have one payline. Some games can actually go up to over 1,000 paylines. It all depends on the number of reels and the number of combinations that can be made.

Reels

This is another term that is related to video slots. The reels are the spaces in a video slot game that have the symbols on them. They are what are spun on each turn.

Table limit

It is not possible to keep increasing your bet over and over again to an unlimited amount. Imagine if that was the case – someone could wager more than the casino is worth in theory. How would they be paid out in that situation if they won? This is why there is a table limit for games. It is the maximum bet that is allowed for the game that is being played. Some games have higher limits than others. Some have lower limits. But almost every table game has a table limit.

Progressive jackpot

Progressive jackpots are a type of video slot game. These games play in the same way that a video slot does, but they have one huge difference. The clue is in the name. Progressive jackpots have a jackpot attached to them. This jackpot will increase every time someone plays the game. It will keep on increasing until someone wins the jackpot. Some of these games will be connected around the world, which means that some progressive jackpots have a payout in the millions!

Tells

A tell is a behaviour that a poker player has that can give away what kind of hand they are holding. Some people scratch their nose if they have a good hand. This can give the other players a clue as to how the other player will bet and will then dictate how they themselves will bet in response.

Wager

This is a really simple one. A wager is just another word for a bet. If you hear it, there is no need to be confused – just remember that it means placing a bet.

Natural

This one is related to blackjack or baccarat. In blackjack, a natural is when you manage to get a score of 21 with only two cards. An ace and a ten would be a natural in blackjack. In baccarat, a natural can be either a score of eight or a score of nine. These are very rare in both games and will almost always be a winning hand.

Odds

This is one that you are likely to hear quite often. The odds are the probability of winning a bet. The higher the odds, the smaller the chance, but the higher the return. It is up to you to decide whether you think it is worth the risk or not.

How to try out your new vocabulary

Here at Bitcasino, we have a huge range of all of the different games where you can try out your new phrases. We have roulette, video slots and progressive slots, with a huge number of choices for each game.

We have more than just those games though. If card games are more your thing, then we can offer you blackjack and baccarat as well as a wide range of live casino games. No matter what game you want to play, we have got a choice for you to try out.

Make sure that you do not miss out on the best casino experience around. Take a trip to Bitcasino today – we will never let you down.

Words: Sean McNulty
Images: Shutterstock