Casino terms lingo
and jargon defines the language spoken by Casino Players worldwide. Part 2 of this series continues the glossary of casino terminology.
We created this all inclusive series for people to understand the
unique words and phrases used by

passionate players for their real money games.
The casino terms published here will educate both newbies and veteran players alike.
New players can impress their game-playing friends, while veterans are sure
to find some distinctive casino gamerisms where they can exclaim,
I
did not know that!
Casino players are about to learn about casino jargon often heard
at the tables, slots and sports books.
Most of these casino terms have a long history and
will surely add a unique quality to your next casino
experience. These are general casino terms only.
For players who want to explore their favorite games, there are 8 other
casino gamerisms units at this site.
They are blackjack, poker, slots, video poker, roulette, craps, bingo and sportsbetting.
Each of the glossaries presents casino terms, rules, graphics and an
introduction to include strategy tips.
Links for these casino money games are provided
below. Be sure to check out our page on
how to find the best casinos online to win money.
Casino Terms Lingo & Jargon: A-C
- Action:
term for play on the casino floor including table games and
slots. A full service casino will also offer
sportsbetting and bingo. Either way, casino players can count on plenty
of action.
- Aggregate Limit: refers
to the casinos’ total payout liability for any casino game.
- Aggregate Winnings: terms
for total winnings.
- All or Nothing: refers
to
a Keno ticket where the payout occurs only when all picked numbers are
drawn or alternatively, none of the picked numbers are revealed.
- Automat Club or Videomat Casino:
encompasses a gambling venue like an arcade, bingo hall or slot hall
that provides automatic games where there is not a necessity for a
casino operator. Examples: slot video machines or horseracing.
- Bankroll:
term for total funds available to support betting
action.
- Barber Pole:
jargon used for more than one
denomination/color in a stack of chips.
- Bet:
term for a wager on a casino game.
- Betting
Limits: set by the casino, the minimum and maximum
monies that players can bet.
- Black Book:
in Nevada, a directory of players who are
banned from entering the casinos.
- Buck: lingo for a $100
bet.
- Bug: slang for the Joker
card.
- Buy-in:
monies converted to casino chips before playing
casino games.
- Cage:
refers to the location of the friendly casino
cashiers.
- Capping:
cheating at the tables by placing additional chips
on top of the original bet once the game round has begun.
- Card Sharp:
expert card player, found at the money games
like poker, blackjack and baccarat.
- Card Washing: term for
procedure of shuffling the cards where the cards are placed face down
on the table by the dealer and ‘sloshed around’ like a washing machine
before dealing a new game.
- Carpet Joints:
casino terms referring to 5 star luxury casinos.
- Case Bet:
a player’s bet that includes all remaining chips
on the table or all in.
- Cashier’s Cage: term for
casino cash area where you redeem your chips. May you visit often.
- Casino: origin
of the word refers to a public music and
dance hall.
- Casino
Advantage: casino or house edge when playing the games,
usually
reported as a percentage. Example: the casino advantage for double-zero
roulette is 5.26%.
- Chase:
after losing, casino players will attempt to get
back monies with additional bets.
- Cheques:
the historical, correct term used in reference to
playing chips.
- Chips:
round discs with designated currency denominations and colors that are
played instead of real money. Obvious tip here--they are real money!
- Chip Tray:
holds the chips stock placed nearby the
dealer—another case of real money.
- Coat-tail: jargon for
using the same betting strategy/techniques as a winning player hoping
for same results.
- Cold: term for a player,
craps table or slot machine that is no longer on a winning streak.
- Coloring
Up: when you take those five-dollar chips and exchange for
larger
denominations, possibly hundred-dollar chips, then you are coloring-up.
- Comp:
as in freebie or points, these are the dining, beverage, hotel rooms
and benefits received by casino players based on their wagering and
time played. See listing of US Mega club cards for several properties
under letter U in this casino terms glossary.
- Cracking the
Nut: casino lingo for a net profit after all
gambling expenses deducted.
- Credits:
1 credit is equal to 1 cash unit. Example: 1=a
quarter or 1=a dollar.
- Crossfire:
the dealers chatting it up about everything else
but the live game in front of them.
- Croupier:
it is French, mon ami, for the dealer of the
gaming table.
Casino Terms Lingo
& Jargon: D-F
- D'Alembert System: a
bankroll strategy of adding one unit after a losing bet while one unit
is deducted after a winning bet.
- Dime:
casino jargon for betting $1,000.
- Dirty Money:
the losing bets gathered by the dealer.
- Discard Tray: term for
the tray placed on the dealer’s right where the
played cards or discards are stacked. Game examples are Baccarat,
Blackjack and Poker.
- Dollar Bet: lingo for a
$100 bet.
- Double or
Nothing: wager that pays out the original bet or
even-money.
- Down to the
Felt: busted or broke in casino terms.
- Drop:
amount of monies lost by players or casinos.
- Drop Box:
located at a gaming table, it holds all cash,
markers and chips.
- Edge:
advantage over the casino or other player.
- Eighty-Six or
86: you are outta there, man. Casino rules
allow the exclusion and/or eviction of undesirable gamblers.
- Eye in the Sky:
watches the action as the casino staff
surveys the floor.
- Face Cards:
casino jargon for kings, queens or jacks.
- Firing: casino
lingo for betting large amounts at money
games.
- Fish:
losing player.
- Flat Betting:
a method of betting wherein the player bets the same amount each time,
neither raising nor lowering. Not known as a wise strategy.
- Flea:
irritating player who has high expectations for casino comps and
benefits while not
deserved.
- Foreign:
these are cheques from another casino.
- Front Money:
cash/checks deposited to establish credit for
play.
Casino Terms Lingo
& Jargon: G-H
- George:
casino jargon for a generous tipper both to table
dealers and other casino employees.
- Grind:
this term is used for playing it out on a consistent basis at the
tables. This player is ‘grinding’ out planned bets based on
knowledgeable probabilities of the game.
- Handicapper:
player
who does the research beforehand to make knowledgeable bets. This data
includes statistics, news, weather and injuries at sportsbetting.
- Handle:
total amount of money bet at money games.
- High Roller:
big time bettor in casino terms.
- Hold:
betting monies that are placed in the designated
gaming table slots. The dollar value is generally stated as a
percentage.
- Holding Your
Own: casino player who is staying on an even
keel or breaking even.
- Honeymoon Period: also
known as Beginners Luck or Winning Phase, this term refers to those
players who begin their casino experience with a winning streak.
- Hot:
a winning player—congrats to you!
- House: refers to the
venue, be it a casino property, bingo hall or online website where
casino games are played. The owners/operators are also known as the
House.
- House Edge: refers to the
casino advantage on table games and slot machines, usually improved by
paying less than the odds

Casino Terms Lingo
& Jargon J-O
- Jackpot: a
big time win, often at progressive slot machines.
- Juice: lingo for the
commission received by the house. See Vig. or Vigorish.
- Junket: casino comp trips
generally for VIP players and cardholders. Usually include air, hotel,
dining
entertainment and other free amenities. Players in turn agree to play
and pay a minimum deposit in advance to the sponsoring casino.
- Laying
or Taking Odds: laying odds can result in receiving less
than the
amount bet if odds are favorable. Taking the odds occurs when
originally betting less than the winning payout received.
- Layout:
displayed at table games where bet descriptions are
printed on the felt or cloth.
- Load up:
casino lingo for playing max coins/spin at slots
or video poker.
- Marker: player
IOU approved by the casino for
betting/wagering at the money games.
- Martingale: a wagering
system where the player doubles up after every loss.
Not highly recommended.
- Maximum Bet:
highest allowed wager at table games or
maximum coins/spin at slots.
- Mechanic:
term used for a dice/card cheat who utilizes
sleight of hand while playing.
- Net Winnings:
total payout minus your bets placed.
- Nickel:
casino jargon for betting $500. at money games.
- Odds:
possibility of a player win as determined by the
casino, usually calculated as a %.
- On Tilt:
in casino terms refers to player(s) reacting to a
losing bet with wild play afterwards.
- Overlay:
casino lingo for a player advantage bet
More About Casinos Online
Casino
Terms Lingo & Jargon is followed by Part 2
Intro:
Casino Game Guides Series
Other Casino Clicks
Rating Online Games
Craps Facts
Trivia
Casino Gaming Online: 4 Games
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