If you’re new to casino games and tables, there’s a good chance that you’ll come across a vast amount of casino terminology that can appear confusing.

However, casino jargon is nowhere near as complex as it seems. We’ve compiled a glossary of the most common casino terminology and broken-down popular phrases into simple language.

Don’t head into a casino or an online lounge until you’ve had a quick scan of our casino jargon guide – let’s get started.

House Edge

The house is the name for the casino itself, so the house edge is the casino’s advantage over the games it hosts. The higher the house edge, the more likely a player will lose a game.

People normally look at the house edge in terms of percentages. So, let’s say you’ve got a game of roulette with a house edge of around 7%. This means that should you bet £5, you stand to lose 35p. It’s not a golden rule, as games are always random. However, it’s a common measure for wins and losses.

Bet

When you bet on a game or an event, you place money on the likelihood that it will win.

The money you place on said event is also known as your bet.

Jackpot

Jackpot is casino jargon for the biggest prize. It’s often an amount of money built up through several bets, such as different players betting on linked slots across different casinos (this is called a progressive jackpot).

Jackpot prizes are often much larger than other winning amounts in a game and are achievable through very rare means.

Table Limit

Table limit is casino jargon for the minimum and maximum amount of money you can play in a game or on one bet. For example, minimum table limit for blackjack might be £1. A maximum table limit, on the other hand, might be £1,000.

It’s worth knowing this casino terminology because it can help you understand the limits of specific games and measure your overall spending.

Payout

The payout is the prize money you get if your bet wins. So, let’s say you win a round of roulette – the chips you receive are your payout.

House Rules

The casino is the house, meaning that the house rules are the specific terms that must be followed when playing in the establishment. This means the casino you play at might have stipulations you must follow. This might mean reading through some extra casino jargon, but it’s worth doing to ensure you can play properly.

Croupier

A croupier is a table dealer or banker. The croupier is a knowledgeable member of the casino staff who hosts the game you’re playing. This includes dealing the cards, accepting the bets, and paying out if there are any wins.

Payline

Payline is casino terminology you’ll find in slots. It refers to the lines on which you need to arrange a combination of different symbols to win prizes. One game might have as little as 20 paylines, whereas a bigger game can have hundreds.

Tapping Out

In casino jargon, tapping out refers to a player losing their entire bankroll. This means the player needs to ‘tap out’ as they cannot continue playing the game on that occasion.

Free Spins

In slot games, free spins most commonly refer to a bonus round where you have extra spins you don’t have to pay for. To trigger these, you usually need to match a combination of bonus or scatter symbols on the grid. You might also achieve these by accepting a welcome offer.

Double Down

Double down is casino terminology used in blackjack – it’s a type of side bet that lets you double your initial amount and claim another card.

Deposit

The deposit is the money you pay into your casino account to play for monetary prizes.

Dealer

Like a croupier, the dealer is a casino staff member who handles the games. They primarily deal cards during casino table games.

Bankroll

Bankroll is casino jargon for the money you have set aside to play games or the credit in your online or casino account. Keeping an eye on your bankroll is very important.

Wager

Finally, wager is another term for bet – it’s casino terminology referring to the money you place on a specific event you think will win or go your way.

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