Casino Terms, Lingo & Jargon at Gamerisms

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 lingo 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, including 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.

Casino Terms Lingo & Jargon

Casino Terms Lingo & Jargon A

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.

Casino Terms Lingo & Jargon B

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.

More About Casinos Online

Casino Terms Lingo & Jargon C

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

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.

Casino Terms Lingo & Jargon E

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.

Casino Terms Lingo & Jargon F

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

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.

Casino Terms Lingo & Jargon H

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-L

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.

Casino Terms Lingo & Jargon M-O

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

Casino Games Terms P

Payoff: monies received by a player after the win.

Payout or Payback %: based on a slot or video poker machine, it is the programmed result determined by deducting the casino advantage.

Pigeon: casino jargon for a player who is not knowledgeable about the games.

Pips: the spades, clubs, hearts and diamonds found on a deck of cards. The kings, jacks and queens sure are pretty, but the lone ace gets the top prize, don't you agree? Also refers to the dots or spots on the dice in a craps game.

Pit: table games are grouped in this area of the casino and the center area is reserved for casino employees managing the games.

Pit boss: games manager or supervisor.

Ploppy: casino lingo for a newer player who is not practicing sound strategy nor making correct decisions, however is not above coaching other players about what they should do.

Press a Bet: upping your bet with additional funds after a winning bet, a recommended wager.

Progression Betting: adding or changing bets as play continues.

Casino Games Terms R

Rack: term for a container used to move and count high valued coins, plastic chips and tokens within the casino.

Racinos: horseracing and casino under one roof where the expression, play games includes horsing around.

Railbird: casino jargon for an observer who hangs around a gaming table. His intention may be to ‘lift' chips from other non-suspecting players

Rated: casino estimate of a player's skill level and bankroll used to determine comp value.

Rathole: a player who slowly puts away chips during play to give the appearance that he/she is not ahead of the game.

RFB: best comp value that includes free room, food and beverages while playing money games.

Casino Games Terms S

Sawbuck: casino lingo for 10 dollar bet.

Sawdust Joint: name used for a not so elegant casino offering low table and slot betting minimums. Yes, it's a dump, but you can play cheap!

Scamdicapper: casino player with outlandish claims about win percentages and game expectations.

Session: time spent playing casino games.

Shark or Sharp: lingo for a competent player who may appear to be a fish early on.

Shill: describes a casino employee who plays the tables to garner business for the casino.

Single or Straight-Up Bet: term for a single bet at 1 game. Example; specific number at Roulette, as with the number 29 straight-up.

Skin or Skoon: jargon for a single dollar.

Sleeper: a forgotten table bet originally wagered by the player.

Soft Count: refers to a slot machine count in connection with monies inserted by cash or ticket receipt.

Soft Count Room: lingo for area for soft counting.

Slot Club Card Member: cardholders who accumulate points for comps to include rooms, meals, cash and gifts or special promotions. Table game players are also comped by most casinos.See listing of US Mega club cards for several properties under letter U.

Spinner: term for a winning session. Congrats to you.

Streak Betting: term for system of betting, also known as progressive betting, that is based on previous wins or losses. For the next round, the player either increases or decreases his/her bets.

Stripping or Card Stripping: term for shuffling that turns around the sequential order of the cards in the deck.

Casino Games Terms T

Table Hold: term for value of monies won at a casino table game by players for an 8 hour shift.

Tapping Out: casino jargon for losing it all.

Toke: more than a ‘tip of your hat', this is the gratuity paid to a dealer or casino employee.

Tom: on the other hand, is a non-tipper.

Tournament: is the challenge arranged by the casino for a group of invited players for a game. There are poker, slots, video poker, blackjack and craps tournaments both online and off. Tournaments are ongoing in most casinos and is certainly the most popular promotion. While there is one winner left standing at the end of the competition,prize money is usually distributed among many of the participants.

Casino Games Terms U

Underlay: casino lingo for a bad bet.

Units of Betting: term to describe the smallest amount of money bet on wagering without identifying the actual currency amount. While, a playing chip may be available in $1, $5 or $100, denominations, the casino determines this same chip as one betting unit.

US Casino Megaclubs

many US casinos have merged to combine several casino properties under one named club card to form a Mega club This info is included in play casino games terms to remind players to take advantage of this benefit when playing the games. Casino players can use their cards at all participating properties to accumulate points. Listed below are eight Megaclubs and name of the club card.

Harrah's: Total Rewards
MGM Mirage: lilayers Club
Resorts Destination Casino Club
Isle of Caliri: Isle One
Station Casinos: Boarding liass, Las Vegas
Fiesta: Amigo Club, Las Vegas
Ultimate Rewards Club, Las Vegas
Coast Clubs, Las Vegas

Casino Games Terms V-Z

Vigorish: the casino's fee/commission paid during specific wagers in the games of baccarat, craps and/or sportsbook.

VIP: casino jargon for very important person.

VLT: abbreviation for Video Lottery Terminal

Wager: refers to any bet or betting.

Whale: player who bets very large and is a VIP to the casinos.

White Meat: casino lingo for gambling profit.

Withdrawal: term for a player asking that he/she receive monies from their account.