Casino Dictionary

Action - The amount of money wagered. In poker, the placing of money into the pot.

All In - When a player bets all his/her chips.

Baccarat - A card game where the winning hand totals closest to 9 discounting all units of 10.

Banker - In a card game, dealer or the player who books the action of the other bettors at the table.

Bankroll - A player’s total available gambling money.

Bet - Gamble or wager.

Betting Limits - The minimum and maximum that can be wagered on one bet.

Blackjack - A card game where the players try to beat the dealer by getting closest to 21 without going over.

Blackjack Hand - A hand whose first two cards total 21.

Bookie - A person who takes racing and sporting bets.

Bust - To exceed 21 in Blackjack, making it a losing hand. Also known as break.

Card Counting - A system to keep track of the percentage of high to low cards since the last time the deck was shuffled. The system can be used in Blackjack to reduce the house advantage.

Caribbean Stud Poker - A 5 card poker game where all players play against the house.

Cashier - The person (casino employee) who assists players in redeeming their casino chips for cash.

Craps - Dice term for 2, 3, or 12.

Dealer - A casino employee who deals the various games.

Face Cards - A King, Queen or Jack in a deck of cards.

High Roller - A big bettor.

Hit - To take another card. The card received is also called a hit.

Hole Card - The dealer's facedown card. This card is unseen.

Hot - Said of dice that are passing or a player on an extended winning streak.

House Advantage - The casino's advantage over the player in any game.

Insurance - A side bet in Blackjack that's offered when the dealer's upcard is an ace. If the dealer has a Blackjack, the bet is paid 2-1. If the dealer does not, the insurance bet loses.

Jackpot - A large win on a slot machine.

Loose Slots - A loose slot indicates a machine with a higher payout over a period of time.

Odds - The ratio of probabilities or the amount a bet pays.

Payout Percentage - The percent of each dollar played in a video or slot machine that the machine is programmed to return to the player. Payout percentage is 100 percent minus the house edge.

Pit Boss - A casino employee who is in charge of all the tables in a particular area.

Progressive Slots - Slots that allow the player to increase the potential jackpot each time a new coin is inserted for play. When the progressive jackpot finally hits, the amount resets to the starting number.

Punter - A casino player.

Royal Flush - In Poker, an ace-high straight flush which is the best possible hand.

Shuffle - Before each hand the dealer mixes up the order of the cards

Snake Eyes - In craps, when a player rolls a two.

Stickman - The dice dealer who calls the numbers rolled and controls the stick.

Straight - In poker, a hand consisting of five cards of consecutive ranks, but not of the same suit.

Straight Flush - In poker, a hand consisting of five cards of consecutive ranks of the same suit.

System - A method of betting.

Three Of A Kind - Three cards of the same rank.

VIP - A big bettor that is worthy of full complimentary treatment.