The Best Jackpot Glossary – Jackpotfinder.com
If you’re new to the world of gambling and betting, then the jargon can be a bit overwhelming. You might start reading the best jackpot winning strategies but you need to understand the expressions first. Though most online gambling games are pretty simple to play, the language that surrounds them can at times be unintelligible mumbo-jumbo. And nothing is going to stop your gambling faster than an unknown word.
In fact, there’s a whole world of slang jackpot terms, built up over many years, known only to seasoned gamblers. It’s both confusing and intimidating for the new player. Not only is the gambling industry in a constant flux, but gamblers themselves are a superstitious bunch. They are forever inventing new names for luck and bad luck. These words also form part of the basic online jackpot rules, so you might want to know more about them!
Learn Your Gambling Jargon
At JackpotFinder.com, we’ve taken the time and effort to compile an extensive jackpot glossary of all gambling terms, idioms, and jargon. Here you’ll get to grips with casino patois, jackpot terms, gambling speak, slang terms, and the definitions and the meaning of any number of gambling words. Whether you’re stepping into the world of off-line or online gambling, it’s always good to prepare yourself. See this as your online jackpot dictionary. We suggest that you bookmark this page and return here whenever you come across a new phrase or term that’s unknown to you. If you want to know how to play roulette, then check out our roulette guide.
Roulette Glossary
Though the game of Roulette is itself very straightforwards to play, there are dozens of different terms and words that will be unfamiliar. Here are some of the most important ones which will help you navigate your way around the casino. Oh, and you should also check out the best casinos to win the jackpot. You should know where you want to play!
A – Roulette Terms
A Cheva — A French term for a “split bet”.
Accounting of Odds — Continuity of sequences of numbers that have already hit and that will be used to apply a martingale in the future.
Action – The total amount of wagered dollars over a given period of time.
Action Player – This is a way to describe players who consistently bet big.
Adrenotrend Betting System — Systems that wagers on the side that won previously. Another name for a streak method of betting.
Against The Bank — A procedure that involves betting the opposite of the series of numbers or colors that have already come up. Thus, a player betting on black
after several hits of red is going “against the bank.”
Agent — An agent works with the croupier to cheat the casino on an “inside job”.
Alenbert Betting System — A progressive system of betting whereby you increase your bet by one unit after a loss and decrease your bet by one unit after a win.
All-In — When a player wagers his whole pot on one bet.
American Roulette – The main difference from the European version is that the wheel has an added number, 00, which provides the house with a higher edge.
B – Roulette Terms
Backtrack – Known as the ball-track. It’s the rim outside the wheel into which the ball spins.
Ball Track — Or Back Track. The rim on the wheel where the ball is spun.
Bankroll – The total amount of money a gambler has set aside to play with.
Bet on the Layout — A wager which is placed anywhere on the numbers part of the table.
Biased Numbers – The numbers on the wheel that statistically hit more often than standard variance, proven over a long-term analysis.
Biased Wheel – An imperfect wheel that causes certain numbers or sections to be hit at a higher rate than normal.
Big Number – Number or numbers that hit more than its theoretical average. Aka Biased Numbers.
Black Action – This is when players are betting with black $100 chips.
Black-Bet – A bet the next number will be black.
Black Chips – Chips with $100 value.
Block Bet — Covering a block of numbers on the roulette betting area. This does not mean that the numbers are in a block on the wheel.
Bottom Track – Is the slanted, stationary, inner area of the the roulette wheel. The roulette ball slides down the bottom track before bouncing into the wheel head
and pocket.
C – Roulette Terms
Cage – Area of the casino where players cash out there chips.
Cancellation Betting System – Similar to the LaBouchere System. A betting system that uses a series of numbers that cancels numbers after winning a wager
and adds numbers after losing a wager.
Capping a Bet – A form of cheating where players discretely add more chips to a winning number.
Carré – “Corner bet” in French.
Casino Advantage – The edge or vig the casino has over the player.
Casino Host – A casino employee who takes care of customer requests. Normally, caters to high rollers.
Chameleon Strategy – Mimicking hot or winning players on the roulette table.
Chasing Losses – Increasing bet sizes to try to win back what has already been lost.
Check Rack – The tray that holds and organizes casino chips.
Checks – An alternative name for casino chips.
Cheval — One of the French roulette terms used to refer to a “Spill Bet”.
Choppy Game – A term used to describe a game where neither the house or player is winning.
Colour Up – Process of exchanging lower denomination chips to larger denomination chips.
Cold Number — Numbers that haven’t come up for at least 37 spins.
Cold Table – Any table where the house is winning and the players at the table are on a losing or cold streak.
Colonne — One of the French roulette terms used to refer to a “Column Bet”.
Column Bet – A wager that is placed on the columns of 12 numbers.
Combination Bet – Any bet that has one or more chips on two or more numbers.
Comp – These are freebies or bonuses given out by the casino. Can include food and drinks or free hotel rooms.
Corner Bet – A single bet that one of the four numbers on the layout will win.
Corpse — A player who loses too much.
Crew – Another name for the staff of the casino
Crossroader – A person who cheats the casino
Croupier — Sometimes referred to as the dealer, croupier is the more formal term for the casino employee who takes care of the roulette table.
Cut — A “cut” designates the value of chips. Thus, there are cuts of two, five, ten, twenty, fifty, one hundred chips etc.
Cylinder — The French/European roulette wheel.
D – Roulette Terms
D’Alembert Betting System – This is where players increase bet size by one unit after a loss and decrease your bet unit by one after a win.
Dead Table – A table that is ready to be played, but no players.
Derniere — A French term for “last” and refers to the last group of 12 numbers in the Dozen Bet.
Dolly — This covers the winning number. It’s removed when all of the winning bets have been paid out and a new game begins.
Double Dynamite Roulette System — A combination of Big Number play and sector slicing for short-range play.
Double Up System of Betting – A system of betting where the player increases the bet by two after a loss to recoup the loss of the previous bet.
Double-Zero Wheel – A wheel with a 0 and a 00. Most commonly referred to as an American Roulette Wheel.
Doubled — A number that has been hit twice in a row.
Douzaine — A French term for the “Dozen Bet”.
Dozen Bet – Betting on one of the 12 sequences on the layout.
Drop – A term used to describe the total amount of money that has been cashed in at the table.
Drop Box – Where the players money is placed when buying chips at the table.
Dumping — A casino table that is losing money to the players.
E – Roulette Terms
Edge – Having an advantage over a game.
En Plein — The French term for “Straight Up Bet”.
En Prison — This French phrase literally translates to mean “in prison” and is a rule applied to even-money wagers only. When a zero is hit, some online casinos
will allow the player to either take back half his or her bet or leave it “imprisoned” for a another spin. If the next spin gives another zero, the entire wager is lost.
European Roulette — This was the original version of roulette and is also the one most commonly found in European and Asian casinos. Unlike the American
version, in European roulette only one zero is used which has the happy effect of lowering the house edge.
Even Bet – Betting that one of the numbers will be even on the next spin. Ex: 2,6,8,10
Even Money – Any bet that pays 1 to 1. Ex: betting black, even, odd, etc
F – Roulette Terms
Fair Game – A game where the casino nor the player have an edge. Please note Roulette is not a fair game, the casino has the edge.
Fibonacci Betting System – A betting system where each bet is a combination of the previous numbers that have been hit by the wheel.
Finales a Cheval — A wager on all numbers ending with the two selected digits. For example 3/6 bets on 3, 6, 13, 16, 23, 26, 33, 36.
Finales en Plein — A wager on all numbers ending with a particular number
First — In Roulette the number 1 is called “first.”
Five Number Bet – The worst bet in Roulette on an American wheel. It is where a player bets 0,00,1,2, or 3 will hit.
Flat Bettor – Any player who bets the same size/unit each time.
Floorman – Supervisor of all the tables operating.
French Roulette Wheel – Same as the European Roulette wheel.
Front Money — Money previously deposited in the cage and used by the player to draw markers against.
G – Roulette Terms
Gambling Stake — Amount of money reserved for gambling. Same thing as Bankroll
Gaffed Wheel – A wheel that has been rigged by either casino or player
George – A generous tipper
Golden Numbers – Any numbers that are hitting at an incorrect probability. Could be labeled as biased-numbers.
Grand Martingale – This is similar to the Martingale System where player doubles his bets or adds one unit after a loss.
Greens – $25 chips
Grifter – A scammer or cheater.
Grind-Down — The casino gradually winning all of a player’s money due to the advantage it has on bets.
Grind Joint – A casino who targets low risk gamblers.
Grind System – This is a system where players increase one unit after each win.
Guerrilla Gambling – Known as hitting and running. Making a score and leaving immediately.
H – Roulette Terms
Heat – Attracting attention from security and casino managers if a player is winning too much.
High Bet – Betting the next spin will hit between the numbers of 19 and 36.
High Roller – A person that gambles big money.
Hot Table – A table where the players are winning more than the casino.
House Edge – The mathematical edge a casino has over a player.
Hustler — A gambling cheat.
I – Roulette Terms
Impair — Bet on the odd numbers.
Inside Bet – Any betting made on the numbered portion of the roulette layout.
J – Roulette Terms
Jeton — A French term for “chip”.
John – A good tipper.
L – Roulette Terms
La Partage — Reminiscent of the aforementioned En Prison rule, the player loses half their bet and doesn’t enjoy the option of leaving their bet “in prison” for a
later spin. La Partage is used for ‘outside’ even-money wagers Red/Black, High/Low, Odd/Even and can also apply when the result is 0.
LaBouchere betting system — A type of Cancellation Betting System where numbers are cancelled out from a user-defined string of numbers after a win and
added to the string after a loss. The string of numbers determines the next amount to bet.
Layout – The design painted on the felt and where players place their bets.
Line Bet – A bet that one of the six numbers of the two rows of three numbers will win.
Long End of the Bet – A bet that pays off more than it collects
Low Bet – Wagering on a number between 1 and 18 will hit.
Low Roller – Any player who bets small amounts of money
M – Roulette Terms
Manque — French term for “Low Bet”.
Mark – Any player who will be cheated by a con-artist.
Marker — The marker is the apparatus that the croupier uses to clearly mark the winning number after each spin. Players are not allowed to place new bets for the
upcoming spin until the croupier has removed the marker from the table.
Martingale Betting System – A system where the player doubles their bet after each loss.
Match Play – Often a promotion that casinos run, where players are given play chips and if their bets win they receive back real chips.
Mini Roulette — Available at some online casinos, this game features a smaller wheel that which is made up of only 13 numbers (0-12) instead of the standard
amount. Payouts are adjusted accordingly. In addition to this, many Mini Roulette games return half of all losses when a spin results in a zero.
Mise — French for to “bet” or “wager”.
Money at Risk – The amount of money that is being wagered at once.
Money Plays — The call that alerts the dealer and the pit that you are betting cash and not chips.
Mucker – Someone who is cheating and using sleight of hand techniques and most commonly past posting.
N – Roulette Terms
Negative Progression – A system where a player increases the bets after a loss.
Nickel – $5 dollar chips and are nearly always red.
No Action – This will be called once in a while during a spin. What happens here is that all bets are canceled and the casino repeats the action from the
beginning. Bets may be removed after no action is called.
Noir — French term for “Black Bet”.
O – Roulette Terms
Odd Bet – Betting that the next number will be odd. This bet pays out 2-1.
Odds – The statistical chance of an outcome.
On the Square – An honest game.
Orphans — This term is commonly in use in European casinos and means to a bet on 3 specific numbers which are: 6, 34 and 17. These numbers are
neighbors on the roulette wheel.
Orphelins — Also in use in European casinos, the “orphelin” bet is put on a specific group of numbers on a section of the roulette wheel where the numbers are
neighbors on the wheel.
Outside Bets – Betting on the outside of the felt layout. Ex. Betting that the next spin will be odd.
P – Roulette Terms
Paddle – A casino tool used to push money into the drop box.
Parlay – The doubling a bet after a win.
Paroli Betting System — A method that involves leaving the winning bet and the winnings on the table for the next round.
Passé — French for “High Bet”, wagering on upper 18 numbers=19-36. Pays 1 to 1.
Past Posting – This is where players make a wager after the winning number has been revealed. This is cheating.
Patience System — A grind method of playing whereby the player waits for a certain number of decisions before placing a bet.
Paving — A technique aimed at betting on different combinations at random.
Penny Ante — A game played for small stakes.
Permanent Board — This is a second board usually displayed above the Roulette table and which indicates the last twenty numbers that have come up.
Pinching – Removing chips after losing a bet. This is cheating.
Pit – The area of table games in a casino.
Pockets — The roulette term is used in reference to the spaces on the roulette wheel in which the roulette ball might land. Each pocket has a unique number,
ranging from 1-36, and there is also a 0 pocket (and a 00 pocket on an American roulette wheel). Half of the numbered pockets are red, the other half are black,
and the zeros are green.
Positive Progression – A system where a player increases his bets after a win.
Premiere — French term for “first” and refers to the first group of 12 numbers in the Dozen Bet.
Press – Increasing wager amounts after a win or a streak of wins.
Push – A tie.
Q – Roulette Terms
Quarter Bet – Betting that one of the four numbers will be a winner. Same as corner bet and square bet.
Quarters – $25 chips and are most commonly green.
R – Roulette Terms
Rating – Labeling the player and their betting amounts for comps.
Red Bet – An outside bet that pays 2-1 and is wagering that the next spin will land red.
RFB – Complimentary Room, Food and Beverage.
Rien Ne Va Pas — Literally “No More Bets”.
Rouge — French term for “Red Bet”.
Ruin or Element of Ruin — Losing your bankroll. The probability of losing every penny of your bankroll.
Run — A streak of events, like 4 Reds in a row.
S – Roulette Terms
Scared Money – Any player who is betting more money that they can afford to lose.
Section Shooter – A dealer who attempts to hit a portion of the wheel each spin.
Section Slicing – The act of dividing the wheel into sections based on which numbers are hot. This is a way of discovering bias numbers.
Sector Bet — A group of numbers within a sector of a wheel, also called a Neighbors bet.
Session – A period of time a table is open for or the length of time a player chooses to play for.
Session Stake — The amount of money set aside for one session of play.
Shill – A casino employee paid to pay to start games and encourage others to be more.
Short End – The side of a bet that pays off less than it will win.
Simple Chances — These are the categories of bets in Roulette which are called chances. The chances are: red, black, high, low, even, and odd.
Single Zero Wheel – A wheel with only one zero, which is most commonly referred to as a European wheel.
Six Number Bet – Betting on the Line.
Sixainne — French for “Six Line Bet”.
Split Bet — This term refers to a bet which covers two adjacent numbers on the roulette table and is made when a player puts his chips on the intersection of two
numbers. Traditionally, this type of bet pays out at odds of 17-1.
Square or Quarter Bet: — An Inside Bet on 4 numbers. Pays 8:1.
Sprinkler — A player who wagers a lot but randomly.
Stack – 20 roulette chips stacked on each other.
Straight up Bet – Betting on the inside on only one number.
Street Bet – Any bet where one of three numbers will hit on the next spin.
Surrender – Some casinos will only take half of a players losing bets when the wheel hits 0 or 00.
T – Roulette Terms
Tapped Out — To lose one’s entire bankroll.
Tiers Du Cylindre — French phrase. Common in European casinos. It’s a bet on a specific group of numbers on a section of the roulette wheel that are paired
neighbors on the layout.
Toke – This is another term for tipping.
Tom – The opposite of a John, a bad tipper.
Toke or Zuks — These are the dealer’s tips. Tokes go into the Toke box.
Toke Hustler — A dealer who tries to get players to tip him.
Transversale — The French term for “Street Bet”.
Trio Bet – This is the same bet as a street bet. Betting that one of three numbers will be the winning number.
Troller — A bet placed after the dealer announces “No more bets.”
True Odds – The correct probability of a certain outcome.
V – Roulette Terms
Vig or Vigorish – The juice taken by a casino.
Visual Wheel Tracking – The process of following the ball and wheel and being able to predict where it will land.
Voisins du Zero — A French term mostly used in European casinos to describe a wager on a particular group of numbers on the section of the roulette wheel
which is next to the zero. If you actually translate the word “voisins”, it literally means “neighbors”.
W – Roulette Terms
Wager – This is the same thing as a bet.
Wheel – Slang for Roulette Wheel.
Wheel-Chips – The chips used on roulette tables.
Wheel Clocking — Keeping track of the results of a specific roulette wheel in the hope that you will notice a pattern or bias.
V — Roulette Terms
Vig or Vigorish — The casino tax on a bet. Also known as juice.
Z – Roulette Terms
Zero — This refers to the pocket on a roulette wheel marked with a 0. All roulette wheels contain a “single zero” space, however, American roulette wheels have
this and an additional double zero pocket.
Blackjack Glossary
As a new blackjack player, the terms used can appear a little daunting at the start. Practice these terms below, and within minutes you’ll be sounding like a pro. If you want to know more about playing blackjack, then head over to our blackjack guide.
A – Blackjack Terms
21+3 – Blackjack and 3-card poker being played simultaneously. This European-style blackjack game adopts the same 3-card side bet similar to that found in Three Card Poker game.
Ace Rich – Description of the deck or shoe, when few aces have been dealt out so far, thus increasing the odds of receiving one soon.
Action – Total number of bets spent over a specific time period.
Anchor/Anchorman – The last player to act who is sat closest to the dealer’s right.
B – Blackjack Terms
Banker – The Dealer
Bankroll – The money used for gambling.
Barring a Player – A casino refusing to allow a player to play.
Basic Strategy – A strategy with the most profitable decisions you can make on any given hand, but only taking into account the dealer’s up card and your own hand.
Blackjack – When dealing an ace is followed by a 10-value card for a total 21. When a dealer has blackjack it is an automatic win against players who do not. When a player has blackjack it is typically paid out at 3/2.
Burn Card – Card removed from the top of the deck before a deal.
Bust – Lose a hand by exceeding a total of 21.
C – Blackjack Terms
Camouflage Play – A style used by skilled players to hide the fact that they are skilled.
Card Counting – Keeping track of the remaining cards left to be dealt and increasing your bets when the deck is favorable. This is prohibited in most casinos.
Cold Deck – A bad run of cards resulting in larger than expected losses for the player.
Comps – Rewards players can claim from a casino based on the amount they have wagered. For high roller players this can cover almost anything, including food, drinks and hotel rooms.
D – Blackjack Terms
Dealer – Casino employee who deals the cards and ensures the game are run correctly.
Dealer Peek – Where the dealer will check for blackjack if their up card is an ace or a ten.
Deck Penetration – Percentage of the deck that is dealt before the deck is shuffled.
Discard Tray – A tray on the table where the dealer places cards that have already been dealt.
Double Down – When a player has received their hand they can ask to double their bet on condition they draw only one card.
Draw a Card – Drawing an extra card on top of the original hand.
E – Blackjack Terms
Early Surrender – When a player surrenders before the dealer checks for a blackjack.
Edge – Mathematical advantage which the house has over the player. This may be reversed via card counting.
Even Money – Cashing in a wager when you get a blackjack and the dealer’s face-up card is an Ace.
F – Blackjack Terms
Face Card – A Jack, Queen or King. Also known as a Paint card or simply, Paint.
First Base/First Baseman – First player to act who is closest to the dealers left.
Five Card Charlie – When you get 5 cards without busting.
Flat Betting – Betting the same amount for each hand.
H – Blackjack Terms
Hard Hand – Hand without an Ace or with an Ace that is valued as 1.
Heads Up – Playing against the dealer with no other players involved.
Heater – A run of cards advantageous to the player.
Hit – Ask for a card to be added to your hand.
Hole Card – The dealer’s unexposed card.
I – Blackjack Terms
Insurance – A side bet offered to players when the dealer is showing an ace. Players have the choice of betting half their initial wager. It will payout at 2/1 if the dealer has a blackjack.
N – Blackjack Terms
Natural – Having an ace and 10-value card as the first two cards of your hand, adding up to 21. When the dealer has blackjack it’s a win for the house against any player who does not also hold a blackjack. When a player gets a blackjack it pays out at 3/2.
Nickles – Slang for $5 casino chips.
P – Blackjack Terms
Paint – Any Jack, Queen or King (painted cards).
Pat – A hand that has a minimum of 17 points.
Penetration – The number of cards the dealer deals out before a shuffle.
Perfect Pairs – A side bet played in the standard online blackjack game. There are three different types of pairs including Mixed Pair, Colored Pair and Perfect Pair.
Push – The player and the dealer both have hands of the same value. In this case the player’s bet is returned.
Q – Blackjack Terms
Quarters – Slang for $25 casino chips.
R – Blackjack Terms
Round – A complete series of plays in which everyone has acted on their hand.
S – Blackjack Terms
Shoe/Sabot – Device used by the dealer to hold and deal the decks of cards.
Single deck – Only one deck of cards is used for the whole game.
Snapper – Slang for blackjack.
Soft Hand – Hand that contains an ace counted as 11.
Split – When a player receives a pair they have the option to either play them or split them. They can then receive a new card on both to start two new hands. For this the player has a requirement to place another bet equal to the original wager.
Standing Hand – A hand that totals 17 or more, which is likely to bust if another card is requested.
Stand or Stay – When you need no more cards and don’t ask for an additional card.
Stiff Card – A card ranked from 1 – 6.
Stiff Hand – Hand that has only a tiny chance of winning.
Surrender – When a player forfeits their hand to only lose half the bet.
T – Blackjack Terms
Ten Poor Deck – A deck from which 10 value cards has been dealt.
Ten Rich Deck – A deck in which less than 10 value cards has been dealt.
Ten Value Card – Any card worth at least 10 points.
Third Base – Position of the player who must act last before the dealer.
Tie Bet – When both the dealer and the player have the same amount of points.
Tip or Toke – Give a gratuity to the dealer.
U – Blackjack Terms
Up Card – The card dealt to the dealer which is left face up so everyone can see it.
Unit – Standard bet size.
Upcard – The dealer’s exposed card that is seen by all players.
W – Blackjack Terms
Whale – A wealthy player who plays at high limits.
Poker Glossary
The game of jackpot poker is very fond of jargon. But you don’t have to be intimidated. Most of the phrases are self-explanatory and easy to learn. We also have a poker rules guide as well as one on how to play online video poker. And you better read the best poker jackpot reviews to see where it’s worth playing!
A – Poker Terms
2-Bet – The first raise. Preflop, this is the same as an “open”. Postflop, it is a raise of a bet.
3-Bet – A raise of a raise (a re-raise).
4-Bet – A raise of a 3-Bet.
5-Bet+ – A raise of a 4-Bet, and any raise after that.
All In – To have all your chips in the middle of the table.
American Airlines – Slang for a pair of Aces.
Ante – A small bet that increases in increments with the blinds.
B – Poker Terms
Backdoor Flush – A Flush that comes about after having only three to a flush on the flop, and thus needing both the turn and river cards to complete the flush.
Backdoor Straight – Making a straight after having only three to a straight on the flop, and thus needing both the turn and river cards to complete the straight.
Bad Beat – Losing a hand that you were a (big) favorite to win.
Blocker – Any card that reduces the number of hands that your opponent(s) can have or make containing that card/rank.
Big Bet (BB) – In a fixed-limit game, it is the larger of the two bet sizes. For example, in a $4/$8 Limit Hold’em game, the Big Bet amount is $8.
Big Blind (bb) – The larger of the two forced bets in a game with blinds. For example, in a $1/$2 No Limit Hold’em game, the Big Blind amount is $2. Sometimes the amount of chips a player has in front of him is measured in Big Blinds.
Big Slick – A nickname for Ace-King.
Bingo Poker – A poker game where the players have no skill, and need pure luck to win any given hand.
Blank – A card that didn’t help you.
Blind – 1. The amount of money that is put into the pot before dealing the cards. 2. Also refers to the person who had to put in the money. 3. Also to refer to the relative position (which is almost the first two after the dealer).
Block bet – A small bet which is used to ‘block’ the opponent from placing large bets in position. Usually a balanced mix of thin value and nutted hands.
Bluff – Betting or raising in hopes of your opponent(s) folding.
Boat – Hand that consists of three of a kind and a pair.
Bot – Computer program that plays poker online with little or no assistance from a person.
Bottom Pair – Pair with the lowest card on the flop.
Bounty – Cash prize rewarded for eliminating players from a tournament.
Bring – Forced bet in stud games.
Bubble – The last spot in a tournament before payouts begin or the person who finishes in that spot.
Bullets – Aces.
Burn – Top card that is discarded from the deck which is discarded as a safeguard against players accidentally seeing the top card.
Button – A little marker which shows who’s currently the dealer.
Buy In – 1. Amount of money you put in for chips at the poker table. 2. The cost or entry fee of a tournament.
Buying The Button – When your bet or raise makes all players that are in later position than you to fold, giving you last position (a huge advantage).
C – Poker Terms
Call – Match another person’s bet.
Calling Station – Weak-passive player who calls a lot, but doesn’t raise or fold much.
Cap – Put in the last raise allowed on a betting round.
Case – Last card of a certain rank in the deck.
Check Raise – Raising an opponent’s bet after having first checked.
Chop – Agreement by all players in a tournament to divide the money in the prize pool based on their current chip stacks.
Cold Call – Calling a raise when you didn’t make or call the previous bet. For example, you may cold call a preflop 3-Bet, having not made or called the original 2-Bet.
Cold Raise – Making a raise when you didn’t make or call either of the TWO previous bets. For example, when facing a 3-Bet, when you have not called or raised the original 2-Bet, you have the opportunity to make a ‘cold 4-Bet’.
Cold Streak – Getting a bad turn of cards in a row.
Collusion – Cheating involving two or more players.
Continuation Bet (C-Bet) – A bet on the flop by the preflop raiser. Also applies to a bet on the Turn by the preflop raiser (assuming he/she bet the Flop) and a bet on the River by the preflop raiser (assuming he/she bet both the Flop and the Turn).
Cooler – When two very strong hands are playing for a big pot
Cowboys – Slang for a pair of Kings
Cutoff (CO) – The position directly to the right of the Button.
D – Poker Terms
Dead Man’s Hand – 1. Two pair: Aces and Eights (black suits). 2. The hand that Wild West legend Wild Bill Hickock was holding when he was murdered at the poker table.
Dead Money – 1. Inexperienced player who has little to no chance of winning. 2. Money in the pot that was contributed by players no longer in the hand.
Delayed Continuation Bet – Also known as a “Delayed C-Bet”. A bet on the turn by the preflop raiser, after the flop was checked through (no betting).
Example: Player A raises preflop and Player B calls from the big blind. On the flop, both players check. On the turn, Player B checks and Player A bets. Player A’s bet is a “Delayed Continuation Bet”.
Deuce – Poker players’ slang for “a two.”
Dog – Person with the lowest chance of winning hand.
Donk – 1. A bad player; commonly also used to describe a good player who suddenly did something stupid. 2. To unexpectedly bet.
Donk Bet – An out-of-position bet made on the flop, turn, or river before the aggressor on the previous street has had a chance to act.
Example: Player A raises preflop and Player B calls from the big blind. On the flop, Player B is first to act and bets out. Player B’s bet is a “Donk Bet”.
Donk Stack – Tournament stack won by luck and open to prey.
Double Gutshot – A hand that contains two different gutshot straight draws simultaneously, thus giving it the same number of outs (8) as an open-ended straight draw.
Example: T9 on a board of 6-8-Q
Double Up – When a player goes all-in and is called by a bigger stack, and wins the hand.
Dry pot – A side pot with no money for when a player goes all in and is called by more than one opponent, but not raised.
E – Poker Terms
Effective Stack – At any point in the hand, the Effective Stack is equal to the smallest of the active stacks remaining in the hand.
Example: Player A, Player B, and Player C all see the flop. Player A has $150, Player B has $250, and Player C has $100. On the flop, the Effective Stack is $100.
Example: Player A and Player B are heads-up to the Turn. Player A has $125 and Player B has $200. On the Turn, the Effective Stack is $125.
Early Position (EP) – Being one of the first players to act, such as the under-the-gun position. The exact number of positions deemed to be “early position” will vary, depending on the table size.
Equity – Your equity is the percentage of the pot that you expect to win over an infinite number of samples. In other words, it is the percentage chance that you have of winning the pot. In monetary terms, your equity is equal to your percentage of winning the hand multiplied by the total pot.
Expected Value (EV) – The average amount won or lost for a given bet/hand/situation/etc., considering all of the possible outcomes and their probabilities.
Exploitative – A strategy which aims to play the highest value option versus an opponents strategy with hopes that they will not counter that strategy. Usually a losing strategy to equilibrium, exploitative strategies are offensive strategies therefore they do not need mixing as they do not aim to be unexploited. Every strategic option in an exploitative strategy can be 100%.
F – Poker Terms
Fake Think – When a player makes it appear they are thinking long and hard about a decision for a hand, when in truth, the decision is already made.
Fifth Street – Last card dealt up in Hold ’em or Omaha (also known as the river), and the third card dealt up in 7-card stud.
Fish – A common (derogatory) term for bad player(s). By the same token, good players are sometimes called “Sharks”, because they prey on the fish.
Flat Call – To call a bet instead of raising.
Float Bet – An in-position bet made after having called a bet (or preflop raise) of the preflop raiser on the previous street.
Example: Player A raises preflop and Player B calls in position. On the flop, Player A bets and Player B calls. On the turn, Player A checks, and Player B bets. Player B’s bet is a Float Bet.
Flop – The three community cards in Hold ’em and Omaha that are dealt face up at the same time (followed by the turn and the river).
Fold – Surrender the cards.
Fold Equity – The extra value you get from a hand when you force an opponent to fold.
Fourth Street – Fourth card dealt in stud poker.
Free Card – When everybody checks before dealing the next card without any bets going in.
Freezout – A tournament that has no re-buys or add-ons.
Full House – A hand that consists of three of a kind and a pair.
G – Poker Terms
Game Theory Optimal (GTO) – Game Theory Optimal, or GTO for short, is a highly mathematical approach to poker. It centers around devising a strategy that has balance and yet is unexploitable.
Grinder – A player who “grinds out” a profit over the long haul. Not a showboat or a loose cannon but rather does what it takes to make even a modest profit over the long term.
Guarantee – Tournament prize pool in which a certain fixed amount will be paid out by the House.
Geometric Bet – Betting a constant fraction of the pot so that you are all-in within X number of streets (streets being considered individual bets/raises here).
Gutshot – A straight draw that is completed with only one rank, thus giving it four outs. Also known as an “Inside Straight Draw”.
Example: T9 on a board of 4-8-Q
H – Poker Terms
Hand History (HH) – A text version (file) produced by an online poker site for every single hand that is played on a given table, or by a given player. It contains the full details of every hand, including stack sizes, positions, bets, board cards, etc.
Heads Up – When there are only two players at the table.
High Card Hand – Hand without a pair, straight or flush.
Hijack (HJ) – The position immediately right of the Cutoff; two seats to the right of the Button.
Hole Cards – Cards that are dealt face-down to you in hold’em and stud.
Hollywood – To take extra time to make a decision and act like you don’t know what you are doing, or that you are not sure of your hand; usually to try to trap your opponent.
Hooks – Slang for a pair of jacks.
Hot streak – Catching great cards and winning big pots due to statistical fluctuation.
House – The entity that is the host of the game, usually a casino or poker room.
I – Poker Terms
Inside Wrap Straight Draw – In Omaha it’s a straight draw with eight or nine outs. It occurs when you have three ranks in your hand that are all outs to your straight (the eight outs scenario occurs when one of these three cards is paired in your hand).
Examples:
9 Out Inside Wrap: 789x on T-6-x
8 Out Inside Wrap: 89TT on J-7-x
In The Money (ITM) – To place high enough in a poker tournament to win prize money.
J – Poker Terms
Jam – To move all-in in a no-limit (or pot-limit) game.
K – Poker Terms
Kicker – A card whose use is to break “ties” when multiple players have the same hand rank.
Example: The board is A-9-9-5-4. Player A holds AJ. Player B holds A8. Both players have the same hand rank (two pair, aces and nines), but Player A has a better hand than Player B, since Player A’s Jack kicker is higher than Player B’s 8 kicker.
L – Poker Terms
Last Aggressor – At any point in a hand, the player who most recently bet or raised. Online jackpot rules apply.
Late Position (LP) – Being one of the last players to act, such as the Cutoff and Button positions. The exact number of positions deemed to be “late position” will vary, depending on the table size.
Laydown – A tough choice to fold a good hand if you think your opponent has you beat.
Leak – A systematic mistake that a poker player makes is called a leak. This is because the mistake is costing him (leaking) money in the long run.
Limp – Entering the pot preflop (when there has been no raise) by calling the amount of the big blind, as opposed to raising.
Lock – A hand so strong that it’s either impossible or at least wholly unlikely that it can lose.
Lojack (LJ) – The position immediately right of the Hijack; three seats to the right of the Button.
Loose – Player who calls bets with weak hands or when he doesn’t have the odds to justify it.
Luckbox – Player who gets lucky frequently.
M – Poker Terms
Made Hand – Hand with more than high-card value, e.g. pair or up.
Maximally Exploitative Strategy (MES) – The highest value exploitative strategy.
Micro-Limit – Usually $.25-.50 and lower are referred to as “micro-limit” online.
Minimally Exploitative Strategy – This exploits one or more nodes but does not aim to exploit everywhere in the game tree. Minimally exploitative strategies tend to wait until after the opponent has made a mistake to adjust a.k.a. downstream. This makes it harder for the opponent to counter the strategy.
Mixed Strategy – When the estimated value of two or more strategic options are the same these strategic options will be mixed.
Move In – To go all-in.
Muck – Another term for ‘fold’.
N – Poker Terms
Nash Equilibrium – Opponents are each playing an optimal strategy against one another, such that they have no incentive to deviate from this optimal strategy. In other words, if one player was to make any adjustments, it would just result in them playing a “less optimal” strategy than their opponent(s).
Nit – A tight-passive player that doesn’t take risks and is normally easy to read.
Node – Where decisions are made in a game tree. Nodes consist of all the actions a player can take at that point in time. eg flop node after OOP checks may contain [check, bet 40%].
No Limit – A player may bet any amount of chips when it’s his turn.
Nut Flush Blocker – When there are two or more of a given suit on board, the highest rank of that suit that is not on the board.
Example:
Ace of Spades on a board of Qs-Js-3s
Queen of Spades on a board of As-Ks-7s
Nuts – Someone who has the best possible hand.
Nut Straight Blocker – Any card that blocks the nut straight.
Examples:
All Tens and all Queens on 8-9-J-x-x
All Eights and all Jacks on 7-9-T-x-x
O – Poker Terms
O8 – Omaha 8-or-better (Hi/Lo split)
On The Come – To bet or call with a draw
Open-Ended Straight Draw (OESD) – A straight draw with eight outs, such that one card on either “end” of the draw will complete the straight.
Examples:
JT on 9-8-x
75 on 8-6-x
98 on T-7-x
Open Raise – Preflop raise when no one else has entered the pot. Same as Raise First In.
Overbet – Betting more than the size of the current pot.
Overcall – Calling any bet/raise after at least one other player has already done so.
Overcard (to the board) – Any card that has a higher rank than the highest card currently on board.
Overlimp – Entering the pot preflop with a limp when one or more other players have also limped.
Over Pair – A pocket pair higher than any card on the flop.
P – Poker Terms
Pair – Two-of-a-kind. A pair is beaten by two pair, and can only in turn beat a high-card hand.
Passive – A style of play characterized by checking and calling.
PFR – Pre-flop Raise.
PL – Pot Limit.
PioSolver – A popular software program (“solver”) for analyzing and studying NLH. By design, solvers are to teach you how to play a Game Theory Optimal (GTO) strategy. A game in which your play will have balanced and be unexploitable. Solvers work by having the user input data about the specific situation (hole cards, board cards, stack size, opponents’ ranges, possible bet sizes etc.). They then generating optimal betting frequencies for the different bet sizes and hole cards that were inputted.
Pocket Rockets – Having Ace/Ace as your hole cards.
Position – The turn in the betting order.
Pot – The money that is up for grabs.
Pot Limit – A version of poker in which a player may bet up to the amount of money in the pot.
Pot-Odds – The amount of money in the pot compared to the amount you must put in the pot to continue playing.
Pre-Flop – The time when players already have their pocket cards but no flop has been dealt yet.
Preflop Raise(r) (PFR) – The player who made the last raise preflop. Or in terms of stats/percentages, it is the percentage of times that a given player raises preflop.
Probe Bet – An out-of-position bet after the player who could have made a continuation bet on the previous street failed to do so. A Probe Bet can occur on the Turn or the River.
Example: Player A raises preflop and Player B calls from the big blind. Both players check the Flop. Player B bets the Turn. Player B’s bet is a Probe Bet.
Pure strategy – When the estimated value of one strategic option is higher than another at a given node the result is that option is used 100% of the time – or purely.
Push – To go all-in.
R – Poker Terms
Rag – A small or insignificant card.
Rail – Spectator area of a poker room or game.
Rainbow – When the cards on the board are all of different suits.
Raise – Bet more than the previous person to act.
Raise First In (RFI) – A preflop raise when no one else has entered the pot. Same as Open Raise.
Rake – The money that a poker room (or poker site) charges per pot. It’s usually a small percentage of the pot, 5% or so.
Rakeback – Payment to a player of a portion of the rake paid by that player, usually from a third-party source such as an affiliate.
Range – All of the possible hands that a player may have in a given situation.
Read – Pick up on something significant about the way he likes to play his hands.
Re-raise – If you bet, someone raises you and you raise their raise.
Reverse float – When a player calls OOP OTF and donks the turn.
River – The last card dealt up. This is the fifth street in Hold ’em and Omaha, and the 7th street in stud.
Rock – A very tight or careful player who doesn’t get out of line.
Root Node – The first node of the game tree.
Royal Flush – Flush involving the 10, J, Q, K A of the same suit. Very important factor if you want to know how to win the jackpot.
Running Bad – When statistical fluctuations cause you to get bad hands and lose money. Also called a “Cold Streak”.
S – Poker Terms
Sandbag – Synonymous to check-raising someone. Sandbag has a slightly negative feel to it, and is usually for by people who feel that there’s something unethical about this play.
Sandwich – To trap someone (or fall into a trap yourself) between two raisers.
Scoop – To win both the Hi and the Lo in a split game.
Set – Three of a kind, specifically when you hold a pocket pair and the board contains the third card of that rank.
SF – Straight Flush.
Shootout – Poker tournament format where the last remaining player of a table goes on to play the remaining players of other tables until they come to a final table.
Showdown – The point at which the best hand is determined and the pot is awarded.
Slow Play – To check and call with a made hand, instead of betting or raising. Most often used as a way to trick opponents into thinking your hand is weaker than it really is.
Soft Play – To go easy on another player at the table.
Split Pot – The sharing of a pot by two or more players because they have the same winning hand.
Squeeze – A preflop re-raise (3-Bet) after there has been a raise (2-Bet) and at least one call of that initial 2-Bet in front.
Example: Player A opens the pot for a raise. Player B calls the raise. Player C “squeezes” by re-raising.
Stab – Postflop bet made when no one seems interested in the pot. Generally, it’s a bet that isn’t likely to have more bets follow it up.
Stakes – The amount one buys in for and can bet.
Steal – An open raise by the cutoff, button, or Small Blind.
Steal Defense – When you’re in the small blind or big blind, and are facing an open raise by the cutoff, button, or small blind (a steal), and no one else has called or raised.
Example: The button open raises. The small blind is then in a steal defense situation. If the small blind then folds, the big blind is also in a steal defense situation. However, if the small blind calls or raises, then the big blind is not in a steal defense situation.
Straight – Hand where the five cards have consecutive values.
Straight Blocker – Any card that blocks any straight.
Examples:
All Eights, Jacks, and Kings on Q-T-9-x-x
All Fours, Sixes, and Nines on 5-7-8-x-x
Straight Flush – Strongest hand in poker. A straight with all the cards in the same suit.
Strategic option – Any action a player can take at any node.
Stuck – Player who has lost money.
Suck Out – Someone who draws against the odds.
Suited – All cards have the same suit.
T – Poker Terms
TAG – Tight Aggressive player.
Tank – Become quiet and pensive for a time while making a decision.
Tell – Mannerism or a quirk in someone’s behavior that signals the strength of their hand. The person giving the tell is not aware of what he’s doing. It can be a slight shake of the hand, or the way he holds his good cards (as opposed to his bad ones).
Third Street – The first face-up card in Stud.
Tight – Someone who plays only good hands and tosses his hands when he doesn’t have the goods.
Tilt – 1. Going on tilt or tilting is when you’re not thinking straight. The most common reason for this to happen is that you’ve had a series of bad cards, or been the victim of a bad suckout. You begin playing cards that you should fold, for the wrong reasons.
Top Up – Buying chips on a cash table to bring one’s chip stack up to the table limit.
Trap – Slow-playing a big hand in order to get someone else to bet at it big (typically making someone bluff at the pot).
U – Poker Terms
Under the Gun (UTG) – Player directly on the left of the Big Blind. The UTG player is first to act preflop.
V – Poker Terms
Value Bet – Bet made by a player who wants it to be called.
Variance – A measure of the up and down swings your bankroll goes through.
Voluntarily Put Money In Pot (VPIP) – VPIP refers to any time a player enters the pot, excluding times where they check their option from the big blind in an un-raised pot.
W – Poker Terms
Wrap Straight Draw – In Omaha, a wrap draw is a straight draw with anywhere from twelve to twenty outs.
Examples:
12 Out Wrap: TT98 on 7-6-x
13 Out Wrap: T98x on 7-6-x
17 Out Wrap: 975x on 8-6-x
20 Out Wrap: KQ98 on J-T-x
Went to Showdown (WTSD) – The percentage of hands that a given player got to showdown with, assuming that he at least saw the flop. So a high WTSD percentage means that the player is more inclined to play hands until showdown, once he sees the flop.
Won at Showdown (WSD) – The percentage of hands that a given player wins, assuming that he went to showdown. For example, a high WSD percentage means that the player wins most of the hands that he goes to showdown with.
Won When Saw Flop (WWSF) – The percentage of hands that a given player wins, assuming that he at least saw the flop in the hand. So a high WWSF percentage means that the player wins more than his fair share of pots once he sees the flop, by either having the best hand at showdown or forcing the other players to fold before then.
Bingo Glossary
Bingo has a lingo all of it’s own. Take a moment to have a look through these terms. Once you learn the basics, then you’ll feel a more confident player. No matter if you’re a novice or an old hand, this list will come in handy. Remember to take a look at our bingo guide for all things jackpot bingo related.
90 Ball – UK bingo using 90 balls. Played at most bingo sites
75 Ball – American style bingo with 75 balls.
80 Ball – Internet bingo uses 80 balls.
A – Bingo Terms
Admission – The number of tickets you need to buy in order to take part in a bingo game.
B- Bingo Terms
Basket Bingo – Where the prize is a basket of goods as opposed to money.
Bingo Board – A giant screen where you can see the numbers as they are called.
Bingo Card –This is what you play with. If you’re playing 75 Ball Bingo, it will have 24 numbers on it and a blank space in the middle. The numbers are randomly placed on the cards and each card is different. A card for 90 Ball Bingo will have 6 boxes with 15 numbers placed throughout each.
Bonanza Bingo – A progressive form of bingo. The caller draws from 43 – 48.
Buy in – How much it costs to get into the bingo game.
C- Bingo Terms
Cash Ball – A progressive jackpot for a special pre-drawn ball.
Cash-In Prize – Winnings given in cash.
Chat Room – Most bingo games have a chat room running alongside them in the bingo room. It’s a great means of chatting to other players,helping each other and enjoying a sense of community.
Chat Games –Side and mini chat games during the main bingo game.
Clickety Click – Slang for the number 66.
D- Bingo Terms
Dauber – The dauber marks off your numbers on the bingo card automatically, so you don’t have to mark off the numbers on your card yourself.
Diagonal Line – The name of a winning pattern on the card.
Diamond – Another winning pattern.
Doctor’s Orders – Slang for the number 9.
E- Bingo Terms
Early Bird Game – A game played before the regular bingo game scheduled.
F- Bingo Terms
Face Card – A single bingo card with 24 numbers and a free space in the middle.
Fair And Square – Everyone must buy the same amount of tickets so no one has the advantage of multiple tickets.
Four Corners – Cover the four corners to win.
Full House – When you have marked off all the numbers on your card.
G- Bingo Terms
Game Board – Shows you the pattern you need to fill in.
Games Room – Players play in different rooms. This ensures any one room doesn’t get over populated.
GTI/TED – An electronic dauber system to play multiple packs of cards simultaneously.
H- Bingo Terms
HB – This means ‘Hurry Back’ in chat room lingo. Chat moderators use this to build up excitement to keep the players playing games and coming back for more.
House – The online bingo site.
I- Bingo Terms
Instant Bingo – These are becoming increasingly popular. They don’t need a chat moderator. The biggest benefit is that the game takes just seconds to reveal.
J- Bingo Terms
Jackpot – The prize you win either a share or all of for getting certain amounts of lines or a Full House. You might want to learn about the best bingo jackpot reviews too!
L- Bingo Terms
Late Night Bingo – Games played later on in the evening – usually from 10 pm.
Legs Eleven – Slang for the number 11.
Lights Out – The last game of the night.
Lucky Jar – A prize for guessing a lucky number.
M- Bingo Terms
Max Bet – The maximum amount of money you can buy a ticket for in any game.
Max Tickets – The maximum number of tickets you can buy in any one game.
Minimum Buy In – The minimum fee for a bingo ticket in any particular session.
Money Ball – A number called before the game begins. If you call it, then it doubles your winnings.
Multiple Winners – When more than one player gets bingo at the same time. Usually dividing the prize between the winners.
N- Bingo Terms
No Deposit – The bingo site gives you money to start playing immediately, without you spending any of your own money first.
O- Bingo Terms
On – When a player just requires one more number.
P- Bingo Terms
Pattern – A pre-determined shape using called numbers.
Payout – Amount or % that the winner of the game receives.
Postage Stamp – Form four squares to win.
Progressive Jackpot – This jackpot keeps increasing in amount until there’s a winner. It can build daily, weekly or monthly. You usually have to buy special tickets for these games.
R- Bingo Terms
RNG – Random Number Generator which ensures fairness.
Redeem Points – Turning bingo points into credits for playing bingo.
S- Bingo Terms
Session – A program of normal bingo games.
Speed Bingo – The calling out of numbers every 2 seconds, as opposed to every 4 or 5. These games are much faster and more exciting.
Split Pot – The winner shares the winnings with the casino.
T- Bingo Terms
Two fat Ladies – Slang for the number 88.
TG – This means ‘To Go” into chat room usage. Players will normally type 1TG, 2TG, 3TG etc, to say how many more numbers they need in order to win.
U- Bingo Terms
Unlucky For Some – Slang for the number 13.
V- Bingo Terms
VIP Scheme – This is a program of special offers, points, and prizes for those players who have regularly deposited on a site and have shown loyalty.
W- Bingo Terms
Welcome Bonus – Free money that a site will offer new players for them to try out their site. Or it can be a fixed sum of money the site will give on top of any money already deposited
Online Chat Lingo
Playing jackpot bingo online has a wonderful community feel if you enable chat. This way you can chat with other players via a chat window in one corner of your device. Here are some of the common shorthand codes you can use in chat:
AFC – Away from computer
AWK – Away from keyboard
AYT – Are you there?
ATM – At the moment
BB – Bye Bye
BBL – Be back later
BBS – Be back soon
BLNG – Better luck next game
BRB – Be right back
BTW – By the way
CM – Chat master | Chat monitor
COI – Come on in
DK – Don’t know
DTS – Don’t think so
EMML – E-mail me later
GG – Got to go
GGA – Good game all
GL – Good luck
GLE – Good luck everyone
IMO – In my opinion
JJ – Just joking
LOL – Laughing out loud
NP – No problem
PLS – Please
ROFL – Rolling on the floor laughing
SYS – See you soon
TTYL – Talk to you later
TY – Thank you
WTG – Way to go
YW – You’re welcome
