This Glossary contains explanations for some commonly heard, and some rarer terminology and phrases used within the gambling community.  It also contains short descriptions of the main games.

Our specific Poker Glossary, contains phrases particularly related to poker.

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Action: The amount of money wagered by a player during an entire playing session.

All-in: with all-in betting there are no refunds given for scratched or withdrawn
competitors or teams in an event where a bet is placed. Should an event be cancelled then the amount bet will be refunded.

All up: This involves picking the winners of more than one event. A single wager
amount is placed on more than one outcome, whereby the stake and winnings of the first selection will be rolled over into the second selection and so on.

Anchor Man: The player betting on the last box on the blackjack table and making the final decision, therefore anchoring the game.

Ante: Usually in poker, a term used for the first money wagered on a hand.

Any Craps: A one-roll dice bet covering the 2, 3, or 12.

Any Seven: A one-roll dice bet covering any 7.

Audition: A casino test to determine if a dealer will be hired. Can be conducted on a live game.

Baccarat: A card game where the winning hand totals closest to 9 discounting all units of 10. Originating from the game, Chemin de Fer.

Back Line: See Don’t Pass Line.

Bag: An English casino term for thousand, e.g., 5 bag = 5 thousand.

Bankroll: The amount of money a player has for one gaming session.

Bar the 12: Makes the 12 a push on the Don’t Pass Bar.

Base: Area on the dice table where the majority of bets are made and paid.

Base Dealer: Dice dealer in charge of one of the bases.

Basic Strategy: The mathematically correct way to play blackjack.

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

Betting Right: Betting on the Pass Line or with the shooter.

Betting Wrong: Betting on the Don’t Pass or against the shooter.

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

Blackjack: A hand whose first two cards total 21.

Book: To accept a bet.

Box: Area of the dice table controlled by the boxman.

Boxman: The casino employee in charge of the craps table. The boxman sits
between the base dealers.

Break: To exceed 21.

Burn Card: Any card placed in the discard rack without being entered into play.

Bust: See Break.

Call Bet: A bet made verbally.

Card Counting: A system to keep track of the percentage of high cards to low cards. Used in blackjack to gain an advantage over the house.

Caribbean Stud: A five-card poker game with all players playing against the house.

Change Color: Exchange one-color denomination casino chip for another. All
denomination casino chips are different colors.

Chip: Name given to the tokens used at the gaming tables.

Check: See Chip.

Color Up/Out: Exchange smaller denomination chips for larger denomination chips.

Come Bet: A wager placed on the Come Line. Same as rules as the Pass Line, but placed after the point has been established.

Come Line: Area on the craps table where Come Bets are placed.

Come-Out Roll: The first roll of the dice or the first roll after a point has been made. This roll establishes the point.

Crap Out: Rolling a Crap (2, 3, or 12) on the come-out roll.

Craps: Dice term for 2, 3, and 12.

Crew: Dice/Craps dealers assigned to the game.

Croupier: Term mainly used when referring to roulette and sometimes baccarat
dealers.

Cut: To divide the deck into two parts.

Cut Card: A hard plastic card used to cut the deck.

Dealer: A casino employee who deals the various games.

Dividend: means the agreed payout or return on any bet.

Discard Rack: Area of the table where the used cards are placed.

Don’t Come Bet: A bet placed on the Don’t Come Bar. Same rules as the Don’t Pass Line, except placed after the come-out roll.

Don’t Pass Bet: A wager placed prior to the Come-Out Roll that a seven will be rolled before a point is repeated.

Don’t Pass Line: The area on the layout where Don’t Pass Bets are placed.

Double Up: To increase a wager after the first two cards are drawn.

Draw: Where competitors in an event finish evenly. Where there is a draw and this is not offered as a betting option, the return will be divided by the number of joint winners.

Edge: The casino’s advantage.

Even Money: When the player has a blackjack and the dealer has an ace showing, a payout offered before the hole card is checked. Pays 1-1 instead of 3-2.

Even-Money: A payoff of 1-1.

Face Cards: The king, queen, or jack of each suite.

First Base: The first seat nearest the shoe.

Float: The table bank.

Floorman: A casino employee who is part of the management team.

Front Line: See Pass Line.

George: A good tipper.

Head to Head: Select the team, or player, you believe will win the game or an event.

Hit: To take another card.

Hole Card: The dealer's face-down card.

Horn Bet: A one-roll bet that combines the 2, 3, 11, and 12.

Insurance: A side bet that the dealer has a blackjack. It’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.

Let it Ride: A poker game.

Lumpy: A break-in dealer. Called this because their dealing is not smooth.

Monkey: Chinese term used in casinos for a card valued at ten.

Monkey: $500.

Nickels: $5 chips.

Non-negotiable: A promotional chip which can’t be exchanged for cash.

Odds: Chances of winning expressed in dollar (monetary) terms.

Odds Against: The odds when you will win more than double your money. E.g. for a $1 stake the dividend would be anything more than $2.

Off: Term meaning that bets are not working.

One-Roll Bets: Wagers that will win or lose depending on the next roll of the dice.

Pallette: The flat paddle used on the baccarat tables to scoop the cards.

Pass-Line Bet: A wager made prior to the come-out roll that a point will repeat.

Pass Line: The area where a Pass-Line Bet is placed.

Player: A casino patron.

Point: Dice term for the number rolled on the come-out roll if a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10. The point has to be repeated before a seven rolls for the Pass Line bets to win.

Press: Increasing a bet by double.

Proposition Bet: Dice bets on number combinations.

Punter: A casino player.

Push: When the dealer and the player have hands with the same total. No one wins or loses.

Quarters: $25 chips.

Right Bettor: A person betting on the Pass Line.

Seven-Out: Rolling a seven after the point has been established.

Shill: A person employed by the casino as a game starter.

Shoe: Name given to the box in which the dealer places the freshly shuffled cards. Each hand is then dealt from the shoe.

Shooter: The person rolling the dice.

Soft Hand: Any blackjack hand that contains an ace valued at eleven.

Sportsbook: A collection of all the bets taken on a fixed odds betting event

Stand: To not take any more cards.

Stake: The amount of money that is bet.

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

Stud Poker: Poker game with no draw.

Surrender: To give up half the wager before the hand is complete.

Table Test: See Audition.

Tip: Gratuity.

Toke: See Tip.

Token: The casino coins used to play slot machines.

Upcard: The dealer’s exposed card.

Whale: A high roller; big spender.

Working: A dice term meaning that the bets are in play.

World Bet: A one-roll dice bet on the horn including the seven.

Wrong Bettor: A dice player who bets on the Don’t Pass Line.

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