Glossary of Gambling Terms

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned gambler, understanding gambling terminology is essential. This detailed glossary covers key terms from poker, casino games, sports betting, and general gambling concepts.

A

Action

🔹 The amount of money wagered in a gambling session or game. In poker, "action" also refers to active betting in a hand.

All-In

🔹 In poker, a bet where a player commits all their remaining chips.

Ante

🔹 A small forced bet required in some poker games before the cards are dealt.

B

Bankroll

🔹 The total amount of money a player has set aside for gambling.

Betting Limits

🔹 The minimum and maximum amount players can bet in a game.

Blackjack

🔹 A popular card game where players try to get a hand value of 21 without exceeding it.

Bluff

🔹 In poker, betting aggressively with a weak hand to deceive opponents.

Bookmaker (Bookie)

🔹 A person or company that accepts bets on sports and other events.

Buy-In

🔹 The amount of money required to enter a poker game or tournament.

C

Call

🔹 Matching the current bet in poker.

Card Counting

🔹 A blackjack strategy where players track cards to determine probabilities.

Casino Advantage (House Edge)

🔹 The mathematical edge the casino has over players in any game.

Chips

🔹 Tokens used instead of cash in casinos.

Cold Streak

🔹 A long period of losing bets.

Craps

🔹 A dice game where players bet on the outcome of a roll or series of rolls.

Cut Card

🔹 A plastic card used by dealers to cut the deck after shuffling.

D

Dealer

🔹 The person who deals cards in poker or operates table games in a casino.

Double Down

🔹 In blackjack, doubling the initial bet in exchange for one additional card.

Draw

🔹 In poker, when a player needs more cards to complete a strong hand.

Drop (Fold)

🔹 In poker, choosing to fold and forfeit a hand.

E

Edge

🔹 The advantage a player or casino has over the other.

Even Money

🔹 A bet where the payout is 1:1 (e.g., betting $10 to win $10).

F

Fish

🔹 A weak or inexperienced player, especially in poker.

Fixed Limit

🔹 A betting structure where bet sizes are pre-determined.

Flush

🔹 A poker hand consisting of five cards of the same suit.

Fold

🔹 In poker, discarding a hand and forfeiting the pot.

Free Play

🔹 A casino bonus that allows players to bet without using real money.

G

Gambler’s Fallacy

🔹 The mistaken belief that past outcomes influence future results in independent events (e.g., thinking a slot machine is "due" to hit).

Grinder

🔹 A poker player who consistently plays low-stakes games to make a steady profit.

H

High Roller

🔹 A gambler who bets large amounts of money.

House Edge

🔹 The mathematical advantage the casino has in a game.

Hole Cards

🔹 The hidden cards dealt to a player in poker.

I

Inside Bet

🔹 A bet placed on specific numbers in roulette, offering higher payouts.

Insurance

🔹 A side bet in blackjack when the dealer shows an Ace, protecting against a possible blackjack.

J

Jackpot

🔹 The largest possible payout in a casino game, often in slots or progressive games.

Juice (Vig)

🔹 The commission a bookmaker takes from bets.

K

Kicker

🔹 In poker, an extra card used to break ties between hands.

L

Limp

🔹 In poker, entering a pot by calling rather than raising.

Live Bet (In-Play Betting)

🔹 Placing a bet during an ongoing sporting event.

M

Martingale System

🔹 A betting strategy where a player doubles their bet after a loss to recover losses.

Muck

🔹 Folding a hand without revealing the cards in poker.

N

No-Limit (NL)

🔹 A poker format where players can bet any amount of chips at any time.

Nut Hand

🔹 The best possible hand in a given situation.

O

Odds

🔹 The probability of a bet winning, often expressed as a ratio.

Offsuit

🔹 Cards of different suits in poker.

Overbet

🔹 Betting more than the pot size in poker.

P

Pair

🔹 Two cards of the same rank in poker.

Parlay

🔹 A sports bet combining multiple bets for a larger payout.

Pit Boss

🔹 A casino supervisor overseeing table games.

Pocket Cards

🔹 The private cards dealt to a player in poker.

Pot

🔹 The total amount of chips bet in a poker hand.

Push

🔹 A tie in a casino game where the player’s bet is returned.

Q

Quads

🔹 Poker slang for four-of-a-kind.

R

Railbird

🔹 A spectator watching poker games without playing.

Rake

🔹 The small commission taken by the house from poker pots.

Roulette

🔹 A casino game where players bet on where a spinning ball will land on a wheel.

River

🔹 The final community card dealt in poker.

S

Short Stack

🔹 A player with a small number of chips relative to the table.

Showdown

🔹 The moment in poker when players reveal their hands to determine the winner.

Side Bet

🔹 A bet placed alongside the main game, often with special payouts.

Slot Machine

🔹 A casino game where players spin reels to match symbols.

Split

🔹 In blackjack, dividing two identical cards into separate hands.

T

Tell

🔹 A physical or behavioral clue revealing a player’s hand strength.

Tilt

🔹 Emotional frustration causing reckless gambling decisions.

Triple Barrel Bluff

🔹 A poker strategy where a player bluffs on the flop, turn, and river.

U

Under the Gun (UTG)

🔹 The first player to act in a poker hand.

Upswing

🔹 A winning streak in gambling.

V

Variance

🔹 The statistical measure of fluctuations in winnings and losses.

Vig (Vigorish)

🔹 The commission a bookmaker takes on bets.

W

Whale

🔹 A gambler who places extremely large bets.

Wild Card

🔹 A card that can substitute for any other to complete a hand.

Y

Yo-Leven

🔹 A craps term for rolling an 11.