Understanding Casino Terminology

Specialist terminology is rife in the world of online gaming, as keen players and game providers alike search for ways to express themselves using as few characters as possible.

This can lead to a slew of abbreviations and game-specific phrases. Casino games are no different with everything from classic table games to video slots and online scratch cards having their own sets of terminology.

Let us delve into just some of these vocabulary gold mines, as we look to enlighten gamers who want to know more about how casino game titles and their lingo work.

Blackjack – Lingo That Leads to 21

When it comes to casino table games that involve playing cards, there is some general terminology that applies to them all.

A pack of 52 cards is called a “Deck” and each deck is made up of four “Suits”: spades, diamonds, clubs and hearts. There are plenty more of these general terms besides.

However, Blackjack does have some terms that apply specifically to the pursuit of the magic number 21. The most important of these revolve around the decision players must make about whether to “Hit” or “Draw” an additional card until they get a “Standing Hand” of 17+. Of course, players can also choose to “Stand” and hope that the house goes “Bust”.

Other Blackjack terms to keep an eye out for include a “Push” where the dealer’s hand matches with a player’s hand or a “Natural” which is when a player is dealt 21 straight off the bat. This can also be simply known as “Blackjack”.

Slots – Reelly Helpful Gaming Vocab

For the most part online slots are simple for players to get a grip on, but they still come with a whole range of their own vocabulary.

The most useful of these for players to know are those that describe important symbols which can appear on spinning “Reels”.

“Free Spins” are a great way to receive some extra spins on the house,  various types of “Wilds” are usually substituted for more beneficial symbols, and  “Scatter” symbols reap rewards or bonus rounds, even if just one symbol of its kind is visible on any reel.

It is always useful to know the names and functions of the various symbols that can appear during a slots gaming session

Roulette – Wheely Useful Words

Roulette is a game full of interesting terminology, as it is played using a unique piece of casino apparatus in the form of its coloured and numbered “Wheel”.

The wheel itself is made up of many different parts:  the “Bottom Track”, which is the inner line of the wheel where the ball slides before it bounces into the pockets,  the “Ball-Track”, which is the groove on the outer part of the wheel in which the croupier or dealer launches the ball and the Wheel head, the part of the wheel with the numbered slots.

Other lingo involved in the game tends to refer to the different types of basic bets that can be made at a Roulette table. A “Straight-Up” bet is one placed on a single number. A “Corner Bet” is one that covers four numbers in the form of a square. Other types of bets include a Split, which is a bet on two bordering numbers, a Street, a bet on 3 numbers on a horizontal line and a Six Lines bet, a bet on two bordering lines. Odds of winnings vary based on the bet selected.

Just to spice things up even further, such lingo also varies depending on whether a gamer is playing on a “European” Roulette table or an “American” table.