Gambling Glossary 101: Important Gambling Terms for Indian Players
If you’ve ever wondered what a particular casino term means, you are at the right place. Here I share a comprehensive online casino glossary to guide you through all the gambling and sports betting terms you’ll encounter at online casinos. Read on and educate yourself on the definitions and most commonly used phrases, terms, slang, and abbreviations you’ll find at your favorite online casinos in India.
A
| Term | Use | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| ACS | General | Automatic Card Shuffler |
| Action | General | A term referring to the total bet amount placed on a casino game or a sports bet |
| Active Payline | Slots | A term referring to the current line in play at the online slots game |
| Add-On | Poker | The action of adding more chips to the bankroll during a tournament |
| Advantage player | General | Referring to a player who can count cards/roll dice/play casino games, and knows how to turn the odds in their favor or use bonuses and game perks |
| Affiliate | General | The commission earned by promoting a brand |
| Aggregate Limit | General | The maximum payout limit paid by the casino, if the aggregate limit is reached, you may be forced to accept reduced payouts |
| Aggressive player | Poker | A player who frequently raises in poker |
| All In | Poker | Betting all your chips in one bet |
| All or Nothing | Bingo/Keno | A term referring to a player’s win if all their numbers are drawn or winning nothing |
| Andar | Andar Bahar | A possible bet in Andar Bahar |
| Annuity | Lottery | A lottery jackpot paid in installments |
| Ante | Poker | The mandatory stake you need to pay to enter a poker game |
| Arbitrage | General | Variation in the odds that guarantees a win |
| Arm | Craps | A player with excellent dice-throwing skills |
| ATS | Sports betting | Against The Spread |
B
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bahar | Andar Bahar | A possible bet in Andar Bahar |
| Banco | Baccarat | The bank, the bet placed on the Banker |
| Banker | General | A person who bets against all the players on the table |
| Bankroll | General | The amount of money you have at your disposal to use for gambling |
| Basic slot | Slots | A slot game with a single-pay line |
| BB | General | Blind Bet |
| Beef | General | A dispute between the casino and a player or between players |
| Beginner’s Luck | General | A term referring to a new player going on a winning streak |
| Bet layout | General | The area on the casino table where you can place your bet |
| Bet limit | General | The minimum and maximum amounts you can bet |
| Bet Wrong | Craps | A bet placed against the shooter |
| Big Bet | Sic Bo | A bet predicting the three dice will sum up between 11 and 17 |
| Blackout | Bingo | When the player covers all the numbers on their bingo card, automatic win |
| Blind | Teen Patti | Placing a bet before you’ve seen your cards |
| Blinds | Poker | The forced bets |
| Bonus round | Slots | When a player hits a specific combination of symbols, they can be awarded a bonus round |
| Bonus symbol | Slots | A symbol awarding free spins or bonus rounds in a slot game |
| Bookmaker | Sports Betting | A person/entity that accepts bets on sports events |
| Break ever | General | When the won amount is enough to cover the losses |
| Break the bank | General | A jackpot or a massive win against the casino |
| Bug | Poker | A wildcard used to create a flush or a straight |
| Burn Card | Poker | A card that is discarded before a community card is drawn or a new round is dealt |
| Bust | Blackjack | A hand that is over 21, automatic loss |
| Buy In | Poker | The amount of money/chips necessary to enter the game |
C
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Call | Poker | The action you need to take to match the current bet |
| Cap | Poker | The limit of the number of raises in a betting round |
| Card Counting | Blackjack | The action of counting the cards that have passed in online blackjack to improve winning odds and lower house edge |
| Caribbean Stud | Poker | A poker variant played against the house |
| Carte | Blackjack | A French term used to request a card t be dealt |
| Cash Bonus | General | Free cash bonus you can use to play a casino game |
| Cash Out | General | The action of withdrawing your winnings from the casino |
| Cashback | General | A percentage refund of your casino losses |
| Casino Advantage | General | House edge |
| Chaal | Teen Patti | Placing a bet after you’ve seen your cards in Teen Patti |
| Chase | General | When a losing player continues to play, hoping to recover the losses |
| Chat Room | General | The “room” on your screen where you can chat with other players in real-time |
| Check | Poker | Staying in the hand without betting but keeping the option to call or raise later in the round |
| Chemin De Fer | Baccarat | A French term for baccarat |
| Chip | General | Tokens used instead of money in land-based and online casinos |
| Chop | Poker | When two or more players share the winning pot in poker |
| Clear | Poker | Action where all the bets are canceled, and the money is returned to the players |
| Closing Line | Sports Betting | A final list of point spreads before the game starts |
| Cold | Slots | A slot game that hasn’t been paying out |
| Cold table | Blackjack | A table where the players are frequently losing |
| Column Bet | Roulette | A bet on one of three columns on the online roulette table |
| Combination Bet | Horse race betting | Bet on horses to finish first and second in either order |
| Come Bet | Craps | Betting on the shooter to win |
| Come-Out Bet | Craps | The first roll of the dice in the game |
| Commission | General | The percentage the casino takes as profit from games without house edge |
| Community Card | Poker | The cards are placed face up on the table that all the players can use to create a winning hand |
| Comp Points | General | Reward or loyalty points the casino awards to players |
| Corner Bet | Roulette | Bet on four numbers by placing the chips on the corner between four numbers |
| Crapping out | Craps | The numbers 7 or 11 rolled on the first throw where all the Don’t pass bets win |
| Croupier | Roulette | French for the dealer, the person who spins the wheel and collects the bets |
| Cut | Blackjack | The action of cutting/dividing the deck into two parts and placing the bottom on the top |
| Cycle | Video poker | The average number of hands in video poker before the top payout wins |
D
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| D’Alembert | General | A gambling strategy you can use to recover losses; the idea is to double your bet after every loss to recover your losses |
| Dead Heat | Horse race betting | When two horses finish in a tie |
| Dealer | General | The person who deals the cards to each player |
| Deck | General | A set of 52 cards |
| Deposit | General | The money you pay the casino to play real money casino games |
| Deposit bonus | General | The bonus money the casino gives you as an incentive to join and play the games |
| Dime | General | A bet of $1,000 |
| Dog | Sports Betting | Sports term for the underdog, the team/athlete with a perceived disadvantage over the favorite |
| Dollar | General | A bet of $100 |
| Don’t Come | Craps | Betting on the dice shooter to lose |
| Double | Craps | A bet placed on the numbers 2 to 6 |
| Double Down | Blackjack | Double the original bet and get one more card |
| Down Card | Blackjack | The dealer card placed face-down on the table |
| Dozens | Roulette | A bet on one of the three dozen on the roulette table |
| Draw | Blackjack | Take one more card, also referred to as Hit |
| Draw | Lottery | The results of the online lottery draw |
| Drop | Blackjack | Fold, drop out of the game |
| Drop Percentage | General | The percentage of your win that goes to the casino because of the house edge |
E
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | Craps | A number combination by rolling dice with different values |
| Easy Way | Craps | A dice roll of 4, 6, 8, or 10 |
| eCOGRA | General | eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance |
| Edge | General | The advantage of a casino |
| En Prison | Roulette | A rule giving you a chance to recover the even bet money when the ball falls on 0 |
| Encryption | General | A security measure by online casinos to keep user data safe and secure |
| European Roulette | Roulette | European roulette is a roulette variant with 37 pockets and a single zero pocket |
| Even Money Bet | General | A bet that pays the exact amount you wager |
| Exotic bet | Horse race betting | Any bet type in horse racing other than a straight bet |
| Expectation | General | The amount you expect to win on average based on the adds/probability |
F
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Face Card | General | Any card with a face – J, Q, K |
| Favorite | Sports Betting | The team expected to win the match |
| Fifth Street/River | Poker | The third round, where the last community card is placed in Texas Hold’em poker |
| Fifty Cents | General | A bet of $50 |
| Final | Roulette | A side bet in roulette placed on numbers that end in the same digit |
| First Half Bet | Sports Betting | A bet you place only on the first half of the game |
| Fixed Odds | General | A casino or a sports bet with predetermined odds |
| Flash | General | Online software required to play some casino games |
| Flat Bet | General | Betting the same amount on each hand |
| Flat Top | Slots | A slot game that has a fixed jackpot amount |
| Flop | Poker | The action of dealing the three community cards face up in Texas Hold’em poker |
| Flush | Poker/Teen Patti | A card hand with cards all in the same suit |
| Fold | General | When the player resigns from the round |
| Forecast | Sports Betting | Predictions for the possible outcome of the sports event |
| Fourth Street | Poker | The second round of betting in poker, where four community cards are on the table |
| Free Spin | Slots | The chance to spin the slots without having to bet your money |
| FTW | General | For The Win |
| Full House | Poker | A hand with two hands in one rank and three cards in a second rank |
| Futures | Sports Betting | A sports bet placed on the outcome of a future event |
G
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Gambler’s Fallacy | General | A belief that the future outcome depends on the outcome of previous hands |
| Gambler’s Ruin | General | A strategy that is bound to ruin the gambler |
| Garbage hand | Poker | A poor hand that should be discarded |
| Get down | General | Make a bet |
| GG | General | Good Game |
| GLA | General | Good Luck All |
| Grind | Poker | A player who plays plenty of online poker games with small stakes to build a profit |
| Gross Winnings | General | The sum of all the winning bets |
H
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Half Time Bet | Sports Betting | A bet placed in the second half of the match |
| Hand | General | The cards the players have |
| Handicap | Sports Betting | Points awarded to the team less likely to win to even the odds against the favorite |
| Hard | Craps | A number achieved by rolling dice with the same value |
| Hard Way | Craps | A dice roll of 4, 6, 8, and 10 before a roll of 7 |
| Heads Up | Blackjack | A single player on a live blackjack table |
| High Bet | Roulette | A bet placed on the high numbers 19-36 |
| High Roller | General | A player who plays high-stakes games |
| Hi-Lo | Craps | Bet that the next roll will fall on a 2 or a 12 |
| Hit | Blackjack | The request for another card |
| Hit | Slots | Spinning a winning pay line |
| Hole cards | Poker | The facedown cards the players get |
| Home Field Advantage | Sports Betting | The advantage of the home team |
| Hot | Slots | A slot game that pays out at a higher rate |
| Hot game | Sports betting | A sports event attracting a lot of attention |
| Hot streak | General | When a player is on a winning streak |
| Hot table | General | A casino table where players win frequently |
| House | General | A term referring to the casino |
| House Edge | General | The casinos take from every bet you place |
| House Rules | General | The rules of a particular casino |
| HU | General | Heads Up |
I
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Implied odds | Poker | The odds that can’t be calculated in the initial bet but are based on the expected wins in a given hand |
| Inside Bet | Roulette | A bet placed on the inside section of the table, placed on a specific number |
| Instant games | General | Also known as a flash casino where you can directly play the games |
| Instant win | General | Casino games that instantly determine the winner |
| Insurance | Blackjack | A side bet in blackjack, you can place that the dealer will have a natural blackjack |
J
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Jackpot | General | The largest amount you can win at a given casino game |
| Jacks or Better | Video Poker | A popular video poker variant |
| Jhandi | Jhandi Munda | The symbol that appears the most in Jhandi Munda |
| Joker | General | Additional cards in a deck that can be used as wildcards |
K
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Keno | Keno | A type of lottery game where you can place a bet on numbers from 1 to 80 |
L
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Lady | General | Common slang for the Queen card |
| Lay Bet | Craps | Bet that a 7 will be rolled before the point |
| Lay Down | Poker | To fold a poker hand because of poor hole cards |
| Lay Odds | Sports Betting | To make a bet on odds that are favorable for the other side |
| Limit | General | A term referring to the limit of the bet size or limit of the possible winnings |
| Limit | Sports Betting | The maximum amount you can bet before the odds are changed |
| Lines | Sports Betting | The odds provided by the bookmaker |
| Live Dealer Game | General | Online casino games are run by real human dealers and streamed live via multiple camera views |
| Long odds | Sports Betting | High odds, generally higher than 10:1 |
| Longshot | General | An unlikely winner |
| Low Bet | Roulette | Bet on the low numbers from 1 to 18 |
| Loyalty program | General | A program run by an online casino where loyal players get special perks |
| Lump Sum | Lottery | A lottery winning paid out in a single sum |
M
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Margin | Sports Betting | The difference between the competitors at a given event |
| Martingale | General | Casino betting strategy designed to minimize your losses and maximize winnings |
| Maximum bet | General | The highest possible stake you can bet on a game |
| Middle | Sports Betting | To bet on the underdog at one point spread and the favorite at another point spread and win both sides |
| Minimum bet | General | The lowest possible stake you can bet on a game |
| Mobile Slots | Slots | Online slots games that you can play on a mobile device |
| Money Line | Sports Betting | A bet on the winner of an event without point spread odds |
| MTT | Poker | Multi-table Tournament |
| Multi-Hand Games | General | Casino games where you can play multiple hands |
| Multiplayer Games | General | Casino games where several players can play simultaneously |
| Multiplier | General | A wild card/symbol that multiplies the payout in different games |
| MVG | General | Most Valued Guest |
N
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| N1 | General | Nice One |
| Natural | Blackjack | A two-card hand that sums up to 21 and is automatically a winner |
| Natural | Craps | A come-out roll of 7 or 11 |
| Natural | Baccarat | A two-card hand worth eight or nine points |
| Net Winning | General | The amount won after deducting the initial stake from the winnings |
| NH | General | Nice Hand |
| NL | General | No Limit |
| No Action | Sports Betting | A bet where you don’t lose or win money |
| No Deposit Bonus | General | Free money you receive as an incentive without needing to make a cash deposit that you can use at an online casino |
| No Limit | General | A game without limits on the bet amount |
| Non-Sticky Bonus | General | A casino bonus that you can withdraw after completing the T&Cs |
| Nosebleed bet | General | A bet with a massive size |
| NP | General | Nice Play; No Problem |
O
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Odds | General | The ratio of winning to the stake you enter |
| Odds | Sports Betting | The set probability that a team/athlete will win the match |
| Off The Board | Sports Betting | A game that is not offered for sports bettors |
| Omaha | Poker | A poker variant with multiple betting rounds played with a single deck of cards |
| One-Roll bet | Craps | Betting on the results of the upcoming dice roll |
| Online Casino | General | The online version of a traditional casino where people can play from home |
| Outlaw Line | Sports Betting | The earliest line in sports betting is not available to many players |
| Outside bet | Roulette | Even money bets like red/black, even/odd, high/low |
| Over/Under | Sports Betting | A bet on whether the outcome of the game will be over or under a specified number |
| Overdrawn | General | A number that is drawn more frequently |
| Overdue | General | A number that is drawn less frequently; players believe it is due to come up very soon |
| Overlay | Sports Betting | Odds that are higher in favor of the player |
P
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pair | Poker | Tow cards with the same value |
| Parlay | General | The step of adding your winnings from the previous to the upcoming bet |
| Pass Line | Craps | Betting on the shooter to win |
| Passive player | Poker | A player who raises infrequently |
| Pat | Blackjack | A hand worth 17 where you don’t take any more cards |
| Payline | Slots | A line of symbols that pays out when the winning combinations of symbols are shown |
| Payoff | General | The money received from a win |
| Payout Percentage | General | The statistical percentage of every bet that will be returned to the player also referred to as RTP |
| Paytable | General | A chart that shows the payout structure for the different hand combinations |
| Pick | Sports Betting | Bet, wager |
| Pineapple | Poker | Poker variant with multiple betting rounds and community cards similar to Texas Hold’em poker |
| Place Bet | Craps | A bet that wins if a specific number is rolled before the end of the round; a bet that loses if a 7 is rolled before the specific number |
| Playthrough requirements | General | A requirement that a specific amount of money should be wagered before you can withdraw your winnings you’ve won using the bonus amount |
| Point | Craps | The number set by the come-out roll, and it can be any number other than 7 or 11 |
| Point Spread | Sports Betting | Points are awarded to the underdog to even the odds |
| Pot | Poker | The total amount of money gathered by the ante, blinds, and the bets |
| Pot Limit | General | A game with a fixed bet size per round |
| Progressive Slot | Slots | A slot game where the jackpot grows over time as more players play the game |
| Proposition Bet | Sports Betting | A particular bet offered by the bookmaker on a unique event |
| Provably Fair | General | An algorithm used in online casinos to ensure the casino games are fair |
| Punto | Baccarat | A term referring to the Player in baccarat |
| Punto Banco | Baccarat | A term referring to the baccarat game |
| Push | Blackjack | A tie where neither the players nor the dealer wins, and the bet is returned to the player |
Q
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Quads | Poker | A hand with four cards of the same rank, four of a kind |
| Quick Pick | Lottery | A computer selects the numbers for you |
| Quarter Bet | Roulette | A bet on four numbers |
| Qualifier | General | The criteria you need to fill out to qualify for betting |
R
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Raise | Poker | Action that increases the bet size |
| Rake | Poker | A fee that the casino collects from each poker hand |
| RNG | General | Random Number Generator: an algorithm that provides random outcomes for casino games |
| Re-Bet | General | A bet size equal to the previous round |
| Reel | Slot | The rotating element of a slot game is covered in symbols; slots games have from 3 to 9 reels |
| Reload Bonus | General | Casino money you get when you make a subsequent deposit to your account |
| Return | General | The total winnings on a given bet |
| River | Poker | The dealing of the final community card in Texas Hold’em poker |
| Roll | Craps | Throwing the dice in online craps |
| Roulette Wheel | Roulette | The rotating wheel with numbered pockets determines the winning number |
| Royal Flush | Poker | The top-ranked hand in poker: A, K, Q, J, 10 in the same suit |
| Rundown | Sports Betting | All the relevant information on a particular event |
S
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scatter Symbol | Slots | Special multiplier symbols that raise the bet or trigger free spins or bonus rounds when two or more of these appear on your screen during a slot game |
| Scratch Card | Lottery | A type of instant-win lottery game where you need to scratch out the top layer and reveal the symbols to see if you are a winner |
| Seven Card Stud | Poker | A poker variant with no community cards, but the players get one card in each of the seven rounds. |
| Seven Out | Craps | When a 7 is rolled before making a point and losing the pass line bet |
| SH | General | Short Handed, a card game played with less than the usual number of players |
| Shark | General | An expert card player |
| Showdown | Poker | At the end of the poker game where the remaining players compare their hands and determine the winner |
| Sic Bo | General | A casino dice game where you bet on the outcome of the roll of the three dice |
| Sign Up Bonus | General | Referred to as a welcome bonus, this is a bonus the casino gives to newly signed-up members |
| Single | Sports Betting | A straight-up bet, bet on a single team/athlete to win |
| Snake Eyes | Craps | When the two dice fall on 1 |
| Soft Hand | Blackjack | A hand with one or more aces |
| Split | Blackjack | Splitting the initial cards into separate hands; is available only if the two cards are of the same rank |
| Sportsbook | Sports Betting | The company or website that accepts sports bets |
| SS | General | Short Stacked |
| Staggered Payout | Slots | A pay table in slots games that pay more to the gamblers who have made larger bets |
| Stake | General | The money you bet on any outcome |
| Sticky Bonus | General | A casino bonus type that can’t be cashed out but is only used to play casino games |
| Straight | Poker | A card hand with five cards with consecutive ranking |
| Straight Bet | Roulette | A bet placed on a single number |
| Straight Bet | Sports Betting | A bet placed on one team or athlete |
| Straight Flush | Poker | The second-highest winning hand; five consecutive cards in the same suit |
| Street Bet | Roulette | A roulette bet on three consecutive numbers |
| Suit | General | The different symbols of the cards: diamond, heart, clubs, and spade |
| Surrender | Blackjack | The option to forfeit a hand in blackjack and get half of your bet amount back |
| Symbol | Slots | The images, numbers, or letters on the slot machine that determine the outcome and won amount |
T
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Table Limit | General | The minimum and maximum bet limits on a given casino table |
| Take the Odds | Sports Betting | Accepting or making abet that is not very favorable |
| Tapped Out | General | A casino player who’s spent all their money |
| Teen Patti | Teen Patti | An Indian card game similar to poker |
| Texas Hold’em | Poker | A poker game where the players get two hole cards and five community cards and create the best possible hand |
| Three of a Kind | Poker | A hand with three cards of the same rank |
| Ticket | Sports Betting | The sports bet you place |
| Tie | Sports Betting | A bet where you don’t win or lose money |
| Tie | Baccarat | A bet in baccarat that the Player and Banker will have the same score |
| True Odds | Sports Betting | The actual odds for a specific outcome |
| Twenty One | Blackjack | A term referring to blackjack |
| TY | General | Thank You |
U
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Under | Sports Betting | A bet on the total points of the game will be under a set number |
| Underdog | Sports Betting | The team/athlete more likely to lose |
| Up Card | Poker | The cards placed face-up on the poker table |
| Unit | General | The smallest bet amount you can place at the online casino |
V
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Sports Betting | To get the best offs with the highest RTP |
| Video Poker | Video Poker | A five-draw poker game played on a screen |
| Vigorish/Vig | Sports Betting | The commission on a losing bet |
| VIP | General | An online casino program where members get exclusive prizes and bonuses |
| Virtual Casino Games | General | The online casino games operated by computers and RNGs |
W
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Wager | General | A term for a bet |
| Wagering Requirements | General | Part of the T&Cs where you need to bet a certain amount of money to claim your winnings obtained with the casino bonus |
| Welcome Bonus | General | The amount of money the casino grants as a bonus to new players |
| Wild Card | General | The joker in many casino card games can replace any card and create a good hand |
| Wild Symbol | Slots | A symbol that can replace any other symbol on the slot reel and make a winning combination |
| Withdrawal | General | The process to withdraw your winnings from the online casino |
Y
| Term | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|
| YHS | General | Your Hand Sucks |
| YW | General | You are Welcome |
| YO | General | The number 11 |