Essential Gambling Terms Every Player Should Know

• The online casino industry loves its acronyms and jargon, but it can be confusing to players.
• On this page, you'll find the meanings of popular and important gambling terms to help you avoid misunderstandings.

Gambling Terms A - D

• Action - A move that can be made by the player, such as hitting in blackjack. This gambling term could also refer to the amount of money that was put into play.
• All-in - When a player wages all his or her table chips.
• Ante - A mandatory wager that must be placed by one or more players at the table before the game can start or progress.
• Bad Beat - A poker term that refers to a promising starting hand that is beaten as the game progresses.
• Bankroll - The money at the disposal of a player. This could be just deposited funds or include a casino bonus.
• Bet - A wager that is placed by the player on casino games or sports odds.
• Betting limits - The minimum and maximum bets that can be placed by players.
• Blinds - Wagers that players must place before being dealt their cards.
• Bonus - A gambling site reward designed to incentivise players to open an account, place a deposit, or complete another task.
• Bookmaker - A facility, such as Betfair Sports, that accepts bets for sports. A bookmaker is also referred to as a sportsbook.
• Cashback - A type of bonus that is based on a player's previous wagers or losses.
• Chips - Coloured discs that have a monetary value for casinos and are usually used in table games.
• Classic slot - A slot machine or online slot that is based on the classic style of having three reels and one row.
• Dealer - The person representing the casino at table games. The dealer participates in some games, such as in blackjack, or merely moves the game along, such as in roulette.
• Deposit method - A banking option that is accepted to fund a player's gambling site account.

Gambling Terms E - O

• Even money - A standard payout that's equal to the player's wager. An even money bet would pay out $2 on a $1 wager.
• Fixed odds - Odds that don't change and are commonly found in sports betting.
• Freeroll - A type of bonus or ticket that lets players participate in a tournament with an entry fee for free.
• Gambling - When a player bets on an outcome without knowing if it will materialise.
• GAMSTOP - A UK-based voluntary self-exclusion system.
• Gambler's fallacy - The incorrect belief that random events in the past will influence random events in the future.
• Handicap - A method used by sportsbooks to even out a match that is significantly skewed to one side.
• Hand - The set of cards held by a player or dealer.
• Hit - An action that results in the player or dealer receiving an additional card.
• House edge - The mathematical advantage held by the casino in any game. A 2.5% house edge means that, over hundreds or thousands of rounds, the casino will earn £2.50 for every £100 wagered by the player.
• High roller - A player who places high-value bets.
• Jackpot - A large sum of money that can be won by one or more players.
• Match bonus - A type of gambling site reward that increases the value of your deposit by a set percentage. A 100% match, for example, would double the value of your payment.
• Odds - Show the mathematical likelihood that a player would win a bet as well as the eventual payout should the player win.
• Online casino - A web-based platform, such as Betfair Casino, that's designed to offer a variety of casino games, including slots and table games.

Gambling Terms P - Z

• Parlay - A type of sports bet that groups two or more events. To win this bet, all events must be predicted correctly, and while this is a hard bet to win, it also features significant payouts.
• Paytable - A table that outlines the different payouts that can be won from a specific casino game.
• Progressive jackpot - A jackpot prize that grows indefinitely with every wager, until it is won.
• Poker - A series of games that are all based on a set of winning hands. Several of these games can be played against other players at Betfair Poker, while others are played against the house or in an electronic environment.
• Pot limit - A game featuring a fixed bet size that is based on the value of the pot.
• Random number generator (RNG) - A computer algorithm that's used in all virtual casino games and several live casino games to determine the random outcome of each round.
• Rake - A percentage or flat fee for every poker hand played that's charged by the casino.
• Return to Play (RTP) - A mathematical percentage that's used to determine the average bet that's returned to the player over hundreds of thousands of rounds. A 95% RTP means that the player is likely to get back £95 for every £100 wagered.
• Rollover - Also referred to as a wagering requirement, this is a term that's oftentimes included in bonuses as a multiple. A 5x rollover means you need to wager your bonus five times before being allowed to withdraw it.
• Scatter - A special slot symbol that is normally able to trigger bonus rounds.
• Shoe - The custom-built box designed to hold multiple decks of cards in a table game.
• Withdrawal methods - Banking options that can be used to withdraw funds from a player's gambling site account.

Key Takeaways

• Gambling terms are commonly used by online casinos.
• You're likely to become familiar with these terms over time.
• If you don't understand a term or phrase, check this list or use our help centre.
• There are hundreds of gambling terms and it's normal to be unfamiliar with some.
• You should always gamble responsibly and seek help if you need it.