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Glossary


ONE OF THE BEST CASINOS FOR TABLE GAMES	OUR REVIEW

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1 X Odds, 2 X Odds, etc. (Craps): Taking Odds is a bet that is placed in conjunction with a Pass Line, Don’t Pass Line, Come or Don’t Come bet. The maximum amount of an Odds bet is a multiple of your original bet.

2:1 (2-to-1): Original bet pays double back.

3:2 (3-to-2): Original bet pays 1-1/2 times back. This is a common payout for a natural Blackjack.

A

A: Short for an Ace.

AC: Abbreviation for Atlantic City.

Ace: 1) The highest or lowest value card in the deck. 2) A single die showing one in Craps.

Ace-Deuce: 1) A one-roll bet on 3 in Craps. 2) Another name for Red Dog.

Acey-Deucey: Another name for Red Dog.

Ace-High: A five-card hand poker hand containing an ace and no other poker hand.

Ace-High Straight Flush: Another name for a Royal Flush.

Ace Poor (Blackjack): Blackjack shoe with most of the Aces already gone.

Ace Rich (Blackjack): Blackjack shoe with most of the Aces remaining.

Ahead: A player who has won more than he has lost.

American Wheel (Roulette): A roulette wheel that has a total of 38 numbers (0 and 00 and numbers 1-36). Also known as a Double Zero Wheel.

Anchor (Blackjack): The player sitting in the farthest to the dealer’s right. This is the best seat for card counters.

Ante: Initial bet in table games like Caribbean Poker and Three Card Poker that may be followed with additional bets.

Any Craps (Craps): A one-roll bet on 2, 3, or 12.

Any Seven (Craps): A one-roll bet on 7.

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B

Baccarat: A card game where the winning hand is closest to 9.

Banker: In certain table games, the player who books the action of the other bettors at the table.

Bankroll: The total amount of money a player has for a gambling session.

Bar The 12 (Craps): Making the 12 a tie for Don’t Pass or Don’t Come bets. This allows the casino to have an advantage on Don’t Pass and Don’t Come bets.

Base (Blackjack): A player’s position at the Blackjack table. The first person on the dealers left is First Base, the second person on the dealers left in Second Base, etc.

Basic Strategy (Blackjack): The correct way to play blackjack in order to maximize your advantage.

Bet: A wager or gamble.

Bet Wager (Caribbean Stud Poker): The additional wager made by a player that is double the player’s ante wager.

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

Betting Right (Craps): Betting on the Pass Line or with the shooter.

Betting Wrong (Craps): Betting on the Don’t Pass Line or against the shooter.

Big 6 (Craps): A bet that a 6 will be rolled before a 7 comes up.

Big 8 (Craps): A bet that an 8 will be rolled before a 7 comes up.

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

Blackjack Hand: A hand totaling 21 on the first 2 cards.

Boat: Full house (poker hand). Also known as a Full Boat.

Bonus Poker (Video Poker): A Video Poker machine that has a larger payout for some higher-ranking hands. This is usually balanced out by a lower payout for smaller ranking hands.

Boxcars (Craps): A roll of sixes.

Boxman (Craps): Casino employee who oversees all of the action and also settles disputes at the craps table.

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

Bust (Blackjack): To exceed 21 in blackjack, which is a losing hand.

Buy Bet (Craps): Paying the house a 5% commission to be paid correct odds for a place bet.

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C

C and E bets (Craps): A bet covering both Any Craps and Eleven.

Card Counting (Blackjack): A system keeping track of the percentage of high to low cards since the last time the deck was shuffled. This system can be used in blackjack to reduce the house advantage by placing larger bets when the deck is in the players favor.

Caribbean Stud Poker: A five-card poker game where the player plays against the house.

Carousel: A group of slot machines.

Cash In: To leave the game and convert chips to cash.

Cash Out Button (Video Poker): Button that causes accumulated coins to be dumped into the machine’s hopper.

Casino Advantage: The edge that the house has over the player.

Chasing Losses: Increasing your bet size in order to try to win back what you have already lost.

Chips: Tokens used at gambling tables instead of cash.

Churn: The effect of rebetting winnings.

Cold: A player who is on a losing streak.

Coin Size: The amount of each bet for machine games (Slots and Video Poker).

Column Bet (Roulette): A bet on any one of twelve numbers in a straight column. This bet pays 2 to 1.

Come Bet (Craps): Bet made after the shooter has established a point. The next roll to becomes the come-out roll for this bet.

Come Out Roll (Craps): Initial roll.

Commission (Baccarat): 5% charge on winning Bank hands.

Community Card (Let it Ride Poker): Two cards which are initially dealt face down to a designated are in front of the table and are used by all players to form a five car poker hand.

Comp: Casino or hotel services given away free of charge (short for complimentary).

Copy Hand (Pai Gow Poker): Player two card or five card hand that is identical in rank to the corresponding two card hand or five card hand of the dealer.

Corner Bet (Roulette): A bet placed on four numbers. This bet pays 8 to 1.

Counting System (Blackjack): A system where a player tracks the values of dealt cards.

Craps: Community dice game.

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

Crew (Craps): Casino employees assigned to the game.

Croupier: French word for casino dealers.

Cycle (Video Poker): Predicted average number of hands dealt per jackpot.

Cut: The dealer division of the deck of cards into two parts after they have been shuffled.

Cut Card: Plastic card used to cut the deck.

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D

D’Alembert Betting System: A progressive betting system where you increase your bet by one unit after a loss and decrease your bet by one unit after a win.

Dealer: Casino employee who deals the various table games.

Deuce: 1) The two-spot on a die, 2) A playing card with a value of 2.

Deuces Wild (Video Poker): A game where all deuces are wild cards.

Dice: Two or more identical numbered cubes.

Die: Singular for dice.

Discard (Video Poker): To throw away one or more cards from your hand.

Don’t Come Bet (Craps): Bet placed on the Don’t Come Bar, after the Come-Out Roll.

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

Double After Split (DAS) (Blackjack): Casino rule allowing players to Double Down on a split pair.

Double Down (Blackjack): Doubling initial wager after the first two cards are dealt. After Doubling Down the player receives only one more card.

Double Exposure 21 (Blackjack): Blackjack variation where both dealer cards are exposed before the player plays out his hand.

Double Inside Straight Flush: Three cards to a Straight Flush with two inside gaps.

Double On Any Two Cards (DOA) (Blackjack): Casino rule allowing the player to Double Down on any initial two-card combination.

Double Up Betting System: A betting system where bets are doubled after a loss. Also known as the Martingale System.

Double Zero Wheel (Roulette): Roulette Wheel with both 0 and 00. Also known as an American Wheel.

Dozen Bet (Roulette): A bet on twelve numbers (1-12) or (13-24) or 25-36.

Draw: In poker games, the second round of cards that are dealt to replace discards.

Draw Button (Video Poker): Draws new cards to replace discards.

Drop Box: Box that serves as a repository for cash, markers, and chips at a gaming table.

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Early Surrender (Blackjack): Player may forfeit half his bet after receiving his first two cards but before dealer checks his hole card.

Easy Way (Craps): A roll of 4, 6, 8 or 10 when the dice are not pairs.

Edge: The advantage that the casino has on any given wager.

En Prison Rule (Roulette): When En Prison is employed on European Roulette tables, an even money bet (Red, Black, Odd, Even, 1-18, 19-36) that results in a spin of 0 becomes imprisoned. If this imprisoned bet wins on the next spin, the original bet is released and returned to the player.

En Prison Surrender Rule (Roulette): An even money bettor only loses half of his bet on a spin of 0 or 00. (Only available on 00 Roulette wheels in Atlantic City.)

European No-Hole-Card Rule (Blackjack): The dealer does not take a hole card. The dealer hand gets a second card only after all player hands are finished. If the dealer gets a blackjack, a player who has doubled down or has split loses not only his original bet but also all additional bets.

European Wheel (Roulette): Roulette wheel that has only a single zero.

EV: Expected value.

Even Money: A bet that pays you back the same amount you wagered along with your initial wager.

Even Number Bet (Roulette): A wager that the next number will be even.

Expected Return: The average amount of money paid back.

Expected Value: The projected average payback of a particular play.

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Face Card: A Jack, Queen or King.

Face Down: Cards dealt so that only the player can see them.

Field Bet (Craps): A one roll bet that the next roll we be a 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12.

First Base (Blackjack): Player that is dealt first.

Five Card Charlie (Blackjack): A five-card hand that totals 21.

Five Number Bet (Roulette): A bet on a Double Zero Wheel that covers 00, 0, 1, 2, and 3 and is the worst bet for this game.

Five of a Kind (Video Poker): A Poker hand that contains five cards of the same value. This hand is only possible in games with wild cards.

Flat Betting: Wagering the same amount of money on each bet.

Flat Top: A Slot or Video Poker machine whose jackpot is always a fixed amount.

Flush: A Poker hand consisting of five cards of the same suit.

Fold (Caribbean Stud): The withdrawal of a player from a hand without placing a Call bet.

Four Card Royal Flush (Video Poker): A hand with four cards of the same suit, all of which are ten or higher.

Four of a Kind: A Poker hand containing four cards of the same value.

Four to a Flush (Video Poker): Four cards of the same suit.

French Wheel (Roulette): A Single Zero Roulette Wheel. Also known as a European Wheel.

Full Boat: A Full House.

Full House: A Poker hand containing Three of a Kind and a Pair.

Full Pay Machine (Video Poker): A Video Poker Machine that usually has the best payoff schedule.

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Garbage Hand (Video Poker): An initial deal where you discard all 5 cards.

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H17 (Blackjack): Abbreviation denoting that the Dealer will hit on a Soft 17.

Hard Hand (Blackjack): Hands without an ace, or with an ace valued at 1.

Hard Total (Blackjack): The total of a hand valuing all Aces as one.

Hardway Bet (Craps): A wager that a 4 (pair of 2’s), a 6 (pair of 3’s), an 8 (pair of 4’s) or a 10 (pair of 5’s) will be rolled before a seven.

High Bet (Roulette): A bet on 19–36.

High Hand (Pai Gow Poker): Another name for the five-card hand.

High Roller: A player who bets high amounts.

Hit (Blackjack): To take another card.

Hold: Ratio between the amount won by the House and the amount lost by the House.

Hole Card (Blackjack): Dealer’s facedown card.

Horn Bet (Craps): A one roll bet that the next roll will be a 2, 3, 11 or 12.

Hot: Term used to describe a player on a winning streak.

House: Term for the casino.

House Advantage: The advantage a casino has over a player expressed as a percentage.

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Inside Bet (Roulette): A bet on 1 to 6 individual numbers.

Inside Straight: Four cards to a straight with a gap in the middle.

Insurance (Blackjack): Side bet in blackjack that is only offered when the dealer’s upcard is an Ace. This bet is made in an amount equal to 1/2 the player’s original bet. If the dealer does have a blackjack, the bet is paid 2-1.

J

Jacks Or Better (Video Poker): One of the earliest and most popular games. The minimum paying hand is a Pair of Jacks or higher.

Joker: Wild card in Pai Gow Poker and some Video Poker variations.

Joker Poker (Video Poker): Video Poker Game where the Joker is a wild card. Also called Joker’s Wild.

K

Keno: Lottery style game. Twenty out of a total of eighty numbers are picked.

Keno Runner: Casino employee who sells Keno tickets, collects bets and delivers winnings.

Kicker (Video Poker): A card held with a Pair or 3 of a Kind.

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Las Vegas Strip Rules (Blackjack): Blackjack where the dealer Stands on a Soft 17, players can Double Down on any initial two cards, but can not Double Down after Splitting.

Late Surrender (Blackjack): A rule allowing the player to surrender half his bet after seeing the dealer’s up-card, if the dealer does not have a Blackjack.

Lay Bet (Craps): A bet that a 7 will be rolled before a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. The bet is placed on only one of these numbers. The player pays a 5% commission up front to get true odds.

Loose Slots: A Slot machine that has a higher payout over a period of time.

Let it Ride: 1) To replay a winning wager, 2) A poker themed table game by Shufflemaster.

Liberty Bell (Slots): Name of the first Slot Machine.

Limit: The maximum amount that can be wagered per bet.

Line Bet: 1) A bet covering six consecutive numbers in Roulette, 2) A Pass or Don’t Pass bet in Craps.

Low Bet (Roulette): A bet on 1 through 18. This bet pays 1 to 1.

Low Hand (Pai Gow Poker): Another name for the Two-card hand.

Low Roller: A player who bets low amounts.

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Martingale Betting System: Doubling your bet after every loss in hopes of winning back the loss plus your previous wager.

Max Coins: The most betting units you can wager per play in Video Poker and Slots. The maximum bet is usually required to qualify for a machine’s jackpot.

Mini-Baccarat: Smaller version of Baccarat with the same rules and lower stakes.

Multiple Deck (Blackjack): A game where two or more decks of cards are used.

Multi Line (Slots): A machine with more than one pay line.

N

Natural: 1) When an Ace and ten-value card are dealt as the first two cards in Blackjack, 2) A total of 8 or 9 dealt in initial Baccarat hands, 3) A winning hand with no wild cards in a wild card Video Poker game.

No Hole Card (Blackjack): "European no hole card".

O

Odds: The likelihood that an event will happen.

One Armed Bandit (Slots): Another name for a Slot Machine.

One Roll Bets (Craps): Wagers that are placed on the next roll of the dice.

Outside Bets (Roulette): A bet on Red, Black, Even, Odd, 1-18, 19-36, Dozens or Columns.

Odd Number Bet (Roulette): A wager that the next number will be odd.

Off (Craps): Bets that are not at risk on the next roll of the dice.

Open-Ended Straight: Four cards to a straight that can be completed by drawing a card at either end.

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Pair: Two cards of the same rank.

Palette: Paddle used by Baccarat dealer.

Pass Line Bet (Craps): A bet made before the Come-Out roll that a 7 or 11 will be thrown or a point will repeat.

Pat Hand: A hand in Blackjack or Video Poker that the player sticks with.

Pay Line (Slots): The line on a slot machine where the symbols must line up. Some Slot machines have multiple pay lines.

Payback: The percentage of bets a machine will payout in relation to the amount put in.

Payoff Schedule: List on Slot or Video Poker machine denoting winning combinations.

P.C.: Abbreviation for percentage.

Picture Cards: See Face cards.

Pit: Area inside gaming tables restricted to dealers and other casino personnel.

Pit Boss: Casino employee who monitors all of the casino play within his area.

Place Bet (Craps): Betting on a Point number to win or lose.

Point (Craps): A Come-Out Roll of a 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10.

Probability: The mathematical odds of an outcome as a percentage.

Progressive Slots: Slot machines that take a small percentage of each wager and add it to the Jackpot.

Proposition Bet (Craps): Bets made in the center of the Craps layout.

Push: A tie between the player and the dealer.

Q

Qualifying Hand: 1) When the dealer has an Ace/King or better in Caribbean Stud Poker, 2) When the dealer has at least a Queen high in Three Card Poker.

Quarter Bet (Roulette): See Corner Bet.

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Red Bet (Roulette): A bet that the next number will be red.

Red Dog: Card game where the object is to bet on the likelihood of a third card being between the initial two cards dealt.

Reels (Slots): The wheels inside a slot machine where the symbols are printed.

Resplit Aces (RSA) (Blackjack): Blackjack rule allowing players to resplit Aces a certain amount of times.

RFB: Abbreviation for complimentary Room, Food, and Beverage.

Right Bettor (Craps): A player betting with the Shooter.

Risk of Ruin: The likelihood of losing all of one’s bankroll.

RNG: Abbreviation for "random number generator", which is used in machine games to simulate randomness.

Royal Flush: Poker hand containing an Ace high Straight Flush. This is the highest non-wild Poker hand.

Roll (Craps): The act of throwing the dice. The result of throwing the dice.

Running Count (Blackjack): The current count of a card counter.

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S17 (Blackjack): Abbreviation for dealer stands on all 17s.

Sequential Royal Flush (Video Poker): A Royal Flush where the cards are displayed in order with the 10 on the left.

Seven Out (Craps): Rolling a seven after the point has been established.

Shill: An individual paid by the casino to play games that aren’t getting much action.

Shoe: Box from which cards are dealt involving games using more than one deck of cards.

Shooter (Craps): The player rolling the dice.

Shuffle: The process of mixing the cards.

Side Bet: A bet at a table game that has no effect on the main bet.

Single Deck (Blackjack): Game using one deck that is shuffled after every hand.

Single Number Bet (Roulette): A wager on a single number.

Single Odds (Craps): See 1 X Odds.

Single-Zero Wheel (Roulette): See American Wheel.

Six Number Bet (Roulette): See Line Bet.

Snake Eyes (Craps): A roll with a total of 2.

Soft Hand (Blackjack): A hand containing an Ace that counts as eleven.

Spanish 21: A version of blackjack in which the number 10 are removed from the deck.

Split (Blackjack): Splitting a pair of cards playing each card as a separate hand.

Split Bet (Roulette): A bet on a combination of two numbers.

Spot (Keno): A number on a keno ticket.

Square Bet (Roulette): See Corner Bet.

Stand (Blackjack): Sticking with cards in your hand.

Stay: See Stand.

Stickman (Craps): Crew member who handles the dice and center bets. He also acts as the voice of the game, calling out rolls and winning bets.

Straight: Poker hand consisting of five consecutive non-suited cards.

Straight Flush: Poker hand consisting of five consecutive cards of the same suit.

Streak: An extended run of good or bad luck.

Street Bet (Roulette): A bet that covers three numbers.

Sucker Bet: A bet with a very high House Advantage.

Suited: Two or more cards of the same suit.

Surrender: 1) Giving up half your bet in Blackjack in order not to have to play out a hand, 2) Giving up half of an even money bet on a Double Zero Roulette Wheel when the ball lands on 0 or 00.

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Three Card Poker: Table game based on 3 card poker hands.

Three Cards to a Royal: Three cards of the same suit that are Ten or higher.

Three Card Sequential Royal: Three consecutive cards of the same suit that are Ten or higher.

Three Card Straight Flush: Three cards of the same suit that also belong to a Straight.

Three to a Flush: Three cards of the same suit.

Three Number Bet (Roulette): See Street Bet.

Three of a Kind: Poker hand containing three cards of the same rank.

Top Line Bet (Roulette): See Five Number Bet.

True Count (Blackjack): Running count adjusted to account for the number of cards remaining in the shoe.

True Odds: The actual probability of an event happening.

Twenty-One: Another name for Blackjack.

Two Number Bet (Roulette): See Split Bet.

Two Pair: A Poker hand containing two cards of the same rank.

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Unbalanced Count (Blackjack): A count in which the number of plus and minus cards is unequal.

Upcard (Blackjack): The dealer’s face up card.

V

Vig or Vigorish: 1) See Commission, 2) See House Advantage.

Video Poker Machine: A computerized machine based on draw poker and coming in a large amount of variations. Video Poker machines are single player.

W

Whale: The highest of the high rollers.

Wild Card: A joker or other card that can be used as any other card to complete a Poker hand.

Working Bets (Craps): Bets that are active.

Wrong Bettor (Craps): A Player betting against the roller.

Y

Yo: Eleven.

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