Online casino glossary

Short, plain definitions of the words you meet on casino sites and in game rules, from RTP and wagering to splits, scatters and progressive jackpots.

Ante

A compulsory stake placed before any cards are dealt in some poker-based table games. It gets money into the pot before anyone acts.

Bankroll

The money you set aside for gambling. A common rule is to risk no more than a few percent of it in a single session.

Bust

In blackjack, going over 21. It loses at once, even if the dealer busts afterwards.

Cashback

A refund of part of your net losses over a set period, for example 10% every weekend. Terms are usually lighter than on a deposit bonus.

Cash out

Withdrawing money from your casino balance to a payment method.

Cluster pays

A slot format with no paylines: you win by landing a group of matching symbols that touch each other, usually five or more.

Croupier

The dealer who runs a table game: deals the cards, spins the wheel or shakes the dice. At live tables, a real person on camera.

Double down

In blackjack, doubling your bet in exchange for exactly one more card. Usually right on 10 or 11.

eCOGRA

An independent testing agency that audits random number generators and payout figures for online casinos.

En Prison

A French roulette rule for even-money bets: when zero hits, your stake is held for the next spin instead of lost.

Free odds

In craps, an extra bet behind the pass line once a point is set. It pays at true odds, so it carries no house edge.

Free spins

Spins that cost you nothing, given as a bonus or triggered by scatter symbols. Winnings usually carry wagering.

Full pay

The best pay table for a video poker game. For Jacks or Better it is 9/6: full house 9, flush 6, for a 99.54% return.

GGR

Gross gaming revenue: what players bet minus what they win back. It is the casino's side of the RTP.

Hard and soft hands

In blackjack, a soft hand has an ace counted as 11, such as ace-six for soft 17. Every other hand is hard.

Hit / Stand

In blackjack, take another card or keep your total. Basic strategy tells you which.

Hold

In video poker, keeping a card before the draw. Cards you do not hold are replaced.

House edge

The share of each bet the casino keeps on average: about 0.5% at blackjack with basic strategy, 1.06% on the baccarat banker bet, 2.7% at European roulette, 5.26% at American roulette.

KYC

"Know your customer": the identity check casinos run before your first withdrawal, usually ID, proof of address and sometimes proof of payment.

La Partage

A French roulette rule: when zero hits, you get back half of any even-money bet. It halves the house edge on those bets to 1.35%.

Live casino

Games run by real dealers in a studio and streamed to your screen, with real cards, wheels and dice.

Megaways

A slot mechanic from Big Time Gaming where the number of symbols per reel changes every spin, for up to 117,649 ways to win.

Payline

A line across the reels where matching symbols must land to pay. Many modern slots replace lines with ways or clusters.

Pay table

The list of what each winning combination pays. On video poker it is the first thing to check.

Point

In craps, the number (4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10) set on the come-out roll. Rolling it again before a 7 wins for pass line bets.

Progressive jackpot

A prize that grows with every bet across many casinos until someone wins it. Mega Moolah holds the online record, about €19.4 million in 2021.

RNG

Random number generator: the software that decides results in non-live games, tested by labs such as eCOGRA, iTech Labs or BMM.

RTP

Return to player: the share of all money staked that a game pays back over millions of rounds. At 96%, the casino keeps €4 of every €100 on average.

Scatter

A slot symbol that pays wherever it lands on the reels. Three or more usually trigger free spins.

Split

In blackjack, turning a pair into two hands with a bet on each. Always split aces and eights; never split tens or fives.

Surrender

In blackjack, giving up your first two cards and getting half your stake back. Used correctly, it trims the house edge by roughly 0.1%.

Volatility

How a game's wins are spread out. Low volatility pays small amounts often; high volatility pays rarely but bigger. It does not change the RTP.

Wagering

How many times you must bet an amount before bonus winnings can be withdrawn. A €100 bonus at 30x means €3,000 in bets.

Wild

A slot symbol that stands in for others to complete a win. Sticky wilds stay in place for several spins; expanding wilds fill their reel.