Know everything about the online casino lexicon
Are you new to the world of online casinos and encountering technical terms you don’t understand? Become Gambler is here to help you with its online casino lexicon.
By reading this article, you will quickly become an expert in online casinos and be able to play without any doubts.
A
Ante: The word “ante” comes from Latin and means “before.” An ante is a mandatory bet that players must place before they are dealt cards, most often in poker. This small but obligatory bet ensures that the casino slowly but steadily profits from players. Of course, the longer the game, the more significant the ante becomes, forcing players to play a greater number of hands.
Autospin: Autospin, or automatic spin, is a feature available on nearly all online slot machines. It allows you to spin the slot machine automatically for a predetermined number of spins of your choice, typically 10, 20, 50, 75, 100, and even up to 1000 spins on some slot machines.
B
Balance: “Balance” is the commonly used term to refer to your funds on the online casino where you are playing. The balance should not be confused with the bankroll, which is the total amount of money you allocate for casino gambling (per week, per month, etc.).
Bankroll: “Bankroll” is the total amount (per week, month, or year) that a player dedicates to casino games. You must have good management of your bankroll to avoid going broke (losing your entire bankroll). This term originally comes from poker but can be applied to any game involving money.
Bonus abuse: “Bonus abuse” occurs when a player creates multiple accounts on a casino to take advantage of the welcome offer multiple times. These players typically favor no-deposit bonuses such as free spins or free money.
Bonus hunt: “Bonus hunt” is a style of play often seen on casino streams on platforms like Twitch. You play on a machine, and as soon as you trigger the bonus (free spins), you leave the machine. The bonus is preserved, and you open all your bonuses at the end when your balance is close to zero. If you want to do a bonus hunt, it’s advisable to do it with real money (RAW), as bonus hunts are generally not allowed when playing with a deposit bonus.
Bust: In blackjack, you “bust” if the total value of your cards exceeds 21. If you bust and the dealer does too, you still lose, so choose wisely when deciding whether to hit or stand. To help you make the right decisions, read our guide, “Blackjack: How to Play and Win (Almost) Every Time.”
C
Cashback: Some online casinos offer cashback as a loyalty bonus. Deposit, play, and a portion of your losses will accumulate in your cashback balance. Then, at the end of the week or month (depending on the casino), your cashback balance will be unlocked, and you can play with it. Some casinos offer more cashback than others, so don’t hesitate to compare.
Cash-out: On online casinos, “cash out” refers to withdrawing your winnings to your bank account. While some players only withdraw when they have significantly boosted their balance (risking losing it all if they don’t receive good bonuses), others prefer to make gradual withdrawals while keeping some money in their balance to continue playing.
Croupier: A croupier, also known as a dealer, is a casino employee who oversees a table game such as Blackjack, Poker, or Roulette. They are responsible for collecting players’ bets, dealing cards, spinning the roulette wheel, and paying out winnings at the end of a game round.
Cut card: In casino card games, the “cut card” (or “cutting card”) is a plastic card inserted into the deck after it has been shuffled. When the dealer reaches this card and once the game round is complete, the deck of cards or shoe must be replaced with a new shuffled deck.
D
Deposit bonus: A “deposit bonus” is a bonus that a casino offers you in addition to your deposit. It can be bonus money, free spins, or instant cashback. You are always free to choose whether you want to take advantage of a bonus or play with raw money only. Remember that each casino has different bonus terms and conditions, so be sure to read them carefully before starting to play!
Double Down: In Blackjack, “double down” is the action of doubling your bet after receiving your cards. If you follow the basic Blackjack strategy, you will know when to double down and when not to.
E
Evolution Gaming: Evolution Gaming is the market leader in live casino games. You can play their games on all reputable casinos. In addition to Blackjack and Poker, their most popular games include Crazy Time, Monopoly Live, and Megaball.
F
Free spins: “Free spins” can refer to two things. In the case of a deposit bonus, free spins are complimentary rounds that the casino provides you on a specific slot machine. Free spins can also be the bonus feature of a slot machine. They are triggered randomly, and if you’re lucky, they can lead to significant winnings!
G
Gaming licence: All online casinos operate under a gaming licence, which is granted to them by official gaming licence authorities. This licence ensures that the casino adheres to the rules and maintains its credibility. The two most well-known online gaming licences are those from Curaçao and Malta.
H
High roller: A “high roller” is someone who wagers large sums of money at the casino. Conversely, someone who only bets small amounts is referred to as a “low roller.”
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Insurance: At Evolution Gaming’s Blackjack tables, when the dealer’s first card is an Ace, you are offered the option to insure your hand. If both you and the dealer have Blackjack, and you insured your hand, you will be paid at a rate of two to one instead of losing your hand.
J
Jackpot: Some machines feature a jackpot function with a prize pool that grows as players bet on the machine. When a player is fortunate enough to hit the machine’s jackpot, the winnings can be substantial! Here are some well-known jackpot machines: Holmes and the Stolen Stones (Yggdrasil), Mona Lisa Jewels (iSoftbet), Sun of Egypt (Booongo), Jackpot Raiders (Yggdrasil), Ozwin’s Jackpot (Yggdrasil), Beast of Wealth (Play’n GO).
M
Martingale: The Martingale is a simple-to-understand but prohibited betting system. It has been used by players in games like Blackjack, Roulette, and Baccarat. In short, after each losing bet, you double your wager. It requires an enormous bankroll to sustain this betting method. Martingale is banned in all casinos.
Max bet: When you are playing with a deposit or welcome bonus, the “max bet” is the maximum amount of money you can wager on a single game round. If your bet exceeds this limit, you are in violation of the bonus terms and conditions and risk having your winnings canceled.
N
No deposit bonus: A “no deposit bonus” is the opposite of a deposit bonus. Sometimes, a casino will offer a no deposit bonus to its new players or as a reward to its loyal players. No deposit bonuses can be either bonus money or free spins.
Non-Sticky Bonus: A “non-sticky bonus” is a bonus that you can cancel as long as your balance is higher than the amount of the bonus you’ve been granted. When you cancel the bonus, you can either continue playing with the remaining money or withdraw it.
P
Paylines: Online slot machines can have anywhere from three to thousands of paylines. These lines can be straight, follow a zigzag pattern on the reels, or be completely irregular for machines like MegaWays slots, for example. If you want to know the number of paylines on a machine, simply check its paytable. This will help you better understand how the machine pays out. On some machines, you can adjust the number of paylines you play with.
Play’n GO: Play’n GO is the most renowned slot provider in the industry. Some of their slots, such as Book of Dead, Rise of Merlin, or Rich Wilde and the Tome of Madness, are among the most played in the world.
Pragmatic Play: Pragmatic Play, often simply called Pragmatic, is a highly reputable provider. Here are some of their most played slots: The Dog House, Da Vinci’s Treasure, Sweet Bonanza, Great Rhino, The Wild Machine,…
Progressive free spins: Progressive free spins are a bonus feature on some slot machines where each spin sees its win multiplier increase. For example, the first spin has a win multiplier of x1, the second spin is x2, then x3, and so on until the last spin, which can yield significant payouts. If you get a retrigger, the win multiplier continues to increase, promising huge wins on the final spins. Slot games known for progressive free spins include Da Vinci’s Treasure (Pragmatic Play) and Dance Party (Pragmatic Play).
Provider: A provider, or game provider, is a company that creates online casino games and supplies them to casinos. Play’n GO, Nolimit City, Pragmatic Play, Booongo, and Red Tiger are some well-known providers.
Push (Blackjack): In Blackjack, when the value of your cards is identical to that of the dealer, it’s a push. In a push, you get your bet back, and you only lose your side bets if you placed any.
Push Gaming: Push Gaming is a relatively recent provider that was founded in 2010. They have only about twenty games in their portfolio, but all of them feature attractive designs and interesting features. Some of their popular slots include Jammin’ Jars, Fat Santa, Razor Shark, Viking Clash, and Tiki Tumble.
Q
Quickspin: Quickspin is a Swedish game development studio that was founded in Stockholm in 2011. They quickly became a well-known and respected provider in the online casino industry. Some of their most popular slots include Tiger’s Glory, Sakura Fortune, Sticky Bandits Wild Return, Big Bad Wolf, and more.
R
Relax Gaming: Relax Gaming is a provider that was founded in Finland in 2010. It may not be the most prolific studio, but it offers games with detailed graphics and interesting features. Their games are known for being highly volatile. Some of their well-known games include Temple Tumble, Money Train, Marching Legion, Money Train 2, and more.
Retrigger: When you get 3 scatters during free spins, you achieve what’s called a retrigger. The machine then grants you additional spins within your bonus round.
RTP: RTP stands for “Return to Player,” which is the theoretical rate at which the machine redistributes a portion of the money that players wager. Slot machines redistribute money over the long term. Therefore, the RTP of a machine can sometimes be higher than 100% and lower than its average rate at other times. Online slot machines typically have a higher RTP than those in physical casinos. The average RTP of an online slot machine usually falls between 95% and 96%.
S
Scatter: A scatter is a special symbol that grants you a bonus in an online slot machine. Depending on the machine, you may need 3, 5, or even 6 scatters to trigger the bonus feature.
Stand: In Blackjack, when you believe your hand will beat the dealer’s, you can choose to stand. This means you won’t receive any additional cards. You can stay with your base hand or do so after hitting multiple times.
Sticky wilds: Sticky wilds are a type of slot machine bonus where each wild symbol that appears remains in place. The more wilds you have before the end of your bonus round, the higher your potential winnings can be!
Shoe: In Blackjack or Poker, a shoe, also known as a “shoe” in English, is a transparent plastic device used to hold decks of cards. It prevents the dealer from manipulating the cards, keeping them visible to everyone. A Blackjack shoe on Evolution Gaming tables typically contains 8 standard decks of cards. The shoe is changed each time the dealer reaches the cut card.
T
Terms and Conditions: The terms and conditions, or general conditions, of a casino are a set of rules that players must adhere to during their gaming sessions. By strictly adhering to these rules, you will be 100% certain of being able to withdraw your winnings.
Thunderkick: Thunderkick is an independent slot game development studio founded in 2012 in Stockholm. Since its inception, Thunderkick has come a long way and has 44 games in its portfolio. Some of their most popular games include Esqueleto Explosivo 2, The Falcon Huntress, Pink Elephants 2, Midas Golden Touch, Dragon Horn, Sword of Khans, and more.
V
VIP Program: All casinos have a VIP program with various rewards. The more you deposit at a casino, the higher your VIP rank becomes, granting you access to better rewards. These rewards can come in various forms, such as free spins, cashback, bonus money, and more.
VPN (Virtual Private Network): A VPN is software that allows you to change your location for the website you are visiting. You can use a VPN on certain online casinos to access slot machines or games that are blocked for players from your country. Before using a VPN on a casino, make sure to carefully read its terms and conditions to ensure it is not prohibited.
Volatility: In a casino, the volatility of a slot machine or game refers to the extent of variation in the winnings it can provide. The higher the volatility of a machine, the more significant the difference between its base winnings and its big wins. In contrast, a low-volatility slot machine will pay out money more regularly in the base game and is less likely to have bonuses that result in substantial winnings.
W
Wager: When you play with a deposit bonus or after receiving free spins, you must fulfill wagering requirements before you can withdraw your balance. The wager is the number of times you must play through the bonus money before you can make a withdrawal. Typically, you are required to wager between 30 and 40 times the bonus amount for a wagering requirement. Example: If you deposit €100 with a 50% bonus (with a 30x wagering requirement), you will need to wager €1500 before you can withdraw.
Welcome Bonus: The welcome bonus is offered to you when you sign up at a casino. It can be a no-deposit bonus (free spins, bonus money) or a deposit bonus. Looking for the best deposit bonuses? We’ve selected the best casinos for you to play at!
Wilds: The wild symbol is a special symbol, akin to a joker in card games, that can connect and substitute for any other symbol, premium or not. It enables you to form more connections and achieve handsome wins.
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