Casino Terminology

The casino - a place with a lot of a allure and with an even bigger dose of myth. Legendary stories, classic games such as Blackjack, Roulette or Poker been played for hundreds of years and even comparatively modern entertainment like slots with their bright displays and huge cherries, letters, bells and flashing lights all under the same roof. With such a concentration of history and culture it's only natural to assume that casinos would soon spawn their own language. A colourful mix of languages, a dash of portmanteaux and cest of modern vocabulary and you soon find yourself wondering just what exactly some of the words might mean, what a certain letter might stand for or what the story behind certain terms might be. Which is why this post might be an entertaining read for you!

What even is an Online Casino?

An online casino is an online version of the traditional casino concept, based on the same premise. You pick your game - be it luck-based ones, or some where skill can be a factor - and play for a hopefully favourable outcome. Many online casinos offer versions of their casino games that can be played for fun or practive without having to stake real money, simply for the purpose of entertainment. This not only provides players with the opportunity to play their favourite games just to relax after a long day, but also allows for gameplay on the go without the need for a croupier. Speaking of, let’s use this example to examine what we all came here to read. Casino terms, their meanings and why they are used the way they are.

Casino Terminology and Their Meaning

Let us begin with the aforementioned "croupier", the dealer who deals the cards at a card game like poker and assists with progression of the table. They also keep track of bets at card games and at the Roulette table. This is an especially important person when at a casino, as they also take care of the distribution of bets, dealing the cards and payouts, keeping track of side bets and other aspects of the games. Originally, the word croupier meant somebody standing behind a gambling person, ready to back them up with more money when needed. Finally, modern live casino games would be impossible without skilled croupiers. The word croupe stems from the description of the rump of a horse, as in somebody who rode behind on horseback.

Terms like "bet" are so commonplace that few even think about what how deeply the word is ingrained in every fundamental mechanic of every popular classic, ever. Most would think it stands for the amount of real money placed at the beginning of a round, which in turn is used for calculating how much money you can potentially win in form of a payout in slot machines for example. However, a bet is a wager on a desired outcome, with the money behind it signifying how confident a player is in that outcome to actually occur!

The dealer may sometimes also be referred to as “banker”, also keeps tabs of the overall bankroll as well, which in online applications is done automatically by the system. A "bankroll" refers to the total amount of money an individual has set aside to gamble with. This is of even bigger importance in modern times, when controlling ones bankroll is an important step towards safer gambling. Keeping your bankroll in mind is also an important aspect of your strategy in Blackjack or Poker, where every hand counts!

Card Game Basics

Since there is always the option for “calling”, “checking”, “raise” or going “all-in”, not having enough chips to call a bet would result in an automatic all-in and thus, if the round was lost, would result in the player going “bust”. Many a gambler found themselves looking at a rapidly diminishing bankroll after a few risky plays, so always try and play for free to practice your strategy!

"Calling" refers to the act of matching another player’s bet or raise, increasing the overall amount of money at stake that round. "Checking" would mean you do not bet anything yet, exceptions exist - such as big blinds and small blinds which are forced bets at the start of the round. "Raise" is also a very straightforward term, meaning to increase the size of an existing bet in the current round. And lastly the classic of course which is the "all-in", which simply stands for wagering all of your remaining chips. 

Now what does it matter that you play a round of Blackjack and understand these casino terms and make use of them? Well it is, as with many things, first of all a show of knowledge. Letting the other players know that you are not a rookie at the table and that you have an idea of what you are talking about. Being the rookie at a card table could be a boon in some ways, because people will not believe any of your “bluffs” (bluffing is the act of making a bet with an unlikely to be successful outcome) for a second, since they have no reason to do so given your lack of knowledge. Especially "high rollers", players who play for extremely high stakes, will call your bluff more often than not in such a scenario, especially in a real casino! 

This is also one of the many reasons why games such as Blackjack or Poker, be it online or in a real casino, are more skill based. It’s not just all gambling luck but also wit and a bit of strategy at play here! These factors are also major contributors to their longevity and popularity - what online casino doesn't offer card games after all! Oftentimes, people play hand after hand with the aim of becoming so good at their chosen game so that they may, one day, be a high roller themselves. Especially in recent years many professional e-sports players have made the transition to professional poker players!

Terminology for Casino Classics

In comparison to games that you can play in a casino that can be influenced by the player’s skill, there are also more simple, non card-based games such as Roulette or slots. Just want to have some fun at the end of a long day? Simply want to be entertained by some cherries whizzing past, or a special letter pop up on your screen signifying a big bonus feature?

Any gambler nowadays wants to be entertained and feel like they are getting their money's worth. Luckily, slots are getting more and more diverse. Streamlined, Vegas-style action is what you are looking for? Then our list of recommendations already starts at big names like Sizzling Hot Deluxe. Should it be full of bonus features and expanding symbols? Perhaps a progressive Jackpot as well? Look no further than Diamond Link: Might Elephant for example!

A “pay line", or "bet way" system is present in almost all online slots and allows for a wide variety of diagonal, horizontal, vertical winning combinations, giving the player much more potential for a win. Pay lines are the pre-defined lines in which a winning combination can be formed - instead of straight lines running from left to right - bringing more potentially positive outcomes onto your reels.

Another thing modern slot machines offer is a bountiful array “bonus features”, which are usually triggered once enough special symbols appear during a round. These bonus features can range from entirely new reel sets all the way to bonus multipliers, potentially doubling or even quadrupling your winnings for a certain number of spins!

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a casino table game?

The term casino table game refers to any game played at a table. Roulette, Poker, Blackjack or Roulette are the most common examples.

• Why are face cards called monkeys at a casino?

In Baccarat, face cards are sometimes referred to as "monarch cards" due to the imagery used in the past. So asking or wishing for a "monarch card" would slowly change and blur into asking for "monkey".

• Where does the word casino come from?

The word casino derives from the Italian "casa" for house. A casino was a small villa, a country house or summer residence, where people would meet up to play.