| Natural |
A
blackjack, a hand that totals 21 on the
first two cards. (A 10 or face card and
an ace.) |
| Odds |
1) the
probability of winning; 2) the payout in
relation to amount wagered. |
| Off the
board |
A game on
which sports books are not accepting
wagers ...usually because of a major
uncertainty. |
| Outside
bets |
In
roulette, bets made on the outside part
of the 0-36 layout. They involve betting
12 to 18 numbers at one time. |
| Over/under betting |
Wagering
that the combined score of two teams in a
particular game will be over/under a
predicted number. |
| Pari-mutuel |
A betting
system in which the amount of money paid
out to winners is based upon the total
pool of bets less the house
commission. |
| Parlay |
Betting
on a combination of two or more games or
races. |
| Pass line bet |
In craps,
an even money bet that the shooter will
throw a 7 or 11 on the come-out roll or,
alternatively, that the shooter will roll
the point again before rolling a
7. |
| Payout table |
A chart
postedon the front of a slot or video
poker machine advising what each winning
combination will pay for the number of
coins or credits played. |
| Pit boss |
The
casino employee who supervises all the
games and casino personnel associated
with a pit during a particular work
shift. Pit bosses are in place to watch
for cheating, settle disputes, and give
"comps" to high stakes
bettors |
| Player-banked game |
A game in
which the player bets against other
players (rather than the house (casino);
for example: bingo. |
| Point spread |
A
handicapping system in which oddsmakers
predict how many points one team needs
against another in order to even out the
public betting on a particular
game. |
| Progressive |
A slot
machine whose potential jackpot increases
with each coinplayed. When the
progressive jackpot finally hits, the
amount resets to the starting
amount. |
| Push |
In
blackjack, a hand that ties with the
dealer. In sports book betting, a
wagerthat falls right on the point
spread.In either case, the original bet
is returned to the player. |
| Racino |
A
combination pari-mutual venue (horse
track, dog track or jai alai court) and a
casino. Typically, a racino offers only
slot machine games. |
| Random-number
generator |
(RNG)An
electronic mechanism inside a gambling
machine that ensures that each pull has
an equal chance at hitting the
jackpot. |
| River
card |
In poker,
the final card dealt in a hand of stud or
hold ‘em. |
| Royal flush |
In poker,
an ace-high straight flush (Ace, King,
Queen, Jack, Ten of the same suit.) The
best possible hand. |
| Runner |
In Keno,
a person who travels from your location
to place your bet for you. |
| Shill |
A casino
employee who bets money and pretends to
be a player to attract additional
customers. |
| Shoe |
A
“box” used by the dealer for
holding the undealt cards, usually used
in multi-deck games. |
| Shooter |
The
person throwing the dice in a game of
craps. |
| Slot machine |
An
electrical gaming device in which the
outcome is determined by a random-number
generator located inside the
machine.(Mechanical slot machines are no
longer used.) |
| Soft hand |
In
blackjack, any hand that includes an ace
that can be counted as 11 without having
the value of the hand exceed 21. It is
always possible to draw one card to a
soft hand without busting. |
| Split hand |
In
blackjack, a hand that starts with two
cards of the same rank whch can be
divided to form two independent hands.
This option is exercised by adding a new
bet to the second hand, and these hands
are played independently. |
| Stand |
In
blackjack, to stop drawing cards and play
the ones you have been dealt. |
| Stickman |
The dice
dealer who calls the numbers rolled and
controls the stick in craps. |
| Stiff (hand) |
A
blackjack hand (usually totaling 12 to
16) that has a small chance of winning
regardless of how the hand is
played. |
| Stud poker |
Poker in
which the first round of cards, and often
the last, is dealt face down and the
others face up with no draw. |
| Surrender |
In
blackjack, the option to give back the
player's first two cards (fold the
hand)in exchange for a refund of half of
the original bet (. . .rarely offered by
casinos). Some hands (such as a sixteen
vs. dealer's ten) is so bad that
surrender is less costly than playing the
hand. |
| Third base |
In blackjack, the last player at
a table to act on his/her hand before the
dealer plays. |
| Toke |
A tip
given to the dealer in the form of money
or chips. |
| Tote board |
A chart
that posts races, teams, contests, and
either the odds or the line. |
| Upcard |
In
blackjack, the dealer's first card, dealt
face up. Correct playing decisions by
players should always involve some
consideration of this card. |
| Video game |
Usually
(but not always)an electronic version of
traditional bingo, blackjack or
poker. |
| Vigorish |
The "vig"
is the sports book's fee or
commission. |
| Wild card |
A joker
or other designated card(s) that can be
used as any other card to complete your
hand. |
Las
Vegas terms