| 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 posted on 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 coin played. 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 wager that 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