Ace
An Ace can either be one dollar or a swell guy.
Casino Definitions
209 terms in this category. Open any term for full dictionary detail.
All-In
When the player bets all of their money on one hand.
Audition
To deal in front of a supervisor for a possible job opening. A try-out.
Backer
A backer is a non-player who is financing an active player.
Bankroll
This is referring to the tray that holds the House's money in and it's located in front of the dealer.
Bankroll House
Money used to make payoffs and change. It is kept in the back-center portion of the table.
Bar
To exclude a player from a casino, or prevent him from playing a table game.
Barber Pole
A stack of cheques that has more than one denomination included.
Base
This is the player's betting position at the table. First base is the position farthest to the dealer's left; second base is directly in the center and third base is the position farthest to the dealer's right.
Beef
A complaint, or to complain.
Belly Strippers
This is when the cards are altered by having slightly trimmed edges that taper from the center to the edge.
Bet
This is a wager on the outcome of an event. They are usually made with clay chips.
Betting Ratio
The mathematical ratio between the highest and the lowest bets placed by a player.
Black Chip
Also known as Black or Blacks; this is a $100 chip.
Blacklisted
People who cheat or who are bad for business get put on the blacklist. If you go back into the casino you were blacklisted from then they will call the cops and press charges for trespassing.
Border Work
Also known as Edge Work; this is when a cheater adds markings to the border or edge of the cards to identify their value.
Boxed Card
This means a card is found face up in the deck.
Breakage
When the amount is round up or down to the casino's advantage.
Bullet
This is a slang term for an ace card.
Burn
This is a technique dealers use where they take the top card from the deck and place it in the discard rack without showing the value of the card.
Burn Card
This is the first card of the deck that will be burned.
Bust Out Joint
Also known as a Flat Store; this is a casino that cheats its customers.
Buy In
This is when the player gives the dealer cash for cheques.
C Note
Also known as Cecil; this is a $100 bill.
Cage
The cage is where you go to exchange chips for cash.
Capping
Referred to capping of bets. Placing extra cheques on top of initial bet after the deal has begun. It is a serious form of cheating by a player. Also known as Past Posting or Pressing.
Card Down
Expression called out to the floor person when a card goes off the table.
Carpet Store
This is an unlicensed casino or it's a casino operationg in an area where gambling is illegal.
Case Bet
This is the player's last bet, usually with the last of his money.
Case Card
This is usually the last card of a suit or denomination still left in the deck.
Cash Out
This is when the player redeems their cheques for cash.
Casino
Area in which legalized gambling is conducted. Also known as a House, Joint, Shop, Store, Toilet, and Trap.
Casino Advantage
The edge that the House (casino) has over the players. Also known as the House Edge.
Casino Manger
Person who oversees the entire casino operation.
Catwalk
Area above the casino floor concealed by one way near from behind which experts observe the game.
Cecil
Also known as a C Note; this is a $100 bill.
Change
This is when a player requests chips in exchange for paper money.
Change Up
To change one domination of cheques into next higher denomination, taking back change when necessary. Also known as Color Up.
Chemmy Shuffle
Also known as Washing the Deck, this is a form of shuffling. The dealer will mix up the cards by spreading them face down on the table and with both hands, make a circular motion therefore mixing up the cards.
Cheque
Also known as a Chip; this is the name for any value chip that is in action on a live game.
Cheque Down
Expression called out to floor person when a cheque or money drops to the floor behind or to the side of the dealer. Also known as Check Down or Money Down.
Chip
A chip is a clay disc that does not have any monetary value, compared to a cheque, which is a clay disc that does have monetary value.
Chip Tray
The tray in front of a dealer that holds that table’s inventory of cheques. Also known as a rack.
Chunk
To bet large; sometimes, to over-bet.
Clean Money
This is when chips that are taken directly out of the dealer's tray.
Clerk
Slang term used for a dealer.
Cold
Someone who is on a losing streak.
Cold Deck
This is a deck of cards that were secretly pre-arranged in a desired order and then smuggled on the game in order to cheat with.
Color
Designation of the denomination of table cheques by cheque color.
Color Coming In
A player will give the dealer smaller value chips, so the dealer can give them larger value chips in return.
Color Up
This is when you take your small denomination chips and exchange them for larger denomination chips. Also known as Change Up.
Comp
This is when the casino gives you something for free. It can be a dinner, hotel room or any services that they offer for your gambling activity. Complimentary gifts given by the casino to entice players to gamble.
Count Down the Deck
System of mentally keeping track of what cards have been dealt and what cards are still in the deck.
Counter
Also known as a Card Counter, this is a player who keeps track of the cards during a game of Blackjack.
Credit
This is when there are too many chips of one color in the rack the floorman has to take them out and send them to the cage.
Cross Roader
This is a cheater at cards.
Cut
The action of dividing the deck into two face down stacks and then re-uniting them vice versa (putting the former bottom stack on the former top stack) without changing the order of cards within each stack.
Cut Card
This is the plastic colored card that is used to cut the deck.
Cut Cheques
Process of holding a stack of cheques in one hand and using the index finger to create a series of equal stacks. Thumb Cut and Drop Cut is another way to cut cheques.
Daub
This is a foreign substance that is used by cheaters to mark cards. The foreign subjust could be secret substance that only the cheater can see with certain glasses, or it can be something as simple as lipstick or makeup.
Dead Card
A card that is not legally playable.
Dead Game
This is a game with no players on it.
Dead Table
Also known as a Dead Game. A table with no players.
Deal Around
To get the cards to the player. Also known as Deal Out.
Deal Out
(1) To get the cards to the player; (2) To exclude a player from the game. "They told me to deal him out." Also known as Deal Around.
Dealer
An employee of the casino who deals the cards, makes payoffs, sees the rules are followed at his table and plays the house cards in accordance with a fixed, specified set of instructions.
Deliver
Method of getting cards to the players.
Dirty Money
This is cash or cheques that was once a bet but has lost.
Discard Rack
This it the plastic box that sits next to the dealer and it's where the dealer places the cards after the hand has finished.
Double Up
When the player bets twice as much as they did on the previous hand.
Down
A table with no players, which will be closed down. "Try to get that table down." Also known as Put the Lid On It.
Drop
All the money that a table collects during a shift. Paper money deposited in black box under table by way of a slot on top of the table. "They are going to have a hellava drop on table 19."
Drop Box
This is a metal box under the table that holds all the cash dropped during a shift.
Dropping
Putting tokes in the toke box. "The crap pit's dropping real good, I hear." Also known as Putting Down.
Dual Rate
This is when a dealer is learning how to be a floorman. On some days they deal and get paid tokes and other days they work as a floorman and get paid for that position.
Dumping
To lose a large amount of money quickly. "I hate dumping to stiffs." Also known as Cold or Pump Up.
Earring
To deliberately not drop the paper money all the way into the dropbox, so that one corner sticks out and can be retrieved. Also known as a Hanger.
Edge
This is an advantage, usually the casino advantage.
Edge Work
Also known as Border Work; this is when a cheater adds markings to the border or edge of the cards to identify their value.
Eighty-six (86)
This is when the casino rejects, discards, bars or excludes a player from playing on a table or even being in the casino.
Element-of-Ruin
The percentage likelihood that the player will lose their bank.
End
A share.
Even Money
Also known as a Flat Bet; this is a winning bet that pays 1:1 (one to one).
Expected Value
The dollar amount that the player(s) should win (or lose) if encountering "average luck" that is, in exact accordance with the statistical advantage or disadvantage to the house.
Eye
Also known as "Eye in the Sky". The Eye is observation, for the purpose of observing the games in the casino.
Eye-In-The-Sky
This refers to the security cameras in the casino that watches everything.
Face Down
Method of delivering cards, so that the card cannot be seen by the player.
Face Up
Method of delivering cards, so that the card can be seen by the player.
Fill
When the rack is low on a certain color of chips, the floorman will order more chips to be brought to the table to fill the rack.
Fill Slip
Slip of paper accompanying a fill, which is checked, signed, one copy deposited in dropbox and one copy, handed back to the floor person by the dealer.
First (1st) Base
This is the 1st spot to the dealer's left and will also be the first spot dealt to.
Flash
To inadvertently expose the whole card. "Pete says I am flashing my hole card, but I can't see how I could be."
Flat Store
Also known as a Bust Out Joint; this is a casino that cheats its customers.
Floor Person
Person who walks behind the tables, watches for irregularities on the game, keeps the racks full, takes care of any problem which arises on the tables, and supervises the dealers. Also known as Floor, or Floor Supervisor
Fold
This is when a player discard's his hand for an automatic loss. To no longer continue with the hand.
Foreign Cheques
Any cheque that originates from a different casino.
Fouled Hand
This is when a hand is disqualified and is no longer active.
Freeroll
A chance to win something at no risk or cost.
Front Man
This means that the person who seems to be in charge (with a usually spotless background) really isn't and someone else is running things from the shadows.
Gaff
This is a cheater's device, tool or technique.
Games
A table with action, dealt by dealers, such as Blackjack, Roulette, Craps, Poker, and Baccarat.
Grand
This means $1,000 dollars.
Green Chips
Also known as Green, Greens or Quarters; these are $25 chips.
Grifter
A con man or a cheater.
Grind Joint
This is a casino that has low betting limits and caters to small bettors.
Hand
This can mean one game of a series, one deal in a card game or the actual cards a player is holding.
Handle
This is the gross volume of a casino.
Handoff
Dealer accepting or taking bets from a player or handing off cheques, that they have palmed in their hand, to the agent.
Hanger
To deliberately not drop the paper money all the way into the dropbox, so that one corner sticks out and can be retrieved. Also known as an Earring.
Head-On
Playing alone with the dealer as the only player at the table. Also known as heads up.
Heat
Close scrutiny, emotional pressure, and/or criticism by bosses. "I've been getting heat all night and I have no idea why."
High Roller
Also known as a Whale; this is a person who gambles large amounts of money.
Hold
Also known as Percentage or P.C.; this is a percentage of the drop that the casino actually wins.
Hold Out
This is when a cheater conceals a card for future use.
Hop
This is when a cheater uses a technique to falsely cut a deck; where the deck is actually hopped to avoid being cut.
Hot
Someone who is on a winning streak.
Hot Deck
A deck or shoe favorable to the player.
House
Also known as a Store; this is slang for casino.
House Edge
The mathematical advantage that the casino has over the player, often expressed as a percentage.
In
This is short for Buy In. It's the amount of paper money player has exchanged for a table chequs.
Index
The number in the upper left hand and lower right hand corners of a playing card which designates its denomination.
Jackpot
Winning a large payout.
Jog
This is an unevenly stacked deck used to mark where the player should cut.
Joint
Term for a casino. Also known as a "House".
Joint Bank
And arrangement where two or more players combine resources and play jointly off the total amount, sharing in the win or loss.
Lammer
Also known as a Button; this is the small plastic disc with numbers or words that are normally used for markers.
Lay and Pay
Method of turning over players' cards, paying or taking bets, then gathering up all the used cards at the same time. "Most of the casinos are lay and play."
Lay Down
This means to make a bet or a wager.
Layout
The layout is the felt covering over the table. It can be any game, in the past the layout was normally green but casinos now have an assortment of designs and colors. Under the layout there is a pad of foam or sponge rubber so the table will be soft and it is easier to handle the cards and cheques.
Let It Ride
Also known as Parlay; this means you add your winnings to your original bet.
Light
Insufficient amount; Weak
Limit
This means the maximum bet.
Live Game
This is any table game on the casino floor with actual customers playing for money.
Lock
This is a hand that cannot lose.
Locked In
To stay on a game longer than normal. "I got locked in for an hour twenty.
Luminous Readers
These people cheat by marking the cards with a special ink that can only be seen with special glasses.
Make a Move
Also known as Take a Shot; this is an action made by a player to gain an advantage or cheat the casino.
Marker Down
Call to the floor person signaling that the marker has been repaid.
Maximum
This is the largest bet allowed by the casino. Also in slot machines, a button that lets you bet the maximum coin size and the maximum number of coins taking into account the total number of paylines.
Minimum
This is the lowest bet allowed by the casino.
Misdeal
This is when a hand is dealt incorrectly.
Multiple Decks
A game played with two or more decks of cards; usually four, six, or eight decks.
Nailing
This is a cheaters technique where they mark the cards by slightly tearing the edge with their nails.
Nickels
Also known as Red, Reds or Red Chip; this is a $5 chip.
Nut
This is the gross amount of money made from a game, or the games overhead. This can also be used to describe the players overhead.
Odds
This is the number of ways to win as opposed to the number of ways to lose. Or the mathematical probability of a number occuring expressed as a ratio.
Off-the-Top
At the beginning of a deck or shoe, immediately after the shuffle.
On-the-Rail
Observing a gambling game, but not playing it; in blackjack, usually from behind the players in (poker, usually behind a rail that separates the players from the spectators).
P.C.
Percentage of money, put down in dropbox and money given out of the rack to figure winnings or losses. "I had the lowest P.C. in the place." Also known as Hold
Pack
This is a group of cards that is still in its box and the cards are not shuffled or intermingled.
Paddle
This is a plastic T-shaped device that is used to push money into the table's drop box. Lay the money out flat, over the hole and then take the end of the paddle and push the money in the drop box.
Paint
This is a face card or a 10 value card
Palm
Also known as Muck; this is the action of hiding a card or cheque in your palm so that it can be used in the future
Paper
Paper currency
Parlay
Also known as Let It Ride; this means you add your winnings to your original bet
Past Post
This is when a player places a bet after a winner has been declared and expects to get paid for it. This is cheating.
Payoff Odds
These odds are posted on the casino tabless. Payoff odds specify how much a winning wager will be paid for each wager or chip that was bet. The casinos post the 'payoff odds' in terms of the number of cheques won relative to the number of cheques bet.
Percentage
Also known as P.C. or Hold; this is a percentage of the drop that the casino actually wins.
Pick and Pay
Method of turning over player's cards, paying or taking the bets, then picking up that hand before proceeding to the next player's hand. "The casino is a double deck, pick up and pay - ugh!" Also knowm as Lay and Pay
Pinch
This is when losing cheques are taken off of a losing bet. This is cheating.
Pips
These are the spots on a playing card that indicate the number of that specific card. For example, a 7 of hearts has 7 heart symbols on it and those heart symbols are what's known as the Pips.
Pit Stand
A desk located in the pit that floorpersons' use in writing or phoning. Approximately 4' feet tall by 2 1/2' square.
Pitboss
A casino official who supervises play at a group of gaming tables; often supervises the activities of several floorpersons
Press
This is when someone increases their bet.
Push
This is considered a tie, where neither the house nor the player wins or loses. In this case the player's bet is returned and nothing further happens.
Quarters
Also known as Green, Greens or Green Chips; these are $25 chips.
Rack
The rack is the metal tray in front of the dealer. This is the dealer’s bank and it is where all of the cheques are held.
Rat Hole
This is when a player places chips in his pocket while playing on the game.
Readers
This is a marked card.
Red Chip
Also known as Red, Reds or Nickels; this is a $5 chip.
Ringer
This is when a player acts like they're new but they're really an expert.
RNG (Random Number Generator)
A randomness that randomly assigns the outcome of a result. A computer generated RNG includes a slot spin, an pai gow poker seat indicator, or a keno game. A physical version of a RNG is a roulette wheel or when cards are shuffled.
Rounder
This is a player who has been around and is wise in the ways of gaming.
Run
Also known as Streak, this is when someone wins or loses multiple hands in a row.
Shift
The eight hours a day a dealer works. The three shifts: graveyard, day and swing shift.
Shift Boss
Casino management that controls the casino on his shift. They are one level below the casino manager and is answerable to the casino manager.
Shill
This is an employee of the casino who is paid to gamble with the casino's money to help stimulate the game.
Shot
An illegal move by a player. "I had a dozen shots pulled on me today."
Shuffle
This is the process of mixing the cards by using varios techniques, including riffling, stripping, and boxing.
Shy
This is a bet that lacks the required amount needed in order to play a hand. In other words, it's a bet that's under the minimum amount.
Side Strippers
This is when a cheater tapers or sands the card for identification.
Sky
An area above the main casino where play is observed through one-way mirrors. Also, the employee assigned to work in such an area. Also known as the Eye-In-The-Sky.
Sleeper
This is money left on the table, by the player who has forgotten about it.
Soft
This is paper currency.
Stacked Deck
This is a deck of cards that have been pre-arranged in a certain way that guarantees the player a winning deck.
Stay
This can be a general term used on different table games. This is when the player decides to take no action with their hand.
Steam
This is when a player is betting larger and larger bets, usually when he is on a losing streak.
Stiff
This is a player that wins but doesn't tip the dealer.
Store
Also known as a House; this is slang for casino.
Streak
Also known as Run, this is when someone wins or loses multiple hands in a row.
Sub
This is a device worn under the clothes by cheaters and dealers that conceal stolen chips.
Suit
This is the grouping of symbols and colors that are located on playing cards. For Example - Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs and Spades.
Sweeten a Bet
This is when the player legally adds cheques to his bet before the cards have been dealt.
System
This is a plan or scheme a player has devised to try and win money.
T.I.S.
The T.I.S. stands for Table Inventory Slip.
Table Marker
Also known as a Call Bet; this is when a player makes a bet without putting up any money .
Take A Shot
Also known as Make a Move; this is an action made by a player to gain an advantage or cheat the casino.
Third (3rd) Base
This is the last spot next to the dealer's immediate right or it is the last player to play a hand before it's the dealer's turn.
Tie
When both sides have the same value hand and there is a draw. The dealer will push the hand and the bet will neither be paid or taken away.
Time and a Half
The casinos pay dealers one-and-a-half times their regular pay on all work time over 8 hours per shift and/or 40 hours per week.
Toilet
Term for casino.
Tray
This is the tray that holds the dealer's bankroll. It is located directly in front of the dealer.
Two Way Bet
This is when a bet is split between the player and the dealer.
Under the Gun
This is the first player to the dealer's left.
Unit
This is the mathematical expression representing any value or denomination of a wager.
Wager
This is a bet the player will make.
Washing the Deck
Also known as Chemmy Shuffle, this is a form of shuffling. The dealer will mix up the cards by spreading them face down on the table and with both hands, make a circular motion therefore mixing up the cards.
Waving
This is when a player crimps the cards creating a wave effect so it's easier to spot. This is cheating.
Yard
This is a $100 bill.