Casino Wagering Glossary

Term Definition
Bank Roll A total sum of money a player is willing to risk on a given visit to a casino.

Bet The player's wager.

Bet the limit Wagering the maximum amount a player is allowed to risk in any game.

Blackjack A two-card total of 21 consisting of an ace and a 10-value card.

Break/Bust When the dealer or player's hand exceeds a total value of 21.

Break/Bust Card The card received which causes the dealer or player to exceed 21.

Burn Card The top card of the deck, which is placed face down in the discard pile after the shuffle and cut.

Come-out The first roll of the dice in craps that establishes the point.

Crapping-out In craps, having a bet on the pass line and losing by rolling a 2,3, or 12 on the come-out.

Dealer Employee of the casino who deals the game.

Double Down Placing an additional wager up to the amount of the original on the first two cards of the hand (the player is only allowed one card).

Face cards In a deck of cards, any jack, queen, or king.

Four of a Kind In Poker, four cards of the same denomination.

Full House In Poker, a set of three cards of the same denomination plus a set of two cards of the same denomination.

Gambling The voluntary risking of a sum of money on the outcome of a game or other event.

Hard Hand Any hand without an ace or a hand where all aces are, is counted as one.

Hit To receive an additional card at the player's request.

Hole Card The dealer's unexposed down card.

House Rules Set of rules established by the casino for the player's and dealer's to follow.

Insurance The player bets that the dealer has a blackjack when the dealer's up card is an ace.

Jacks Or Better In Poker, a pair that pays off only if the cards in the pair are Jacks, Queens, Kings, or Aces. Lower pairs do not pay off.

Jackpot The biggest payoff issued by the slot machines.

Money Management Determining the minimum bet one can afford to make based on the bankroll available (money you have to play with).

Natural Blackjack: A two-card total of 21 consisting of an ace and a 10-value card.
Baccarat: A two-card total of 8 or 9.
Craps: Player rolls a 7 or 11.

Playing Strategy A self-imposed set of rules designed to give the player the best odds for defeating the dealer.

Push When the dealer and player tie (no money is won or lost).

Royal Flush In Poker, five consecutive denomination cards of the same suit, starting from 10 and ending with an ace.

Shoe The box from which the cards are dealt.

Soft Hand A hand containing an ace where the ace is counted as 11 (total must be 21 or less).

Soft Double Down Doubling down when one of the two cards is an ace.

Split Option to play each of two like cards as a separate hand ( a separate bet equal to the original wager must be made).

Straight In Poker, five consecutive denomination cards of different suit.

Straight Flush In Poker, five consecutive denomination cards of the same suit.

Stand The decision to not receive another card.

Standing Card Term used when the dealer has a 7 or greater showing.

Standing Hand Hand requiring the dealer to stand.

Three of a Kind In Poker, three cards of the same denomination.

Two Pairs In Poker, two sets of pairs of the same card denomination.