Gambling Terms Dictionary
Let’s learn some Gambling Terms.
They sure do talk funny in a casino, don’t they? What do
they mean by that expression?
Well my gambling friends, you are about to learn the
lingo
of the casinos, heard often
at the tables and sports books.
Some of these gambling terms
have a long history and will
surely add some fun to your next casino experience.
Betting and Money
Gambling Terms:
Barber Pole:
The
colorful name used for more than one denomination in a stack of chips.
Cage: The
friendly casino cashiers and lots of moolah are located here.
Case Bet: A
player’s bet that contains all remaining chips on the table or ‘all
in’.
Cheques: Correct
gambling terms for playing chips used at a table.
Coloring Up: When
you take those five-dollar chips and exchange for larger denominations,
possibly hundred-dollar chips, then you are coloring-up.
Dime:
You are betting $1,000.
Dirty
Money:
The losing bets gathered by the dealer.
Exposure:
Maximum number of
dollars, a sports book stands to lose.
Foreign: These
are cheques from another casino.
Grind: This term
is used for playing it out on a consistent basis at the tables. This
player is
‘grinding’ out planned bets based on knowledgeable probabilities of the
game.
Handle:
Total amount of money
bet.
Hold: Betting
monies that are placed in the gaming table slots. The dollar value is
generally
stated as a percentage.
Nickel:
You are betting $500.
Sleeper: A
forgotten table bet originally wagered by the player and/or dealer.
Toke: More than a
‘tip of your hat’, this is the gratuity paid to a dealer or casino
employee.
Vigorish: The
casino’s fee/commission paid during specific wagers in the games of
baccarat,
craps and/or sportsbook.
Gambling Terms: The Player
Back
Counter: A
card counter lurking in the background checking out the deck and/or
shoe
for opportunities then biding his time to play when the
count is positive.
Chalkeater:
A player who bets only
favorites at the sports book.
Eighty-six,
86:
You are outta there, man. Casino rules allow the exclusion and/or
eviction of
undesirable gamblers.
Front Loading: A
player’s peek at the value of the hole card, generally caused by a
newbie or
inattentive dealer.
George:
A
generous tipper both to table dealers and other casino employees.
Handicapper: Someone
who does the
research beforehand to make knowledgeable bets. This data includes
statistics,
news, weather and injuries.
Mechanic: The
term used for a dice/card cheat who utilizes sleight of hand while
playing.
Ploppy: A newbie
player who is not practicing sound strategy nor making correct
decisions,
however is not above coaching other players about what they should do.
Railbird: An
observer who hangs around a gaming table. His intention may be to
‘lift’ chips
from other non-suspecting players.
RatHole: A player
who slowly puts away chips during play to give the appearance that
he/she is
not ahead of the game.
Scamdicapper:
Player
with outlandish
claims about win percentages and game expectations.
Sharp:
Pro sports
bettor.
Shill: Describes
a casino employee who plays the tables to garner business for the
casino.
Spooking: A team
member who gets a peek at the dealer’s hole card
from the back, then relays a sign to his buddy at that particular
table. That
player then makes an informed call.
Square:
Rookie sports bettor.
Tom:
On the other
hand, is a non-tipper.
And More
Gambling Terms...
Cold Turkey: When
the
first two cards dealt are both face cards.
Color:
BJack--picture
card
consisting of either a jack, queen or
king.
Comp: As in
freebie, these are the dining, beverage, hotel rooms and benefits
received by casino
players based on their wagering and time played.
Crossfire: Not
the TV program, but the dealers chatting it up about everything else
but the
live game that is ongoing in front of them.
Croupier: It is
French, mon ami, for the dealer of the gaming table. Mais oui!
Daubing:
Utilizing a dab of oil or other element to ‘mark’ the back of the cards
for
easy recognition during the game. This cheating tactic is not meant to
offend
the many bingo players
worldwide who practice daubing on a regular basis. :-)
Dolly:
The device used by the dealer to mark a winning number at Roulette.
Eye in the Sky:
Watches the action as the casino staff surveys the floor.
Pips: The spades,
clubs, hearts and diamonds found on a deck of cards. The kings, jacks
and
queens sure are pretty, but the lone Ace gets the top prize, don’t you
agree?
Sawdust Joint:
Name used for a not so elegant casino offering low table and slot
betting
minimums. Yes, it’s a dump, but you can play cheap!
Snapper:
BJack--term used when two cards are dealt comprising of an ace and a
ten-value
card.
Stiff: Your
completed
blackjack hand totals 12 through 16.
Nightmares are made of this.
Street:
Three numbers that run across the roulette table layout, e.g., 16, 17
and 18
at the game of Roulette.
From
Gambling Terms, return
to Gambling
Tips and Strategies
Gambling
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