Walking into a casino can feel like entering a foreign country where everyone speaks a completely different language.
Before sitting down at a high-stakes table, you should familiarize yourself with these common phrases.
Basic Betting and Money Slang
The term ‘bankroll’ refers strictly to the funds you are willing to risk on the casino floor.
Conversely, a ‘grinder’ is a player who makes small bets over a long period to slowly build a profit.
- ‘Toke’ is the casino slang for a tip given to the dealer
- ‘Color up’ means exchanging your small denomination chips for larger ones before leaving
- ‘Comp’ refers to free gifts, rooms, or meals given by the casino to reward your play
Game-Specific Terminology
When playing 21, the term ‘bust’ indicates that a hand has gone over the maximum limit and lost.
At the craps table, rolling a seven after the point is established is known as ‘sevening out’.
| Term | Game | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Shoe | Blackjack/Baccarat | The box that holds the decks of cards |
| Pit Boss | All Table Games | The supervisor monitoring a group of tables |
While it seems overwhelming at first, you will pick up this vocabulary very quickly once you start playing.