Decoding Casino Slang: A Glossary for New Players

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.

Common Financial Terms in the Casino

Your ‘bankroll’ is your gaming budget, and protecting it should be your top priority.

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

Important Phrases for Specific Games

At the blackjack table, a ‘hard hand’ is any hand that does not contain an Ace acting as an 11.

In Craps, the ‘shooter’ is the person currently rolling the dice, and a ‘snake eyes’ is a roll of two.

While it seems overwhelming at first, you will pick up this vocabulary very quickly once you start playing.