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.

Basic Betting and Money Slang

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

A ‘high roller’ or ‘whale’ is a VIP gambler who wagers tens of thousands of dollars per hand.

• A ‘marker’ is basically an IOU or a line of credit extended by the casino
• ‘Action’ refers to the total amount of money wagered over a specific period
• ‘Vig’ or ‘Vigorish’ is the fee the house takes on certain bets

Important Phrases for Specific Games

In Blackjack, ‘busting’ means your card total has exceeded 21, resulting in an automatic loss.

For slot machines, a ‘loose’ machine is one that supposedly pays out more frequently than others.

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