Top 10 Game Slang Words Every Poker Player Should Know

Poker players have arguably the largest library of slang, with many of these terms being exclusive to this card game, and you may not hear them in other gaming environments.

That said, there are other general gaming terms that are not exclusive to poker players but that every poker player should be aware of. This article will review the top 10 casino slang terms and share helpful examples.

10. Wagering requirement
The term “wagering requirements” is found mainly in online casinos when claiming bonuses and promotional offers. In short, wagering requirements are stipulations that require you to wager a specific amount of money before you can withdraw the bonus money to your real money account. Specifically, the wagering requirements often state the number of times you must wager through the bonus and the time you have to do so.

For example, let’s say you claimed a welcome bonus worth $200 with 30x wagering requirements. This means that you will need to wager a total of $6,000 ($200 x 30) before withdrawing any bonuses.

The house edge is a percentage of each bet taken by the casino. (photo by Rawpixel)

9. Edge of the House
The house edge is a percentage of each bet taken by the casino. In other words, it is a tactic that the casino uses to ensure profits over time. From the player’s point of view, the house edge indicates the average loss of his initial bet. This can be over a single hand, a section of play, or longer periods.

The house edge is fixed for most casino games and bet types. That said, in some games the house edge can vary depending on specific rules, the number of games used and your betting decisions.

As a casino player, you cannot eliminate the house edge in a manner approved by the casino. But the best strategy to minimize it is to pick good games and make smart bets.

8. Deposit Bonuses
A deposit bonus is a promotional offer that you can claim at online casinos and poker sites by depositing your money on the platform. Almost all online gambling sites offer deposit bonus offers, a great marketing strategy to attract new customers and keep old ones coming back.

For example, you might find a 100% deposit bonus worth up to $300. In simple terms this means that the gambling site will match your deposit 100% up to a total bonus worth $300, so if you deposit $300 you will get an additional $300 which will make your bankroll a total of $600 so far. Just make sure you always read the terms and conditions before claiming one, as there are always conditions attached.

7. Return to Player
The term Return to Player, often listed as RTP, refers to the total amount of money that a particular casino game returns to the player over time and is always presented. For example, if a slot variant has an RTP of 98.5%, its house edge is 1.5%.

Return to player percentages are always calculated over the long term. Indeed, in the short term, anyone can win a big jackpot with a small bet. But, when averaged over a longer period, RTP numbers become more accurate. For example, RTP percentages are taken from millions of spins in casino slot games, as this is the only way to get reliable numbers for this.

6. Random number generator
A random number generator (RNG) is a computer program that produces random and fair results based on an algorithm. While no casino software can be truly random, RNGs generate many sequences and patterns per round of casino play, making the results indecipherable and totally unpredictable.

Random number generators are a crucial part of the gambling industry. As most casino games are based on luck, casinos need software that can ensure that neither employees nor players can affect the result of a virtual dice roll, roulette wheel or slot machine spin.

5. Bookmaker
A bookmaker, short for bookmaker, is an organization, sometimes an individual professional that accepts bets on sports matches and various events. The bookmaker sets the odds and bettors place money by choosing one of the odds offered on which they want to bet. Bookmakers are also commonly referred to as bookmakers or sports betting. The latter is particularly prevalent in online betting, where several regular, sports-specific and even crypto betting sites are available today.

When you bet on the odds that the bookmaker offers you, you are not actually betting against the bookmaker. This is because bookmakers, just like casinos, always profit. In this case, bookmakers do this by balancing the odds on both sides of the bet. So, although you may win a bet, the bookmaker always covers potential losses with the money it receives from other losing bettors.

4. Disability
A handicap in sports betting affects the way the odds of both teams are presented. It is frequently used in many sports. In short, handicap betting is all about turning the odds into an even money contest by giving the favorite a disadvantage and the underdog an advantage. This way bettors get betting value where they wouldn’t otherwise find it.

For example, let’s say the top-ranked soccer team plays a middle-ranked team. The bookmaker expects the favorite to win, so they place a -1.5 handicap on it and a +1.5 handicap on the underdog.

In this example, you can bet on the underdog to win at even odds. Even if the underdog loses by one goal or the result is a draw, you still win the bet. Conversely, to win the bet by betting at -1.5 on the favorite, the favorite team must win by at least two goals.

3. Martingale System
Martingale is the most popular betting and gambling system in the world. It works best for even bets and has a very simple concept. The basic idea of ​​the Martingale system is to increase your bet after every loss and return to your original bet after a win.

For example, let’s say you’re playing roulette and you place an even bet of $10. If you lose, you should double it to $20 for the next round. If you lose again, the next time you bet $40, and so on. When you win, you automatically recoup your losses and must go back to your original bet size. Beware of this strategy, however, as many bettors have had their bankroll cleaned up by betting “the rebound”.

2. Progressive Jackpot
A progressive jackpot is a jackpot reward that keeps growing until a player triggers the winning combination. These games differ from regular jackpots in that they have no maximum cap. So they can often reach millions of dollars before a lucky player wins the jackpot.

The way progressive jackpots fund such incredible jackpot prizes is by taking a small percentage of each player’s bet and putting it into the jackpot pool. Thus, the more players that play the game, the faster the progressive jackpot increases. The progressive jackpot slot machine often has a minimum jackpot amount that it returns to each time it is paid out.

1. Free Spins
Free spins are a bonus feature that you can find in both land-based casinos and online slot casinos. This is the most popular and widely used type of slot bonus. As the name suggests, this bonus gives you free spins that you can use in the slot to win real money without risking your own.

In most slot games, players can trigger free spins bonuses by landing special bonus symbols or scatter symbols on the in-game reels. Additionally, many slots offer free spins bonuses of different value depending on how many symbols you line up. Some slots even allow you to retrigger more free spins while playing with free spins, giving you great added value.