Online Casino Glossary

Online casinos are full of exciting games and innovative features. Among the fantastic range of classic titles and newer games available to players, lots of different pieces of terminology inevitably pop up.

These terms can be a little overwhelming for new players at first, mainly when they are remarkably detailed. But do not fear, as here at Online Canadian Casino we believe casino games should be accessible to everyone. That’s why we have compiled this handy glossary of important online casino terms.

Although playing online may reduce face-to-face action with other players somewhat, knowing your terms is still super helpful for casino strategy and communicating with players via the chat function.

So, let’s learn some of the most essential and fun online casino terminologies without further ado!

All In

If a player goes ‘all in’, they bet all their remaining chips on the game. It is commonly found in poker where players are either very confident in their hand or want their opponents to think they are!

Ante

Ante refers to some chips players must add to the pot before the poker deal begins. This is replaced with blinds in the popular Texas Hold’em variety.

Bankroll

Like a budget, a bankroll is the amount of money a player has at their disposal during a game. For responsible gambling, it helps players to use a pre-determined bankroll. Many online casino strategies involve managing your bankroll effectively.

Buy-In

The buy-in refers to how much the player must bet to enter the game.

Call

In poker, calling is matching your opponent’s bet.

Casino Edge

The casino always has a slight edge over the players – after all, the casino is a business! The casino edge varies across different games but is usually just a few percent. Players can minimise the casino edge by deploying effective strategy in games like blackjack. It is best to play the European style in roulette as American style’s double zero spaces increase the casino edge.

Chat

Online casinos can be just a pleasant as land-based casinos. Players often use the chat features to communicate with their opponents during games. This is particularly popular during fun and friendly games like bingo!

Check in the Dark

Checking is to stay in the poker game without raising the current bet. Play simply continues onto the next player. Checking in the dark is to do this without even looking at your cards!

Counting Cards

Counting cards is a memory technique that allows the player to keep a running score of cards that have been played. This allows them to predict more accurately what the next cards will be.

Dealer

Sometimes your friend, sometimes your enemy, the dealer deals the cards. The dealer takes a more active role in games like blackjack.

Down to the Felt

No chips left in front of you and you’ll be down to the felt!

Fold

Folding is forfeiting your hand for a particular round. Any money you have put in the pot is lost, but you do not have to wager any more until the next round. A wise move if you see no chance of winning the hand.

Gambler’s Fallacy

Gambler’s fallacy refers to the idea that something is bound to happen if it hasn’t for a long time. The chances of landing red or black on the roulette wheel never change.

House

The casino itself. The casino edge is also commonly referred to as the house edge.

Insurance

In blackjack, players can make side bets on the dealer landing 21. Usually, this would be a nightmare for players, insurance means they can make some money back.

Raise

They are increasing the current bet. Players can raise if they have strong cards or to bluff.

Random Number Generator (RNG)

Random number generators are used in online casino games to ensure they are fair to all players. Even games that do not use numbers use RNGs, such as slot games. This makes sure results are completely randomised.

Scatters

In slots, Scatter symbols are super handy special symbols with a number of handy rewards. Not only do they pay out big prizes, but Scatters can also trigger free spins and bonus rounds. Usually, players will need three or more scatters to activate the bonuses. The more scatters a player lands on one spin, the bigger the rewards.

Volatility/Variance

The volatility or variance of a slot game refers to how risky the game is. Low volatility lots pay out smaller amounts more frequently. Conversely, high volatility slots pay out less often but bigger amounts.

Whale

You may come across a whale in the online casino chat rooms. Whales are high rollers who bet big and play for big jackpots. In brick-and-mortar casinos, whales may receive special treatment from the casino to encourage them to keep coming back.

Wilds

In slots, Wild symbols can substitute for regular symbols to help form winning combinations. They can also sometimes expand to cover the reels entirely and make winning a lot easier.

Last Thoughts on Online Casino Terms

While this is by no means an exhaustive list of terms, we hope that this will get you well on your way to casino mastery! Players will come across different words and phrases depending on what sort of games they play. So, if you plan to focus on some specific titles, try and learn terms for those games. When you’re ready, head to Cozino to see how this improves your game.

It’s also good fun just to show off your casino vocabulary to your friends – just be careful who you call a whale! Check out our list of online casinos.