The CasinoTrust gambling encyclopedia

3

3-bet

The third bet in a betting round: in pre-flop no-limit hold'em, the first re-raise after the big blind (bet one) and an open raise (bet two). A standard 3-bet is about 3x the open in position and 3.5–4x out of position. A 3-betting range mixes value hands with bluffs such as suited aces. Read the guide

6

6:5 blackjack

A rule variant paying a natural blackjack at 6:5 (€12 on €10) instead of the standard 3:2 (€15). It adds about 1.4% to the house edge, turning a 0.5% game into a 1.9% one — worse than European roulette. Avoid any table or online game showing "Blackjack pays 6 to 5". Read the guide

A

Account verification

The process of confirming a player's identity, age and address before withdrawals are released. Licensed operators must do it under KYC rules; most request a photo ID, a proof of address under three months old and sometimes a payment-method screenshot. Verifying right after registration avoids delays when you first cash out. Read the guide

Accumulator / parlay

A single bet combining two or more selections, all of which must win; the odds multiply. Four selections at 1.80 each pay 10.50 to 1. The bookmaker's margin compounds with each leg: four legs at 5% margin each gives an effective margin of about 19%. Fun, but poor value. Read the guide

Affiliate

A third-party website or person that refers players to an operator in exchange for commission, usually a share of net losses (revenue share), a fixed fee per depositor (CPA) or a hybrid. CasinoTrust discloses affiliate relationships and ranks platforms by a published protocol rather than by commission. Read the guide

All-in

Betting all of your remaining chips. You can never be forced out of a hand for lack of chips; if other players continue betting, a side pot is created that you cannot win. In tournaments, all-in decisions should be guided by ICM, not just chip equity. Read the guide

American odds

The US odds format. Positive numbers show profit on a $100 stake (+150 = win $150); negative numbers show how much you must stake to win $100 (−200 = stake $200). Even money is +100. Converting: +150 is 2.50 decimal and 3/2 fractional. Read the guide

American roulette

A wheel with 38 pockets: 1–36, 0 and 00. The extra zero raises the house edge on every bet to 5.26% (7.89% on the five-number "basket" bet), nearly double European roulette's 2.7%. Online, there is no reason to play it when single-zero tables are available. Read the guide

AML (Anti-Money Laundering)

Regulations requiring gambling operators to monitor deposits and withdrawals, report suspicious activity and verify the origin of large sums. AML checks are why a casino may freeze a withdrawal and request payslips or bank statements. Under EU and UK law, thresholds of roughly €2,000 in cumulative deposits can trigger enhanced checks. Read the guide

AMM (Automated Market Maker)

A smart contract that prices assets algorithmically from a liquidity pool instead of matching buyers and sellers. Early prediction markets used AMMs; most large platforms have moved to order books for better pricing. AMMs suffer from slippage on large trades and impermanent loss for liquidity providers. Read the guide

Ante

A forced bet paid by every player before the deal, common in tournaments and some cash games. Most modern tournaments use a big blind ante, where one player posts an amount equal to the big blind on behalf of the table. Antes increase pot sizes and reward looser play. Read the guide

Arbitrage betting

Backing every outcome of an event at different bookmakers whose odds, combined, imply less than 100% probability, locking in a profit regardless of result. Typical margins are 1–3%. Bookmakers restrict or close accounts of arbers, and odds can move while you place the second bet. Read the guide

Asian handicap

A handicap market that removes the draw by giving one side a head start in goals, often in quarter or half increments. A −0.5 handicap means your team must win; −1.0 means win by two or a push on a one-goal win; −0.75 splits your stake between −0.5 and −1.0. Read the guide

B

Baccarat

A card game comparing two hands, Player and Banker, with the aim of betting on which comes closer to 9. Tens and face cards count zero, aces one, and only the last digit of a total counts. Drawing is automatic under fixed rules. The Banker bet's 1.06% house edge is among the lowest in any casino. Read the guide

Bad beat

Losing a hand in which you were a heavy favourite when the money went in, for example pocket aces losing to 7-2 offsuit after the river. Bad beats are an inevitable consequence of variance; handling them without tilting is a core professional skill. Read the guide

Banker bet

A bet that the Banker hand will win. It wins 45.86% of the time, loses 44.62% and ties 9.52%. Because Banker wins more often, casinos charge a 5% commission on wins, leaving a house edge of 1.06% — the best bet in baccarat and one of the best in the casino. Read the guide

Bankroll

The money you have set aside specifically for gambling, separate from living expenses, and can afford to lose entirely. All staking decisions should be expressed as a fraction of bankroll — never as a fraction of winnings or as "what it takes to get even". Our bankroll management guide covers sizing for every game. Read the guide

Bankroll (poker)

The money set aside exclusively for poker, sized to survive variance. Standard guidance: 20–30 buy-ins for no-limit cash games, 50–100 buy-ins for multi-table tournaments and 30–50 for sit & gos. A €2,000 roll supports €50 cash games or €20–€40 tournaments. See bankroll management. Read the guide

Basic strategy

The mathematically optimal decision (hit, stand, double, split, surrender) for every player hand against every dealer upcard, derived from the specific rules in play. Following it perfectly reduces the house edge to roughly 0.5% in a six-deck S17 DAS game. Our blackjack strategy guide includes the full chart. Read the guide

Bead plate

The simplest baccarat scorecard: a grid of six rows where each result (Banker red, Player blue, Tie green) is recorded top to bottom, left to right. Also called the "cube road". It is the raw record from which the Big Road and derived roads are built. Read the guide

Bet builder

A feature combining multiple markets from the same match into one bet — for example a team to win, over 2.5 goals and a named scorer. Because the selections are correlated, bookmakers price them with larger margins than independent accumulators. Treat the odds with scepticism. Read the guide

Bet limit

The minimum and maximum stake allowed on a game or market. Table games typically range from €0.10 to €5,000 online; live VIP tables go higher. Sportsbooks set per-market limits and may cut an individual player's limits sharply if the account is flagged as sharp or bonus-abusing. Read the guide

Bet sizing

Choosing how much to stake relative to bankroll and edge. In negative-expectation casino games, smaller bets mean slower expected loss and longer play; in positive-expectation situations (poker, value bets), fractional Kelly sizing maximises long-term growth while limiting drawdowns. Read the guide

Biased wheel

A physical roulette wheel whose imperfections — a loose fret, a tilted axis, worn pockets — make some numbers hit more often than chance. Historically exploited by Joseph Jagger (1873) and Gonzalo García-Pelayo (1990s). Modern wheels are inspected constantly and RNG roulette cannot be biased in this way. Read the guide

Big blind

The larger of the two forced bets posted before the deal, by the player two seats left of the button; it sets the stake level (e.g. €0.50/€1). Stack sizes in tournaments are measured in big blinds — under 20bb is short-stacked and pushes you toward a push-or-fold strategy. Read the guide

Big Road

The main baccarat scoreboard. Results are recorded in columns; a new column starts each time the winner changes, and ties are marked as a green line through the last result. Streaks appear as long columns, which is why pattern-chasing players watch it so closely, despite each hand being independent. Read the guide

Bitcoin (BTC)

The first and largest cryptocurrency, launched in 2009. Widely accepted at crypto casinos, though on-chain transactions take around 10 minutes per confirmation and fees vary with network congestion. Many operators now prefer Lightning or stablecoins for speed and price stability. Read the guide

Blackjack (natural)

An ace plus any ten-value card as your first two cards, totalling 21. It pays 3:2 at fair tables and beats any dealer hand except another blackjack, which is a push. Your probability of being dealt a natural from a six-deck shoe is about 4.75%, roughly 1 in 21 hands. Read the guide

Blacklist

A list of operators that a review site recommends avoiding, usually because of unpaid winnings, rigged software, predatory terms or fake licences. CasinoTrust's blacklist names platforms with documented, unresolved player complaints and explains the evidence behind each entry. Read the guide

Blinds

Forced bets — the small blind and big blind — posted by the two players left of the dealer button before cards are dealt, creating an initial pot worth contesting. In tournaments blinds rise on a schedule, which forces action and eliminations. Read the guide

Blockchain confirmation

Each new block added after the one containing your transaction. Casinos usually credit Bitcoin deposits after 1–3 confirmations (10–30 minutes) and Ethereum or Polygon deposits within a minute or two. Withdrawals are final once broadcast; there is no chargeback mechanism. Read the guide

Bluff

Betting or raising with a hand that is unlikely to win at showdown, in order to make a better hand fold. A bluff is profitable when fold equity exceeds the risk: a pot-sized bluff must succeed more than 50% of the time to break even; a half-pot bluff more than 33%. Read the guide

Bonus abuse

Exploiting promotions in ways the terms forbid: multiple accounts, low-risk betting patterns to clear wagering, or bonus hunting across brands owned by one company. Operators respond by confiscating winnings, so read the terms before accepting any offer. Legitimate advantage play on published terms is not abuse, but operators rarely see it that way. Read the guide

Bonus buy

A slot feature letting you pay a fixed multiple of your stake, typically 50x–200x, to trigger the bonus round immediately. Bonus-buy RTP is sometimes slightly higher than base-game RTP, but the variance is extreme. Banned in the UK since 2021 and restricted in several other regulated markets. Read the guide

Bookmaker

An operator that sets odds and accepts bets on events, profiting from the margin built into its prices. Also "sportsbook" or "bookie". Leading online bookmakers such as bet365 offer thousands of markets daily; compare them in our sports betting comparison. Read the guide

Bounty / PKO

Tournaments where a portion of each buy-in is a bounty paid to whoever eliminates that player. In progressive knockout (PKO) events you collect half the bounty in cash and add half to your own head. Bounties justify calling wider than ICM alone would suggest, especially early. Read the guide

Bubble

The stage of a tournament just before the money: with 100 paid places, the bubble bursts when the 101st player is eliminated. ICM pressure peaks here — short stacks tighten up to survive, and big stacks can raise almost any two cards profitably. Read the guide

Bust

Exceeding a total of 21, which loses the hand immediately, even if the dealer later busts too. This asymmetry — the player acts first and can bust first — is the main source of the house edge in blackjack. The dealer busts about 28% of the time overall, most often showing a 5 or 6. Read the guide

Button

The dealer position, marked by a disc and rotated clockwise each hand. The button acts last on every post-flop street, making it the most profitable seat at the table. Good players open 40–50% of hands from the button versus 15% from early position. Read the guide

Buy-in

The amount needed to enter a tournament (e.g. €100 + €9 fee) or the chips you bring to a cash game, usually between 20 and 100 big blinds. In tournaments the fee portion goes to the operator; compare it in our poker room reviews. Read the guide

C

Call bets

Bets announced to the croupier rather than placed with chips, covering sections of the wheel: voisins du zéro, tiers du cylindre, orphelins and neighbours. Common on French and European tables, including the racetrack layout in most live online roulette. They are ordinary combinations of straight-up and split bets. Read the guide

Card counting

Tracking the ratio of high cards (tens, aces) to low cards remaining in the shoe and raising bets when the deck is rich in high cards. A skilled Hi-Lo counter gains a 0.5–1.5% edge in good live conditions. It is legal but casinos may ban you; online RNG games reshuffle every hand, making it useless there. Read the guide

Cascading reels

A mechanic, also called tumbling or avalanche reels, where winning symbols are removed and new ones fall into the gaps, allowing consecutive wins from one spin. Often paired with a multiplier that increases with each cascade. Popularised by Gonzo's Quest (2011). Read the guide

Cash out

An option to settle a bet before the event finishes for an amount based on current odds. The offered price always includes a margin, typically 5–10% below fair value. Useful for managing risk, but using it routinely costs you expected value. Read the guide

Cashback

A promotion returning a percentage of net losses over a period, typically 5–25% weekly or monthly. True cashback has no wagering requirement; many "cashback" offers in fact carry 1x–5x rollover, so check. With a 10% weekly cashback, a game with 96% RTP effectively returns about 96.4% over time. Read the guide

CFTC

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which regulates derivatives including event contracts. Kalshi operates under CFTC oversight as a Designated Contract Market; Polymarket settled with the CFTC in 2022 and for years excluded US users before re-entering via a regulated entity. The CFTC's stance shapes what markets can list. Read the guide

Check-raise

Checking with the intention of raising after an opponent bets. It is a powerful move out of position, both for value with strong hands and as a bluff with draws. Overusing it makes you readable; balance it with hands you would also bet directly. Read the guide

Closing line value (CLV)

The difference between the odds you took and the final odds before the event starts. Consistently beating the closing line (e.g. betting at 2.10 when it closes at 1.90) is the best single indicator of a sharp bettor, because closing lines are the market's most efficient estimate. Read the guide

Cluster pays

A slot payout system where wins are formed by groups of five or more matching symbols touching horizontally or vertically, instead of along paylines. Grids are usually 6×6 to 8×8. Combined with cascades, cluster games can chain many wins from a single spin. Read the guide

Cognitive biases

Systematic errors in judgement that affect gamblers: the gambler's fallacy, hot-hand belief, illusion of control, confirmation bias and loss aversion. Recognising them does not make you immune; rules set in advance (limits, stop-losses, flat staking) are the practical defence. Read the guide

Cold wallet

A cryptocurrency wallet kept offline — a hardware device or paper key — so private keys cannot be stolen remotely. Use one for long-term holdings and move only what you intend to gamble to a hot wallet. Never store your gambling bankroll on the casino itself between sessions. Read the guide

Column bet

A bet on one of the three vertical columns of twelve numbers on the layout, paying 2:1. It covers 12 of 37 numbers in European roulette, giving a 32.4% win probability and the same 2.7% house edge as every other bet on a single-zero wheel. Read the guide

Commission (baccarat)

The 5% fee taken from winning Banker bets to compensate for the Banker hand's statistical advantage. A €100 Banker win pays €95. Without commission the Banker bet would give the player a 1.24% edge; with it, the house keeps 1.06%. Read the guide

Comp points

Loyalty points earned for real-money wagering, convertible into bonus cash, free spins or prizes. A typical rate is 1 point per €10 wagered, with 100 points worth €1 — a 0.1% rebate. Comps in slots accrue faster than in table games because operators weight them by house edge. Read the guide

Continuation bet (c-bet)

A bet on the flop by the pre-flop raiser, continuing the aggression regardless of whether the flop helped. On dry, high-card boards a small c-bet (25–33% of pot) can be made with almost the whole range; on wet boards c-bet less often and larger. Read the guide

Continuous shuffling machine (CSM)

A device that returns played cards to the shoe and reshuffles continuously, so the deck composition never deviates meaningfully from fresh. CSMs make card counting impossible and speed up the game, meaning more hands per hour and therefore more expected loss for a basic-strategy player. Read the guide

Corner bet

A bet on four numbers forming a square on the layout, placed at their shared corner, paying 8:1. Probability in European roulette is 4/37 (10.8%). Also called a square bet or quad. Like all inside bets, it carries the standard 2.7% house edge. Read the guide

Crypto casino

An online casino that accepts deposits and pays withdrawals in cryptocurrency, often exclusively. Advantages include near-instant payouts, low fees and provably fair games; risks include lighter regulation (most are Curaçao-licensed), price volatility and limited recourse. See our crypto casino reviews. Read the guide

Curaçao GCB

The Curaçao Gaming Control Board, which replaced the old master-licence system in 2024 under the National Ordinance on Games of Chance (LOK). Licences are now issued directly by the regulator with stricter fit-and-proper, AML and player-complaint requirements, though enforcement remains lighter than the UKGC or MGA. Read the guide

Cutoff

The seat immediately to the right of the button, the second-best position at the table. From the cutoff you can open a wide range (about 25–30% of hands) and steal the blinds, though the button can still act behind you. Read the guide

D

D'Alembert system

A negative progression where you increase your stake by one unit after a loss and decrease it by one after a win. It is gentler than Martingale and less likely to hit table limits, but it cannot change the 2.7% house edge and still produces steady losses over time. Study the maths in our roulette strategies guide. Read the guide

DAS (Double After Split)

A rule allowing you to double down on hands created by splitting a pair. DAS reduces the house edge by about 0.14% compared with no-DAS games because it lets you exploit strong split hands (e.g. 8-8 split, then 8-3 against a dealer 6). Always check whether it is permitted. Read the guide

DCM (Designated Contract Market)

A CFTC-registered exchange legally permitted to list derivatives, including event contracts, for US customers. Obtaining DCM status requires capital, surveillance and dispute processes. It is the key regulatory distinction between a compliant US prediction market and an offshore one. Read the guide

Dealer peek

A rule where the dealer checks the hole card for blackjack when showing an ace or ten before players act. If the dealer has blackjack, you lose only your original bet, not doubles or splits. "No peek" or European no-hole-card rules add roughly 0.11% to the house edge. Read the guide

Decimal odds

The European odds format showing total return per unit staked, including the stake. Odds of 2.50 return €25 on a €10 bet (€15 profit). Implied probability equals 1 divided by the odds: 2.50 implies 40%. The easiest format for calculating accumulators and margins. Read the guide

Deposit limit

A responsible-gambling control letting you cap how much you can deposit per day, week or month. Increases take effect after a 24-hour to 7-day cooling-off period; decreases apply immediately. UK-licensed operators must offer it, and most reputable sites worldwide do too. Set one before you need it. Read the guide

Derived roads

Three secondary baccarat scorecards — Big Eye Boy, Small Road and Cockroach Pig — that track whether the Big Road pattern is "choppy" or "streaky" rather than who won. They have no predictive value because each hand is independent, but they are standard on every live baccarat table. Read the guide

Dispute resolution

The formal route for settling a disagreement with an operator. Start with support, escalate to the operator's complaints team, then to an independent ADR body named in its licence (such as eCOGRA or IBAS for UK sites). Keep screenshots, chat transcripts and transaction IDs; they decide most cases. Read the guide

Double down

Doubling your original bet after seeing your first two cards in exchange for receiving exactly one more card. Basic strategy doubles on hard 11 against anything but an ace, hard 10 against 2–9 and hard 9 against 3–6. Doubling correctly is worth about 1.6% of the player's total return. Read the guide

Dozen bet

A bet on 1–12, 13–24 or 25–36, paying 2:1. Covers twelve numbers for a 32.4% win chance in European roulette. Betting two dozens at once covers 64.9% of outcomes but still loses at exactly 2.7% long-term. Read the guide

Dragon Bonus

A baccarat side bet paying according to the margin of victory of the hand you back. A natural win pays 1:1; winning by 9 points pays 30:1. House edge is about 2.65% on the Player side and 9.37% on the Banker side, so it is considerably worse than the main bets. Read the guide

Dragon Tiger

A simplified two-card variant where one card is dealt to Dragon and one to Tiger; the higher card wins and pays 1:1. A tie returns half your stake, giving the main bet a house edge of about 3.73% in an eight-deck game. Popular in live casinos for its speed. Read the guide

Draw no bet

A two-way market where your stake is refunded if the match ends in a draw. It is equivalent to an Asian handicap of 0.0 and pays lower odds than the standard 1X2 market in exchange for the draw insurance. Read the guide

Drawdown

The peak-to-trough decline in bankroll over a period. Even a winning poker player or sports bettor will experience drawdowns of 20–40% of bankroll from normal variance. Sizing bankroll so that a realistic drawdown does not end your career is the core of money management. Read the guide

E

Each-way

A bet split into two equal parts: one on the selection to win and one on it to place (finish in the top 2, 3 or 4, depending on field size). The place part pays at a fraction of the win odds, usually 1/4 or 1/5. Common in horse racing and golf. Read the guide

eCOGRA

eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance, a London-based testing agency founded in 2003. It audits RNGs, publishes monthly payout reports for certified operators and acts as an approved alternative dispute resolution (ADR) body for UK-licensed sites. A live eCOGRA seal links to the operator's current certificate. Read the guide

En prison

A French roulette rule: when zero hits, even-money bets are "imprisoned" for one more spin rather than lost. If the next spin wins, the original stake is returned. It halves the house edge on even-money bets to 1.35%, making French roulette with en prison the best roulette variant available. Read the guide

Equity

Your share of the pot based on the probability of winning at showdown if all cards were dealt out. A pair of aces has about 81% equity against a random hand pre-flop; a flush draw has about 35% equity on the flop against a made hand. Equity drives every pot-odds decision. Read the guide

Ethereum (ETH)

The second-largest cryptocurrency and the main smart-contract platform. Accepted by most crypto casinos directly and as the settlement layer for ERC-20 tokens like USDT and USDC. Mainnet gas fees can be several dollars; layer-2 networks such as Arbitrum and Polygon are cheaper. Read the guide

European roulette

A single-zero wheel with 37 pockets. Every bet carries a house edge of 2.7% (1/37), with straight-up bets paying 35:1 against true odds of 36:1. It is the standard online variant and should always be preferred over American double-zero wheels. Read the guide

Even money

An offer to pay 1:1 immediately on your blackjack when the dealer shows an ace, instead of risking a push. It is mathematically identical to taking insurance and is a bad bet: your blackjack is worth about 1.04 units against an ace, more than the 1.00 you are offered. Read the guide

Even-money bets

Red/black, odd/even and high (19–36)/low (1–18), each covering 18 numbers and paying 1:1. Win probability is 48.6% in European roulette. With la partage or en prison the house edge drops to 1.35%; without them it is 2.7%, and 5.26% on American wheels. Read the guide

Event contract

A financial contract that pays a fixed amount (usually $1) if a defined event occurs and nothing otherwise. Prices between $0 and $1 represent the market's probability estimate: a "Yes" share at $0.62 implies 62%. Event contracts are the building block of every prediction market. Read the guide

Exchange betting

A peer-to-peer marketplace, such as Betfair, where users bet against each other by backing or laying outcomes; the exchange charges a commission (2–5%) on net winnings rather than building a margin into odds. Exchanges do not restrict winners, which makes them essential for sharp bettors. Read the guide

Expected value (EV)

The average amount you win or lose per bet over the long run. Calculated as the sum of each outcome's probability multiplied by its payout. A €10 bet on a single roulette number in European roulette has an EV of −€0.27, since the house edge is 2.7%. Positive EV (+EV) is what professionals pursue. Read the guide

Exploitative play

Deviating from game-theory-optimal strategy to take advantage of specific opponent mistakes: bluffing more against players who fold too much, value-betting thinner against calling stations. It is higher EV than GTO against weak opponents but exposes you to counter-exploitation. Read the guide

F

Fair play certificate

An audit report from an independent lab (eCOGRA, iTech Labs, GLI, BMM) confirming that a game's random number generator produces unpredictable, uniformly distributed results and that the published RTP matches the maths model. Check that the certificate is recent and names the specific operator, not just the game studio. Read the guide

Fibonacci system

A negative progression following the sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13…, moving one step forward after a loss and two steps back after a win. Stakes grow more slowly than Martingale, but a losing run still produces large bets, and the expected loss remains 2.7% of total turnover. Read the guide

Fish

Slang for a weak, losing player who calls too much, chases draws without odds and plays too many hands. The profit in poker comes largely from fish, which is why table selection matters as much as technical skill. Contrast with "shark" or "reg". Read the guide

Fixed jackpot

A top prize with a predetermined value, expressed as a multiple of the stake (e.g. 5,000x) or a flat amount. Unlike progressive jackpots it does not grow and does not take a slice of each bet, so the base game's RTP is not diluted. Read the guide

Flop, turn, river

The three community-card streets in hold'em and Omaha. The flop is three cards dealt together, the turn a fourth card and the river the fifth and final card. Each is followed by a betting round, giving four betting rounds in total including pre-flop. Read the guide

Fold equity

The portion of your expected value that comes from the chance your opponent folds. A bet with 30% equity if called but 40% fold equity can be profitable. Fold equity is highest against tight opponents and with bet sizes that threaten a large part of their stack. Read the guide

Fractional odds

The traditional UK format showing profit relative to stake: 5/1 returns €5 profit per €1 staked; 1/2 returns €0.50 per €1. Convert to decimal by dividing and adding 1: 5/1 = 6.00, 1/2 = 1.50. Implied probability of 5/1 is 1/6 = 16.7%. Read the guide

Free spins

Slot rounds granted without a stake, either as a bonus feature inside a game or as a promotion. Promotional free spins usually have a fixed value (often €0.10 each) and winnings carry wagering requirements of 20x–50x. Fifty spins at €0.10 on a 96% RTP slot are worth about €4.80 before wagering. Read the guide

Freeroll

A tournament with no entry fee but real prizes, funded by the operator as a marketing tool. Prize pools are small (often €50–€500) and fields huge. Also, in cash games, a "freeroll" is a situation where you cannot lose but may win, such as a tied hand with a flush draw. Read the guide

Freezeout

A tournament format where each player gets one entry and no re-buys or re-entries are allowed; when your chips are gone you are out. The classic format for major events and the purest test of survival skill, since nobody can fire multiple bullets. Read the guide

Futures / outrights

Bets on the outcome of a competition rather than a single match — a league winner, a tournament champion, a season total. Odds are long and money is tied up for months. Bookmaker margins on outright markets can exceed 30%, so shop prices carefully. Read the guide

G

Gambler's fallacy

The belief that past independent outcomes influence future ones — that red is "due" after six blacks, or a slot is "due" a win. Each spin is independent; the probability of red stays 18/37. The fallacy underpins every roulette betting system and most loss-chasing behaviour. Read the guide

Game weighting

The percentage of a stake that counts toward a wagering requirement, by game type. Slots typically count 100%, roulette and blackjack 5–10%, and some high-RTP games 0%. Wagering €100 on blackjack at 10% weighting contributes only €10, so a €1,000 requirement needs €10,000 in blackjack action. Read the guide

GamStop

The UK's free national self-exclusion scheme. Registering blocks you from every UKGC-licensed online operator for six months, one year or five years, and the block cannot be lifted early. Offshore sites are not covered, which is why "non-GamStop casinos" are marketed to excluded players — a clear warning sign. Read the guide

Gas fee

The transaction fee paid to blockchain validators, priced in the network's native token. Ethereum mainnet fees range from under $1 to $50+ during congestion; Tron, Solana and Polygon usually cost cents. Check which network the casino supports before sending — funds sent on the wrong network can be lost. Read the guide

GTO (Game Theory Optimal)

A strategy that cannot be exploited, because it balances value bets and bluffs at frequencies an opponent cannot profitably counter. Solvers compute GTO approximations for given scenarios. In practice, GTO is a baseline to learn and deviate from when opponents make mistakes. Read the guide

H

H17 / S17

Whether the dealer hits (H17) or stands (S17) on a soft 17 (ace-six). H17 increases the house edge by about 0.22% because the dealer improves a weak hand more often. S17 is better for the player; many online tables and most European live tables use S17. Read the guide

Hand ranges

The set of hands a player could hold in a given spot, rather than one specific hand. Expressed as a percentage of all 1,326 combinations or a grid of hands. Thinking in ranges — "he 3-bets about 8% here" — is the foundation of modern poker analysis. Read the guide

Handicap

A market that gives one side a virtual head start to balance the odds. A −1.5 handicap on a favourite means they must win by two or more. Handicaps exist in whole, half and (in Asian markets) quarter increments. Also called point spread in US sports. Read the guide

Hard hand

A blackjack hand with no ace, or one in which the ace must count as 1 to avoid busting. Hard 16 is the worst hand in the game; basic strategy hits it against a dealer 7 or higher and surrenders it against 9, 10 or ace where allowed. Read the guide

Heads-up

Play between only two players, either as a format (heads-up cash or sit & go) or as the final stage of a tournament. Ranges widen dramatically: the button should raise 70–80% of hands, and hands like king-high often win at showdown. Read the guide

Hi-Lo count

The most widely used card-counting system. Cards 2–6 count +1, 7–9 count 0, and tens and aces count −1. The running count is divided by decks remaining to give a true count; each +1 of true count shifts the edge about 0.5% toward the player. Bet more when the true count is +2 or higher. Read the guide

Hit frequency

The percentage of spins that produce any win, however small. Typical slots sit between 20% and 35%; a game with 25% hit frequency pays on roughly one in four spins. A high hit frequency does not mean high RTP — many "wins" return less than the stake. Read the guide

Hold and win

A bonus mechanic where landing six or more special symbols (often coins) triggers a respin round; each new coin resets the three respins, and the round ends when the grid is full or respins run out. Coin values and mini/minor/major/grand jackpots determine the payout. Read the guide

Hold'em

Texas hold'em, the most popular poker variant. Each player receives two private cards and shares five community cards; the best five-card hand using any combination wins. No-limit hold'em (NLHE) allows betting any amount up to your stack. Learn the rules in our how to play poker guide. Read the guide

Hole card

The dealer's face-down card. In American rules it is dealt at the start and peeked at for blackjack; in European no-hole-card rules the dealer draws it only after all players have acted, which slightly increases the house edge when you double or split against an ace or ten. Read the guide

Hot hand

The belief that a player or machine on a winning streak is more likely to continue winning. In pure chance games it is false. In skill games, research shows small genuine effects, but they are far smaller than intuition suggests and no basis for raising stakes. Read the guide

Hot wallet

A cryptocurrency wallet connected to the internet: a mobile app, browser extension or exchange account. Convenient for funding casino accounts but vulnerable to phishing and malware. Keep only what you are prepared to lose in a hot wallet and enable two-factor authentication. Read the guide

House edge

The operator's built-in mathematical advantage, expressed as the percentage of each bet it expects to keep long-term. Baccarat banker is 1.06%, blackjack with basic strategy about 0.5%, European roulette 2.7%, American roulette 5.26%, and most slots 2–8%. House edge equals 100% minus RTP. Read the guide

House money effect

The tendency to take greater risks with recent winnings than with your own money, treating them as "the casino's". All chips in front of you are yours. Banking a portion of any significant win — the stop-win rule — is the discipline that counters it. Read the guide

I

ICM (Independent Chip Model)

A mathematical model that converts tournament chip stacks into their cash value by estimating each player's probability of finishing in every paid position. Because chips lose marginal value as you accumulate them, ICM shows why calling all-in near the bubble requires far more equity than chip EV suggests. Try our ICM calculator. Read the guide

iGaming

Industry shorthand for all online gambling: casino, poker, sports betting, bingo and lotteries. The global market was estimated at well over US$90 billion in gross gaming revenue by the mid-2020s, with Europe the largest regulated region and crypto-first operators growing fastest in unregulated or grey markets. Read the guide

Illusion of control

Believing you can influence random outcomes through choice, ritual or skill — picking your own numbers, throwing dice harder, timing a slot spin. Casinos design interactions to feed this illusion because it increases play. None of it changes the maths. Read the guide

Implied odds

Pot odds adjusted for the money you expect to win on later streets if you hit your draw. A set-mining call with a small pair needs about 15:1 implied odds because you flop a set only 11.8% of the time; the stacks behind you must justify the call. Read the guide

Implied probability

The win probability expressed by a set of odds: 1 divided by decimal odds. Odds of 1.50 imply 66.7%; 4.00 implies 25%. Summing the implied probabilities of all outcomes in a market gives the overround; the excess above 100% is the bookmaker's margin. Read the guide

In-play / live betting

Betting on an event after it has started, with odds updated continuously. Live markets now account for the majority of online betting turnover. Bookmakers apply a delay of several seconds to bet acceptance and typically build in larger margins than on pre-match markets. Read the guide

Inside bets

Bets placed on the numbered grid: straight up (35:1), split (17:1), street (11:1), corner (8:1), six line (5:1) and, on American wheels, the basket. High payout, low probability. The house edge is identical to outside bets on the same wheel. Read the guide

Insurance

A side bet offered when the dealer shows an ace, paying 2:1 if the dealer has blackjack. It costs half your original bet. Because only 4 of 13 card ranks are ten-value, the true odds are about 9:4 against, giving insurance a house edge of roughly 7%. Decline it unless you count cards. Read the guide

J

Jackpot

The largest prize a game can pay. Fixed jackpots are a set amount; progressive jackpots grow with every bet until won. Networked progressives such as Mega Moolah have paid over €18 million. Jackpot slots usually have lower base RTP because a portion of each bet (often 1–5%) funds the pool. Read the guide

K

Kelly criterion

A formula for the optimal fraction of bankroll to stake when you have an edge: f = (bp − q) / b, where b is the net odds, p the win probability and q = 1 − p. With a 55% edge at even money, Kelly stakes 10%. Most professionals bet a quarter to half Kelly to reduce variance. Read the guide

KYC (Know Your Customer)

Identity-verification rules requiring operators to confirm who you are before or shortly after you gamble. Standard documents are a government ID, proof of address and proof of payment ownership. "No-KYC" crypto casinos skip this up front but can still request documents before large withdrawals under AML rules. Read the guide

L

La partage

A French roulette rule that returns half of an even-money bet when zero hits. It cuts the house edge on those bets from 2.7% to 1.35%. Found on most live French roulette tables online; check the rules panel, as some "French" tables omit it. Read the guide

Labouchère system

A cancellation system: write a sequence such as 1-2-3-4, bet the sum of the first and last numbers, cross them off on a win and add the lost amount to the end on a loss. Completing the sequence wins the total. Like all progressions it fails against the house edge and table limits. Read the guide

Late surrender

Forfeiting half your bet and ending the hand after the dealer checks for blackjack. Correct against a strong dealer upcard with a hopeless hand: hard 16 versus 9, 10 or ace, and hard 15 versus 10. Late surrender reduces the house edge by about 0.07% when used correctly. Read the guide

Licence

Legal authorisation to offer gambling, issued by a regulator with jurisdiction over the operator or its customers. Tier-one licences (UKGC, MGA, Swedish Spelinspektionen, Danish Spillemyndigheden) impose strict player protection; Curaçao and Anjouan are lighter. Always click the seal in the footer to verify the licence is active. Read the guide

Lightning Network

A second-layer payment network on top of Bitcoin that settles transactions instantly for fractions of a cent. A growing number of crypto casinos support Lightning deposits and withdrawals, removing the 10-minute confirmation wait of on-chain Bitcoin. Read the guide

Lightning Roulette

Evolution's live roulette variant where 1–5 random "lucky numbers" each spin receive multipliers of 50x–500x on straight-up bets. To fund this, non-multiplied straight-up wins pay 29:1 instead of 35:1. Overall RTP is 97.3%, the same as standard European roulette, but variance is far higher. Read the guide

Limit order

An order to buy or sell shares at a specified price or better, resting on the order book until filled or cancelled. On prediction markets, placing limit orders rather than market orders avoids paying the spread and often earns maker rebates. Read the guide

Limp

Entering the pot pre-flop by just calling the big blind rather than raising. Open-limping is generally weak in no-limit hold'em because it surrenders initiative and invites multiway pots, though limping ranges exist in specific small-blind and short-stack situations. Read the guide

Line shopping

Comparing odds for the same bet across several bookmakers and taking the best price. The difference between 1.90 and 2.00 on the same outcome is about 5% of your stake — over a year, line shopping alone can turn a break-even bettor into a winner. Read the guide

Liquidity

How much can be traded without moving the price significantly. A market with $2 million on the order book lets you buy $10,000 of shares at nearly the displayed price; a thin market may move 10 cents on a $500 order. Liquidity is the most important practical difference between prediction markets; compare in our prediction market reviews. Read the guide

Live casino

Table games streamed in real time from a studio with a human dealer, played through a video interface. Evolution, Pragmatic Play Live and Playtech dominate supply. House edges match land-based rules, so live blackjack and baccarat are often better value than their RNG equivalents, but hands play slower. Read the guide

Loss aversion

The psychological finding that losses feel roughly twice as painful as equivalent gains feel good. In gambling it drives chasing, refusing to quit while behind and taking bad cash-out offers to "lock in" a small gain. Pre-committed limits remove the decision from the moment of emotion. Read the guide

Loss chasing

Increasing stakes or playing longer to recover money already lost. It is the single most reliable predictor of gambling harm and the mechanism by which a bad evening becomes a crisis. If you notice yourself chasing, stop immediately; a time-out is the right next step. Read the guide

Loyalty programme

A tiered reward scheme that returns value to frequent players through points, cashback, faster withdrawals, personal managers and event invitations. Tiers are usually based on wagering volume over a rolling period. The real value is rarely above 0.5–1% of turnover, so never wager more than planned to reach a tier. Read the guide

M

Market maker

A participant that continuously quotes both buy and sell prices, earning the spread and providing liquidity. On prediction markets, market makers may be the platform itself, professional firms or incentivised users. Without them, prices would be stale and spreads wide. Read the guide

Martingale

Doubling your bet after every loss on an even-money bet so that the first win recovers all losses plus one unit. It fails because losing streaks are common (ten reds in a row happens about once in 780 sequences) and table limits or bankroll run out: after 10 losses at €5 you need to bet €5,120. Read the guide

Max bet rule

A bonus condition capping the stake per spin or hand while a bonus is active, commonly €5 or 10% of the bonus. Exceeding it even once can void all bonus winnings. It exists to stop players clearing wagering with a few huge spins; check it before you start playing with bonus funds. Read the guide

Max cashout

The maximum amount you can withdraw from winnings generated with a bonus, regardless of how much you won. Typical on no-deposit bonuses (often €100) and sometimes on deposit matches (5x–10x the bonus). Any excess is removed when you withdraw. Read the guide

Max win

The highest possible payout from a single spin, including all features, expressed as a multiple of the stake. Modern high-volatility slots advertise 5,000x to 100,000x. The probability of hitting max win is usually published in the game info and is often around 1 in several million spins. Read the guide

Megaways

A reel mechanic licensed by Big Time Gaming where the number of symbols per reel changes each spin, producing up to 117,649 ways to win on a six-reel game (7^6). Wins count adjacent matching symbols from left to right. Megaways games are typically high volatility with cascading reels. Read the guide

Memo / tag

An additional identifier required alongside the address when sending certain coins (XRP, XLM, some exchange deposits). Omitting the memo when depositing to a casino can mean the funds are never credited. Always copy both address and memo exactly. Read the guide

MGA (Malta Gaming Authority)

Malta's gambling regulator, established in 2001 and one of the most respected licences for operators serving Europe. It requires segregated player funds, RTP disclosure, responsible-gambling tools and an independent ADR route. MGA licences cover B2C (operators) and B2B (game suppliers) under a single framework. Read the guide

Moneyline

A straight bet on which side wins a match or game, with no handicap. In US format it is quoted as American odds (e.g. Lakers −150, Celtics +130). In football it corresponds to the 1X2 market, with the draw as a third option. Read the guide

MTT (Multi-Table Tournament)

A tournament with many tables that consolidate as players are eliminated until one table and one winner remain. Typically 10–20% of the field is paid, with the winner receiving 15–25% of the prize pool. High variance: even elite players cash only 15–20% of the time. Read the guide

Multiplier

A feature that multiplies a win by a stated factor — 2x, 5x, up to 100x or more in some bonus rounds. Multipliers may attach to wild symbols, increase with each cascade or accumulate across free spins. They are the main driver of the huge max wins in modern slots. Read the guide

Must-drop jackpot

A progressive jackpot guaranteed to pay out before a deadline (daily, hourly) or before reaching a set amount (e.g. €50,000). As the deadline approaches, the expected value of each spin rises because the prize must be awarded soon, which is why "must drop by" pools attract advantage players. Read the guide

N

Natural (baccarat)

A two-card total of 8 or 9 for either hand. When a natural is dealt, no further cards are drawn and the hand is settled immediately. The probability that at least one side has a natural on the first two cards is about 34%. Read the guide

Neighbours bet

A bet on a number plus the two numbers either side of it on the wheel (five numbers in total), placed via the racetrack. "Zero and neighbours" covers 3, 26, 0, 32, 15. It costs five chips and pays 35:1 on the winning number. Read the guide

No-commission baccarat

A variant that removes the 5% commission on Banker wins but pays only 1:2 (half) when Banker wins with a total of 6. This happens about 5.4% of hands and increases the Banker house edge from 1.06% to 1.46%. Despite the name, it is worse for the player than standard baccarat. Read the guide

No-deposit bonus

Bonus cash or free spins credited on registration without requiring a deposit. Amounts are small (€5–€20 or 10–50 spins) and conditions are heavy: wagering of 30x–60x, a max cashout of around €100 and KYC before payout. Treat it as a free trial rather than a money-making opportunity. Read the guide

No-KYC casino

A crypto casino that allows registration and play with only an email or wallet connection, without identity documents. Most still reserve the right to request KYC for large withdrawals or suspicious activity under their licence conditions. See our no-KYC crypto casino reviews for the trade-offs. Read the guide

Non-sticky bonus

A bonus where your real money is played first and the bonus is kept separate; you can withdraw real-money winnings at any time and the bonus is simply forfeited. Also called a "parachute" bonus. Strictly better for the player than a sticky bonus with the same headline amount. Read the guide

Nuts

The best possible hand given the community cards. On a board of 9-T-J with two hearts, the nuts is K-Q for the top straight. "Second nuts" is the next best hand. Knowing what the nuts is — and whether you hold it — is a basic reading skill. Read the guide

O

Omaha

A hold'em variant where each player receives four hole cards and must use exactly two of them with exactly three community cards. Pot-limit Omaha (PLO) is the most common form. Hand values run much higher than in hold'em, and equities between hands are closer. Read the guide

On-chain

A transaction recorded directly on a blockchain, as opposed to an internal balance transfer within an exchange or casino. On-chain transfers are transparent and irreversible; you can track a casino withdrawal on a block explorer using the transaction hash it provides. Read the guide

Oracle

The data source or mechanism that tells a smart contract how an event resolved. Centralised oracles rely on the platform; decentralised oracles such as UMA use token holders to vote on disputed outcomes. Oracle failures and ambiguous resolution are the main counterparty risk on on-chain markets. Read the guide

Order book

A list of all outstanding buy (bid) and sell (ask) orders at each price level. The gap between the best bid and best ask is the spread. Order-book prediction markets like Polymarket and Kalshi display depth, letting you judge liquidity before trading. Read the guide

Orphelins

The "orphans": the eight numbers not covered by voisins du zéro or tiers — 1, 6, 9, 14, 17, 20, 31, 34. The bet costs five chips: one straight-up on 1 and four splits (6/9, 14/17, 17/20, 31/34). Coverage is 21.6% of a European wheel. Read the guide

Outs

The unseen cards that will improve your hand to a likely winner. A flush draw has nine outs; an open-ended straight draw eight; a gutshot four. Multiply outs by 2 for the chance of hitting on the next card, or by 4 with two cards to come — the rule of 2 and 4. Read the guide

Outside bets

Bets placed outside the numbered grid: even-money bets (1:1), dozens and columns (2:1). They win more often but pay less, and carry the same house edge as inside bets unless la partage or en prison applies. Ideal for stretching a small bankroll. Read the guide

Over/under (totals)

A bet on whether the combined score will be above or below a line set by the bookmaker, such as 2.5 goals in football or 220.5 points in basketball. Half-point lines eliminate pushes. Totals are popular because they do not require picking a winner. Read the guide

Overround

The sum of implied probabilities in a market, expressed as a percentage above 100. A football match priced at 2.10 / 3.40 / 3.60 sums to 104.8%, an overround of 4.8%. Lower is better for the bettor; sharp bookmakers run 2–3%, recreational ones 5–8% or higher. Read the guide

P

Pair bets

Baccarat side bets that the first two cards of Player or Banker will be a pair, paying 11:1. The probability is about 7.47% in an eight-deck shoe, giving a house edge of roughly 10.36%. Perfect Pair (same suit) pays 25:1 with an even higher edge. Read the guide

Paylines

The predefined lines across the reels on which matching symbols must land to pay. Classic slots have 1–25 lines; video slots commonly 20–50, sometimes 243 or 1,024 "ways". Some games let you select how many lines to play; fewer active lines does not change RTP per line but lowers total stake. Read the guide

Payout speed

How long an operator takes to process and send a withdrawal. Crypto casinos often pay in minutes; e-wallets in hours; cards and bank transfers in 1–5 business days. The figure that matters is internal processing time, since that is what the operator controls. CasinoTrust measures it in every review. Read the guide

Pending period

The window between requesting a withdrawal and the operator processing it, during which many sites allow you to cancel ("reverse") the withdrawal and keep playing. Reversal is a known harm driver; operators with strong responsible-gambling policies, and all UKGC sites, have removed the reverse option. Read the guide

Penetration

The proportion of the shoe dealt before the cut card forces a reshuffle. Deep penetration (75%+ of a six-deck shoe) is essential for card counters because the count becomes more reliable late in the shoe. Many live online tables cut at 50%, which largely neutralises counting. Read the guide

Player bet

A bet that the Player hand will win, paying 1:1 with no commission. It wins 44.62% of hands, loses 45.86% and ties 9.52%, giving a house edge of 1.24%. Slightly worse than Banker but still far better than most casino bets. Read the guide

Point spread

The US term for a handicap, mainly in American football and basketball. A −7.5 spread means the favourite must win by 8 or more. Standard spread bets are priced at −110 each side, giving the bookmaker a 4.5% margin (the "vig"). Read the guide

Polymarket

The largest crypto-based prediction market, built on Polygon and settling in USDC, with an order book and UMA-based resolution. It gained mainstream attention during the 2024 US election with billions in volume. Read the full Polymarket guide for fees, resolution rules and risks. Read the guide

Position

Where you sit relative to the button, which determines whether you act before or after opponents. Acting last (in position) gives more information and control over pot size. Positions in a nine-handed game run UTG, UTG+1, UTG+2, lojack, hijack, cutoff, button, small blind, big blind. Read the guide

Pot odds

The ratio of the current pot to the cost of your call, compared with your chance of winning. Facing a €20 bet into €60, you call €20 to win €80, so you need more than 20% equity (1 in 5). A flush draw with one card to come is about 19.6%, a marginal call on pot odds alone. Read the guide

Prediction market

An exchange where participants trade contracts on the outcome of future events — elections, sports, economic data, crypto prices. Prices aggregate information and tend to forecast well. Regulated US platforms operate as CFTC exchanges; others run on-chain with crypto settlement. Read the guide

Private key

The secret number that controls a cryptocurrency wallet; whoever holds it can spend the funds. Usually represented as a 12- or 24-word seed phrase. Never enter it on a casino site or share it with "support"; legitimate operators never ask for it. Read the guide

Progressive jackpot

A jackpot that grows as a small percentage of every bet is added to the pool, either on one machine (local), across one operator (in-house) or across many operators (networked). It resets to a seed value after being won. The seed contribution means base-game RTP is lower, often under 90%. Read the guide

Provably fair

A cryptographic system, used mainly by crypto casinos, that lets you verify each result was not manipulated. The server commits to a hashed seed before the bet, the result is derived from the server seed, your client seed and a nonce, and you can check the maths afterwards. It proves fairness of the draw, not a good RTP. Read the guide

Punto Banco

The standard form of baccarat played in casinos worldwide and online, where all draws follow fixed rules and players have no decisions beyond which side to back. "Punto" is Player and "Banco" is Banker. Distinct from Chemin de Fer and Baccarat Banque, where players deal and choose to draw. Read the guide

Push

A tie between player and dealer, for example both totalling 19; the bet is returned with no win or loss. About 8% of blackjack hands push. Some variants, such as "Push 22" in Blackjack Switch, treat certain outcomes as a push to offset other player-friendly rules. Read the guide

Push (betting)

A bet that results in a tie against the line — for example a −3 spread when the favourite wins by exactly 3 — and is refunded. Half-point lines are used specifically to avoid pushes. Read the guide

R

Racetrack

The oval-shaped betting layout, common in live online roulette, that shows numbers in wheel order rather than grid order. It makes call bets — voisins, tiers, orphelins, neighbours — easy to place with one click, and lets you bet on physical sections of the wheel. Read the guide

Rake

The commission a poker room takes from each cash-game pot, typically 3–5% capped at a fixed amount per pot (e.g. €3), or from tournament buy-ins (usually 5–10%). Rake is the main reason poker is beatable but not easy; a marginal winner becomes a loser once rake is counted. Read the guide

Rakeback

A refund of part of the rake you pay, returned via loyalty programmes, affiliate deals or direct cashback. Rates of 20–40% are common; some sites offer more at high volume. For a regular paying €500 a month in rake, 30% rakeback is €150 — often the difference between profit and loss. Read the guide

Re-buy / re-entry

Re-buy tournaments let you purchase more chips during an early period if you bust or fall below a threshold; re-entry tournaments let you register again as a new entrant after busting. Both inflate prize pools and reward aggressive early play, but can multiply the cost of entry. Read the guide

Reality check

A pop-up that interrupts play at set intervals (usually every 30–60 minutes) showing time played and net win or loss, with options to continue or stop. Mandatory for UKGC operators and standard in Sweden and Denmark. It is a simple, effective tool against losing track of time during long sessions. Read the guide

Reels

The vertical columns of symbols that spin in a slot game. Classic machines had three physical reels; video slots use five or six virtual reels, and grid slots up to eight. Each reel has a "strip" of symbols whose frequency determines the odds of each combination. Read the guide

Reg

Short for "regular" — an experienced player who plays a lot of volume at a given stake, usually competently. Tables full of regs offer little profit; the goal of table selection is to find tables with recreational players and few regs. Read the guide

Reload bonus

A deposit match offered to existing customers, usually smaller than the welcome bonus — 25–50% up to €100–€500 — and tied to a weekday or weekend. Wagering is typically 20x–40x the bonus. Compare the effective cost (bonus × house edge × wagering) against the bonus value before opting in. Read the guide

Resolution

The process of determining a market's official outcome and paying winning shares $1 each. Resolution criteria are written in advance and must be read carefully: "Will X happen by 31 December?" can hinge on time zones, sources and definitions. Disputes go to the oracle or the platform's rules committee. Read the guide

Respin

A feature that spins one or more reels again while holding others in place, either free after a near miss or purchased for a price. Respins are also the core of hold-and-win rounds. A paid respin's price is calculated to preserve the game's RTP, so it offers no edge. Read the guide

Responsible gambling

The set of practices and tools that keep gambling a paid entertainment rather than a harm: deposit and loss limits, time-outs, self-exclusion, reality checks and access to help. Gambling is risk, not income; if it stops being fun, stop. See our responsible gambling page for helplines. Read the guide

Risk of ruin

The probability of losing your entire bankroll given your edge, variance and stake size. A poker player with a 5bb/100 win rate and 100bb/100 standard deviation has about a 1% risk of ruin with a 50-buy-in bankroll but over 13% with 20. Bigger bankroll or smaller stakes reduces it. Read the guide

RNG (Random Number Generator)

The algorithm that decides every outcome in online slots, RNG table games and shuffles. Certified RNGs are tested by independent labs for statistical randomness and unpredictability. A pseudo-random generator seeded from hardware noise is standard; the game's maths model then maps each number to a reel stop or card. Read the guide

RTP (Return to Player)

The percentage of all money wagered that a game returns to players over the long term. A 96% RTP slot keeps €4 of every €100 on average, though a single session can be far above or below. Operators can often choose between multiple RTP versions of the same slot, so check the in-game info panel. Read the guide

Rule of 2 and 4

A shortcut for converting outs into winning percentage. With two cards to come (on the flop), multiply outs by 4; with one card to come (on the turn), multiply by 2. Nine outs on the flop ≈ 36% (true figure 35%); on the turn ≈ 18% (true 19.6%). Read the guide

S

Satellite

A qualifying tournament that awards seats in a bigger event instead of cash. A €10 satellite might award one €100 seat per ten entrants. Strategy differs from standard MTTs because all prizes are equal, so survival matters far more than accumulating chips once seats are nearly locked up. Read the guide

Scatter symbol

A special symbol that pays or triggers a feature regardless of where it lands, rather than needing to line up on a payline. Three or more scatters usually start the free spins round. In many games scatters are the only symbols that pay for landing anywhere on the grid. Read the guide

Seed (provably fair)

The random inputs to a provably fair game. The server seed is hashed and shown before betting; the client seed is set by you; a nonce increments each bet. After rotating the server seed you can verify that every past result matched the committed hash. Change your client seed regularly. Read the guide

Segregated funds

Player deposits held in bank accounts separate from the operator's operating money so that balances are protected if the company fails. Required under MGA and UKGC licences, which classify protection as basic, medium or high. Unlicensed or Curaçao operators rarely offer any segregation, a real counterparty risk. Read the guide

Self-exclusion

A voluntary, binding ban from gambling with one operator or, via schemes like GamStop (UK), Spelpaus (Sweden) or ROFUS (Denmark), every licensed operator in a country. Periods run from six months to permanent and cannot be reversed early. Pair it with blocking software such as Gamban for offshore sites. Read the guide

Session

A single period of play with a defined start and end. Setting a time limit, a loss limit and a stop-win before a session — and keeping to them — is the most practical form of bankroll management. Track every session's result; the record is more honest than memory. Read the guide

Shares (Yes/No)

The two sides of a binary event contract. A Yes share pays $1 if the event happens; a No share pays $1 if it does not. Yes and No prices always sum to roughly $1, so buying No at $0.35 is the same bet as selling Yes at $0.65. Read the guide

Sharp / square

Sharps are professional or highly skilled bettors whose action moves lines; squares are recreational bettors who bet favourites, overs and popular teams. Bookmakers welcome square money and limit sharp accounts. Following sharp money (reverse line movement) is a common strategy. Read the guide

Shoe

The box from which multiple decks of cards are dealt. Online live blackjack typically uses six or eight decks. Fewer decks favour the player slightly: single-deck S17 has a house edge of about 0.15% lower than eight-deck, which is why single-deck games often compensate with 6:5 payouts. Read the guide

Side bet (blackjack)

Optional wagers placed alongside the main hand, such as Perfect Pairs, 21+3 or Lucky Ladies. They pay big multiples but carry house edges of 3% to 10% or more, roughly ten times the main game. Avoid them unless you are playing purely for entertainment and know the cost. Read the guide

Sit & Go (SNG)

A single-table tournament that starts as soon as the required number of players (usually 6 or 9) registers. Payouts typically go to the top three (50/30/20). Fast, structured and ICM-heavy, SNGs are a good format for learning push-or-fold play. Read the guide

Slippage

The difference between the expected price of a trade and the price actually paid, caused by your order consuming multiple price levels of the order book or moving an AMM. Large orders in thin markets suffer the most; limit orders eliminate it at the cost of possibly not filling. Read the guide

Slot RTP versions

Many studios release the same slot with several RTP settings — for example 96.5%, 94.5% and 92.5% — and let the operator choose. The difference is worth €2–€4 per €100 wagered. Always open the game's info or paytable screen at the casino you use; the studio's website shows only the default. Read the guide

Small blind

The smaller forced bet, posted by the player directly left of the button, usually half the big blind. It is the worst position in poker: you act first post-flop on every street. Defending too wide from the small blind is a common and costly leak. Read the guide

Soft hand

A hand containing an ace counted as 11, so it cannot bust on the next card. Soft 18 (ace-seven) is the classic decision point: basic strategy doubles against 3–6, stands against 2, 7 and 8, and hits against 9, 10 and ace. Use our blackjack calculator to check any hand. Read the guide

Source of funds (SOF)

An AML check where the operator asks you to prove where your gambling money comes from: payslips, bank statements, tax returns or sale documents. It is usually triggered by large cumulative deposits or big wins. Refusing means your account stays frozen; providing clean documents normally resolves it within days. Read the guide

Source of wealth (SOW)

A deeper AML check than source of funds, asking how your overall wealth was accumulated rather than where a specific deposit came from. Typically requested from high-volume players or VIPs. Expect to provide employment history, business accounts or inheritance records. Operators risk heavy fines for skipping it. Read the guide

Speed baccarat

A live-dealer variant that cuts the time per round from about 48 seconds to 27 by dealing cards face up and skipping the squeeze. Same rules and house edge, but roughly 80% more hands per hour, which means proportionally higher expected loss per hour of play. Read the guide

Spin & Go

A three-player hyper-turbo sit & go with a randomly drawn prize pool, from 2x to 10,000x the buy-in, determined by a spin before the first hand. Most draws are 2x–3x; the jackpot multipliers occur less than 1 in 10,000 times. Play is almost entirely push-or-fold. Read the guide

Split

Dividing a pair into two separate hands, each with a bet equal to the original. Always split aces and eights; never split tens or fives. Most tables allow re-splitting up to three or four hands but deal only one card to each split ace. Correct splitting is worth about 0.4% of return. Read the guide

Split bet

A bet on two adjacent numbers on the layout, placed on the line between them, paying 17:1. Win probability in European roulette is 2/37 (5.4%). The house edge remains 2.7%: true odds are 17.5:1, and the payout is 17:1. Read the guide

Spread

The difference between the best bid and best ask. A market quoted 61¢ / 63¢ has a 2-cent spread, an implicit 3% round-trip cost. Tight spreads (1–2 cents) signal liquid markets; wide spreads mean thin interest or high uncertainty. Read the guide

Squeeze

The ritual of slowly revealing a baccarat card by bending its edges, traditionally done by the player with the largest bet. Online "Baccarat Squeeze" tables have the dealer perform it on camera. It adds suspense and slows the game — which, given the house edge, is not a bad thing. Read the guide

Stablecoin

A cryptocurrency pegged to a fiat currency, usually the US dollar, such as USDT or USDC. Stablecoins remove price volatility from your gambling balance while keeping the speed of crypto payments. They are the most practical deposit currency at crypto casinos and the settlement asset of most on-chain prediction markets. Read the guide

Stake (betting)

The amount risked on a bet. Disciplined bettors stake a fixed percentage of bankroll (1–3%) per bet, or size stakes by edge using a fractional Kelly formula, rather than betting more after losses. A flat 1-unit stake is the simplest profitable staking plan. Read the guide

Stake (slots)

The amount wagered per spin, made up of coin value × coins per line × active lines, or a single total bet in modern games. Typical ranges run from €0.10 to €100. Your stake relative to bankroll, not the game's RTP, determines how long you can play. Read the guide

Steam move

A sudden, sharp shift in odds across many bookmakers at once, usually caused by large bets from syndicates or sharp groups. "Chasing steam" means betting the same side at bookmakers that have not yet moved. It works only if you are faster than the market. Read the guide

Sticky bonus

A bonus that is blended with your deposit and can never be withdrawn, only wagered; when you cash out, the bonus amount is deducted. Also called "play-only" bonus. Because it increases the total you must turn over, it is worse for the player than a non-sticky bonus of the same size. Read the guide

Sticky wild

A wild symbol that stays in place for several spins or for the rest of a bonus round, increasing the chance of wins on subsequent spins. Also called locked or frozen wilds. Especially valuable in free spins, where accumulating sticky wilds drives the biggest payouts. Read the guide

Stop-loss

A pre-set loss limit at which you end the session regardless of how you feel. Typical guidance is 10–20% of total bankroll or 2–3 buy-ins in poker. A stop-loss does not change expected value, but it prevents the tilted, oversized bets that turn a normal loss into a disaster. Read the guide

Stop-win

A pre-set profit target at which you bank winnings and stop. Mathematically it does not improve EV in negative-expectation games, but behaviourally it is valuable: it counters the house money effect and guarantees that some sessions end with money in your pocket. Read the guide

Straight up

A bet on a single number, paying 35:1. The probability of winning is 1/37 (2.7%) in European roulette and 1/38 (2.63%) in American. True odds are 36:1, so the house keeps one unit in 37 — the 2.7% edge that defines the game. Read the guide

Street bet

A bet on three numbers in a horizontal row (e.g. 7, 8, 9), placed at the edge of the row, paying 11:1. Also called a row or trio bet. Probability is 3/37 (8.1%) in European roulette. Read the guide

Sunk cost fallacy

Continuing to gamble because of money already invested — "I've put €300 in this machine, I can't leave now." The €300 is gone regardless of what you do next; only the expected value of the next bet matters, and that is negative. Walk away. Read the guide

Super 6

Another name for no-commission baccarat, or a side bet that the Banker will win with a total of six, paying 12:1 to 15:1. The side bet's house edge ranges from 13% to 29% depending on payout, making it one of the worst bets in the casino. Read the guide

T

Terms and conditions

The legal contract between you and the operator. The clauses that matter most: bonus wagering and max bet rules, withdrawal limits, dormant-account fees, restricted countries and the operator's right to void winnings for "irregular play". A clause allowing confiscation of deposits for any reason is a blacklist signal. Read the guide

Third-card rule

The fixed drawing rules of baccarat. Player draws on 0–5 and stands on 6–7. Banker draws on 0–2 always; on 3–6 depending on the Player's third card; stands on 7. Naturals (8 or 9) stop all drawing. Our baccarat calculator applies the rules to any shoe. Read the guide

Tie bet

A bet that Player and Banker finish with the same total, usually paying 8:1. The true probability is 9.52%, so the house edge is 14.36% at 8:1 and 4.85% at 9:1. It is the worst of the three main baccarat bets by a wide margin. Read the guide

Tiers du cylindre

A call bet covering the twelve numbers opposite zero on the wheel: 27 to 33 inclusive in wheel order. It is placed as six splits (5/8, 10/11, 13/16, 23/24, 27/30, 33/36) for six chips, covering 32.4% of the wheel. A win pays 17:1 on one split, netting 12 chips. Read the guide

Tilt

Emotional play that departs from your normal strategy, usually after a bad beat or a big loss — calling too loosely, bluffing too often or moving up stakes to chase losses. Tilt costs more money than technical mistakes for most players. The remedy is a stop-loss and a break. Read the guide

Time-out

A short self-imposed break from an operator, usually 24 hours to six weeks, during which you cannot log in or deposit. Unlike self-exclusion it expires automatically. Useful after a big loss or win, when judgement is most likely to be impaired. Read the guide

Transaction hash (TXID)

The unique identifier of a blockchain transaction. Casinos display it for withdrawals; paste it into a block explorer (mempool.space, etherscan.io, tronscan.org) to confirm the transfer is broadcast and how many confirmations it has. Keep it as proof if a dispute arises. Read the guide

True count

The running count divided by the estimated number of decks remaining in the shoe. A running count of +6 with three decks left gives a true count of +2. The true count is what determines your edge and bet size, since a +6 count means far more in one remaining deck than in five. Read the guide

U

UKGC (UK Gambling Commission)

The regulator for all gambling offered to customers in Great Britain under the Gambling Act 2005. It enforces the strictest consumer protections in the industry: affordability checks, no reverse withdrawals, mandatory GamStop integration, a £2–£5 online slot stake cap introduced in 2025 and large fines for AML failures. Read the guide

UMA

A decentralised "optimistic oracle" protocol used by Polymarket and others to resolve markets. A proposer asserts an outcome with a bond; if nobody disputes within a window (typically two hours), it stands. Disputes go to a vote of UMA token holders. Controversial resolutions have occurred when rules were ambiguous. Read the guide

Under the gun (UTG)

The first player to act pre-flop, seated immediately left of the big blind. With the whole table still to act, UTG should open the tightest range — roughly 12–15% of hands nine-handed — because every hand after you has positional advantage. Read the guide

Unit

A standard bet size expressed as a fixed fraction of bankroll, typically 1–2% for sports betting and one big blind or one buy-in for poker. Tracking results in units rather than currency makes performance comparable across stakes and keeps bet sizing disciplined as the bankroll changes. Read the guide

Upcard

The dealer's face-up card. It is the single most important input for basic strategy: 2–6 are "bust cards" against which you play conservatively and double or split aggressively; 7–ace are strong, requiring you to hit stiff hands. The dealer busts about 42% of the time showing a 5 or 6. Read the guide

USDC

USD Coin, a dollar stablecoin issued by Circle with monthly attestations of reserves, fully backed by cash and short-dated US Treasuries. Native settlement currency of Polymarket (on Polygon) and widely accepted at crypto casinos. Regulated under the EU's MiCA framework. Read the guide

USDT

Tether, the largest dollar stablecoin by market capitalisation and the most common deposit currency at crypto casinos. Available on many networks; TRC-20 (Tron) is favoured for its near-zero fees. Check the casino's supported network before sending — ERC-20 and TRC-20 addresses are not interchangeable. Read the guide

V

Value bet

A bet made with a hand you believe is best, sized to be called by worse hands. The art is "thin" value: betting a medium-strength hand that wins against an opponent's calling range more than half the time. Value betting, not bluffing, is where most poker profit comes from. Read the guide

Value bet (sports)

A bet where the odds offered imply a lower probability than your estimate of the true probability. If you assess a team at 50% to win and the odds are 2.20 (45.5% implied), the bet has 10% positive expected value. Finding value consistently is the only long-term edge in sports betting. Read the guide

Variance

The statistical spread of results around the expected value; in gambling, shorthand for how much your bankroll swings. High-variance games pay rarely but big, low-variance games pay often but small. Two games with identical 96% RTP can feel completely different because of their variance. Read the guide

Vig / juice

The bookmaker's commission built into the odds, also called margin or overround. On a standard US point spread priced −110 both sides, you risk $110 to win $100; the $10 difference is the vig, equal to 4.55% of the total amount wagered. Read the guide

VIP programme

An invitation-only tier above the public loyalty scheme, offering personal account managers, higher limits, bespoke bonuses, faster withdrawals and gifts. It exists because a small percentage of players generates most revenue. Regulators increasingly scrutinise VIP schemes for encouraging harmful play; the UKGC requires affordability checks on all VIPs. Read the guide

Voisins du zéro

The "neighbours of zero" call bet covering 17 numbers from 22 to 25 in wheel order, including zero. It costs nine chips: two on the 0/2/3 street, two on the 25/26/28/29 corner, and one each on five splits. It covers 45.9% of a European wheel. Read the guide

Volatility

A game's risk profile — how often and how much it pays. Low-volatility slots hit frequently for 1x–10x the stake; high-volatility slots may go 100+ spins without a meaningful win then pay 1,000x or more. Most studios label volatility on a 1–5 or low/medium/high scale in the game info. Read the guide

W

Wagering requirement

The number of times a bonus (or bonus plus deposit) must be bet before winnings become withdrawable. A €100 bonus at 35x requires €3,500 in qualifying bets. Expected cost is roughly wagering × bonus × house edge: €3,500 × 4% = €140, more than the bonus itself on a 96% slot. Read the guide

Wallet address

The public identifier to which cryptocurrency is sent, similar to an account number. Addresses are network-specific: a Bitcoin address starts with 1, 3 or bc1; an Ethereum address with 0x. Always copy-paste and verify the first and last characters; clipboard malware can swap addresses. Read the guide

Ways to win

A payout system counting any matching symbols on adjacent reels from the left, regardless of position, instead of fixed paylines. A 5×3 grid gives 243 ways (3^5); a 5×4 grid gives 1,024; Megaways up to 117,649. Stake is a flat amount per spin rather than per line. Read the guide

Welcome bonus

The sign-up offer for new customers, usually a deposit match (100% up to €200 is common) plus free spins. Its real value depends on wagering requirements, game weighting, max bet and expiry, not the headline number. A 50% match at 20x is often worth more than 200% at 50x. Read the guide

Wild symbol

A symbol that substitutes for any regular symbol to complete a winning combination, like a joker. Variants include expanding wilds (fill the reel), walking wilds (move one reel per spin), stacked wilds and multiplier wilds. Wilds usually do not substitute for scatters or bonus symbols. Read the guide

Win rate

A measure of long-run profitability: big blinds per 100 hands in cash poker, ROI in tournaments, or yield (profit ÷ turnover) in sports betting. A 5bb/100 cash win rate, 20% MTT ROI or 5% sports yield is strong. Sample size matters: tens of thousands of hands or thousands of bets are needed before a win rate is reliable. Read the guide

Withdrawal limit

The maximum an operator will pay out per day, week or month — for example €5,000 daily or €20,000 monthly. Large jackpot wins may be paid in instalments. Low limits are a red flag for big-win players; compare them in our online casino comparison. Read the guide