Casino glossary

A

Ante

A compulsory opening bet in games such as Three Card Poker, placed before any cards are dealt.

Any Seven

A one-roll craps bet that the next roll totals 7. It pays 4 to 1 against true odds of 5 to 1, a house edge of 16.67%.

Auto cash-out

In crash-style games, a target multiplier at which your stake is collected automatically if the round reaches it.

B

Bankroll

The money you set aside for gambling, separate from money you need. A bankroll should be an amount you can afford to lose entirely.

C

Come-out roll

The first roll of a craps round. A 7 or 11 wins for the Pass Line, a 2, 3 or 12 loses, and any other total becomes the point.

D

Dealer qualifies

In Three Card Poker, the dealer needs at least queen high to play. If not, Ante bets are paid even money and Play bets are returned.

Deposit limit

A cap you set on how much you can pay into a gambling account over a day, week or month. UK-licensed operators must offer them.

E

Expected loss

The average amount a game keeps over time: total amount staked multiplied by the house edge. Your actual result will vary around it.

F

Field bet

A one-roll craps bet that wins on 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 or 12. Where 2 pays double and 12 pays triple, the house edge is 2.78%.

Free spins

Slot spins paid for by a casino as a promotion, at a fixed value per spin. Winnings may be paid as cash or as bonus funds with wagering.

G

Gambling Commission (UKGC)

The regulator for gambling in Great Britain. Operators serving British players online must hold its licence, listed on its public register.

GAMSTOP

The free UK self-exclusion scheme. Registering blocks you from gambling websites and apps licensed in Great Britain for the period you choose.

H

Hit frequency

How often a game returns any win, expressed as a percentage of rounds. A win can still be smaller than the stake.

House edge

The share of each stake a game keeps on average over the long run. It is 100% minus the return to player.

I

Implied probability

The chance of an outcome suggested by its odds. Decimal odds of 4.0 imply a 25% chance; a fair price would pay exactly that.

M

Martingale

A betting system that doubles the stake after every loss. It wins small amounts often but risks a large loss when a losing streak meets a table limit or an empty bankroll.

Multiplier

A number that a stake or a win is multiplied by. A 2.5x cash-out on a £2 stake returns £5.

N

Natural

In craps, a 7 or 11 on the come-out roll, which wins immediately for the Pass Line.

P

Pair Plus

A Three Card Poker side bet paid on your own hand only, for a pair or better, whatever the dealer holds.

Pass Line

The main craps bet, made before the come-out roll. Its house edge is 1.41%.

Payout

What a winning bet pays. “Pays 2 to 1” means your stake plus twice your stake; “pays 2x” usually means twice the stake in total.

Play money

Credits with no cash value, used in free games. They cannot be bought, won or withdrawn.

Point

In craps, the total of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 or 10 rolled on the come-out. The Pass Line wins if the point repeats before a 7.

R

Random number generator (RNG)

Software that produces unpredictable results for online games. Each result is independent of the last.

Reality check

A reminder shown during play that tells you how long you have been gambling, often with your net result.

Return to player (RTP)

The share of all money staked on a game that it pays back over the long run, such as 97.30% for European roulette.

S

Self-exclusion

Asking a gambling operator, or a scheme such as GAMSTOP, to stop you gambling for a set period. It cannot be cancelled early.

Spin value

The stake each free spin is played at. The total value of a free spins offer is the number of spins times this value.

Stake limit

A maximum stake per bet or spin. Online slots in Great Britain are limited to £5 per spin for adults aged 25 and over and £2 for 18 to 24-year-olds.

T

Tie

An outcome where both hands are equal. In Dragon Tiger, a tie usually costs Dragon and Tiger bets half their stake.

True odds

The real chance of an outcome expressed as odds. The gap between true odds and the payout is where the house edge comes from.

V

Variance

How widely results swing around the average. High-variance games produce long losing runs and occasional large wins.

W

Wagering requirement

The number of times bonus money or bonus winnings must be staked before withdrawal. Capped at ten times for UK-licensed operators since 19 January 2026.

Welcome bonus

An offer for new customers, often a deposit match, free spins or both. The terms decide its real value.