Online Casino Terminology You Need to Know

In the online casino community, there are hundreds of different terms that get thrown around on a regular basis. At first, it can sound like an alien language. After a short while, though, it all makes perfect sense. The more you memorize, the better. 

If you’re a total beginner, it’s recommended that you start learning the terminology now so that you aren’t accidentally caught out mid-game when there’s money on the line. After all, that’s the last outcome you want to happen! 

As a friendly gesture, this guide is going to tell you about the main online casino terminology that you need to know for the rest of the 2020s. 

“Double Down”

Firstly, let’s discuss the double down meaning. 

Double down is a term generally used in blackjack. It means to double your cards after you’ve been dealt your initial hand. A player will only double down when their hand is strong (a low total). 

If you’ve never played blackjack before, you should only double down when you’re uber confident. Otherwise, you’re running a risk of sending your hand value over 21 and losing the game. 

“House Edge”

In the casino world, the casinos (and their dealers) are referred to as ‘the house.’ 

The ‘house edge’ is the mathematical advantage that the casino has over you (the player). 

For instance, when you play roulette, the casino always has a house edge. This is because of the ‘0’ and ‘00’ on the roulette wheel (which are green in color). If you bet on either red or black, the ball can still land on one of the green slots, which gives the casino a mathematical advantage over you. 

“Deposit Bonus”

When you first join an online casino, you’ll likely be offered a deposit bonus. 

In a nutshell, a deposit bonus is when you receive a reward (or ‘freebie’) just for making a deposit. Today, there are lots of ways you can make deposits and transfer money online. 

A typical example of this is: 

Deposit $10 today and receive a free $20 deposit bonus.

In this case, it would mean you would have an account total of $30 to gamble with ($20 of which you’ve received for free). Not bad, right?

When searching for an online casino, make sure to choose one that offers regular deposit bonuses, as it’s a good way to maximize your experience. 

“Payline” 

A payline is the row of symbols that you see on any slot machine. 

The aim is to get a winning combination of symbols across the payline so that you win. For example, on a 3-reel slot machine, 3 cherry symbols would do this for you! 

“All-in”

Finally, there’s the classic term ‘all-in.’ 

To go ‘all-in’ means to put all of your gambling funds into the game. Typically, you will see this happen in games of poker when one player attempts to scare the others by putting all of his chips on the line. James Bond did this in the classic movie Casino Royale (2006). 

Similarly, if you’re playing online roulette, for example, you could go all-in by putting all of your funds on red or black. However, it’s recommended that you don’t do this often, as it’s a high-risk strategy.