- Ante A small bet required to participate in some games.
- Bankroll The total amount of money a player has set aside for gambling.
- Betting Limit The minimum and maximum amount a player can bet in a game.
- Bonus Additional funds or free spins offered by casinos as promotions.
- Bonus Code A code used to claim a special bonus or promotion.
- Cashback A return of a percentage of the money lost in casino games.
- Cashier The section of the casino where players deposit or withdraw funds.
- Chips Tokens used instead of cash to place bets.
- Croupier The person who oversees and handles bets in table games like roulette.
- Deposit Money added to a player's account to gamble with.
- Deposit Bonus A reward given for making a deposit, usually a percentage match.
- Double Down In blackjack, the option to double the original bet in exchange for committing to one more card.
- Edge The statistical advantage that the casino holds over the player.
- Free Spins A bonus feature allowing spins on slot games without placing a bet.
- Gamble Feature An option to increase winnings by betting them on a special game.
- High Roller A player who regularly makes large bets.
- House Edge The advantage the casino has in a game.
- Jackpot A large prize, typically in slot games, awarded for a specific combination.
- Keno A lottery-like game where players select numbers hoping to match those drawn.
- Live Dealer A real dealer who runs the game in real-time via video streaming.
- Loyalty Program A system where players earn rewards for their activity.
- Martingale System A betting strategy where the bet size is doubled after each loss.
- Max Bet The maximum allowed bet in a game.
- Minimum Bet The lowest amount of money a player can bet in a game.
- Multiplier A feature in slots or bonuses that increases winnings by a certain factor.
- No Deposit Bonus A bonus given without the need for an initial deposit.
- Payline A line in slot games that determines the outcome of a spin based on matching symbols.
- Payout Percentage (RTP) The percentage of total bets that a game returns to players over time.
- Pit Boss A casino employee who supervises games and dealers in the casino.
- Playthrough Requirement The number of times a player must wager the bonus before withdrawing winnings.
- Poker A popular card game where players bet based on the strength of their hand.
- Progressive Jackpot A jackpot that increases each time the game is played but not won.
- Rake A commission taken by the casino from each poker hand.
- Random Number Generator (RNG) Software that ensures fair and random results in online games.
- Reels The spinning sections in a slot machine that display symbols.
- Reload Bonus A bonus given to players who make additional deposits after the initial one.
- Scatter Symbol A special symbol in slot games that usually triggers free spins or bonus rounds.
- Shill A person employed by the casino to encourage betting by posing as a regular player.
- Side Bet An additional bet placed on something other than the main game.
- Slot Tournament A competition where players compete for the highest score on a slot machine within a set time.
- Soft Hand In blackjack, a hand containing an Ace that can count as either 1 or 11 without busting.
- Split In blackjack, when a player divides two identical cards into two hands.
- Sticky Bonus A bonus that cannot be withdrawn and is only used for betting.
- Table Limit The maximum and minimum betting limits at a casino table.
- Tells Behavioral clues that give away information about a player’s hand in poker.
- Three-Reel Slot A classic slot machine with three spinning reels.
- Tournament A competitive event where players play games for prizes.
- VIP Program A special membership offering exclusive rewards for high-stakes players.
- Volatility A measure of how often a slot machine pays out and the size of its payouts.
- Wild Symbol A symbol in slot games that can substitute for other symbols to form winning combinations.
Pokies Glossary (Slot Machine Terms)
- Auto Play A feature that allows the pokie to spin automatically for a set number of rounds
- Bet Level The amount of money wagered per spin, adjustable by the player
- Bet Max The option to automatically place the highest possible bet for a single spin
- Bonus Buy A feature where players can pay to access a bonus round directly
- Bonus Feature A special game or round within a pokie offering extra ways to win, usually triggered by specific symbols
- Cascading Reels A feature where winning combinations disappear, making room for new symbols, potentially leading to consecutive wins in a single spin
- Classic Slot A traditional pokie with three reels and simple mechanics, usually without bonus features
- Coin Size The value of each coin wagered on the pokie
- Coins Per Line The number of coins wagered on each payline
- Fixed Jackpot A non-progressive jackpot with a set prize value that does not increase
- Free Spins A bonus round allowing players to spin without betting their own money, typically triggered by Scatter symbols
- Hit Frequency The percentage of spins that result in a win
- Jackpot The largest possible payout on a pokie, which can be fixed or progressive
- Line Bet The amount wagered on each payline
- Max Bet The maximum possible wager per spin, often increasing the chance of hitting the highest payouts
- Multiplier A feature that multiplies the winnings from a spin by a specified factor
- Nudge A feature that allows a player to shift one or more reels to help create a winning combination
- Pay Table A chart displayed in-game that explains the value of each symbol, paylines, and bonus features
- Payline The pattern or line across the reels where symbols must match to create winning combinations
- Progressive Jackpot A jackpot that grows with each bet until it is won, often linked across multiple pokies
- Random Number Generator (RNG) The software algorithm ensuring that the outcome of each spin is random and fair
- Reels The vertical spinning columns that display symbols in a pokie
- Return to Player (RTP) The percentage of total bets that a pokie is programmed to return to players over time, typically between 90%-98%
- Scatter Symbol A special symbol that can trigger free spins or bonus rounds, often paying out regardless of its position on the reels
- Slot Tournament A competition where players compete to earn the most points on pokies within a set time
- Sticky Wild A Wild symbol that stays in place for multiple spins, increasing the chance of winning combinations
- Symbol The images that appear on the reels, such as fruits, numbers, or themed icons, which create winning combinations
- Theoretical Win The expected return on a pokie over time, based on its RTP
- Three-Reel Slot A classic pokie with three spinning reels, often featuring simple gameplay
- Video Slot A modern pokie with five or more reels, advanced graphics, and often including bonus rounds and free spins
- Volatility A measure of how often and how much a pokie pays out. High volatility offers bigger but less frequent wins, while low volatility pays smaller, more frequent wins
- Wild Symbol A special symbol that substitutes for other symbols to help create winning combinations
- Win Line Another term for payline, the path where a winning combination of symbols must appear
- Win Multiplier A feature that multiplies the payout of a winning combination by a certain factor
- Win Both Ways A pokie feature that pays for combinations from both left to right and right to left
- Adjacent Pays A feature where symbols that appear in adjacent reels (not necessarily on paylines) result in a win
- Coin Value The value assigned to each coin used in the game, affecting the total bet size
- Expanding Wild A Wild symbol that expands to cover an entire reel, increasing the chance of winning combinations
- Re-Spin A feature that allows the player to spin specific reels again after a spin, usually for an additional cost
- 243 Ways to Win A pokie feature that allows winning combinations from any left-to-right sequence, rather than fixed paylines, giving 243 possible combinations
Bonus Glossary
- Bonus Abuse The act of misusing bonuses, often by exploiting loopholes, to gain an unfair advantage
- Bonus Balance The amount of bonus funds available for wagering
- Bonus Buy A feature in some slot games that allows players to buy their way directly into a bonus round
- Bonus Hunting The practice of taking advantage of multiple bonus offers across different casinos
- Bonus Terms & Conditions The rules associated with a bonus, such as wagering requirements, game restrictions, and expiration dates
- Bonus Wagering Contribution The percentage of each game type that counts towards meeting the wagering requirements. For example, slots might contribute 100%, while table games contribute less
- Free Play Bonus A limited-time bonus that allows players to play games for free, with winnings potentially being withdrawable after meeting the requirements
- Loyalty Bonus A bonus awarded to regular players as part of a casino’s rewards program
- Matched Deposit Bonus A type of deposit bonus where the casino matches a percentage of the player’s deposit, often 100%
- Max Cashout The maximum amount a player can withdraw from winnings earned through a bonus
- No Sticky Bonus A bonus that is forfeited when a player requests a withdrawal before completing the wagering requirements
- Refer-a-Friend Bonus A bonus offered when a player refers a new player to the casino
- Reload Bonus A bonus given to players who deposit additional funds after their first deposit
- Seasonal Bonus A bonus offered during specific seasons or holidays, like Christmas or New Year
- Sign-Up Bonus A bonus awarded to players who create a new account at a casino
- Slot Bonus A bonus specifically designed to be used on slot games
- Special Bonus A limited-time or unique bonus offered for special events or to select players
- Sticky Bonus A bonus that remains in the player’s account for wagering purposes but cannot be withdrawn
- Wagering Requirement The number of times a player must bet their bonus or deposit amount before being able to withdraw any winnings
- Welcome Bonus A bonus given to new players as an incentive for joining a casino