Decoding Casino Slang: A Glossary For New Players

Walking into a casino can feel like entering a foreign country where everyone speaks a completely different language.


Before sitting down at a high-stakes table, you should familiarize yourself with these common phrases.

Common Financial Terms in the Casino

Your 'bankroll' is your gaming budget, and protecting it should be your top priority.


If someone refers to a 'whale,' they are talking about an incredibly wealthy player who bets massive amounts.

'Toke' is the casino slang for a tip given to the dealer'Color up' means exchanging your small denomination chips for larger ones before leaving'Comp' refers to free gifts, rooms, or meals given by the casino to reward your play
Game-Specific Terminology

When playing 21, the term 'bust' indicates that a hand has gone over the maximum limit and lost.


In Craps, the 'shooter' is the person currently rolling the dice, and a 'snake eyes' is a roll of two.

TermGameDefinitionShoeBlackjack/BaccaratThe box that holds the decks of cardsPit BossAll Table GamesThe supervisor monitoring a group of tables

While it seems overwhelming at first, you will pick up this vocabulary very quickly once you start playing.