This is your quick guide to gambling terms, all under one umbrella that is Maple Casino. From slots to table games, we break down every online casino term, so that you can play smarter and increase your chances of winning with confidence.
A
Accumulator: A sort of wager in which the odds of several events are combined on a single bet slip. The odds of winning are lower, but the payouts are greater than in single-event wagering.
All-in: When a player wagers their entire bankroll on a single hand.
Ante: A small, compulsory bet which must be placed by all players at the start of a poker hand, most often used in games like Texas Hold’em.
Pro Tip: Remember, antes increase pot size quickly, so adjust your strategy early.
Autoplay: A feature in many online slot games, whereby the reels are set to spin automatically either for a set number of times, or until a specific win/loss limit is reached.
B
Bankroll: The amount in your casino account, or the amount you set aside for a particular online gambling activity.
Banker: In games like baccarat, the ‘banker’ represents the casino or house, and is one of the two main betting options in the game.
Buy-in: The minimum amount of funds necessary to enter a game, most common in poker tournaments.
Bet refund: Bet refunds are bonuses that repay a percentage of a losing wager, typically between 10 and 20 percent.
Betting limits: Bet limits, often known as table limits, are the minimum and maximum sums that can be wagered on a casino game.
Bust: This refers to a blackjack hand that exceeds 21.
Pro Tip: Know the odds before hitting again.
C
Casino lobby: A virtual ‘waiting room’ where players can view or browse all available games.
Cryptocurrency: Some online casinos in Canada now accept digital currencies that are neither verified nor administered by a centralized financial institution. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin are some examples.
Card counting: A blackjack strategy whereby the ratio of high to low cards left in the deck are kept track of.
Comp points: Complementary points that are awarded to players for playing regularly. Sometimes, comp points can be exchanged for real money, but that’s only if you meet all the terms and conditions.
Cold streak: Another term for a ‘losing streak’ – a period of consecutive losses.
Croupier: The dealer or host who facilitates a table game like blackjack or poker. Online, you’ll encounter real-life croupiers if you play at a live casino.
Pro Tip: Tip for good service – and good vibes
D
Dealer: The person who deals the cards in a table game. In RNG table games, this is automated and in live-dealer games this is a real person.
Deposit bonus: A type of casino bonus that you can receive by making a deposit, most often matched up to a particular percentage, e.g. 100%.
Pro Tip: Read wagering requirements first
Double down: A possible wager in blackjack. After obtaining your first two cards, you may double your wager on the condition that just one additional card will be dealt.
E
Edge: Advantage one side has over the other
En-Prison: Roulette rule letting you keep even-money bets for another spin after zero
Pro Tip: Lowers house edge – look for tables with it
Even-money bets: These are wagers with payouts of 1 to 1.
Expanding wilds: These are symbols that land on a reel and completely cover it.
F
Flat betting: A method in which players wager the same amount in each round.
Fold: To withdraw from a round (usually of poker), forfeiting any bets you might have made.
Free spins: Free spins are a popular casino bonus that allows players to spin the reels at no cost.
Freeroll: Free-to-enter tournaments.
Pro Tip: Great for risk-free experience
Full house: A poker hand consisting of one pair and one three-of-a-kind.
G
Gamble feature: A feature in online slots, which allows a player to predict the suit and/or colour of a card, giving them the chance to double/quadruple their win.
Go bust: In blackjack, to go bust means to exceed a total of 21 and lose your bet.
Grind: A popular strategy in which one places small, consistent bets over an extended period of time.
Gross Winnings: Total wins before deductions.
Pro Tip: Factor in losses for true profit
H
High roller: A player with heavy pockets who places big or multiple wagers on high stakes games.
Hit: To ask for another card in blackjack.
Hot streak: The opposite of a cold streak, a period of consistent wins.
House Edge: The advantage that a casino has over players when it comes to bets and odds. The amount indicates how much players will lose after playing for a certain amount of time. It’s always a good idea to play games with a low house edge.
Pro Tip: Choose games with a lower edge
House Rules: Casino-specific rules for playing games.
I
In-play betting: Usually more common in sports betting, whereby one can bet on events as they’re happening.
Instant Play: Browser based gaming without downloads
Pro Tip: Convenient but check internet speed
Insurance bet: A type of side bet in blackjack that assumes the dealer has a blackjack (21), usually paying 2:1.
J
Jackpot: The highest total payout a player can receive, often on progressive slot games but some table games, too.
Pro Tip: Progressive jackpots grow over time – be sure to track them.
K
Kicker: Unmatched card used to break ties in poker
Pro Tip: A strong kicker can win you pots
KYC: Know Your Customer (KYC) is a process deployed by casino sites to verify and identify customers. The process often requires new players to submit verification documents.
L
Limit: Min/Max bet at a table.
Pro Tip: Always check before sitting down.
Loyalty scheme: A framework of online casino player benefits. As a player advances through the casino’s levels, he or she will gain higher rewards.
M
Maximum/minimum bet: The highest and lowest bets you can make at a site or game, respectively.
Martingale strategy: A betting strategy in which one doubles their bet after every loss, aiming to recoup losses with a single win (Not recommended – please play responsibly).
Multiplier: An additional feature of several casino games in which multiplier values increase the potential for winning.
Pro Tip: Look for slots with frequent multipliers
N
No Limit: No max bet, common in poker
Pro Tip: Play cautiously without bet caps
Non-sticky bonus: A rare bonus that comes without wagering requirements.
O
Odds: The probability of an outcome in a game, most often expressed as a percentage or ratio.
Pro Tip: Know true odds vs. payout odds
Overlay: When a casino tournament or promotion has a prize pool that exceeds the total entry fees, offering extra value to players.
P
Parlay: Combining bets for bigger payout.
Pro Tip: Higher risk – miss one and lose all
Payout table: The informational table found in most game windows. It indicates the payouts for each game.
Payline: The lines across the reels in slot games that create a win when certain symbols line up in correct/winning combinations.
Progressive jackpot: A variation of slots where players’ bets accumulate over time to form large prize pools. This amount increases until someone spins a win and claims a potentially lifechanging jackpot.
Q
Quads: Also known as four-of-a-kind, in poker.
Qualifying Bet: Minimum bet for bonuses
Pro Tip: Check if your wager meets requirements
R
Reload Bonus: A bonus offered to existing clients upon making a deposit, suggesting a reload of their casino account.
RTP: Return to Player (RTP) refers to the amount players can expect after placing a wager on a slots game. It’s usually expressed as a percentage.
RNG: The Random Number Generator (RNG) is a piece of casino software that generates random and unbiased numbers and results for casino games.
Pro Tip: Only play at licensed sites with audited RNGs
Royal flush: The best poker hand consists of the same-suited ace, king, queen, jack, and ten.
S
Side bet: An extra bet made in certain casino games, often involving events unrelated to the main game.
Scatter symbol: A bonus feature seen in the majority of online slots that frequently activates free spins bonuses.
Pro Tip: Chasing scatters can lead to big wins
Straight: A poker hand consisting of five consecutive cards, regardless of suit.
Straight flush: A poker hand consisting of five consecutive cards of the same suit.
Stake: Amount bet on a game.
T
Time Limits: Usually, casinos give you a certain amount of time to fulfil the wagering requirements before the offer expires. Typically, these durations span from seven to thirty days.
Three of a kind: A poker hand consisting of three identical cards.
Tournament: A competition where players can compete against one another for a prize.
Pro Tip: Manage pace and chip stack carefully
Two pair: A poker hand consisting of two distinct pairs.
U
Under the Gun: First to act in a betting round
Upswing: Similar to a hot streak, in which a player experiences favourable outcomes over time.
Pro Tip: Don’t mistake it for skill alone
V
Variance/volatility: Variations in the payout percentage as they pertain to online slots. A high variance indicates that rewards are large but infrequent, whereas a low variance indicates the reverse.
Pro Tip: Higher variance means bigger swings
VIP program: Also called a loyalty program, these are for frequent or high-value players, offering with special rewards and exclusive bonuses.
W
Wagering requirements: The number of times you need to wager a bonus amount before you’re eligible to withdraw any winnings from your casino account.
Pro Tip: Always calculate before accepting a bonus
Welcome bonus: A welcome bonus is an incentive given to new players by online casinos. Typically, these consist of free spins and matching deposits.
Wild symbol: A feature of various online slots that substitutes for other symbols on the reels to form winning combinations.
Win/loss ratio: A comparison of the number of winning to losing bets, or money won to money lost, in one or more casino games.
Whale: Big-value player or one who consistently plays for high stakes.
Related Educational Guides
For more detailed information on topics referenced in this glossary, see our comprehensive hub for online casino guides, where we also cover how to play various casino games, including:
Glossary Maintenance and Updates
This glossary is reviewed periodically to ensure definitions remain accurate and reflect current industry usage and regulatory requirements. Terminology in online gambling evolves as new games, features, and regulations are introduced.
If you encounter a term not included in this glossary or believe a definition requires clarification, please contact us with your suggestion.
Written and Reviewed By
Online Casino Glossary FAQ
Why do I need to understand casino terminology?
Understanding casino terms helps you make informed decisions. Understanding what the common words an phrases on this page means will help you to read bonus terms correctly, and choose games that match your playing style and budget.
How do we verify the accuracy of terms in this glossary?
Our team cross-references definitions with gaming regulators, official casino documentation, and industry standards. Each term is reviewed by our casino experts who have over 100 years of combined industry experience.
Who created and maintains this casino glossary?
This glossary is compiled by our team of seasoned casino reviewers and gaming industry professionals who actively test and review online casinos in the Canadian market. We know that learning the lingo can be tricky for newcomers, so we do our best to give you short, clear definitions.
How often is this glossary updated?
We review and update this glossary only when industry regulations change or new terminology emerges in the online casino space – why fix what is not broken?
Do you test the concepts explained in this glossary?
Yes, our review team actively plays at online casinos to verify how terms like RTP, volatility, and bonus mechanics work in practice, not just theory.