Live casino games represent the most advanced version of casino games today. Myriad software providers continuously manufacture new live games aiming to surpass the competition. Live dealer titles are games of the present and future of online gaming. Streamed live from professional studios, this form of gambling entertainment is here to stay.
If you’ve never played at a live casino, this is the perfect place to start. On the other hand, if you’ve been playing live for a while, this is your chance to improve your vocabulary. It’s always a good time to learn. Let’s check out the most important live casino glossary.
A
Action
The amount of the bet you make is in table games called an action.
Ante
The initial bet in a card game, e.g. live poker.
B
Baccarat
Baccarat is a popular casino game originating from 19th-century France. Three main bets/outcomes are available in baccarat – banker, player and the tie. The house edge in baccarat can be as low as 1.06%, making baccarat player-friendly.
Banker
One out of the three possible outcomes in baccarat. If the banker wins, the casino pays 0.95:1.
Bankroll
One’s bankroll or balance is the amount of money they have on their live casino account.
Basic Strategy
When used in blackjack, the basic strategy allows optimal mathematical circumstances for the player to hit 21. Although it’s applicable for most blackjack variants, it’s not recommended for modern variations like Power Blackjack. These blackjack editions have their own blackjack charts.
Bet
Wagering real-money on a live casino game. Only possible after depositing funds.
Bets Closed (No More Bets)
The live dealer says “No More Bets” or “Bets Closed” when players are not allowed to wager any more money. Instead, the participants have to wait until the next round.
Betting Limits
Predetermined by the manufacturer, a live dealer game’s betting limits tell you the betting range of the game. A betting limit is the scope of monetary values that you can wager in a live casino game.
Blackjack
Famous casino game, also famous as Twenty-One. The aim is to get to or as close to 21 as possible, without going over.
Bust
Going over 21 in blackjack is referred to as a bust. If the player busts, they lose that round. If the dealer busts and the player doesn’t, the player wins the round.
C
Call
To call the bet in poker means to match the previous bet, i.e. to bet the same amount again.
Card Counting
A popular blackjack strategy that helps players gain an advantage over the house. Contrary to popular belief, counting cards is 100% legal.
Cashout (Cash out)
If you cash out at a live casino, you’re withdrawing your winnings/funds.
Casino Advantage
Also known as the house/casino edge, the casino advantage is represented in percentages and shows the portion of the deposited funds that go to the casino. The opposite of advantage is RTP (look below).
Casino Hold'em
A popular poker variant, available as a virtual and live variant which lets players bet against the dealer. Unlike most other poker variations, in Casino Hold’em, you don’t play against other players but the casino.
Check
If you check in poker, you’re passing the action to the player to your left without wagering.
Chips
Pucks or disks used to represent real-money wagers in table games like roulette or poker. Chip values differ from chip to chip and are also identifiable by color.
Community Cards
The three cards belonging to the casino in a game of poker.
Comp Points (Comps)
Comps are a great way of winning goodies from the casino, especially if you play there often. Usually, if you keep playing with the operator, you’ll get promoted to a VIP or loyalty player. Such customers enjoy advantages like bonus cash, free spins, plane tickets and a trip for two, for example.
Craps
A game of luck which includes rolling a pair of dice. In the live gaming world, only Evolution Gaming has created a live craps variant.
Croupier
Another name for the dealer. This is the person who hosts the live game, deals the cards and/or spins the wheel. The word croupier comes from French.
D
Deal
Dealing refers to the action of distributing cards to players in a game like blackjack or poker.
Dealer
Synonymous with croupier.
Dealer Button
A small, typically plastic puck that players use in Texas Hold’em Poker to denote who the current dealer is. Players take their turn with the dealer button clockwise.
Deposit
Loading one’s bankroll with real money so as to use it later when gambling online.
Dolly
Otherwise known as the marker, a dolly is a small figurine, typically made of glass or plastic that the land-based dealer uses to separate winning chips from losing ones. In brick-and-mortar casinos, it is considered bad luck to touch the dolly. In other venues, it is forbidden to do so and one risks being removed from the table.
F
Fold
In poker, to fold means to decide against staying in the game any longer. Usually, folding one’s hand implies having a weak hand.
Flop
The first round of poker (e.g. Texas Hold’em) when the three community cards are dealt is called the flop.
H
Hand
A hand is either the current combination of cards you’re holding in a game of poker or blackjack or a type of card combination considered desirable in such games. Instances of a hand include royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind and full house, among others.
High-Roller
The type of player that usually goes all-in. These punters prefer to play at high-payout casinos or even no max cashout casinos. Juggling with a chunky bankroll, these gamblers can afford to lose a lot and are willing to risk it.
Hole Cards
In poker, hole cards are the cards a player receives and only he or she can see. When combined with the community cards, they make a hand.
Hot Numbers
Often used in roulette, hot numbers are those that have appeared with the biggest frequency in the past few rounds. However, this is not a 100% reliable approach to beat roulette. Betting on hot numbers does not guarantee a win in roulette.
I
Insurance Bet
In blackjack, if the croupier shows an ace (A), you can place an insurance bet. What that does is bet against the dealer hitting a natural blackjack. Insurance side bet usually pays 2 to 1.
L
Live Casino (Live Dealer Casino)
A live casino is any virtual gambling venue that offers live dealer games.
Live Chat
Also referred to as the text chat function, the live chat facility allows players to talk to the dealer in real-time. It works the same way as any other chat box or messenger.
Live Common Draw Blackjack
In standard blackjack, there can be up to 7 seats. In Common Draw, however, an unlimited number of players can take part in the game.
Lobby (Casino Lobby)
The complete catalogue of live dealer games an online gambling venue has.
M
Maximum Bet
The most you can bet in a round of a live casino game.
Minimum Bet
The least you can bet in a round of a live casino game.
Multichannel
If a live game is multichannel, that means that you can play it on multiple platforms like mobile, tablet and desktop.
Multi-Hand Games
One of the newest innovations in live gaming, multi-hand games allow you to play with up to 5 hands per round. Traditionally, punters could play with only one hand, but live gambling has developed since.
Multi-Player
The multi-player function allows casinos to host both players in a land-based casino and those playing from home in the same game, simultaneously. All of NetEnt live casino games are available in the multi-player mode.
Multiplier
Although most commonly used in slots, multipliers can be featured in live casino games, too. A multiplier is used to multiply your payouts up to a certain amount of times. Live dealer multipliers can be seen in Crazy Time, Lightning Roulette and Quantum Roulette, for example.
N
Natural
A natural or natural blackjack is hitting exactly 21 in blackjack. A natural pays at 3 to 2.
O
Odds
Odds are the probability of the player winning against the casino. We typically use RTP to denote the odds.
P
Pat Hand
If the hand you’re holding in poker is considered complete, you’re holding a pat hand. In other words, you don’t need to draw any more cards to create a winning hand. Some examples are four of a kind, a straight and a flush, to mention a few.
Payout
Payout, payback and RTP are synonymous. This number represents the percentage of bets returned to the player.
Paytable (Pay Table)
A game’s paytable explains to the player how they can win at that game. Displaying information such as winning ways, possible bet types, payouts and more, paytables are a helpful tool on most gamblers’ journeys.
Pit Boss
The person who monitors the gaming area is called a pit boss in both land-based and online casinos.
Player
Other than the person who plays, a “player” is an outcome in baccarat whose house edge totals 1.24%. If you win betting on the player, you win even money.
Progressive Jackpot
Made famous through slots, progressive jackpots have found their way to live casino games, too. A great example of such live dealer game is Jackpot Roulette from Ezugi.
Push
The situation where neither the player not the dealer wins is called a push.
R
Raise
When a poker player raises, he or she is adding money to the pot. As a rule of thumb, aggressive players tend to raise more than others. To raise, one has to double the amount that was bet previously.
Return to Player (RTP)
The same payout. RTP is short for return to player and determines how much out of 100% goes back to the player long-term.
River
After the flop and turn, in poker, the last drawn card is called the river. It is also what the last round in poker is referred to as.
Roulette
French for little wheel, roulette is one of the most enigmatic casino games ever. Revived in a live casino version hundreds of times, roulette comes in various shapes and forms. Popular modern, lucrative variations include Playtech’s Quantum Roulette with multipliers and Lightning Roulette from Evolution Gaming.
S
Shoe
Each card game – live or not – has its own shoe. It’s a special casino holder that keeps all the decks used in a particular game, ranging from 1 to 8 usually.
Side Bet
An optional bet in a table or card game; the opposite of main bets.
Squeeze
Often seen in baccarat, a squeeze is the action of revealing the value of the cards in a secretive way. The dealer will slightly lift or bend the cards for you to see them. The aim of the squeeze is to build anticipation and tension, keeping things entertaining.
Stand
If you decide to stand in blackjack, you’re refusing any additional cards. That implies that your hand is too close to 21 to risk going overboard and busting.
Studio (Casino Studio)
This is the place where all the live casino games are streamed from. Professional casino studios are located all around the world, depending on what developer you choose.
T
Tilt
In poker, tilting or “going on tilt” refers to making foolish, mindless decisions due to irritability or anger. To prevent going on tilt, simply log out if you’re feeling hot under the collar.
Tournaments
A great way to brush up your skills. Lots of casinos host live dealer tournaments paradoxically. They are a chance for you to compete against other live players and win big. Often, a big jackpot is offered as the ultimate reward for the winner.
Turn
In poker, the turn is the action after the flop and before the river and refers to drawing the second community card.
V
Video Streaming
The technology that operators use to broadcast live casino games from studios to your screen. In the past years, HD quality streaming has been made a standard, as well as pitch-perfect sound streaming.
W
Wager
To wager mean to bet or place a bet in a casino game.
