True Count: The adjusted count at blackjack that reflects the count per remaining decks.
True Odds: The actual probability of an event happening.
Twenty-One: Another name for blackjack.
Two Pair: A hand at poker consisting of two separate pairs.
Underground Joint: An illegal casino.
Unfavorable Deck: A deck in blackjack that favors the casino. Up Card: Any card that is dealt face up.
Variable Programming: A type of programming that allows the computer to stop a hand that is about to be dealt in favor of a different hand. This is done to prevent big winning hands from appearing their theoretical number of times. One of the methods used for cheatingor "fixing" a video-poker machine to have it perform as a slot machine.
Vic: A sucker. Short for victim.
Vig or Vigorish: The casino tax on a bet. Also known as juice.
Virgin Principle: The superstition that a beginner will have luck. Also known as beginner's luck.
Volatility: The tendency of a video-poker game to have many losing sessions punctuated by explosive winning sessions.
Wager: Another term for a bet.
Wash: One bet cancels out another bet.
Wild Card: A card that can be used for any other card in a game. Working Bet: A bet at craps that is at risk.
Wrong Bettor: A player who bets against the shooter and with the seven.

• Video Poker Machine Talk Part6 (0)
• Video Poker Machine Talk Part5 (0)
• Video Poker Machine Talk Part13 (0)

Soft hand: A hand at blackjack where the ace can be used as 11.
Split: To make two hands from a pair at blackjack.
Spooning: Sticking a spoon into a slot machine to get it to pay off. Doesn't work on new machines.
Spot: The number on a keno ticket that has been "X"-ed out for betting purposes.
Spread: The difference between the minimum and maximum bets a player makes.
Squares: A game or player that is honest. "This game is on the square."
Stand: To keep the cards you have. Not to draw any more cards.
Steaming: A player who is visibly upset and is playing recklessly.
Stiff: In blackjack, a total of 12 through 16. Also, not to tip a cocktail server.
Straight: Five cards in sequence.
Straight Flush: Five cards of the same suit in sequence.
Straight Ticket: A keno ticket that has only one wager and that involves the selection of from one to 15 different numbers.
Stringing: A method of cheating whereby a coin or slug suspended on a string is introduced time and again ino a machine in order to get free play.
Surrender: A blackjack option where the player may give up half his bet. Player loses full bet if the dealer has a blackjack, however. Sometimes known as late surrender.
Supersystem: The method of play developed by the Captain for long-term play at craps. Divided into the classical and radical supersystems. Can't be used in video craps.
Sweat: Casinos who are upset by players winning are said to "sweat" out their games. Also, a player who is losing and is worried.
Swing Shift: The shift that runs from 6 PM to 2 AM.
Take the Edge: Giving yourself an edge at a game—usually by cheating. A player can take the edge at certain video-poker games and video-blackjack games.
Taking the odds: To put the odds behind a Pass Line or a Come bet. Usually canot be made at video craps.
Tapped Out: To lose one's entire bankroll.
Three Flush: Three cards to a flush.
Three of a Kind: Having three cards of the same denomination. Three Straight: Three cards to a straight.
Tight machine: A slot machine that is not paying back a good percentage. A machine that a player is losing at.
Tilting: Any physical manipulation of machine during play in order to influence the outcome.
Toke: A tip to a casino employee.
Tom: Casinoese for a poor tipper.
Tough Out: The Captain's term for a skilled player who doesn't beat himself.
Triple Odds: The placing of three times one's original bet in odds behind the Pass Line or Come bets. Usually not available at video craps.

• Video Poker Machine Talk Part7 (0)
• Video Poker Machine Talk Part12 (0)
• Video Poker Machine Talk Part2 (0)

Running Count: In blackjack, the raw count that has not been divided (or multipled) by the number of decks remaining.
Rush: A quick winning streak.
Scam: Any scheme to defraud a casino or player.
Scared Money: Money a player can't afford to lose. Also known as perspiration pennies.
Secondary Decision Programming: A type of programming that allows the computer to stop a hand that is about to be dealt in favor of a different hand. This is done to prevent big winning hands from appearing their theoretical number of times. One of the methods used for cheating or "fixing" a video-poker machine to have it perform as a slot machine. Also called variable programming.
Serial Dealing: In video poker the cards will be dealt as they come off the top of the deck. When you discard a card, the replacement card has not already been selected but will be the next card off the top of the deck. This is the opposite of parallel dealing.
Session: A given period of play at a casino. Usually terminated at a predetermined time, or at a certain level of wins or losses.
Seven Out: For a shooter at craps to roll a seven before repeating his point number.
Shift Boss: The individual in charge of the casino during a given work shift.
Shoot: To roll the dice.
Shooter: The person who rolls the dice. In video craps, it's the machine's programing that rolls the "dice."
The Short End: The side of a bet that has to pay off less than it will win.
Short Odds: Less than the true odds payoff of a bet.
Short Run: The limited amount of time during any given session when probability theory will seemingly be skewed by streaks or fluctuations.
Shuffle up: Technique used to thwart card counters. Dealer will shuffle after every deal or when a player enters a game and bets big money. Can't be employed at video blackjack.
Single-Deck Blackjack: The best game in the casino if the rules are standard. Most video-blackjack games are single-deck games.
Single Odds: The ability of a player to place an amount equal to his Pass Line or Come bet in odds that will be paid off at the true odds for the number. Usually not avilable at video craps.
Sleeper: A winning bet at craps that the player has forgotten about. Quite often the player will leave a table and the bet will remain until it is lost or some player or dealer takes it. Sleeper bets can be found on machines when players fail to cash out their credits at the end of play
Slot Arcade: A casino devoted exclusively to slot machines and video-poker machines.
Slot Floor: Areas devoted to slot machines in a casino.
Slot Mix: Slot machines and video-poker machines of different denominations and of different percentages in the slot area.
Slug: A group of cards that have been prearranged in a given order. Also, a piece of rounded metal inserted into a slot machine that mimics a coin.
Snake Eyes: The two at craps.
Snapper: An archaic term for a blackjack. A red snapper is a blackjack composed of two red cards.

• Video Poker Machine Talk Part7 (0)
• Video Poker Machine Talk Part13 (0)
• Video Poker Machine Talk Part6 (0)

Plus-Minus System: Another name for the Hi-Lo system or High-Low system of card counting. Cards are given a +1 or a-1 value.
Playing Cycle: The sequence of events that occurs from the moment a player puts in the coins to the moment a decision is rendered.
Point: The number (four, five, six, eight, nine or 10) which the shooter must repeat before a seven is rolled in order to win on the Pass Line at craps.
Pokermania: Vide-poker version of Quartermania. An inter-casino, progressive-linked jackpot that ontinues to grow until a player hits it.
Positive Count: A count at blackjack that favors the player.
Power of the Pen (or Pencil): The ability to issue hotel comps to players on the part of some casino executives.
Premium players: A casino term meaning big bettors or players with big credit lines.
Press: To increase the amount wagered, usually by doubling it, after a win.
Price: The total sum wagered on a keno ticket. Also, the house percentage on a given bet.
Producer: Casino term for a player who losses often and for large sums. This individual is a producer of profits for the casino.
Progressive Jackpots: The grand prize offered on certain kinds of slot and video poker machines that keeps growing as more and more money is played. Grows until it is hit by a player.
Proposition Bet: Bets in the center of the craps layout. These are all Crazy Crapper bets and should be avoided. Also, any bet that is a longshot and carries a heavy house edge.
Push: Casinoese for tie.
Pushing the House or Pushing the Casino: The term coined by the Captain to describe a player in the act of getting a better game from a casino than advertised. For example, the best buy bets have radically pushed the casinos. Not possible at most video games.
Quarter Player: A player who plays exclusively on quarter machines.
Random Number Generator: Sometimes referred to by its initials, RNG. The computer program hat generates a series of random numbers. In microprocessor machines, each sequence of random numbers will correspond to a specific card in video poker.
Rating: Evaluating a player's play for the purpose of comps.
RFB: Complimentary room, food and beverage.
Rhythmic Roller: A shooter who by chance or design gets into a non-seven mode. Usually a shooter who rolls the dice the same way time after time. This won't be encountered in video craps since the shooter-in-the-machine is a program and not a person.
Rich Deck: In blackjack, a deck that has many 10 value cards remaining to be played.
Right Bettor: A player who bets with the dice and against the seven.
Royal Flush: An ace, king, queen, jack and 10 of the same suit.
Ruin or Element of Ruin: Losing your barrkroll. The probability of losing every penny of your bankroll.
Rule Card: The card that shows the rules for a given game.

• Video Poker Machine Talk Part9 (0)
• Video Poker Machine Talk Part4 (0)
• Video Poker Machine Talk Part2 (0)

Nut: The total amount of money needed to run a casino or the total amount of money an individual needs to succeed at what he is doing.
Odds: The bet that pays off at true odds in craps. Not availble in video poker. Also, the likelihood of a given event happening.
Off: To remove a bet from play at craps for one or more rolls. Means no decision will affect that bet.
On: All your bets are working or at risk on the next roll.
One-Armed Bandits: The term given to slot machines at a time when they were sold and distributed by less-than-rep-utable individuals.
One Roll Bet: A bet that will be decided on the very next roll of the dice. All one roll bets are Crazy Crapper bets and should be avoided.
One Roll Hardway: The next roll will be a four, six, eight or 10 made with doubles. Usually not available at video craps.
On the Square: A game that is honest.
Outside numbers: The box numbers four, five, nine and 10 on the craps layout.
Paint: A picture card. When a player says, "Paint me," he wants a picture card.
Pair: In poker, two cards of the same denomination.
Parallel Dealing: In video poker, cards are dealt with their replacement cards already behind them. When you discard initial card, the replacement card is revealed.
Parlay: To double one's bet after a win.
Pass: A win by a shooter at craps, either on the come out roll or by making his point.
Pass Line: A wager with the shooter that he will make his point.
Pat Hand: Any hand in a card game that does not require getting additional cards.
Patience System: A grind method of playing whereby the player waits for a certain number of decisions before placing a bet. The Captain's methods of play all require a certain amount of patience.
Pay line: The line upon which a player is paid at slots. Generally corresponds to the number of coins played.
Payout Meter: A numerical counter with a visible display that keeps a running count of the coins played and paid out after each win.
Payout Percentage: The percentage of the money played that is returned to the player.
P.C.: The house edge expressed as a percentage.
Penetration: How deeply a dealer deals into a deck or a shoe at blackjack.
Penny Ante: A game played for small stakes.
Pilgrim's Progression: The Captain's method for getting more money on the table during a hot roll. To be used in the High Roller System. A limited version of this could be used in video craps. See my book, Beat the Craps Out of the Casinos: How to Play Craps and Win!
Place Bet: In craps, going directly up on a number. The house pays the bet at house odds and not true odds. Usually not available at video craps.

• Video Poker Machine Talk Part4 (0)
• Video Machine Talk Part3 (0)

what probability theory predicts. A long run player is one who plays a lot!
Loose Machine: A slot machine or video-poker machine that is paying off more than other machines of its type. A machine that is winning for a player.
Low Hand: In video poker, any non-paying hand.
Low Pair: In video poker, any pair that doesn't win money on the payout schedule.
Making a point: Having your Pass Line number repeat before the appearance of a seven.
Mark: An individual who has been or is going to be cheated. A sucker.
Marker: The check a player fills out before receiving casino credit at a table. A promissory note or I.O.U.
Martingale system of wagering: Doubling one's bet after a loss in an attempt to make back all your losses and a small win.
Mechanical Machine: The oldest form of gaming device. Ran by gears, pulleys, an levers. The handle was the direct cause of all that happened inside the machine.
Megapoker: Giant inter-casino linked-progressive video-poker machines that pay out huge jackpots for specific hands.
Microprocessor Machines: The modern, computerized "smart" machines, where a microprocessor computer chip controls and simulates play action.
Money at Risk: Money that has been wagered and can be lost.
Money Management: The methods a player uses to conserve his bankroll from ruin.
Monster roll: A craps roll that is long and where many numbers and points are rolled. The dream of every craps player. The "Arm" from Beat the Craps Out of the Casinos is known as the Queen of the Monsters for the epic rolls she regularly produces.
Multiple-Coin Machine (Multipliers): Slot and video poker machines that require more than one coin for maximum payouts.
Multiple-Deck game: Blackjack played with more than one deck which gives the house more of an advantage over the player.
Multiple Hands: To play more than one hand at blackjack. Some video-blackjack machines allow this.
Multiple-Pay Machines: Machines that pay out on more than one line depending on how many coins you put in.
Nail: To catch someone cheating. "We nailed him."
Natural: A perfect hand. In blackjack, an ace and a 10 card. In craps, a seven or 11 on the come-out roll.
Negative Count: A count at blackjack that favors the casino.
Negative Progression: Any system of wagering where you increase bets after a loss.
Nickel: A five dollar chip or coin.
Non-Seven Mode: A roll in which a rhythmic roller is positioning and rolling the dice in such a way that the seven doesn't appear. Unfortunately, unless a machine is faulty, tis is not a considereation in video craps.
N.S.G.N.G.R: The Captain's tongue-in-cheek rule that you should never get upset ifyou can't guess correctly for example, at video keno. Stands for No Second Guess No Guess Rule.

• Video Poker Machine Talk Part5 (0)
• Video Poker Machine Talk Part4 (0)
• Video Poker Machine Talk Part2 (0)

Irregularity: A departure from the standard procedures at a given game.
]ackpot: A grand payout, either on a machine or at a table game.
Jackpot Jumpers: Name for the thieves who attempt to steal your jackpot either by claiming it was theirs or by befriending you and making off with your money when you least suspect it.
Johnson Act: A federal law that forbids the shipment of gambling devices except to states that can operate them legally. Act took effect on January 3,1951.
Joker: A wild card that can usually be used as a substitute for any card in the deck. Usually resembles a court jester.
Juice: The five percent commission that the house charges on buy bets in craps. Not available on video craps. Also known as vig or vigorish.
Junket: A trip arranged, organized and subsidized by a casino to bring gamblers to play at the games.
Junket master: The person in charge of a junket.
Kelly Criterion: A betting system utilizing the knowledge of a player's advantage at any given point in the game. The player bets the proportion of his bankroll that represents his advantage.
Kibitzer: An individual who is not playing at a given game but is giving unwanted advice.
Kicker: In poker, an extra card, usually a high card, that is kept with a pair. Not a good strategy in video poker.
Law of Repeating Numbers: The Captain's tongue-in-cheek term for his observation that numbers tend to repeat during short-term fluctuations.
Lay Bet: A wrong bet on a number at craps that is paid off at true odds after the casino extracts a five percent commission.
Laying Odds: For the wrong bettor to make an odds bet on the Don't Pass or the Don't Come. Not available in video craps.
Layout: The design imprinted with the various bets at a given game.
Level One System: Any card counting system that uses +1 or -1 as the value of the cards that are counted.
Levels: Honest gaming equipment and personnel. As in: "This game is on the level."
Liberty Bell: The original slot machine created by Charles Fey.
Light-Up Slot Machines: First created by the Jennings Company. Machines that have electronically lit panels.
Limited Bankroll System: The name of the craps system for individuals who can't afford the Captain's best buys, or who do not wish to play the Supersystem or 5-Count Pass and Come. Also known as the Low Roller System. A version of this system can be played at video craps.
Line Bet: A bet in craps on the pass line.
Little Joe: In craps, a roll of four. Also called Little Joe from Kokomo.
Long end of a bet: The side of a bet that must pay off more than it collects.
Long Run: The concept that a player could play so often that probability would tend to even out. That is, you would start to see the total appearance of numbers approximating

Head to Head: To play against the dealer with no other player in the game. Sometimes referred to as face to face, or heads up. Many video blackjack games are "head-to-head" contests vs. the dealer-in-the-machine.
Heat: Surveillance by the casino of a suspected card counter. Or pressure put on a card counter to leave before being banned. Also, known as steam. Not a problem for video-blackjack players.
iiigh Card: A jack, queen, king or ace.
High-Low: Abet at craps that the next roll will be a two or a 12. Also, different spelling for the counting system Hi-Lo in blackjack.
High Roller: A player who plays for large stakes.
High Roller System: A method of betting for large stakes developed by the Captain that reduces the house edge and allows excellent comps without the normal risk. Would include the best buys. Cannot be done at video craps.
High Pair: A pair of jacks, queens, kings or aces.
Hit: To receive another card on your hand in blackjack.
Hold: The actual amount that the casinos take from their games. To save certain cards.
Hold Button: In video poker, the button that allows you to keep certain cards.
Hole Card: The second card dealt to the dealer in blackjack, that is face down. Any face down card.
Hop: A bet in craps that the next roll of the dice will be a certain combination. A Crazy Crapper bet. Usually not available at video craps.
Hopper: Electronically powered payout system that counts out the coins to be paid accurately and fast. Some people also use the term hopper to refer to the tray that catches the coins.
Horn Bet: A one roll bet in craps that combines the two, three 11 and 12.
Horn High: A horn bet at craps where one of the totals has one more unit riding on it than all the others.
Horrendous Rolls: Rolls where the shooter sevens out within a few rolls after establishing his point number.
Hot: A player who has been winning.
Hot and Cold System: A wager on the side that won previously. Another name for the streak method of betting.
Hot Dice: Dice that have been passing and making numbers.
Hot Machine: A machine where the players have been winning.
Hot Shooter: A shooter having a good roll at the craps table.
House Edge: The mathematical edge that the casino has on a given bet or machine.
House Odds: The payoff that reflects the casino's tax on your winning bet.
Hustler: A gambling cheat.
Inside Numbers: In craps, the numbers five, six, eight, nine.
Inside straight: A straight that can only be completed by one card on the inside. Example: 4-5- * -7-8.
Insurance: A side wager at blackjack for up to half the original wager that the dealer has a blackjack when he has an ace showing.

• Video Poker Machine Talk Part13 (0)
• Video Poker Machine Talk Part12 (0)
• Video Poker Machine Talk Part2 (0)

Four Flush: Four of the same suit. A four-flusher was someone who attempted to win a pot by declaring a flush when he only had four of the same suit.
Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank.
Four Straight: Four cards in sequence.
Free Play: To be able to play a slot machine or video-poker machine without having to put in coins.
Free Odds: Wager placed behind the Pass Line bet or the Come bet that is paid off at the true odds. Usually not avilable in video craps.
Front Line: Another name for the Pass Line in craps.
Front Money: Money previously deposited with the cage and used by the player to draw markers against.
Full House: A poker hand consisting of three of a kind and two of a kind.
Full Odds: Whatever the maximum odds allowed on a given craps table. Option not usually available in video craps.
Fun Book: Coupon book used by casinos to encourage play. Can be used to get an advantage at certain games if two players pool money and bet opposite sides. Also, contains discounts for drinks, food, etc.
Future Pay Machines: A type of machine that holds back the payout until the next play.
Gaffed: Any gaming device that has been rigged.
Gambling Stake: Amount of money reserved for gambling. Same as bankroll.
George: A good tipper.
Grand Martingale: A wagering system where you double your bets and add one extra unit after a loss.
Graveyard Shift: The 2 AM to 10 AM working shift in a casino.
Grifter: A scam artist.
Grind: Derogatory term for low roller. A small-money player. Term for long-term effects of the slight casino edge on a player's bankroll.
Grind Down: The casino winning all of a player's money due to the advantage it has on bets.
Grind Joint: A casino that caters to low rollers.
Grind System: Increasing one's bet by a unit after each win. Also, any system that attempts to win small amounts frequently against the casinos.
Guerrilla Gambling: The combination of smart play and hit-and-run tactics to beat the casinos at their own games. See my book, Guerrilla Gambling: How to Beat the Casinos at Their own Games!
Gutshot Straight: In Video Poker, a straight that can only be made by drawing a single card. Same as an inside straight.
Hand: A player's cards in a card game. Also, the entire series of rolls in a craps game by one shooter.
Hard Hand: Any blackjack hand without an ace or a blackjack hand that cannot use the ace as an 11.
Hardway Bets: A bet in craps that the shooter will roll the four, six, eight, or 10 as doubles before a seven shows. A Crazy Crapper bet.
Hardway Hop: A bet that the shooter will roll a particular total as doubles on the very next roll. A Crazy Crapper bet. Not usually found on video craps.

• Video Poker Machine Talk Part5 (0)
• Video Poker Machine Talk Part14 (0)
• Video Poker Machine Talk Part12 (0)

Double Odds: The right to place a free odds bet up to double the original Pass Line or Come bet. One of the best bets in the casino. Rarely found in video craps.
Double Progressive Video Poker: Two different progressive video-poker jackpots on the same machines, each growing independently. Jackpots alternate based on pull of the handle or press of the button.
Double Up System: This is also known as the Martingale family of wagers. Player attempts to get all his previous losses back by increasing (doubling) his previous bet.
Draw: In video poker, to receive new cards.
Draw Button: The button on a video-poker machine that allows a player to receive another card.
Drilling: A cheating method whereby the cheat drills a hole in themachine in order to manipulate or freeze the reels in a jackpot position.
Dumping: A machine that is losing money to the players.
Duplicate ticket: The receipt for a regular keno ticket given to a player after he places his bet. Also known as an outside ticket.
Early surrender: Rarely found rule in blackjack that allowed players to forfeit half their bet, even if the dealer had a blackjack.
Easy way: In craps, the numbers four, six, eight, and 10 made without doubles.
Edge: Having the advantage in a game.
Eighty-six: The same as barring someone from playing in the casino.
Escalator: A device that displays, usually for identification of slugs, the coins most recently put into the machine.
Even Up: A bet that has no mathematical edge for either side.
Even Money: A bet that pays off at one to one.
Eye in the Sky: The cameras, usually in bubbles, located throughout the casino that videotape the action.
Face Cards: The king, queen and jack. Also known as picture cards or paint.
Fair Game: A game where neither the house nor the player has an edge.
Favorable Deck: A deck whose remaining cards favors the player.
Field Bet: A wager at craps that wins if the number two, three, four, nine, 10, 11, or 12 is rolled. Shooter loses on a five, six, seven, and eight.
5-Count: The revolutionary system developed by the Captain to avoid horrendous rolls of the dice, stretch the amount of time your money gives you at the table, and position you to take advantage of hot rolls. A modified version of this might be possible at video-craps.
Flat Bet: Bet that is paid off at even money in craps. Also, any player who bets the same amount hand after hand.
Flattop Machines: Fixed, maximum payout machines.
Fluctuation in Probability: Numbers or cards appearing out of all proportion to their probability. A short sequence of repeating numbers. A mathematical term that means good or bad luck depending on whether the fluctuation is in your favor or not.
Flush: In poker, five cards of the same suit.
Fold: In poker, to drop out of play.

• Video Poker Machine Talk Part9 (0)
• Video Poker Machine Talk Part6 (0)
• Video Poker Machine Talk Part14 (0)