All or Nothing

This is a term that is primarily used in lottery and keno games. All or Nothing means that all numbers on the ticket have to be matched in order for a cash prize to be awarded.

Bankroll

A bankroll merely applies to the amount of money that you take into a game. Most commonly, this term will be applied to poker.

Basic Slots

Slot machines can become very complex but when they first appeared online, they followed a simple pattern. In general, these games featured one, solitary payline and a fixed jackpot that didn’t change. They still exist and are commonly referred to as ‘basic slots’.

Bonus Symbols

In modern slot games there will almost always be a bonus round and these are triggered by landing special symbols. These might be linked to the theme of the slot or they could simply feature the game’s logo. The important point is to check and be certain as to which symbols activate the bonus.

Cascading Reels

Also known as ‘tumbling reels’ this is a bonus feature that applies to some slot machines. When a win lands, symbols will disappear and be replaced by others with the hope of providing a follow up win. The reels are said to ‘cascade’ or tumble.

Casino Bonus

A bonus or set of bonuses is usually offered by a casino to add value to a customer’s account. This could be a welcome bonus such as free spins or a match on an opening deposit. Alternatively, bonuses can reward existing customers through loyalty programmes or one-off deals.

Casino Tournament

Tournaments are available in certain areas of a casino or bingo site. Like all tournaments, they are offering players the chance to take on other account holders for the chance to win a prize.

Poker tournaments are the most common, as far as the casinos are concerned but it is possible to find competitions for slot play too.

Column Bet

This is a term used in roulette and it applies to a bet placed on a certain column of numbers.

Coins

When casino sites talk about coins, they are referring to your stake. So, if you have taken a bet on the slots, you have staked a certain number of ‘coins’ ahead of each spin.

Community Cards

This term relates to poker games and cards that are available to all players. In a game such as Texas Hold’Em, two cards are dealt face down and three community cards will then be dealt face up for all players to form hands.

Double Zero

This is the pocket on a roulette wheel marked as 00. It can only appear in the American Roulette version.

En Prison

This is a term that is specific to the game of French roulette. The phrase literally translates as being ‘in prison’ and, when a zero lands, it allows players to take back half of their stake or leave it in prison to bet on the next spin.

Expanding Wilds

Scroll down a little to read the description of a wild symbol and its effect on a slot machine game. A standard wild will only occupy one position but when it expands, it can cover an entire reel.

Flop

This is the first of the community cards in a poker game. So called because it flopped down onto the table, it’s the third card available to players.

Free Spins

A free spins round is a common bonus feature in slot machines. Players will usually need to land a certain number of special symbols, known as the Scatter, in order to activate a certain number of free spins.

High-Roller

A high roller is a player who deposits and plays through large amounts of money at a casino.

Jackpot

A jackpot is the biggest prize available in any game. It will commonly apply to slot machines but it can also refer to poker, bingo, roulette and even sports betting. There are two types of jackpot - a fixed sum is clearly listed and doesn’t alter while a progressive jackpot can increase.

Line Bet

A casino slot game will have paylines which we will explain just a little further down. A line bet is the sum of money staked on each line.

Multiplier

A multiplier applies to certain bonus features in a slot machine and it has the capacity to increase any win. For example, a 2x multiplier doubles the return, a 3x multiplier trebles it and so on.

Payline

A payline is any invisible line along the reels of a slot machine. Matching symbols must align along this line for a cash prize to be awarded.

Payout

Payouts refer to any area of gambling whether it’s casino, bingo or sportsbook. This term literally refers to the amount of money won by the player.

Pay Table

Before tackling any casino game, we’d like to know the prizes that are at stake. A paytable is commonly used in slot machines and it simply lists the cash sum that you will win for matching symbols along those paylines.

Pockets

This term relates to the slots in a roulette wheel where the ball may land. In European and French Roulette, there are 36 pockets in total while in the American version, there is a 37th pocket for that double zero.

Progressive Casino Slots

We’ve briefly mentioned progressive jackpots but how, exactly, do they work? Rather than offer a top prize from one specific casino, a progressive jackpot takes a small percentage of stakes from all players using the slot machine in question and this sum comes from a number of operators.

Because of this, the jackpot increases continually until the point when it is won.

Reels

In slot machines, reels are simply the set of wheels on which the game is played.

River

The river is another community card in the more common versions of poker. Occasionally known as fifth street, this is the fifth and final card in the round and once it is revealed, results are declared.

Scatter

A scatter is an important symbol in a slot machine as it will usually lead to a bonus round. A scatter is so called because it doesn’t have to align along a payline for the feature to be triggered. As long as the required number of symbols drop in, they can be ‘scattered’ across the reels.

Select Lines

Some slot machines allow players to select the paylines that they wish to bet on. This is an uncommon feature of the game and it’s known as select lines.

Shifting Wilds

In contrast to a sticky wild which is explained below, a shifting wild stays on the reels but it can move its exact position.

Scatter Pay

A scatter pay bonus feature is when a slot sets a specific symbol on the reels that payout regardless of what the others symbols are

Select Lines

The number of paylines selected on an online casino slot

Shifting Wilds

Similar to sticky wilds but with the added extra that they shift around the wheels with each spin.

Spin

Quite simply, a spin is a turn of the reels in a slot machine game. Click the button and the reels will spin into action.

Stacked Wilds

Stacked wilds are similar to expanding wilds in the sense that they stack and take up more than one position on the reels.

Sticky Wilds

A sticky wild literally ‘sticks’ to the reels and will stay in position when a player spins the reels. This has the benefit of keeping that wild symbol in place and increasing the chances of winning.

Street

A street bet is a roulette term and it relates to a bet on a series of three numbers. This will be in a line and the player indicates the bet by placing their chips on the edge of that row.

Symbols

A symbol is an image on the slot machine. Each game carries a set of different symbols and the object is to match them along a payline in order to win a cash prize.

Turn

The turn is a vital stage in a game of poker. This is the fourth out of five community cards.

Wagering Requirements

A wagering requirement is usually applied to a bonus offer from a casino or sportsbook. Terms will vary according to the offer but in general, players will need to wager through the amount of the bonus a certain number of times before any profits can be withdrawn.

Wilds

Most slot machines have a wild symbol and its role is to substitute for others on the reels. This offers a higher chance of finding a matching combination when that wild arrives. As a general rule, the wild won’t be able to replace other bonus symbols such as the scatter.