The Ultimate Casino Glossary

Bonus Terms and Conditions 

• Wagering Requirements
  Wagering requirements are sometimes referred to as playthrough requirements, or turnover requirements. The wagering requirements are a bonus term that appears in the terms and conditions section of casino bonuses and looks like a multiplier. For example, “20x”. 

  This multiplier stipulates how many times you have to wager the value of your bonus (in the case of no deposit bonuses), or bonus + deposit value (which is occasionally the case with deposit bonuses) before you can withdraw your winnings as real cash. 

  Learn more about Wagering Requirements.

Top Tip

Example

If you had a no deposit bonus worth €10 and the wagering requirements are 20x, you have to wager a sum total of (€10 x 20) €200 before you can withdraw your winnings.

• Maximum Bet Limits
  The maximum you can wager per bet or hand using a casino bonus. They exist to prevent players from making excessively large bets and meeting the wagering requirements quickly.

Top Tip

Example

If you claim a no deposit bonus with a maximum bet limit of €5, you can only make bets within the range of value between €0.01-€5.

• Eligible Games
  Eligible games refers to the list of games made eligible to play with a particular casino bonus. Many bonuses will be limited to one or a handful of eligible games, which can be found in the terms and conditions section of your bonus.
• Game Contribution – Sometimes referred to as game weighting percentages, this is a bonus rule that determines how much of your wager will contribute to the wagering requirements, depending on the type of game you play. 

  Game contribution is expressed as a percentage. This percentage is likely to be lower for high odds games, than it is for games with decent or low odds. 

  Learn more about Game Contribution. 

Top Tip

Example

If you claimed a bonus that weighted blackjack at 5% and you wagered €100, only €5 of this €100 will contribute towards the wagering requirements.

• Expiration Dates
  After a set period of time, your bonus will expire. Once the expiration date is met, your bonus and bonus winnings are removed from your account and you have to make a real money deposit to continue playing.
• Restricted Countries
  Casinos sometimes make their bonuses eligible to players from specific countries, or else they will deliberately make them unavailable to players from specific countries. This may be due to regulatory issues, or an increased threat of bonus abuse.
• Bonus Codes
  Sometimes referred to as promo codes, bonus codes are a series of numbers, letters, or both, that can be used at a casino to successfully redeem a casino bonus.

Game-Specific Terms 

Types of Slot Games 

• Classic Slots
  Classic slots are also known as traditional slots or fruit machines (depending on your location). They are 3-reel slots and use classic symbols, such as fruits, bars, and sevens.
• Video Slots
  Video slots are modern versions of classic slot games. These slots use video animations, graphics and immersive themes to revolutionze the slot experience. Developers of video slots regularly manipulate the number of reels, paylines and other game features, such as bonus features, to diversify video slot games.
• Progressive Slots
  Progressive slots, or progressive jackpot slots, are versions of video slots that offer a jackpot that grows progressively whenever a player makes a wager. With every wager, a small percentage goes to a jackpot. Certain progressive slots can have jackpots ranging in value from the tens of thousands to millions of dollars.
• Branded Slots
  Branded slots are video slot games that are based on a well-known franchise from popular culture, including brands from popular movies, TV shows, musicians and video games.
• Win Ways Slots
  Win Ways Slots is a term used to refer to slots with 243 paylines. They are sometimes called all ways or 243 ways slots. They work by allowing you to win with combinations from right-to-left across the reels as well as left-to-right.
• 3D Slots
  3D slots use advanced graphics and animations to provide a slot with a 3-dimensional visual effect.
• Megaways Slots
  Megaways slots use a state-of-the art mechanic developed by Big Time Gaming to exponentially increase the number of possible paylines. The mechanic allows the number of reels and paylines to change fluidly with every spin. Some Megaways slots subsequently have up to 248,832 ways to win.
• Cluster Pays Slots
  Cluster pays slots do not use traditional paylines. Wins on these slots are awarded when a “cluster” (symbols adjacent to one another regardless of orientation) of matching symbols appears on the reels.

Slot Game Terms 

• Paylines
  Paylines are a feature of online slot games that outline the possible ways in which you can win. Usually, they operate from left-to-right. If you line up a number of symbols from left-to-right on a slot machine you will be rewarded according to the payline, and the symbols you line up.
• Wild Symbols
  Wild symbols are special symbols in slot games that can stand in for any other symbol. Therefore, if you line up 2 matching symbols on a 3-reel slot and the final symbol is a wild, you will still win, even though it does not match the prior two symbols.
• Scatter Symbols
  Scatter symbols are special symbols that trigger bonus rounds or bonus features. These work regardless of the position they land on the reels. They merely have to feature on the screen.
• Bonus Rounds
  Bonus rounds can refer to any type of feature that is extra to the usual features of a slot game. This may include bonus features like free spins, gamble features, and other gameplay features that add an extra dimension to slot games.
• Cascading reels
  Also known as tumbling reels, or avalanche reels – are reels in which the symbols on winning paylines disappear and are replaced by the symbols stacked on top of them. This creates the opportunity of winning multiple times on a single spin.
• Return to Player (RTP)
  RTP is a measurement of a slot’s odds. It is given as a percentage. This percentage represents how much of total wagers the slot gives back over an almost infinite amount of spins. Thus if the RTP is 96%, 96% of total wagers are returned to players.
• Free Spins
  Free spins can refer to a no deposit free spins bonus. In this case, however, it is used to signify a type of bonus feature built into many slot games. Sometimes referred to as in-game free spins, this bonus feature will provide you with the chance to spin the reels of a slot a number of times without having to pay.
• Multiplier
  Multipliers are features of slot games that will multiply your winnings by a certain factor of magnitude. They may be a part of the base game of a slot, or they may only be available in bonus rounds.
• Gamble Feature
  Gamble features allow you to wager your winnings against a particular ratio. Usually you have to select an option in a game of chance. Selecting the correct option might double your winnings, while losing will nullify your prior winnings.
• Autoplay
  Autoplay is a feature of some slots that allows you to automate a set number of spins. The slot will then automatically spin the reels over and over until it meets the set number.
• Volatility (Variance)
  Volatility refers to the risk involved with making a bet on a slot game. A high volatility slot has a high risk that you will lose your bet. A low volatility slot incurs a low risk.
• Max Bet
  The max bet outlines the maximum you can bet with every single wager on a slot game. It is also usually the bet that activates all the slot’s paylines and, in some cases, maximises a slot’s RTP.

Roulette Specific Terms 

Types of Roulette Games

• European Roulette
  European roulette is a version of roulette that features the numbers 1-36 and a single zero (0). The single zero of European roulette means it has superior odds to other versions of roulette.
• American Roulette
  American roulette is a version of roulette that features the numbers 1-36, a zero (0), and a double zero (00). The double zero increases the house-edge compared to other versions of roulette.
• French Roulette
  French roulette is like European Roulette in that it has a single zero (0). However, French Roulette also has additional rules, including La Partage and En Prison.
• Mini Roulette
  Mini roulette is simply a smaller version of traditional roulette. There are only 13 numbers, including the numbers 1-12 plus a single zero (0).
• Live Dealer Roulette
  Live Dealer Roulette is a version of online roulette that is streamed from a state-of-the-art studio. Usually, all versions of roulette have a live equivalent that is presided over by a real dealer with a chat feature that allows you to talk to the dealer and fellow players.

Roulette Terms 

• Inside Bets
  Inside bets are any bets that are placed on the numbers of the roulette betting layout from 0-36.
• Outside Bets
  Outside bets are wagers placed on a large group of specific numbers. These bets are made by placing a bet on designated areas outside of the 0-36 betting layout. Outside bets include odd or even numbers, red or black colours, and high or low numbers.
• Straight Bet
  Straight bets are bets placed on a single number on the betting layout.
• Split Bet
  Split bets are placed on the borders of two numbers. If either of the two numbers wins, the player wins too – though the return is halved.
• Street Bet
  Street bets are any bets placed on a single row of numbers, such as 1-3.
• Corner Bet
  Corner bets are any bets that are placed on the intersection of 4 numbers, i.e. on the corner of four numbers.
• Even Money Bet
  Even money bets refer to a number of the outside bets that provide you with odds of 1:1. This includes red or black bets, and odd or even numbers bets.
• La Partage
  La Partage is a rule that applies to French roulette. When the ball lands on zero (0), players that have made even-money bets will receive half of their wager back.
• En Prison
  En Prison is a rule that applies to French roulette. When the ball lands on zero (0), players can either receive half of their wager back by calling la partage, or keep their bet “in prison”, as it were, and replay the wager in the next spin. If the bet comes in on the subsequent spin, they receive their full bet back.
• Neighbours
  Neighbours is a type of bet that covers multiple adjacent numbers on the betting layout.