BaccaratA casino card game in which you bet on which of two hands — Player or Banker — will total closest to nine, or that the two hands will Tie.core
Basic StrategyThe mathematically optimal way to play every blackjack hand, shown as a chart, that reduces the house edge to its lowest possible level without card counting.advanced
Bet MultiplierA bet multiplier is the number a game multiplies your stake by to work out how much a winning outcome pays.core
Bingo PatternThe specific arrangement of marked numbers a player must complete on their bingo card to win.beginner
BlackjackA casino card game in which you try to build a hand that totals as close to 21 as possible, without going over, and that beats the dealer's hand.beginner
Bonus RoundA bonus round is a special feature within a slot or casino game — separate from normal play — that unlocks under set conditions and offers enhanced or alternative ways to win.beginner
Buy FeatureA slot mechanic that lets a player pay a fixed price — usually a multiple of their normal stake — to trigger a bonus round straight away instead of waiting for it to land during regular play.advanced
Cluster PaysA slot win model where you are paid for groups of matching symbols that touch each other on the grid, instead of for symbols lined up along fixed paylines.core
Free SpinsA feature that grants a set number of slot spins the player does not pay a stake for, while any winnings are still added to their balance.beginner
Gamble FeatureAn optional round, offered after a paying spin, in which a player can risk that win on a chance event — typically a card-colour guess — to double it or lose it entirely.core
Hit FrequencyHit frequency is how often a slot or game pays out any win at all, shown as the percentage of spins that return something.core
House EdgeThe house edge is the built-in mathematical advantage that ensures a casino keeps a small percentage of every amount wagered over the long run.beginner
Max WinThe most a game can ever pay from a single spin or round, stated as a multiple of the stake.core
MegawaysMegaways is a licensed slot mechanic in which each reel shows a random number of symbols on every spin, so the number of ways to win changes spin to spin — famously up to 117,649.core
OddsOdds tell you how likely an outcome is and how much a winning bet pays back relative to your stake.core
PaylineA payline is a defined path across a slot's reels along which matching symbols must land to form a winning combination.beginner
PaytableA paytable is the in-game chart that shows how much each symbol combination pays and how the game's features work.beginner
Poker RakeThe rake is the small cut a poker operator takes from each pot, or from tournament entry fees, as its charge for hosting the game.core
Progressive JackpotA shared prize that grows a little with every bet placed on a game (or network of games) until one player wins it, at which point it resets to a starting amount.core
ReelA reel is one of the vertical columns of symbols in a slot game that appears to spin and then stops to reveal a fresh set of symbols.beginner
Return-to-Player BandA Return-to-Player band is one of several pre-certified RTP versions of the same game that an operator can select, so the identical title can theoretically pay back, say, 96% in one market and 92% in another.advanced
RNG (Random Number Generator)The software (or hardware) that decides the unpredictable outcome of a digital gambling game — which cards, reel stops, or numbers come up — so every result is down to pure chance.core
RouletteA casino wheel game where players bet on which numbered pocket a spinning ball will land in.beginner
RTP (Return to Player)RTP is the percentage of all money wagered on a game that it is designed to pay back to players over the long run.beginner
Scatter SymbolA special slot symbol that pays out or triggers a bonus feature based on how many appear anywhere on the reels, without needing to line up on a payline.core
SlotA slot is a reel-based casino game where the player spins a set of reels and is paid when matching symbols land in winning positions defined by the game's rules.beginner
Volatility (Variance)Volatility describes how bumpy a game's ride is — whether it tends to pay small amounts often or large amounts rarely.core
Ways-to-WinA slot payout model that rewards matching symbols on adjacent reels from left to right, regardless of which row they land on, instead of paying only along fixed lines.core
Wild SymbolA special slot symbol that stands in for other symbols to help complete a winning combination.beginner
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Definitions stay evergreen; the rules around them don't. Get a short, cited note when something in iGaming changes. Independent, 18+, no hype.