Las Vegas Casino Speak: How to Talk the Talk

If you're visiting a Las Vegas casino, you mayone in Vegas actually gambles, if you read the
wonder what kind of language they're speaking.literature. They all participate in "gaming". You'll win or
There is a lot of Vegas lingo, and learning a few oflose money either way, but gaming doesn't carry the
the more popular terms and what they mean cansame expectation of losing as gambling.
make you look like an old hand in the casino.Of course, some of the terms in Vegas have several
Some of the terms are colorful and will really makemeanings. You might hear the term "action" used in
you look cool. Vegas veterans call dice "bones". Wantseveral ways. Personally, "action" could be the
to look cool? Roll the bones at a craps table. Anotheramount of money you bet during one casino
cool Vegas term is "bill". Be careful, this is a $100 bill,gambling session, or the entire amount you bet during
not just a dollar.your trip. The term is used both ways. For the
You may be interested in playing a "progressive"casino, "action" can refer to the annual amount the
game. This is a game where the jackpot keepscasino deposits, or the amount of play in a specific
growing until someone wins. Each play makes thetime period defined by the casino management.
jackpot grow until some lucky person wins the entireThe "buy in" is the smallest amount that you can join
"pot" or amount of money available.a table game for. You will notice that some tables
You may notice a "fill" while you're in the casino.require $5, $10 or even $50 and more to join the
When a machine's coins are replenished, or moregame. This term inevitably leads to "high roller," or
chips are brought to a table game, it's called a fill. Ofsomeone who has a lot of money to bet and isn't
course, the coins go into the machine's hopper, orafraid to use it. Depending on the casino, a high roller
the container inside the machine that holds the coinsis usually considered someone who bets $10,000 or
or tokens.more during a day. Or you might say, his action is
You may want to keep an eye out for the "pit" while$10,000 or more.
you're in the casino. This area is usually off-limits toFinally, you'll probably need the useful term, "all-in".
customers, but it's where the "pit boss" or supervisorThis can mean that you are betting everything you
monitors the activity in the casino. It's interesting tohave left in a poker game, but it can also mean
see the pit boss concentrate and monitor theyou're broke or absolutely exhausted after a long
"action" or activity on the "floor" (gaming area).day of "gaming" Vegas can be a lot of fun, and
Of course, "gaming" was originally coined because ofknowing some of the lingo can make you feel like a
the negative connotation of the word "gambling". Noreal "insider".