Blackjack Terms

Bet: Bet is the amount of money a player chooses to risk on the outcome of a round in a casino game such as slots, roulette, blackjack, or others. It is placed before the result is known, with the goal of winning more money depending on the outcome. The size of the bet directly affects potential winnings.

Card Counting: Card counting is a strategy used in blackjack to keep track of which cards have been dealt in order to estimate the chances of getting high or low cards next. Players assign values to cards as they are played, helping them decide when to increase or decrease their bets. Although card counting is not illegal, casinos actively try to detect and prevent it.

Deck Penetration: Deck penetration is the percentage of cards dealt from a shoe or deck in blackjack before a reshuffle happens. Higher deck penetration means more cards are played, which is important for card counters.

Game Credits: Game Credits are the virtual currency used in casino games. Players use them to place bets and receive winnings. The credit balance is usually funded by depositing real money using available payment methods.

Jackpot: A jackpot is the top prize offered by a casino in certain games, either as a fixed amount or a progressive one. In fixed jackpots, you win a predefined payout based on the game’s rules. In progressive jackpots, the prize grows with every real-money game round from all players and can be triggered randomly or through bonus features.

Paytable: Paytable is a table of rules for a casino game that shows the values of winning symbols or combinations. It explains how much each symbol pays, the rules for winning combinations, and how bonus rounds pay out in the game. It helps players understand winning combinations, how the game pays out based on them, and how payouts are influenced by the bet amount.

RNG: RNG (Random Number Generator) is a system used in online casino games to produce fair and unpredictable results by generating random outcomes for each game round.
RTP: RTP (Return to Player) is the payback percentage of a casino game, based on a RNG, that indicates how much money the game is expected to return to players over time. There are two types of RTP: 1. Theoretical RTP – provided by the game developer and calculated based on millions of simulated game rounds. This value is certified by independent testing laboratories such as eCOGRA, GLI, iTech Labs, and BMM Testlabs. 2. Actual (real-time) RTP – calculated from recent real-money gameplay sessions. This value may differ from the theoretical RTP, especially over a small sample of rounds. Theoretical RTP reflects the long-term average return, but in short-term play, actual outcomes may vary significantly. For example, a theoretical RTP of 96% means that, on average, the game is expected to return $96 for every $100 wagered over a large number of rounds. This corresponds to a 4% house edge.

Shoe: A shoe is a device used in table games like blackjack and baccarat to hold multiple decks of cards and deal them one by one. It allows for smoother gameplay, reduces the chance of dealer manipulation, and is commonly used in casinos for security and efficiency.