Blackjack Lingo – A Complete Blackjack Glossary

In this overview, we break down everything you need to know about the most popular Blackjack terms, found in our very own blackjack dictionary. In this blackjack glossary, we explore all the various blackjack jargon that you should familiarise yourself with before playing at a brick and mortar casino or at online gambling sites. If you feel as though you are being harassed, you can and should raise this concern and this should put a holt to any unwanted advances.

Our Blackjack lingo dictionary is the perfect way to get acquainted with all the blackjack terminology you need to know to play the game. Whilst a lot of these terms are more particular towards brick-and-mortar casinos, there are plenty of online casinos in which you can use blackjack jargon to become a more respected player. Learn more with our blackjack glossary below.

Blackjack Lingo

21+3 – A side bet in Blackjack that uses three cards – the player’s two initial cards and the dealer’s face-up card. The aim is to form a strong poker hand in order to win.

86’d: When a casino tells you that you are trespassing being on their property. A casino may do this if you are using your brain to make smart decisions with your cash.

Ace: An Ace is worth either 1 or 11 in Blackjack.

Ace Rich – When there has not been an ace dealt out so far, Ace Rich describes the shoe as the odds of receiving one increases.

Action: An Action is the amount that has already been bet, either on a specific hand or over a period of time.

Advantage: The house edge is also known as advantage. This refers to the percentage that a casino or player has in favour against each other.

Advantage Player: A player that uses a strategy or mathematical approach to boost their chances of winning against the casino.

Anchor/Anchor man – The last player position on a blackjack table who is the last one to take an action.

Back Counting: A strategy that one uses for counting cards from behind the table. Thus, counting cards as a spectator and not as a player sitting at the table.

Back Off: Similar to 86’d, but only to stop a player from playing blackjack. When a casino asks someone to back off, they are referring to playing another casino game but not blackjack.

Balanced Count: A counting system in which there always must be a balance between the sum of the negative cards and the positive cards.

Banker – The Dealer in blackjack lingo.

Bankroll: The budget that a player brings to a casino to play with.

Barred: To be permanently prohibited from a casino.

Basic Strategy: The easiest strategy to use whilst playing a specific blackjack variant. Basic strategy is easy to learn and is based on mathematics and statistics by using Blackjack Chart Sheets.

Black Book: A term that refers to a list of banned players.

Black Chip: A $100 chip.

Blackjack (hand): When a player or dealer matches an Ace with a 10-value card. Blackjack typically pays 3:2 and beats any other hand.

Brown/Chocolate Chip: A $5000 chip.

Burn Card: The first card that is not used after a shuffle is the one that the dealer burns.

Bust: When a player’s or dealer’s hand exceeds 21.

Bust Card: The card that makes either the player or dealer go bust and exceed 21.

Card Counting: A strategy that is used by players to give them an advantage over the house. Card counting requires a knowledge of mathematics and a fantastic ability. However, most casinos see card counting as illegal.

Camouflage Play – When a player with skills hides the fact that they have skills.

Cold Deck – When a player is on a bad run and loses more than expected.

Comps – Anything players received from a casino based how much they have wagered.

Cut Card: A plastic card that the dealer uses to cut the deck after shuffling. After doing so, the dealer reshuffles the deck before dealing hands.

Dealer – The person that sits at the table and deals the cards to ensure that the game runs smoothly.

Dealer Peek – When the dealer checks if they have blackjack, based on their face-up card being either a 10-value card or an Ace.

Deck Penetration – The percentage measures how many cards have been dealt from the deck before it is shuffled.

Deviations: A decision taken to change for Basic Strategy depending on the count of the cards.

Discard Tray – A tray that keeps hold of all the cards that have already been dealt.

Double Down – A hand that the player wants to double their bet on the condition that they only receive one more card.

Early Surrender – An option where the player surrenders their hand before the dealer checks for blackjack.

Edge – The same thing as advantage. The edge is an advantage that the house has over the player.

Even Money – The payout that a player receives when beating the dealer. Even money pays at 1:1.

Face Card – A Jack, Queen or King. Also known as a Paint card.

First Base/First Baseman – The player sitting to the dealer’s left, the first player position to take a decision.

Five Card Charlie – A hand that accumulates five cards without going bust.

Flat Betting – Betting the same amount for each hand.

Green Chip: A $25 chip.

Hard Hand – A hand that does not contain an Ace or has an Ace with a value of 1.

Heads Up – When the player is against the dealer and no other players are at the table.

Heater – When the player has a good run of cards.

Hit – When the player asks for an additional card.

Hole Card – The dealer’s face-down card.

Insurance – A side bet that players can place for half their stake that pays 2:1. The side bet is only available if the dealer’s face-down card is an ace. If the dealer has blackjack, the player wins the side bet.

Pat – A hand that has a minimum value of 17.

Perfect Pairs – A side bet that pays players for pairs from their initial cards. The payouts are for having a Mixed Pair, a Colour Pair or a Perfect Pair.

Pink Chip: A $2.50 chip.

Ploppy: A blackjack player that does not use any strategy or card counting ability. Instead, they only play based on sucker bets. A ploppy refers to a player that does not know what they are doing.

Preferential Shuffle: When a casino decides to shuffle the cards at a random time, usually when you press your bets. This destroys your edge.

Purple/Barney Chip: A $500 chip.

Push – When the player and dealer both have the same value. The player’s bet returns.

Red Chip: A $5 chip.

Risk of Ruin: The mathematical chance of blowing your entire bankroll.

Running Count: The total value of the count, either positive or negative at any time.

Shoe/Sabot – The device that the dealer uses to hold the deck of cards.

Soft Hand – A hand that contains an ace (one should count it as 11).

Split – When the player receives a pair and decides to split them into two hands, doubling their bet in doing so.

Spooking: A strategy where a player communicates to another player to boost their chances of winning. This is not technically legal.

Standing Hand – A hand that is worth 17 or more.

Stand or Stay – When the player is happy with their hand and does not want any additional cards.

Stiff Hand – A hand that has a small chance of winning.

Surrender – When the player decides to surrender their hand to reclaim back half of their bet.

Third Base – The position of a player that acts last before the dealer.

Tie Bet – When the dealer and the player have the same value.

Up Card – The dealer card that is face-up on the table.

Whale – A high roller.

Wonging: Another word that refers to count back and only bet when you have an edge. This is some special blackjack lingo.

Yellow/Orange/Pumpkin Chip: A $1000 chip.

The Bottom Line

To conclude, our blackjack lingo glossary is full of terms to help you get to grips with the game. To play blackjack online, simply visit one of the top online gambling such as 22Bet Casino, for the best RNG and live blackjack variants.