The Secret History Of Casino Terms

What have casinos and slitting someone’s throat got in common? 

Gambling is an age old past-time, with a popularity spread throughout history – from Ancient Greece, to Napoleon’s France and Elizabethan England. Because of this, the words we use have such wide and varied origins from all over, so let’s take a walk back in time to some of the obvious, and not so obvious, origins of the casino terms that are now so familiar.

What’s In A Word?

Casino: A public room for music or dancing. It comes from the Italian meaning ‘a little house’.

Bet: Originally from the shortening of ‘abet’ or from ‘beet’ which means ‘to make good’ or ‘make better’ in old English. It originally came from the idea that ‘to improve’ a contest you should be wagering on it.

Wager: Means a ‘promise’ or ‘a vow’ from the old French word ‘gagiere’ which means ‘pledge’ or ‘security’.

Stake: Not confirmed, but it is believed to originate from the notion of the post on which a gambling wager was placed.

Slot: Originally means to stab in the base of the throat, referencing the hole. The slot machine origin comes from the action of placing the coin in the slot.

Poker: This originates from the Dutch word ‘pochen’ which means ‘to brag or bluff’ and is similar to a German game called ‘Pochspiel’.

One-Armed Bandit: Originally named after the lever at the side of the machine that was pulled in order to operate it.

Roulette: Originates from the French word for ‘small wheel.’

Baccarat: It is unknown, but possibly comes from the small French town called Baccarat famous for producing glass goods.

Wild: Referring to its ability to land anywhere and mean anything, meaning ‘uncontrolled’ and ‘free spirited’.

Reel: Named after the 14th century term meaning ‘to whirl around or spin’.

Tournament: Coming from the old French word ‘tornoier’ which means ‘to joust/tilt’, it is now used to refer to games of skill.

Jackpot: This is in reference to the antes that begin when no player has a pair of jacks or better, and ‘pot’ comes from the stack of money that is wagered.

Luck: Derives from the early/middle Dutch ‘luc’, shortened from ‘gheluc’ which means ‘happiness’ or ‘fortune’.

Croupier: A French word meaning ‘one who rides behind another on the croup (or rump) of a horse’.

So there you have it. From German to Dutch to French, casino terminology is as diverse as the people it attracts. Keep spinning, casino fans.