Gambling glossary: plain-English definitions

One bet combining several selections. All must win. The odds multiply, so payouts look big — but so does the chance of losing.

A website — like ours — that reviews or promotes gambling sites and may be paid a commission when someone joins through its links.

The money set aside for gambling. On this site we call it your fun budget — money you can afford to lose.

An operator’s term for using bonuses in ways its terms don’t allow — such as several accounts. It can lead to winnings being withheld, so read the terms.

The bookmaker’s built-in profit. Add up the implied probabilities for every outcome in a market — anything above 100% is the margin.

An offer to settle a sports bet before the event ends, for less than the full potential win (or to recover part of the stake).

A refund of part of your losses over a period, sometimes as cash and sometimes as bonus money with wagering.

Gambling more, or with bigger stakes, to try to win back money you’ve lost. It usually leads to bigger losses and is a common warning sign.

A wait — often 24 hours to 7 days — before a request to raise or remove a limit takes effect. It gives you time to change your mind.

Odds that show your total return for each €1 staked, including the stake. Odds of 3.50 return €3.50 for a €1 win.

A cap you set on how much money you can put into your account over a day, week or month. Lowering a limit usually works straight away; raising it normally has a cooling-off wait.

An online payment account, such as PayPal, Skrill or Neteller, used to deposit and withdraw without sharing card details with the site.

A sports bet you don’t pay for. Usually the stake isn’t returned with winnings (“stake not returned”).

Spins on a slot that you don’t pay for. Winnings often count as bonus money with wagering requirements attached.

A setting offered by many banks that stops your card being used for gambling transactions. Some make you wait before you can switch it off.

A free national self-exclusion scheme in Great Britain. One sign-up blocks you from all gambling sites licensed there for six months, one year or five years.

The built-in advantage a game gives the operator, shown as a percentage of each stake. It’s the opposite of RTP: a game with 97% RTP has a 3% house edge.

The chance of an outcome suggested by the odds. For decimal odds, divide 1 by the odds: 2.00 means 50%.

The checks a site makes to confirm who you are, how old you are and that the payment method is yours. Expect to upload ID before your first withdrawal, if not sooner.

Permission from a gambling regulator for a company to offer gambling. Licensed operators must follow rules on fairness, player funds and safer-gambling tools.

A cap on how much you can lose over a set period. Once you reach it, you can’t place more bets until the period resets.

The most you can withdraw from bonus winnings, however much you win. Anything above the cap is removed.

The smallest amount you can put into your account in one go.

A small bonus given without a deposit. These nearly always have high wagering and a low maximum win.

The price of a bet, showing how much you’d win and how likely the bookmaker thinks an outcome is. Shown as fractions (5/2), decimals (3.50) or American odds (+250).

The company that runs a gambling site and holds its licence.

The time a site holds a withdrawal before processing it. Some sites let you reverse a withdrawal during this time — a feature that can tempt you to keep playing.

The software that decides the outcome of online casino games. Licensed sites must have their RNGs independently tested.

A pop-up at intervals you choose, showing how long you’ve been playing and how much you’ve won or lost, so you can decide whether to carry on.

The official body that licenses and supervises gambling in a country or state — for example the UK Gambling Commission or the Malta Gaming Authority.

The tools, rules and habits that help keep gambling a form of entertainment — such as limits, breaks, age checks and support for people who need it.

The share of all money staked on a game that it pays back to players over a very long time. A slot with 96% RTP keeps about 4% of everything staked on it, on average. It says nothing about what will happen in a single session.

Asking a gambling site to close your account and stop you gambling with it for a set period, usually at least six months. Marketing should stop too.

A limit on how long you can stay logged in at once. When time is up, the site logs you out.

A short, fixed break from a gambling site — often 24 hours to six weeks — that can’t usually be cancelled early.

How much a game’s results swing. High-volatility slots pay big wins rarely; low-volatility games pay smaller wins more often. RTP can be the same either way.

A cap on the total amount you can stake over a period, whatever you win or lose.

How many times you must stake a bonus (and sometimes your deposit) before you can withdraw winnings from it. A €10 bonus with 35× wagering means staking €350 first.

An offer for new customers, such as matched deposit money, free spins or free bets. Always check the wagering, time limits and maximum win before accepting.

Taking money out of your gambling account. Licensed sites usually pay back to the method you deposited with.