In the casino and online casino, expressions and foreign words with a special meaning frequently appear. Terms related to roulette often require explanation, as many of the terms come directly from French. However, there are also casino terms related to blackjack, poker, baccarat, or slots that do not correspond to everyday language and might need clarification for laypersons. So next time you play online HellSpin, you are perfectly prepared to understand our surroundings.
We have compiled a casino glossary, listing roulette terms and gambling expressions that are helpful for players and casino visitors.
Roulette Terms: These Expressions Come into Play at the Table
The following terms mostly originate from French and refer to important aspects of the game flow at the roulette table in the casino or online casino. We explain the technical terms for individual bets at roulette in our roulette rules. Additionally, we clarify various roulette strategies and the differences between American and French roulette.
Announcement, Call, and Closure
In the announcement, the player hands their bet to the croupier and indicates how the chips should be distributed. Depending on the roulette variant, players may also place their bets themselves, at least for the even chances or wagers on a dozen.
Team Betting
This betting behavior is forbidden and considered an illicit agreement among players. It means that several players are betting “as a team” on a single outcome to avoid the maximum of a roulette table.
House Edge
The house edge, also known as “bank advantage” or “House Edge” in English, is the advantage held by the casino or game operator over the players. In roulette, the house edge is given by the zero. If zero appears, all bets (except those on zero) are forfeited.
Croupier and End of the Table
The croupier (or croupière) guides the game at the table, collects bets, and pays out winnings. This French term is typically used as a roulette term. Card games like blackjack or poker usually use the word dealer for the card giver or game leader. “End of the table” also refers to the croupier, as they sit at the head of the table in French roulette.
Spin and Game
Coup or Partie is the term for a single segment of the game in roulette, including the ball’s movement in the wheel and determining the outcome in a pocket. The coup or game ends with a win or loss for the players and the announcement of the next round by the croupier.
Chip, Token, Unit, Value Mark
The value tokens in roulette are also known by the French term “jeton” or the English term “chip.” The token with the lowest value represents a unit and is the smallest possible bet.
Winning and Losing Streak
La Gagnate or Sortante, meaning “the winning one,” refers to the outcome that won in the last round. The opposite roulette term is La Perdante, “the losing one,” indicating the chance that lost last.
Change of Croupier
When one croupier is replaced by another, this is referred to as a change of croupier in roulette. This may happen at short intervals, such as every 30 minutes or fifteen minutes. The reason is to prevent players from getting used to a croupier’s throwing technique, which helps avoid the technique of “wheel watching.”
Gaming Study and Permanents

Ludography refers to systematic gaming research. In the case of roulette, permanents can be used. These are records of all game results at a table.
Maximum and Minimum
The maximum and minimum define the highest and lowest possible bets at a roulette table. The minimum is determined by the lowest token value, while the casino can set different table limits. The restriction of bets is intended to complicate various roulette strategies.
Rake
Rake is the roulette term for the rake, with which the croupier removes lost bets from the table.
Table Layout
The felt-covered game surface with markings for the bets is called the tableau in roulette. Here, players place their bets in the form of gaming chips or tokens.
Tip Pool
Tronc is French for “tip jar” and refers to the custom that the croupier receives a tip. It is customary that from the win on a full number, one unit goes to the croupier. Therefore, tronc is also used for all types of tips, although roulette players typically give an additional donation to the croupier only during a long winning streak. When paying out the tronc, casinos usually employ a points system, so the type of tip…