Home > Gambling Terms > All Gambling Terms > C > All Gambling Terms 02.Htm Suggestions? Comments?

C

Card-Room License [Poker] A specific gambling license issued by any combination of municipality, county, state, or country, to a card room, usually specifying the types of games permitted, the stakes, hours of operation, and other restrictions.

Carder [Poker] One who plays cards, particularly a professional.

Cardinal Points [Sailing] The points of North, South, East and West as marked on a compass rose.

Carding [Poker] 1) Playing at cards. 2) Noting exposed cards (particularly at seven-card stud), and using that information in the play of a hand.

Cards [Poker] 1) The playing of a card game, often poker. "I'm going out to play some cards tonight." 2) A deck. "Give me the cards; it's my deal." 3) Any portion of a deck. "You're not supposed to pick up the cards for the next deal until the previous hand is completely over."

Cards Break Even [Poker] The theory that states in the long run everyone gets the same cards implies that if the cards are running bad for awhile for a particular player, they will eventually fall back into a normal pattern. "I'll get even if the cards ever start breaking even."

Cards Speak [Poker] 1) Cards speak is simply the rule that the value of your hand is determined solely by your cards. You don't have to declare your hand properly in order to claim the part of the pot you deserve. The alternative to this is mainly declare games, usually played in home games for low stakes 2) A name for high-low split with no declaration.

Cardshark [Poker] An expert card player, usually a professional gambler. The term is not necessarily synonymous with cheater.

Cardsharping [Poker] The Cheating at cards.

Career Record [Greyhound Racing] A series of five numbers indicating, in order, a greyhound's total number of starts, followed by first place, second place, third place, and fourth place finishes. Often preceded by an abbreviation showing the track at which the starts were recorded. (Form)

Caribbean Stud [Poker] A casino game, banked by the house, that resembles poker only in the ranking of the hands. The game is sort of a cross between poker and a slot machine. Players bet before receiving their cards that their hands will be better than the dealer's; they can increase the bet after seeing their hands. Certain combinations, usually three of a kind or better, pay premiums, and a royal flush wins a progressive jackpot.

Carlins [Sailing] Structural pieces running fore and aft between the beams.

Carom [Ice Hockey] A rebound of the puck off the boards or any other object.

Carousel [Motor Sports] Sweeping turn of more than 90 degrees, usually of large radius.

Carpenter Steel [Golf] A alloy of steel produced by the Carpenter Company that is used to produce golf club heads. Carpenter Steel has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than most stainless steels allowing heads to be made larger in volume while still maintaining structural integrity.

Carpet [Greyhound Racing] UK slang for Odds of 3 to 1 (also known as 'Tres' or 'Gimmel').

Carpet Joint [Blackjack] A colloquialism for an upscale casino, derived from the days when many casinos did not have carpet. If a casino had carpeted floors, it was considered to be an indication that it was a fancier place than the usual.

Carpet Store [Blackjack] A higher class casino than a "sawdust joint", because it has carpet on the floor.

Carpus [Horse Racing] A joint in the horse's front leg, more commonly referred to as the knee.

Carrick Bend [Sailing] A knot used to tie two lines together.

Carrier [Motor Sports] The insurance company that provides the insurance.

Carruthers [Golf] Designer of the first club with the bore-through hosel design; specifically related to older hickory shafted clubs.

Carry [Badminton] The illegal act of catching the shuttlecock on the racket and then slinging rather than striking it. Also called "sling" or "throw".

Carry a Slug [Poker] Shuffle a slug into prearranged position. For example, in draw, a cheat might carry a slug full of spades in it so that it ends up in a position one beyond the cards required to deal the hand. When he or his partner draws, he can draw two or three cards and make a spade flush.

Carry Over [Poker] Credit a stake or a cow with his chips from one shift to the next. A stake player is usually liable for the amount of his last press. For example, if he was staked $20, lost it, given a $10 press, and then carried over, only $10 would go on the sheet of the next shift. In such case, a stake could lose for the house and still make money for himself. If the stake were given $20, and then a $10 press, and went broke while still in the same shift, he would have no carry-over and could not make money on that shift. That is why some stakes try to get staked near the end of a shift, and then, if they are short near the end of the shift, contrive to lose the last chips so they can get pressed just before the next shift starts. That way they can start the next shift with just $10 on the sheet, and, if they lose that, get still another press.

Carry the Ball [Basketball] To move with the ball without dribbling properly. See traveling.

Carry-Over [Poker] Chips or cash being carried over.

Carrying the Ball [Soccer] A foul called on a goalkeeper when he takes more than 4 steps while holding or bouncing the ball.

Carrying Through [Croquet] Following through with your arms leading: the term was coined by Lord Tallemache.

Carryover [Horse Racing] A betting term referring to a type of exotic wager, wherein there is no payoff on today's offering and the pool is carried to a future race day for additional wagering. This will go on until someone wins by betting on the correct combination.

Carré [Roulette] French term for the Corner Bet.

Cart [Golf] A two-wheeled trolley on which a golf is fitted and pulled around the course. In some cases trolleys are battery powered. Can also refer to a golf car.

Cartwheel [Gymnastics] A move in which the hands are placed on the mat or apparatus to one side of the body, one after the other, with the legs following.

Carve [Freestyle Skating] To make a turn crisply by applying weight and pressure to the ski edges.

Carving [Skiing] A method of turning at high speed with minimal skidding of the skis, and determined by edging, plus the side-cut and camber of any given ski.

Case [Poker] 1) Descriptive of the only remaining card of a rank or suit. "I caught the case ace" means there was only one left to draw (in a draw game) or hit (in a stud game) and the player got it. 2) All; said of money. "He bought in for his case money" means that all he had in his pocket went to buy chips; if he loses these, he can't buy anymore.3) The last card of a denomination or suit, when the rest have already been seen.4) Look over; usually said of a card room, referring to checking out the action. "He only comes in to case the joint, and never lights."

Case Bet [Poker] A gambler's last bet, when he has lost his bankroll or stake.

Case Card [Blackjack] The last card of a denomination left in the deck. Usually used as a poker term.

Case Chips [Poker] A player's last chips.

Case Money [Poker] The last of a gambler's bankroll or stake.

Cash Ball [Bingo] A progressive jackpot that pays off with a bingo on the called number (number is drawn before the session begins). Validation is required to win the jackpot.

Cash in [Poker] To leave the game and convert one's chips to cash, either with the dealer or at the cage.

Cash Lotto [Lotto] A lotto game (see "Lotto") awarded as a lump-sum cash payment. Cash lotto games typically have a smaller top prize than large jackpot games, more favorable odds of winning that top prize, and require players to select fewer numbers out of a smaller field.

Cash Option [Lotto] A large jackpot that the winner elects to receive as a lump sum cash payment rather than an annuity.

Cash Out [Poker] To leave a game and cash in one's chips at the cage.

Cash Out Button [Video Poker] Each Video Poker machine has a Cash Out button that causes the coins to be dumped into the machine's hopper for each credit that you have accumulated.

Cash Payoff [Lotto] A lottery prize that will be paid out all at one time, rather than over many years (see annuity). It will be a state-issued "check" (rather than raw cash), but it will be for the complete amount (minus tax withholding).

Cash Threshold [Keno] A pay out limit, beyond which, payment is completed by check.

Cash-in-Prize [Bingo] A form of bingo where the prize is a cash payout. This is taken from the money paid in, and must be a minimum of 50% of the available stake.

Cashier [Blackjack] A person who works in the cage who handles monetary transactions with players. It is similar to what a bank teller would do in a bank.

Casing the Layout [Blackjack] Taking a brief look at the bets on the table prior to starting to deal the cards. Take particular note of the bets on first and third base because they are the most likely to be pinched or capped. If a player has been betting every hand and is still present at the table but doesn't have a bet in his circle, it is a dealer courtesy to bring his attention back to the table and confirm whether he desires to bet or not.

Casino [Blackjack] A building in which legalized gambling is the main source of income to the management. There are many euphemisms for casino such as: "house," "store," "shop," etc.

Casino Advantage [Roulette] The edge, usually shown as a percentage, that the house has over the player. Also called House Edge or Vig.

Casino Cage [Poker] A room or an area, often behind a glass or behind bars, from which the cage person buys and sells chips. Also, window.

Casino Checks [Craps] The casino's term for chips issued by the house.

Casino Chowaha [Poker] A hold 'em variant invented in a private game by RGPer Mike Chow, and popularized at BARGE, in which each player gets two down cards, the dealer flops nine cards, arranged in three rows of three, then turns two cards vertically at the ends of the "corridors" between the preceding rows, and rivers one card in the middle and to the right of the two, the whole arrangement forming a large arrow-like structure. Players form their best five-card hand using their two plus any three cards from the four possible five-card board combinations: top row of three plus top card of two plus river card, bottom row of three plus bottom card of two plus river card, middle row of three plus either one of the two turn cards plus river card.

Casino Host [Blackjack] A casino employee who is responsible for dealing with casino patrons and answering queries about casino comps and other amenities. For example, if a rated player (professional) were to call a casino to make hotel reservations, he would ask to speak to a casino host in order to get a casino rate or a room comp.

Casino Manager [Roulette] The person responsible for seeing that the games of a given casino are handled properly

Casino Night [Bingo] An event held for a specific period of time (generally beginning in the afternoon and ending by midnight) during which a qualified organization is entitled to hold casino-style gaming events. Games conducted include: Pulltabs, bingo, roulette, blackjack, poker, craps, gin rummy, five card stud poker, and merchandise wheels. Also Vegas Night.

Cast [Horse Racing] A horse is a cast when he lies down in the stall in such a way that he is too close to the wall, and there is a danger that he may not be able to get up by himself without injury.

Cast Off [Sailing] To detach mooring lines as when leaving a dock.

Caster [Motor Sports] One of the three major front suspension geometry adjustments. It is the angle between the front wheel kingpin (think of it as the "hinge" that the wheel swings on when the steering wheel is turned) and the vertical. If the kingpin is rotated so that the top leans towards the front of the car, that is positive caster. It has been discovered over the last 7-8 years that on a Stock car severe caster angles provide improved cornering traction, but a side effect is that such angles require extreme effort on the part of the driver to turn the steering wheel, which is why many Stock cars now use power steering.

Casting [Golf] See Lost Wax Investment casting

Casual Water [Golf] Any temporary accumulations of water that are visible before or after a player takes his stance and is not a hazard or in a water hazard. A player may lift his ball from casual water without penalty

Casualty Insurance [Motor Sports] Insurance covering the insured's legal liability for damage to other person's property or injuries to them. Other forms of insurance, such as burglary, robbery and worker's compensation, belong in this category.

Cat [Poker] Any one of big tiger, little tiger, big cat, little cat.

Cat Flush [Poker] A nonstandard hand sometimes given value in a private or home game, a big tiger or little tiger, all in the same suit, ranking above a straight flush (since a tiger beats a straight).

Cat Hop [Poker] In draw poker, a draw of two (or more cards) to a straight or flush, or, sometimes, to a pair with (usually) an ace kicker. The term has two implications. One is just the attempt to make such a draw. "He draws to every cat hop that comes along" implies the player draws two cards every time he starts with three cards to a straight or flush. The other is actually making it. "Wouldn't you know I'd get beat by a cat hop when I finally made a straight?"

Cat Out the Window [Freestyle Skating] Description of a skier completely out of control during an aerial.

Catalytic Converter [Motor Sports] An emissions-control device that removes unburned fuel from the exhaust by burning it.

Catamaran [Sailing] A twin hulled boat. Catamaran sailboats are known for their ability to plane and are faster than single hulled boats (monohulls) in some conditions.

Catastrophe Hazard [Motor Sports] The risk of loss by a peril to which a large number of insured are subject. Typical examples are hurricanes and tornadoes.

Catbird Seat [Poker] The position immediately to the right of the dealer. This is a restricted usage of the more general term, which means advantageous situation or position.

Catboat [Sailing] A sailboat rigged with one mast and one sail.

Catch [Poker] 1) Receive a card. 2) Receive a card that makes a hand (that is, in draw poker, draw a card that fills the hand or makes specifically what one was trying to make, or, in a stud game, be dealt the card one needs). "As soon as he started to bet, I knew he caught."

Catch (Heat / Card) [Blackjack] 1. To catch "heat" is to get reprimanded by a superior for an infraction of casino policy. 2. To catch a card is to get a hit card that is either good or bad. "I split Aces and caught toe deuces."

Catch a Crab [Rowing] To make a a faulty stroke, usually because the blade enters the water at an angle, instead of perpendicularly.

Catch an Edge [Freestyle Skating] To have a ski dig too deeply into the snow, throwing the skier out of control and often leading to a fall.

Catch as Catch can [Wrestling] Another name for freestyle or folkstyle.

Catch can [Motor Sports] A small can that is used to catch fuel that comes out of the fuel cell vent when it overflows (while being filled). Also: Most fuel cells today have a check valve in the vent line that prevents fuel from backing out of the vent line. This valve also prevents air from escaping the cell, which would make it impossible to fill the cell, so the catch can has a protruding snout that is shoved into the vent line, and forces the check valve open so the car can be fueled. This applies mainly to Stock cars; Indy cars use a vent hose instead.

Catch Fence [Motor Sports] The fence along the wall that protects spectators from flying tires and other car parts.

Catch Inside [Poker] 1) In lowball or razz, make the particular hand you're drawing to. If you have 7-4-3-2, and catch a 6, 5, or ace, you catch inside. 2) In any high game, make an inside straight.

Catch Outside [Poker] 1) In lowball, catch a card above the particular hand you're drawing to. If you have 7-4-3-2, and catch an 8 or higher, you catch outside. 2) In any high game, miss a straight.

Catch Perfect [Poker] Make precisely the hand you're drawing to. In lowball, if you're drawing to 8-4-3-2, and catch a 7, 6, 5, or ace you make your hand; if you catch precisely the ace, you catch perfect. In high draw, if you start with 4-5-6-7, all in diamonds, and catch any diamond, you make a flush; if you catch any 3 or 8, you make a straight. If you catch either the 3 or 8 or diamonds, you make a straight flush, and you can say you have caught perfect. The term is also heard in hold 'em, in a situation in which only one or two cards remain that will turn a losing hand into a winner.

Catch Rough [Poker] In lowball, draw a card that makes the hand rough (A hand of a particular type that will not beat many other hands of that type.) For example, if you draw to 7-3-2-A and catch a 6, you catch rough.

Catch Smooth [Poker] In lowball, draw a card that makes the hand smooth (best possible low hand). For example, if you draw to 7-3-2-A and catch a 4 or 5, you catch smooth.

Catch Some Air [Skiing] To take flight briefly after skiing over a small hill or mogul.

Catch-All [Keno] A keno game that requires you to catch all of the numbers you have marked on your ticket.

Catch-and-Shoot [Basketball] A play in which a player receives a pass and shoots it immediately without squaring up so that the defender cannot react in time. Used by teams with great perimeter shooters, such as the Indiana Pacers, who design a lot of these kinds of plays around Reggie Miller.

Catch-Zero [Keno] A keno game that requires you to catch none of the numbers you have marked on your ticket.

Catcher [Baseball] Player positioned behind home plate and responsible for receiving the pitch from the pitcher.

Catcher's Box [Baseball] The area behind home plate in which the catcher must stand until the pitcher delivers the ball.

Catcher's Era [Baseball] The Earned Run Average of a club's pitchers with a particular catcher behind the plate. To figure this for a catcher, multiply the Earned Runs Allowed by the pitchers while he was catching times nine and divide that by his number of Innings Caught.

Catcher’s Box [Baseball] Area behind home plate in which the catcher must stand until the pitcher delivers the ball.

Catching Glove [Ice Hockey] The glove worn by the goalie on the non-stick hand.

Catenary [Sailing] The sag in a line strung between two points.

Cats and Dogs [Poker] Draw poker in which certain nonstandard hands (the big and little cat or tiger and big and little dog) have value.

Caudal [Horse Racing] Toward the tail.

Caught in the Middle [Poker] Being whipsawed. To whipsaw is to raise before, and after, a caller who gets caught in the middle. "I had a joker-wheel to draw to. They both had pat sixes, and kept raising, and I was caught in the middle."

Caught Looking [Baseball] When a batter is called out on strikes.

Caught on a.... [Baseball] Phrase explaining how a batter got out eg. "He was caught on a fly" or "He got caught out on a foul."

Caught Speeding [Poker] Slang for caught bluffing.

Caught Stealing (Cs) [Baseball] A runner is caught stealing when, during an errorless play, he is: thrown out while trying to steal a base picked off a base while trying to advance overslides while stealing and is put out

Caught Up Ice [Ice Hockey] Descriptive of a player who is still in the attacking zone while the opponents are attacking at the other end of the ice.

Caulk [Horse Racing] Projection on the bottom of a shoe to give the horse better traction, especially on a wet track.

Caulking [Sailing] Material used to seal the seams in a wooden vessel, making it watertight.

Caution [Motor Sports] Yellow Flag conditions. No passing allowed and cars must slow down.

Caution (Yellow Flag) [Motor Sports] Quick Note: A period in racing in which track conditions are too hazardous for racing due to an accident or debris on the racing surface. The cars remain in their racing positions behind the pace car until it is determined that it is safe to resume the race.

Cavitate, Cavitation [Sailing] A type of drag on a propeller caused by air bubbles forming near the tips of a propeller that is spinning too fast. This causes inefficiencies and unnecessary wear and tear on the propeller.

Cavity Back [Golf] The design of an iron head in which the weight is distributed toward the perimeter of the head. Cavity backs are easily identified as having a recessed area on the back of the head.

Cbfs [General] Cricketers Benefit Fund Series.

Cbjn [Blackjack] An abbreviation for Stanford Wong's Current BlackJack News, a periodical which is available through several different media which describes blackjack playing conditions throughout the United States and in some Canadian casinos.

Cc [Motor Sports] Cubic centimeters, the standard measure of displacement in Europe. A liter, 1000 cubic centimeters, is approximately 61 cubic inches.

Ccc [General] County Cricket Club.

Cccw [Wrestling] Central Carolina Championship Wrestling

Ccw [Wrestling] Continental Championship Wrestling

Cd [Greyhound Racing] Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Cecil (C-Note) [Blackjack] A $100 bill

Ceding Parry [Fencing] A parry that's executed by giving way to an opponent.

Celestial Navigation [Sailing] A method of using the stars, sun and moon to determine one's position. Position is determined by measuring the apparent altitude of one of these objects above the horizon using a sextant and recording the times of these sightings with an accurate clock. That information is then used with tables in the Nautical Almanac to determine one's position.

Celestial Sphere [Sailing] An imaginary sphere surrounding the globe that contains the sun, moon, stars and planets.

Cell [Skydiving] Square canopies are made up of pressurized cells, usually seven or nine. Each cell consists of a load bearing rib at each side to which the suspension lines are attached. A third, non-load-bearing rib runs down the middle of the cell. The cell is pressurized through the open mouth at the front and also through cross-ports in the ribs. Adjacent cells share load-bearing ribs.

Cellar [Poker] Bottom of the deck; usually preceded by from the. Usually refers to the move of a bottom dealer. "I saw him coming from the basement" means I saw him deal a card from the bottom of the deck.

Cellar Dealer [Poker] A cheat who deals cards from the bottom of the deck. Also sometimes called b-dealer, subway dealer, or cellar dealer.

Cells [Skydiving] The chambers in a ram-air parachute (Square), made up of two halves. They are delimited by two load-bearing ribs and are split in two by the non-load-bearing rib in between. Most Skydiving Canopies have either 9 or 7 Cells, but they may have as few as 5 or many more than 9 and a Cell may be split into more than 2 parts. A 9 Cell Canopy is generally a more efficient wing than a 7 Cell because it has more ribs and can be a better aerofoil, however because they have more ribs and therefore more fabric they do not pack as small.

Center [Ice Hockey] The player in the center of a team's forward line. He takes most of the faceoffs and often leads an attack by carrying the puck into the attacking zone, then shooting or passing to a teammate.

Center Circle [Basketball] A 12-foot circle in the center of the court with a 4-foot jumping circle in its center, where a jump ball is held to start a period.

Center Dealer [Poker] The House dealer.

Center Face-Off Circle [Ice Hockey] A circle, measuring 30 feet in diameter, at the center of the ice where the puck is dropped in a face-off to start the game and to restart the game after a goal has been scored.

Center Faceoff Spot [Ice Hockey] See center ice spot.

Center Field [Craps] Betting that the next roll will be the total sum of 9 (5&4)

Center Forward [Ice Hockey] Old name for the center.

Center High-Mounted Stop Light (Chmsl) [Motor Sports] NHTSA-required brake light mounted higher than the taillights, at the top center or bottom center of the rear windshield.

Center Ice [Ice Hockey] The area between the two blue lines, also called the neutral zone.