KEY TAKEAWAYS
Gambling is full of short forms, and many of them are used without explanation on betting boards, poker hand histories, table rules cards and industry reports. This reference defines 24 gambling acronyms and abbreviations, from RTP and EV to poker positions, sports betting records, blackjack table rules and the business and regulatory terms used by the industry. Each entry spells out the short form, gives a plain definition and an example of it in use, and notes where meanings or rules vary by game, venue or jurisdiction. The terms are grouped into four themes: game math and blackjack rules, poker abbreviations, sports betting abbreviations, and industry, regulation and racing. A quick-reference table near the end lists every abbreviation with its meaning in one line. The definitions are descriptive and do not recommend any way to play.
Game Math and Blackjack Rules
These abbreviations describe how games are built and a few rules that blackjack tables post on the felt.
RTP
Definition: Return to Player: the share of all money wagered on a game that it is designed to pay back to players over a very large number of plays.
Example: “The slot lists an RTP of 96%, so it is designed to return $96 for every $100 wagered over the long run.”
The house edge is 100% minus the RTP, so 96% RTP means a 4% edge. RTP describes the long run, not any single session.
EV
Definition: Expected value: the average amount a bet is expected to win or lose per unit staked if it were repeated many times.
Example: “A straight-up roulette bet on an American wheel has an EV of about -5.26% per $1.”
The figure comes from 35 ÷ 38 − 37 ÷ 38 = −2 ÷ 38 ≈ −0.0526. A negative EV means the player loses on average.
RNG
Definition: Random number generator: software or hardware that produces unpredictable results, used to decide outcomes in slots, electronic table games and online games.
Example: “The game uses an RNG to pick each spin result.”
In regulated markets, RNGs are generally tested to confirm that results are random. Some games use physical dice, cards or wheels instead.
DAS
Definition: Double after split: a blackjack rule that lets a player double down on a hand created by splitting a pair.
Example: “The table card says DAS, so doubling is allowed on split hands.”
Whether DAS is offered varies by table, and the rule is posted on the layout or the rules card.
S17
Definition: Stands on soft 17: a blackjack rule under which the dealer stops drawing on a total of 17 that includes an ace counted as 11.
Example: “The sign said dealer stands on all 17s, or S17.”
The opposite rule is H17. Both are shown in the posted table rules.
H17
Definition: Hits soft 17: a blackjack rule under which the dealer draws another card on a 17 that includes an ace counted as 11.
Example: “At an H17 table the dealer hit ace and six.”
H17 is generally more favorable to the house than S17, and the posted rules say which applies.
Poker Abbreviations
Poker players use short forms for positions, blinds and formats. These six come up constantly in hand histories and tournament listings.
ITM
Definition: In the money: finishing a tournament in a position that earns a prize.
Example: “She finished 12th of 150 and was ITM.”
The number of paid places varies by tournament and is announced before or during the event.
BB
Definition: Big blind: the larger of the forced bets posted before the cards are dealt, commonly twice the small blind. The term is also used as a unit to measure stack sizes and bets.
Example: “He had a stack of 100 BB.”
Blind levels and structures vary by game and venue.
SB
Definition: Small blind: the smaller of the forced bets posted before the cards are dealt, commonly half the big blind.
Example: “The SB posted $1 and the BB posted $2.”
Position and posting rules differ in heads-up play and in some house formats.
UTG
Definition: Under the gun: the player who acts first before the flop, seated just to the left of the big blind.
Example: “UTG raised and everyone else folded.”
After the flop, the first player to act is a different seat, so the term describes preflop action only.
BTN
Definition: Button: the dealer button position, which acts last on every betting round after the flop.
Example: “She was on the BTN and acted last.”
The button moves one seat clockwise after each hand.
NL
Definition: No-limit: a betting format in which a player may bet any amount up to the whole stack, subject to the minimum bet.
Example: “They played NL hold’em at the $1-$2 table.”
Other common formats are pot-limit and fixed-limit.
Sports Betting Abbreviations
Sports betting boards and betting records are full of short codes. These six are the most common.
ATS
Definition: Against the spread: a result or record judged by whether a team covered the point spread, not by whether it won.
Example: “The team is 9-4 ATS this season.”
A team can win the game and still lose against the spread.
SU
Definition: Straight up: a result or record judged by whether a team won the game outright, ignoring the spread.
Example: “They are 10-3 SU but only 7-6 ATS.”
It is the plain win-loss record of the team.
ML
Definition: Moneyline: a bet on which side wins the game outright, with no point spread.
Example: “He took the underdog on the ML at +160.”
Moneyline prices are usually written in American odds.
O/U
Definition: Over/under: a bet on whether the combined score will be above or below a posted total.
Example: “The O/U was 44.5 points.”
Also called the total. A whole-number total can end in a push.
PK
Definition: Pick’em: a game with no favorite, in which the point spread is zero.
Example: “The game was listed as PK.”
If a game listed as PK ends in a tie, the result depends on the rules of the market.
SGP
Definition: Same-game parlay: a parlay in which every leg comes from the same game.
Example: “He built an SGP from the spread and a player prop.”
Legs from one game are related, so prices are set differently from legs in separate games.
Industry, Regulation and Racing
The business side of gambling and horse racing also has its own short forms. They appear in annual reports, regulator tables and racing listings.
GGR
Definition: Gross gaming revenue: the amount wagered minus the winnings paid out to players, before taxes and costs.
Example: “Players wagered $1,000,000 and received $950,000, so GGR was $50,000.”
Definitions vary by jurisdiction and by company, so GGR figures from different sources may not be comparable.
NGR
Definition: Net gaming revenue: gross gaming revenue after deducting items such as bonuses, fees or taxes, depending on how a jurisdiction or company defines it.
Example: “The report listed NGR after bonus costs.”
Because the deductions differ, NGR and GGR are not interchangeable.
KYC
Definition: Know your customer: identity-verification checks that licensed gambling businesses complete when an account is opened or used.
Example: “The account needed KYC checks before a withdrawal.”
The exact documents required vary by jurisdiction.
AML
Definition: Anti-money laundering: the laws, rules and procedures meant to detect and prevent illegal funds from moving through gambling businesses.
Example: “The casino has AML rules for large cash transactions.”
The reporting thresholds differ between jurisdictions.
OTB
Definition: Off-track betting: wagering on horse races at a venue away from the track where the race is run.
Example: “He placed an OTB wager at a betting parlor.”
Availability and rules depend on the jurisdiction.
ADW
Definition: Advance deposit wagering: a form of horse racing wagering in which a bettor funds an account in advance and places bets remotely from it.
Example: “ADW is regulated separately from betting at the track.”
Whether ADW is allowed, and how, varies by jurisdiction.
Quick-Reference Table
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| RTP | Long-run share paid back |
| EV | Average result per bet |
| RNG | Random result generator |
| DAS | Doubling allowed on split hands |
| S17 | Dealer stands on soft 17 |
| H17 | Dealer hits soft 17 |
| ITM | Finishing in a paid place |
| BB | Larger forced bet or stack unit |
| SB | Smaller forced bet |
| UTG | First to act before the flop |
| BTN | Dealer position |
| NL | Bet up to the whole stack |
| ATS | Record versus the spread |
| SU | Plain win-loss record |
| ML | Bet on the outright winner |
| O/U | Over or under the total |
| PK | Spread of zero |
| SGP | Parlay within one game |
| GGR | Wagers minus winnings paid |
| NGR | GGR after deductions |
| KYC | Identity verification |
| AML | Rules against illicit funds |
| OTB | Race betting away from the track |
| ADW | Account-funded remote race betting |
Related Glossaries
Acronyms are shortcuts for fuller vocabulary. The money and odds terms behind them are covered in the gambling money terms glossary and the betting odds terms glossary. Table rules abbreviations connect to the blackjack terms glossary, poker abbreviations to the poker betting terms glossary, and sports betting codes to the types of sports bets glossary.
