Poker Glossary: 100+ Terms Explained

By Alex Drummond, Editor-in-Chief · March 22, 2026

This glossary covers the poker terminology you will encounter at Ontario's regulated rooms. It includes standard poker language alongside Ontario-specific terms like ring-fenced pool, iGO, AGCO, and channelization. Bookmark this page and refer back whenever you hit an unfamiliar term.

A

AGCO

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. The provincial regulator responsible for overseeing all legal gambling in Ontario, including online poker.

All-In

Betting all of your remaining chips on a single hand. Once all-in, you cannot be forced out of the hand but can only win the portion of the pot you contributed to.

Ante

A forced bet required from all players before a hand begins. Common in tournament play, especially in later stages.

B

Backdoor

A draw that needs cards on both the turn and river to complete. A backdoor flush draw, for example, needs two more cards of the same suit.

Bad Beat

Losing a hand where you were a strong statistical favorite. Often used loosely but technically refers to situations where the losing player had 80% or higher equity.

Bankroll

The total amount of money a player has set aside for poker. Separate from personal finances and managed according to buy-in guidelines.

Big Blind

The larger of two forced bets posted before each hand. The big blind is typically equal to the minimum bet at the table.

Blinds

Forced bets posted by the two players to the left of the dealer button. The small blind is usually half the big blind.

Bluff

A bet or raise made with a weak hand, intended to make opponents fold stronger hands.

Board

The community cards dealt face-up in the center of the table. In Hold'em, the board consists of the flop (3 cards), turn (1 card), and river (1 card).

Button

The dealer position, marked by a circular disc. The most advantageous position at the table because you act last on every post-flop street.

Buy-in

The amount of money required to enter a cash game or tournament. In cash games, this is your starting stack. In tournaments, it includes the entry fee and any rake.

C

Call

Matching the current bet to stay in the hand without raising.

Cash Game

A poker game where chips represent real money and players can join or leave at any time. Also called a ring game.

Channelization

The percentage of total gambling activity that occurs on regulated, licensed platforms rather than offshore or illegal ones.

Check

Passing the action to the next player without betting when no bet has been made in the current round.

Check-Raise

Checking with the intention of raising after an opponent bets. A deceptive play that can build the pot or put pressure on opponents.

Chip Dumping

Deliberately losing chips to another player. Prohibited under AGCO regulations and grounds for account closure.

Cold Call

Calling a raise (or reraise) without having previously put money in the pot on that betting round.

Community Cards

Cards dealt face-up on the board that all players share. In Hold'em, five community cards are dealt across the flop, turn, and river.

Continuation Bet (C-Bet)

A bet made on the flop by the player who raised before the flop, continuing the aggression regardless of whether the flop helped their hand.

Cooler

A hand where two strong hands collide and the loser had no reasonable way to avoid losing a big pot. Unlike a bad beat, both players played their hands correctly.

Cutoff

The seat directly to the right of the button. The second-best position at the table.

D

Dealer

The player (or position) that deals the cards. In online poker, the dealer position is marked by the button and rotates each hand.

Donk Bet

A bet made out of position by a player who was not the aggressor on the previous street. Often considered a sign of inexperience but has legitimate strategic uses.

Double Up

Winning an all-in hand to roughly double your chip stack.

Draw

A hand that is not yet complete but could become strong with the right community cards. Common draws include flush draws (need one more suited card) and straight draws.

E

Early Position

The seats immediately to the left of the blinds. Players in early position act first and should play tighter ranges.

Equity

Your share of the pot based on your probability of winning the hand. If you have 40% equity in a $100 pot, your equity is $40.

Expected Value (EV)

The average amount you expect to win or lose on a decision over the long run. Positive EV decisions make money over time; negative EV decisions lose money.

F

Fast-Fold

An online poker format where you are moved to a new table with new opponents as soon as you fold. Called Rush & Cash (GGPoker), SNAP (888poker), Zoom (PokerStars), or FastForward (BetMGM).

Fish

Informal term for a weak or inexperienced player. Not used in polite conversation but common in poker literature.

Float

Calling a bet on one street with the intention of bluffing on a later street, usually when you have position.

Flop

The first three community cards dealt face-up at once after the first round of betting.

Flush

A hand consisting of five cards of the same suit. Ranks above a straight and below a full house.

Fold

Discarding your hand and forfeiting any claim to the current pot.

Freeroll

A tournament with no entry fee that awards real prizes. Most Ontario rooms offer regular freeroll schedules.

Full House

A hand consisting of three of a kind plus a pair. Also called a boat. Ranks above a flush and below four of a kind.

G

GTO

Game Theory Optimal. A strategy that cannot be exploited by any opponent. In practice, approximating GTO provides a solid baseline.

Gutshot

An inside straight draw needing one specific card rank to complete. For example, holding 5-7 on a 3-8-K board needs a 6. Also called a belly buster.

H

Heads-Up

A pot or game involving only two players.

HUD

Heads-Up Display. A software overlay that shows real-time statistics about opponents based on hand history. GGPoker offers a built-in Smart HUD on its Ontario platform.

I

iGO

iGaming Ontario. The provincial entity that conducts and manages the regulated online gaming market in Ontario. Operators must register with iGO to offer games legally.

Implied Odds

The ratio of the amount you expect to win on future streets to the amount you need to call now. Used to justify calling with draws when direct pot odds are not sufficient.

In Position

Acting after your opponent on a given street. Having position is a significant advantage because you have more information before making your decision.

ITM

In The Money. Reaching a payout position in a tournament.

J

Jackpot Sit-and-Go

A short-format tournament (usually 3 players) with a randomly determined prize pool. Called Spin & Gold (GGPoker), BLAST (888poker), Spins (BetMGM), or Spin & Go (PokerStars).

K

Kicker

The highest unpaired card in your hand used to break ties. If two players both have a pair of aces, the player with the higher kicker wins.

L

Late Position

The cutoff and button seats. Players in late position act last and can play wider ranges.

Limp

Calling the big blind instead of raising as the first player to enter the pot. Generally considered a weak play in no-limit games.

Loose

A playing style that involves entering many pots with a wide range of hands.

M

Middle Position

The seats between early and late position at a full table.

MTT

Multi-Table Tournament. A tournament with multiple tables that consolidate as players are eliminated, until one player remains.

Muck

To discard your hand without showing it. In online poker, mucked hands are not visible to opponents.

N

Nit

A very tight player who only plays premium hands. Nits are easy to exploit because their range is predictable.

No Limit

A betting structure where players can bet any amount up to their entire stack at any time. The most common format for Texas Hold'em.

Nuts

The best possible hand given the current board. Having the nuts means no one can beat you.

O

Offsuit

Two hole cards of different suits. Written with an 'o' suffix (e.g., AKo for ace-king offsuit).

Open

The first voluntary bet or raise in a round of betting. Opening from early position requires a stronger range than opening from the button.

Orbit

One complete rotation of the dealer button around the table. Each player has been in every position once during an orbit.

Outs

Cards remaining in the deck that would complete your draw or improve your hand to the likely winner.

Overcard

A card higher than any card on the board. If the board is 7-8-3 and you hold AK, both your cards are overcards.

Overpair

A pocket pair higher than any card on the board. Pocket kings on a Q-7-3 board is an overpair.

P

PLO

Pot Limit Omaha. A variant where players receive four hole cards and must use exactly two of them with three board cards. The betting is pot-limit.

Pocket Pair

Two hole cards of the same rank (e.g., two jacks).

Position

Where you sit relative to the dealer button. Later positions have more information and are therefore more advantageous.

Pot

The total amount of chips or money in the center of the table that players are competing to win.

Pot Limit

A betting structure where the maximum bet is the current size of the pot.

Pot Odds

The ratio of the current pot to the cost of a call. Used to determine whether calling is mathematically correct.

Preflop

The first betting round, before any community cards are dealt. Each player has only their two hole cards.

Probe Bet

A small bet made out of position when the previous street's aggressor checks. Used to win the pot cheaply or gain information.

Q

Quads

Four of a kind. Four cards of the same rank.

R

Rabbit Hunt

Seeing what the remaining community cards would have been after a hand ends early. Available as a feature on some online platforms.

Raise

Increasing the current bet, forcing other players to match the higher amount to stay in the hand.

Rake

The fee the poker room takes from each pot (in cash games) or the portion of the buy-in that goes to the operator (in tournaments). Regulated by AGCO in Ontario.

Range

The complete set of hands a player could hold in a given situation. Experienced players think in ranges rather than trying to guess exact hands.

Reg

Short for regular. A player who plays frequently at a particular stake or format and is generally skilled.

Ring-Fenced Pool

A player pool restricted to a single jurisdiction. Ontario currently operates ring-fenced pools, meaning you only play against other Ontario players.

River

The fifth and final community card dealt after the turn.

ROI

Return on Investment. In tournaments, the percentage profit above your buy-in over a sample of events.

Royal Flush

The highest possible poker hand: A-K-Q-J-T of the same suit.

Runner-Runner

Same as backdoor. Needing favorable cards on both the turn and river.

S

Satellite

A smaller tournament where the prize is entry into a larger, more expensive tournament.

Semi-Bluff

A bluff made with a hand that is currently behind but has outs to improve. For example, betting a flush draw on the flop.

Set

Three of a kind made with a pocket pair and one matching board card. Stronger than trips because it is hidden.

Showdown

The point at the end of a hand where remaining players reveal their cards to determine the winner.

Sit and Go (SNG)

A tournament that starts as soon as enough players register. No scheduled start time.

Slow Play

Playing a strong hand passively (checking or just calling) to disguise its strength and extract more value later.

Small Blind

The smaller of the two forced bets posted before each hand. Usually half the big blind.

Straddle

An optional blind bet, typically twice the big blind, posted before the cards are dealt. Not available in all Ontario rooms.

Straight

Five cards in sequential rank order (e.g., 5-6-7-8-9). Suits do not matter. Ranks above three of a kind and below a flush.

Straight Flush

Five cards in sequential rank order of the same suit. The second-highest hand ranking, below a royal flush.

String Bet

An illegal bet made in multiple motions without verbally declaring the amount. Enforced automatically in online poker.

Suited

Two hole cards of the same suit. Written with an 's' suffix (e.g., AKs for ace-king suited).

T

Tell

A behavior or pattern that gives away information about a player's hand. Less relevant in online poker but timing tells still apply.

Tight

A playing style that involves entering few pots and playing a narrow range of strong hands.

Tilt

Emotional or frustrated play that deviates from a player's normal strategy, usually after a bad beat or losing streak.

Top Pair

Pairing the highest card on the board with one of your hole cards.

Trips

Three of a kind made with one hole card and two matching board cards. Weaker than a set because opponents can also hold the same trips card.

Turn

The fourth community card, dealt after the flop betting round.

U

Under the Gun

The player immediately to the left of the big blind, who acts first preflop. The worst position at the table.

V

Value Bet

A bet made with a strong hand, intended to be called by weaker hands. The goal is to extract the maximum amount from opponents who will pay off.

Variance

The natural statistical swings in poker results over time. Even skilled players experience variance and must manage their bankroll accordingly.

Villain

The opponent in a hand. Used when analyzing or describing specific situations.

VPIP

Voluntarily Put money In Pot. A statistic showing the percentage of hands a player enters the pot with. A key HUD stat.

W

Wheel

The lowest possible straight: A-2-3-4-5.

Frequently Asked Questions