The words behind casino math and provably fair, one clear explanation at a time.
A
Auto-betAuto-bet places many bets automatically with stop rules for profit, loss or a target multiplier.
B
Binomial distributionWhy Plinko balls land in the middle: the binomial distribution explained with a 16-row example, the formula C(n,k)/2ⁿ and what it means for payouts.
C
Casino originalsCasino originals are in-house games built by crypto casinos - Plinko, Dice, Limbo, Mines, Crash - usually provably fair with low house edges.
Client seedThe client seed is your input into every provably fair result.
D
DrawdownDrawdown is how far your bankroll falls from its highest point.
E
Edge slotEdge slots are Plinko's leftmost and rightmost slots: the rarest landing spots and usually the biggest multipliers.
Expected valueExpected value is the average result of a bet over many tries.
HMACHMAC mixes a secret key with a message into one hash.
M
MartingaleMartingale doubles your bet after every loss.
Median vs meanWhy the median session result is usually below the average in casino games, how a few big wins distort the mean, and which number to trust.
MultiplierA multiplier is what an outcome pays relative to your bet.
N
NonceThe nonce is a counter that goes up by one with every bet, so the same seeds give a new result each time.
R
Risk of ruinRisk of ruin is the chance your bankroll hits zero before you stop.
RTPRTP is the share of all bets a game pays back over the long run.
S
Seed rotationSeed rotation replaces your active seed pair and reveals the old server seed, so you can verify past bets.
Server seedThe server seed is the casino's secret random value behind every result.
V
VarianceVariance measures how widely results spread around the average.
Full guides
Provably fairProvably fair in plain words: server seed, client seed, nonce and hash.
House edgeThe house edge in plain words: how it relates to RTP, how to calculate expected loss, and why no betting system can get around it.
Risk levelWhat Low, Medium and High risk really change in Plinko: the same ball, different payout tables.
How casino maths and provably fair terms fit together
This glossary connects the words used in the tools to the questions they answer. Some terms describe a probability model, some describe a session, and others describe the evidence needed to reproduce a result. Reading them as separate groups helps avoid treating an average return as a promise or a cryptographic check as a way to win.
Each term has a short explanation and links to fuller context. Use the alphabetical list to find a word you encountered in a result panel, then return to the matching guide or tool. You do not need to learn every technical term before you can understand a payout table.
Probability, multipliers and expected returns
A probability describes how often an event occurs under a model. A multiplier describes the total return if that event occurs. Expected value combines the possible net outcomes with their probabilities. RTP describes the weighted total return, and the house edge is the difference between that return and the original stake, expressed proportionally.
The house edge guide develops that distinction, and the Plinko calculator shows it for a selected table. A 1× payout returns the stake; it is not a net profit equal to the stake. Small misunderstandings in that wording can lead to large errors when comparing games.
Terms that answer different questions
Distinction
First question
Second question
Probability versus payout
How likely is the outcome?
What does the outcome return?
RTP versus session balance
What is the model’s expected return?
What happened in this finite session?
Server seed versus its hash
What secret input generates the result?
What commitment can be recorded before disclosure?
Replay evidence versus operator safety
Do these inputs reproduce a round?
Are accounts, withdrawals and legal access reliable?
Session results and bankroll risk
Variance describes dispersion, while drawdown measures a fall from an earlier balance peak. The mean includes every result in the sample; the median identifies its middle. A distribution with rare large payouts can make those summaries quite different, which is why a single average does not describe every session.
Risk of ruin depends on a stopping rule as well as the payout distribution. In the simulator, a session stops when its balance cannot fund the next fixed bet. That can happen with a positive balance remaining. Read the result's definition before interpreting ruin as an exact zero balance.
Seeds, hashes and evidence labels
A server seed is a secret input until it is disclosed. Its hash is a commitment to that input, not a replacement for it. A client seed contributes another input, and a nonce distinguishes bets using the same seed pair. HMAC and other conversion steps transform those values according to the operator's algorithm.
Verified and Reference describe our adapter evidence and supported scope. They are not cryptographic primitives or casino certifications. Read provably fair explained, then choose a verifier to see how the terms apply to a real check.
FAQ
Are RTP and the chance of winning the same thing?
No. RTP is the probability-weighted return per unit wagered. A chance of winning depends on how a win is defined, such as a payout above the stake or a chosen target.
Where can I see these terms used in practice?
Follow the links from a definition to its guide, then inspect the relevant tool or verifier.