Here’s the Correct Way to Pronounce Balatro (You’ve Probably Been Getting It Slightly Wrong)

The folks working on Balatro have let us know how to properly pronounce the game’s title, even though there’s no real “wrong” way to do so.

According to Game File, publisher PlayStack’s head of video marketing Naman Budhwar said, “‘BAH-luh-trow’ is how local folks say it, but it’s kind of a ‘gif’ and ‘jif’ situation where [LocalThunk] doesn’t really mind how people say it.” Anyone can pronounce the word how they want, including variations like “Buh-LAH-trow” and “BAY-lah-trow.”

Balatro recently go its fourth Friends of Jimbo pack, which includes collaborations with Dead By Daylight and Assassin’s Creed. Past Friends of Jimbo packs included crossovers with games like Cyberpunk 2077, Warframe, and Stardew Valley.

Last month, Balatro had its European classification changed from PEGI 18 to PEGI 12 due to an appeal from the game’s regional publisher, Sold Out Sales & Marketing. PEGI concluded that even though Balatro taught poker hands, its more fantastical and mystical elements mitigated the gambling-gameplay aspects.

Balatro is one of GameSpot’s best games of 2024, and it has received numerous awards and nominations at shows like the 2025 DICE Awards, New York Game Awards 2025, and The Game Awards 2024. It also recently won the coveted Game of the Year category at the Game Developers Choice Awards.