Each side has a symbol, a letter in the Hebrew alphabet. Nun which stands for nothing, which means you don't lose or win anything. Gimmel which stands for everything, which means you take everything in the current betting pool. Hey which stands for half, which means you take half of the current betting pool. And shin which stands for putting something in, which means you add to the betting pool.

[They set their own dreidel on the table, ignoring the dust, turning it idly without actually spinning it.]

Mostly no one here is playing it with a betting pool. Just whoever gets the better symbol wins the spin, and gets the prize, and whoever gets the lesser symbol gets a consequence.