10 Gambling Sayings and Idioms Used by Everyone

gambling_idioms_and_sayings image
Idioms. Image Credit: Shutterstock

Wagering vocabulary is peppered with unique sayings and idioms related to gambling that have become part of our everyday vocabulary over the centuries.

Gambling has been around for centuries and has, over time, led to the formation of unique gambling idioms and sayings. Some of these concepts, phrases, and terms have taken a life of their own, even becoming popular outside the gambling scene through relevancy in our day-to-day life and circumstances.

Top 10 Gambling Idioms and Sayings

Here is the list of some of the most popular idioms related to gambling:

1. All Bets Are Off

An event whose outcome depends on shifting circumstances. For example, if you agree with someone on who the most likely winner might be, but you place a condition on the agreement, it means that if the stated condition occurs, all bets relating to the deal will be off.

2. Poker Face

This term is commonly used in poker and refers to a blank expression on a player’s face that in no way reveals their genuine emotions or standing. It’s used as a ploy in face-to-face games where manipulating your opponent could mean the difference between winning or losing.

3. Call a Spade a Spade

When you call a spade a spade, you speak frankly and without pretence. If we used this phrase in a sentence, it might look like this: “Let’s call a spade a spade: Verstappen is not as good a driver as Hamilton”.

4. Sweeten the Pot

To sweeten the pot means to take things to the next level and make the incentive more gratifying for all players should anyone be lucky enough to win. Casinos sweeten the pool when they increase progressive jackpots, offer more significant bonuses, or introduce new promos.

5. Make Bets in a Burning House

This is when you bet on a positive outcome despite the circumstances around you stating otherwise. For example, it’s not wise to double down in blackjack when your hand is weak unless it forms part of your strategy. Another example would be making live bets on a losing team when there’s limited time left in a game or no apparent chance for them to swing their fortune.

6. Luck of Draw

This wagering idiom refers to a situation where the outcome relies entirely on chance or luck and where things could go either way. Games like lottery and slots can be described as the luck of the draw.

7. All the Marbles

All the marbles refers to an entire pot, prize, reward, gain, payout, or win at the end of a round, game, or event. For example, a game ended in a tie between teams A and B, but the referee threw in some penalty kicks for a chance at all the marbles.

8. Having an Ace Up One’s Sleeve

Having an ace up one’s sleeve can be interpreted as having a card up one’s sleeve to make it more relatable to gambling. It means having a secret advantage or strength on the backburner that nobody is aware of.

9. Let Chips Fall Where They May

This wagering idiom means that you should try not to control the outcome of various events but instead relax and let fate take its course. For most of us, this idiom is easier said than done.

10. Stack the Deck

When you stack the deck, you’re playing a ruthless game. It refers to manipulating or arranging a game so that other players don’t win or triumph with what they are trying to achieve.

Gambling idioms and sayings have become commonplace in our daily communication through their professional use. Even though their gambling origin is clear, these idioms are used today to express various unrelated circumstances. And the list does not stop with those mentioned above.

Picture of Bojan Lipovic - Digital Project Manager

Bojan Lipovic - Digital Project Manager

Besides polishing his SEO skills, Bojan has a penchant for creative writing. With over half a decade of experience in the online gambling industry under his belt, his written take on the latest news from the Canadian and global gambling industries is an indispensable source of information for the CASINOenquirer team. Bojan’s primary goal is to ensure that players get a superior experience through the top-notch content that he shares.