Common Gambling Idioms and their Meanings
When you think about it, the casino industry has idioms and phrases outsiders find difficult to understand. You might have heard some of these sayings in songs like the Gambler by Kenny Rodgers.
Perhaps you heard a friend mention a gambling-related phrase. But you couldn’t figure out what she meant. In this article, we’ll breakdown the meaning behind common gambling idioms. Let’s dive right in.
#1: All Bets are Off
This phrase means a bet is difficult to predict due to a change in circumstances. Let’s say you had planned to bet on the US winning the Olympics basketball competitions because of the team’s tremendous success at the event.
After learning all the big-name NBA players won’t be playing in the Olympics, you could decide to cancel your bets. You could also use the phrase if the team loses their first few matches to seemingly better opponents.
Example in a Sentence: after watching the US lose three consecutive games at the ongoing Olympics games, we might have a new champion. All bets are off on the US winning the event this year.
#2: Top of the Shop
Top of the Shelf is a bingo phrase commonly used in the US and Canada. When a caller calls out this phrase, they’re usually referring to the number 90. It’s the highest number in the shelf. The shelf refers to the entire game of bingo.
Although this phrase is mostly popular in 90-ball bingo, it is also used in other variations of the game. It is a popular phrase anyways. And you don’t need to be a bingo player to understand what it means. That said, top of the shelf is an important phrase to know if you’re thinking about playing bingo.
Online gambling is now legal in some parts of the US and Canada. This makes it easier to find bingo sites. It also makes it safer to play on online platforms using your smartphone or desktop computer.
#3: Hit the Jackpot
In gambling, hitting the jackpot means winning a lump sum amount of money. You could be playing a slot machine and win $1,000,000. Outside of Las Vegas, to hit the jackpot is to be extremely lucky at something.
For example, you just meet an old friend with the prettiest girl you’ve ever seen. You could say,
“Mike has a really beautiful girlfriend. He hit the jackpot on that one.”
#4: In the Cards
If something is in the cards, it is predicted to happen. The phrase originated from tarot card practitioners more than two centuries ago. For the uninitiated, tarot cards attempt to predict your future.
Depending on who you ask, tarot cards can help you lead a better life. Or they might not—because they don’t work.
Tarot cards aside, In the Cards is a largely popular phrase used by card players in the English-speaking world. Someone could ask you if you have a certain hand, and you could say it is in the cards.
Example in a sentence: “You’ve already won 5 out of 7 games in your parlay tonight. A huge win is in the cards for you tonight.”
#5: Play Your Cards Right
When someone asks you to play your cards right, they’re hoping for the best in you. They want you to play smartly so that you can win. To play your cards right means to make decisions that will give you the best possible result in a situation.
Example in a sentence: Donald Trump has been pulling very large crowds in his recent events. He could win the next election if he plays his cards right.
#6: Put Your Money where your Mouth is
This popular phrase originated from sports bettors. It means to back your words with a real money bet. Let’s say a friend believes Novak Djokovic can’t beat Daniel Medvedev in an upcoming Grand Slam final.
You could ask him to put his money where his mouth is and place a bet on the Russian to win.
#7: Cards are stacked against someone
In poker, blackjack and baccarat, you have to play with the cards dealt to you. If you have terrible cards, you can say the cards are stacked against you. In other words, the cards are so weak that you have no chance of winning.
In everyday situations, the phrase applies when you have a series of unfortunate incidents.
Example in a sentence: “”Jim just got into an accident, a few months after battling pneumonia. The cards of good health seems to be stacked against him this year.”
#8: Up the Ante
Put simply, this idiom means to increase the bet in a casino game or sports bet. It can also mean to increase a risk during a negotiation or business deal. For example, if you’re trying to win an important contract, you could up the ante by improving on your bid.
Example in a sentence: “The best way to scare your opponents into folding their cards during poker is to up the ante by going all in.”
#9: Bet the farm
Betting the farm is an old American idiom for betting all your assets. It originated in the early 19th century, back when people used to wager their assets at illegal gambling dens.
Betting the farm is nowadays used to warn people against taking huge risks. You could also use the phrase to show your support for someone or something.
Example in a sentence: “Amanda bet the farm on her younger sister winning next year’s season of America’s Got Talent. She really believes in her.
#10: Break the Bank
When someone says they’re about to break the bank, it doesn’t mean they’re about to rob one. It simply means they’re about to make a financial mistake. The phrase originated in Las Vegas.
People spend more money at the casinos than they should. Some of them break the bank and go broke after losing it. That’s why it’s important to budget your money whenever you plan to play a few casino games or make a big online purchase at.
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