Gambling has a long tradition, and not surprisingly, numerous idioms rooted in gambling have found their way into everyday speech. Anyone who enjoys visiting casinos or online casinos, such as using free spins with no deposit, is probably familiar with this or that saying. If you prefer to read books about Marrakech instead, you may not be familiar with the origin of some idioms. If you still have a few gaps in your knowledge, you can find out here what wisdom actually came from the casino.
Sayings That Apply to Life as Well
One of the most famous phrases that can still be heard in casinos and that people also like to use in everyday life is the comment, “Nothing works anymore.” In casinos, this saying can be heard at the roulette table when all the players have placed their bets, and the ball in the roulette wheel has come into motion. If the croupier utters these words, no more bets can be placed or changed. Outside the casino, this idiom is mostly used to make it clear that something has been decided, and now the next move depends on luck.
Another casino wisdom says, “You risk nothing, you win nothing.” This idiom also comes from the field of gambling and refers to a situation where a player was able to win big with a small bet. It means that by not trying to gamble and bet, you can’t win either.
The passion of gamblers has been perpetuated in the saying “all or nothing,” which indicates that the player only matters for the big jackpot or that it is either all or nothing. In everyday life, this saying is interpreted to mean that you can only achieve something with great personal commitment.
Luck (or Bad Luck) in the Casino and in Life
The saying “The bank always wins” refers to casino strategy and its benefits. In a sense, it serves as a warning against excessive gambling, because the real winner is always the casino, not the player. Of course, there are always exceptions. Another sign of responsible gambling is the saying, “Only those who lose have problems.” From this, it is clear that successful players are admired, and losers are condemned as gamblers.
Another warning against gambling includes the wisdom that “gamblers never win, and winners never gamble.” In addition to the general warning against gambling, it also indicates that only a player who completes a game immediately after success can be a winner.
If one opposes something, one often speaks of “getting up.” This is essentially a gambling strategy that some casino enthusiasts use. If you leave your bet with the proceeds and hope for a second win, you will hold out.
Losers and Winners
Happy or unhappy situations are sometimes commented on with the words “Luck goes with fools.” The implication is that smart people avoid casino games so that stupid people can profit from gambling. The phrase “Lucky in the game, unlucky in love” is also about losers and winners. In a figurative sense, the saying is meant to indicate that despite setbacks, something else can succeed. But it may also be a sharp saying that the loser utters to the winner.
In everyday life, too, one often hears that someone “plays trumps.” The origin of the card game is clearly seen here. So someone who plays the trump card in real life is also someone who makes a decisive argument in a discussion, for example.
Of similar importance is the observation when someone has an “ace up their sleeve.” That person has a good chance of winning, but it should be kept in mind that it could also be a case of fraud, i.e., deception. This is also the source of the “framed game” comment. It is also an unfair situation and an illegal way for someone to get what they want.
When you say that someone “raises the stakes,” they become more involved in a particular cause that is probably also very important to them. You also sometimes hear about “poker face.” This designation alludes to a confident poker player who plays without emotion and thus gives other players no indication of what his cards look like.
In everyday life, a person who says nothing about something is often called a “poker face.” Other names for people might be “Joker,” or in English, “Wild Card.” Because the joker can replace all other cards, it is feared not only in card games but also in everyday life, because a person who is called a joker or joker is also considered unpredictable.
