Everyday Terms That Had Their Origins in Gambling

Once anyone learning English has got to grips with the phonics, sentence structure, and variation of accents, they have one last hurdle to overcome. This is the use of our unique sayings and phrases. These can often be very confusing, with some that are universal and others that are more local. Perhaps because of the nature of table games, gambling has provided the English language with a wide selection of idioms, which we discuss below. 

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner 

The term “Winner, winner, chicken dinner” is applied whenever someone has a bout of luck or good fortune. Its exact origin is often disputed. However, many believe it has come from the casino floor. It is also probably older than many people realize.  

One theory is that chicken dinners used to cost $2 at Las Vegas casinos, which was about the same price as a bet. When you won, you would then exclaim “Winner, winner, chicken dinner” to show you were off to the dining hall with your money.  However, author David Guzman believes it comes from the depression era in America. Those in gambling houses would bet whatever they had to get a meal, thus the phrase. This term had a resurgence in its use during the late noughties when it was seen in the 2008 movie 21.   

Double Down 

When you double down on a task, you become more resolute in its completion. This means you focus on something, doing it with more intent and determination. For example, you may double down on renovating the house in the next year, or double down on a campaign at work that has a looming deadline. 

This term is well known to come from the blackjack table. Here, you can double your bet if you feel it is strong enough and take another card. This can increase the potential winnings if you have good cards. This strategy is one of the first blackjack players learn. Learning these strategies and tricks is much easier with the prevalence of online no deposit bonus casino operators, as newcomers are able to try out these techniques and learn the game without needing to make a deposit. This has seen an increase in the popularity of blackjack, with the term 'double down' now trickling into general conversation due to its abundance of new online players. 

Down to the Wire

This term is one of the few that does not have its origins in casino gambling, but sport. Down to the wire is actually from horse racing. In the past, a thin wire would be stretched across the winning post. The first horse to cross would break it, and if two were in very close contention it was known to have gone down to the wire.  

With new online casino games arriving every day, there will surely be more of these types of idioms surfacing. It is these terms that keep the language alive and fresh, and though they are often used in slang or informal conversation, they are vital to its evolution.