Gambling Quotes
The Inveterate Gambler is always interested in gambling words of wisdom. Below you will find some of my favorite gambling quotes. Some are classic, some profound; some are just random musing. They come from celebrates, titular characters, or just everyday players.
WINNING IN THE CASINO
“Money won is twice as sweet as money earned.”
–Paul Newman as Fast Eddie Felson, The Color of Money
POKER
“Look around the table. If you don’t see a sucker, get up, because you are the sucker.”
–Amarillo Slim, Poker Player
GREED
“Nobody has ever bet enough on the winning horse.”
–Unknown
THE GAMBLER’S FALLACY
“Another mistaken notion connected with the law of large numbers is the idea that an event is more or less likely to occur because it has or has not happened recently. The idea that the odds of an event with a fixed probability increase or decrease depending on recent occurrences of the event are called the gambler’s fallacy. For example, if Kerrich landed, say, 44 heads in the first 100 tosses, the coin would not develop a bias towards the tails in order to catch up! That’s what is at the root of such ideas as “her luck has run out” and “He is due.” That does not happen. For what it’s worth, a good streak doesn’t jinx you, and a bad one, unfortunately, does not mean better luck is in store.”
–Leonard Mlodinow, The Drunkard’s Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives
BASIC TRUTH OF CASINO GAMBLING
“Gambling is a fun way to spend money.”
–The Inveterate Gambler
Be sure to also check out: Five Entertaining Gambling Films That You Probably Haven’t Seen
SECRET CASINO GAMES – Another Layer of Gambling
LEAVING WHILE YOU ARE AHEAD
“I gamble with one foot pointing towards the door.”
–#1 Gambling Author Frank Scoblete
CRAPS
(As the craps shooter 7s out) “Arrrg…I was just going to take my bets down.”
–A player at every craps table, everywhere, everyday.
LOSING IN THE CASINO
“Sure you may win on some trips. You may win five, six or seven trips in a row. But eventually, you will get wiped out. Remember, a losing streak is far more deadly than a winning streak is benevolent. And that’s all you have to know about gambling in Vegas.”
–Mario Puzo author of The Godfather.
THE END RESULT OF PAI GOW POKER
“Does anyone ever really win at Pai Gow Poker?”
—Bethany Walsh, Senior Editor, Miles To Memories, at Gamblepalozza 2018.
CORPORATE LAS VEGAS
“In the old days, dealers knew your name, what you drank, what you played – today it’s like checking into an airport. And if you order room service, you’re lucky if you get it by Thursday.”
–Sam Rothstein in Casino
LUCK
“The only sure thing about luck is that it will change.”
–Bret Harte, author and poet.
BEING LUCKY
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
–Roman philosopher Seneca (Oft Quoted by internet gambling personality “Cousin Vito”)
FUN AT THE CRAPS TABLE
“One day, as the dice are pushed to me for a come-out roll. I want to pick up all five, toss them down the table and yell out, “Yahtzee!”
–Eric Rosenthal, Podcaster and recreational gambling personality, at ZorkFest 2018
ACCEPTING A LOSS
“He beat me… straight up. Pay him…. Pay that man his money.”
–John Malkovich as Teddy KGB in Rounders
THE ATTRACTION TO VICE
“Gambling is pretty much like liquor, you can make it illegal, but you can’t make it unpopular.”
–Unknown
GAMBLING MANIA
“Bet, Bet, B… B… B… B… B… Bet!
–Fred Flintstone, Rock quarry dinosaur operator, and problem gambler.
KNOWING WHEN TO GO
“Quit while you’re ahead. All the best gamblers do.”
–Baltasar Gracian Y Morales, “The Art of Worldly Wisdom.”
EXISTENTIALISM
“What is life if not a gamble.”
–F.E. Higgins, author, in the Black Book of Secrets
FINANCIAL DECISIONS
“Part of it went on gambling, and part of it went on women. The rest I spent foolishly.”
–George Raft, Actor of the 1930’s and 1940’s
CREATING THE CASINO EXPERIENCE
Casino gambling is colorful and dramatic and theatrical.
–Steve Wynn, Casino Visionary
RECREATIONAL GAMBLING
“I want people to understand; gambling is not a bad thing if you do it within the framework of what it’s meant to be, which is fun and entertaining.”
–Michael Jordan, Basketball legend and casino enthusiast.
THE MIND OF THE RECREATIONAL GAMBLER
“I hope to break even today, I really need the money”
–Unknown Poker Player
Note: This article was updated in January 2021.
Image Credit: Unsplash
