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Gambling Quotes – Famous Sayings In Film And Fiction

They say that gambling is almost as old as time itself. With luck playing such a major role in the turn of a card or spin of the dice, then many authors, poets and singers have used gambling as a metaphor for life. After all, there is risk in many day-to-day activities. And none of us knows when we will shuffle off this mortal coil. So, whilst we wait, we can amuse ourselves with famous gambling quotes to help us feel better about ourselves and our recognition that life itself is but a game.

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Famous Gambling Quotes

It’s a fact that gambling and casino games are popular pastimes. So it’s no surprise there are so many famous quotes about luck and gambling in general. Whether you’re watching a movie, or are an avid reader of fiction, you can always find a reference to games of chance. Since the beginning of time, some forms of gambling have been a popular activity all over the world. And with so many of the jackpot games relying on luck, then it’s no surprise that games the chance have inspired so many poems, song lyrics, stories, and quotations. Whether it’s jackpot poker, roulette or blackjack, all these games rely on the element of luck. Today, we thought we’d bring some famous gambling quotes together. Along with a little information about their origins.

Fictional Famous Gambling Quotes

With gambling having the evergreen themes of luck and chance, then the games make it a great metaphor for life itself. And that’s why you find so many quotes in works of fiction that deal with gambling.

“Life is not always a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand well.” – Jack London, American Novelist.

It’s not just the saying and quotes about people, but also locations can act as a background to illustrate gambling in fiction. For example, Las Vegas has been commonly used for many books such as the stories by Hunter S Thompson and Chuck Palahniuk. Many of their tales are set in the casinos of Sin City. Also, Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “The Gambler” and Ian Fleming’s James Bond in his first movie “Casino Royale”, both feature casinos as an essential part of the storyline.

More Gambling Quotations From Fiction

“Bond didn’t defend the practice. He simply maintained that the more effort and ingenuity you put into gambling, the more you took out.” – Ian Fleming, Casino Royale

One of the oldest casinos in the world. Kurhaus Casino Baden-Baden is the setting for Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel, “The Gambler.”

“Is it really not possible to touch the gaming table without being instantly infected by superstition?” – Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

Many scholars view Mark Twain as the father of American fiction. Interestingly enough he was also a fine poker player as well as a fine writer. To that end, it’s no surprise that he would often bring up gambling in his novels, often mixing them with his own sense of humour.

“Baccarat is a game whereby the croupier gathers in money with a flexible sculling oar, then rakes it home. If I could have borrowed his oar I would have stayed.” – Mark Twain

More Contemporary Authors

Let’s move up to today’s contemporary literature scene. Here you’ll find many novels utilising both gambling and casinos as the very foundation of their writing. For example, the first novel after the success of “Fight Club” for Chuck Palahniuk, was “Invisible Monsters.” This late 90s novel centres around the casinos of Las Vegas. It has some knock-out quotes in it.

“Las Vegas looks the way you’d imagine heaven looks like at night” – Chuck Palahniuk, Invisible Monsters

When talking about gambling and literature, we need to bring up Hunter S Thompson’s classic novel “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.” The casino that is featured in the novel is Circus Circus, and that’s where the action takes place in the 1960s.

“The Circus-Circus is what the whole hep world would be doing Saturday night if the Nazis had won the war. This is the sixth Reich. The ground floor is full of gambling tables, like all the other casinos . . .but the place is about four stories high, in the style of a circus tent, and all manner of strange County-Fair/Polish Carnival madness is going on up in this space.” – Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

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Silver Screen Gambling Quotes

It’s no surprise that gambling has inspired so many great movies. Probably one of the most recognisable casino characters is James bond. In fact, we would consider him probably the most often quoted fictional gambler.

Another great performer was Frank Sinatra. He gave it his all in the 1957 musical drama “The Joker is Wild.” Here he plays a nightclub singer who turns to the gambling tables after losing his voice thanks to an attack by mob henchmen.

“Las Vegas is the only place I know where money really talks – It says, Goodbye.” – Frank Sinatra, The Joker Is Wild

The Martin Scorsese movie, “The Colour of Money” came out in 1986. It stars Paul Newman and Tom Cruise as a couple of pool sharks and dead-beat hustlers.

“A dollar won is twice as sweet as a dollar earned.” – Paul Newman, The Color of Money

Songs With Famous Gambling Quotes

Maybe it’s the ups and downs that go with songwriting and performing that makes gambling such a great subject matter for songwriters everywhere. Many use casino games you see at online casinos like Bodog Casino, which can easily be a metaphor for life. Particularly in Country and Western music, you’ll find many songs about professional gamblers and their struggles in Las Vegas.

“You’ve got to play your hand. Sometimes your cards ain’t worth a dime if you don’t lay’em down.” – The Grateful Dead, Truckin’

One of the finest songwriters of his generation was Bob Dylan. He tells the story of a professional card player in the song “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Willie.’

“Come around you rovin’ gamblers and a story I will tell. About the greatest gambler, you all should know him well. His name was Will Conley and he gambled all his life. He had twenty-seven children, yet he never had a wife… He won a fortune from a man who folded his chair. The man, he left a diamond flush, Willie didn’t even have a pair.” – Bob Dylan, Ramblin’, Gamblin’ Willie

Elvis Presley And His Love Of Vegas

If you’ve ever played the popular Elvis slots, then you’ll probably know that Elvis Presley is the performer most synonymous with the City That Never Sleeps. To understand his popularity just consider that he sold out 837 consecutive shows in the city. In 1963 he sang “Viva Las Vegas” as a homage to his favourite town.

“Oh there’s blackjack and poker and the roulette wheel. A fortune won and lost on every deal”. – Elvis, Viva Las Vegas

It could be said that life itself is a bit of a gamble. And like casino games played at Bodog Casino, if played on a day-to-day basis, then you’re not going to win every hand. Maybe you’ll never win the jackpot online. Nevertheless, if you want a big payout or reward, then just as with life, you’re going to have to take a bigger risk. It’s the only way to increase your jackpot winning chances. If you listen to the songs, watch the movies, and read the books about gambling and gamblers, then you’ll see they’re constantly reiterating this point. Or just play a few rounds of your favourite game at Bodog Casino. Only then will you have a better understanding. You’ll know the angst, elation and sense of achievement that comes from taking a risk.