# Quotes about gambling - Quotes: 24 - Authors: 18 - Broader topic: [Quotes about money](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/money.md) - Topic page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling - JSON version (same data): https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.json ## Quotes > Her shoulders were tight. She felt like they were in the moment between throwing dice and seeing what numbers had come up. The gambler’s high. She didn’t like how much she liked it. [James S. A. Corey](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-s-a-corey.md) · [Persepolis Rising](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-s-a-corey/persepolis-rising.md) · p. 124 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-s-a-corey/persepolis-rising/her-shoulders-were.md) Topics: [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > Gambling is not a vice, if you can afford to do it. [Hilary Mantel](https://www.leafyquotes.com/hilary-mantel.md) · [Wolf Hall](https://www.leafyquotes.com/hilary-mantel/wolf-hall.md) · p. 376 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/hilary-mantel/wolf-hall/gambling-is-not.md) Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > It was hardly fair to his opponents, but I have never had much sympathy for the victims of gambling sharks. If they were not trying to get something for nothing, they would not expose themselves to being taken. [L. Sprague deCamp](https://www.leafyquotes.com/l-sprague-decamp.md) · [The Purple Pterodactyls](https://www.leafyquotes.com/l-sprague-decamp/the-purple-pterodactyls.md) · p. 216 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/l-sprague-decamp/the-purple-pterodactyls/it-was-hardly.md) Topics: [greed](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/greed.md), [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > There is a degree of odds against which a gambler becomes just another mug. [John Wyndham](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-wyndham.md) · [Plan for Chaos](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-wyndham/plan-for-chaos.md) · p. 84 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-wyndham/plan-for-chaos/there-is-a-degree.md) Topics: [risk](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/risk.md), [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > He remembered his dismay at finding himself committed to a hand of cards without having honestly looked at the stakes, fourteen years ago. Had he been doing it again? But if the stakes were too frightening to consider, and the game was already lost, what value could there be in clear comprehension? [Tim Powers](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tim-powers.md) · [Declare](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tim-powers/declare.md) · p. 496 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tim-powers/declare/he-remembered-his.md) Topics: [choices](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/choices.md), [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > Gambling was the place where statistics and profound human consequences met most nakedly, after all, and cards, even more than dice or the numbers on a roulette wheel, seemed able to define and perhaps even dictate a player’s...luck. [Tim Powers](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tim-powers.md) · [Last Call](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tim-powers/last-call.md) · p. 79 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tim-powers/last-call/gambling-was-the.md) Topics: [fate](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/fate.md), [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > There's a game out there, and the stakes are high. And the guy who runs it figures the averages all day long and all night long. Once in a while he lets you steal a pot. But if you stay in the game long enough, you've got to lose. And once you've lost there's no way back, no way at all. [Dalton Trumbo](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dalton-trumbo.md) · [Johnny Got His Gun](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dalton-trumbo/johnny-got-his-gun.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dalton-trumbo/johnny-got-his-gun/theres-a-game.md) Topics: [fate](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/fate.md), [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > The demon of drink was as black as the demon of play, and nearly as hard to get rid of — especially as his kind friends did all they could to second the promptings of his own insatiable cravings. [Anne Brontë](https://www.leafyquotes.com/anne-bronte.md) · [The Tenant of Wildfell Hall](https://www.leafyquotes.com/anne-bronte/the-tenant-of-wildfell-hall.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/anne-bronte/the-tenant-of-wildfell-hall/the-demon-of-drink.md) Topics: [alcohol](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/alcohol.md), [addiction](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/addiction-2.md), [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > “Want to bet on it?” > > “Thank you, no. I believe gambling to be a pastime for the weak-minded.” [Iain M. Banks](https://www.leafyquotes.com/iain-m-banks.md) · [Feersum Endjinn](https://www.leafyquotes.com/iain-m-banks/feersum-endjinn.md) · p. 171 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/iain-m-banks/feersum-endjinn/want-to-bet.md) Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > There comes a point when the confused or abused person hears a voice saying in his head, Oh well, might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb, and, depending on the particular situation in which he finds him he either spends his last bit of money on a lottery ticket, or places on the gaming table the watch he inherited from his father and silver cigarette case that was a gift from his mother, or bets everything he has on red even though he knows that red has come up five times in a row, [José Saramago](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jose-saramago.md) · [The Cave](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jose-saramago/the-cave.md) · p. 14 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jose-saramago/the-cave/there-comes-a-point.md) Topics: [risk](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/risk.md), [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > “And if you don’t bet, how do you expect to win?” > > Hamnet Thyssen didn’t look at things that way. To him, not betting meant you couldn’t lose. He hadn’t even thought of winning. [Harry Turtledove](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harry-turtledove.md) · [Beyond the Gap](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harry-turtledove/beyond-the-gap.md) · p. 181 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harry-turtledove/beyond-the-gap/and-if-you.md) Topics: [risk](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/risk.md), [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > In a poker game, you were either a shark or you were bait. [Harry Turtledove](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harry-turtledove.md) · [Settling Accounts: Drive to the East](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harry-turtledove/settling-accounts-drive-to-the-east.md) · p. 15 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harry-turtledove/settling-accounts-drive-to-the-east/in-a-poker.md) Topics: [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > Because he didn’t much care whether he won or lost, he had a terrific poker face. “Nobody can tell what you’re thinking,” one of the other guys in the game grumbled. > > “Me? I gave up thinking for Lent,” Chester said. Everybody sitting around the table laughed. [Harry Turtledove](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harry-turtledove.md) · [Settling Accounts: Drive to the East](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harry-turtledove/settling-accounts-drive-to-the-east.md) · p. 260 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harry-turtledove/settling-accounts-drive-to-the-east/because-he-didnt.md) Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > Gambling is a kind of tax: a tax on stupidity. A tax on greed. Some money changes hands at random, but the net cash flow always goes one way - to the Government, to the casino operators, to the bookies, to the crime syndicates. If you ever do win, you won't have won against them. They'll still be getting their share. You'll have won against all the penniless losers, that's all. [Greg Egan](https://www.leafyquotes.com/greg-egan.md) · [Axiomatic](https://www.leafyquotes.com/greg-egan/axiomatic.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/greg-egan/axiomatic/gambling-is-a-kind.md) Topics: [greed](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/greed.md), [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > ...only the element of chance is needed to make war a gamble, and that element is never absent. [Carl von Clausewitz](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz.md) · [On War](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war/only-the-element.md) Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [chance](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/chance.md), [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > ... in the whole range of human activities, war most closely resembles a game of cards. [Carl von Clausewitz](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz.md) · [On War](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war/in-the-whole.md) Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > [Mim, to Nelson, after discussing Annabelle's stepfather being dead] "More and more is dead, are you old enough to notice? Vegas is dead, the way it was. [...] Now it's herds. Herds and herds of Joe Nobodies. Bozos. The hoi pollio, running up credit-card debt. Gambling is legal in half the states so they've built these huge moron-catchers along the Strip, all the way to the airport. A Pyramid, the Eiffel Tower, Venice – it's all here, Nelson, all for the morons. It's depressing as hell." [John Hoyer Updike](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-hoyer-updike.md) · [Rabbit Remembered](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-hoyer-updike/rabbit-remembered.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-hoyer-updike/rabbit-remembered/mim-to-nelson-after.md) Topics: [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > The over-bearing insolence of ignorant men, who had arisen to sudden wealth by successful gambling, made men of true gentility of mind and manners blush that gold should have power to raise the unworthy in the scale of society. [Charles Mackay](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-mackay.md) · [Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-mackay/extraordinary-popular-delusions-and-the-madness-of-crowds.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-mackay/extraordinary-popular-delusions-and-the-madness-of-crowds/the-over-bearing-insolence.md) Topics: [pride](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/pride.md), [wealth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/wealth.md), [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > Nations, like individuals, cannot become desperate gamblers with impunity. Punishment is sure to overtake them sooner or later. [Charles Mackay](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-mackay.md) · [Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-mackay/extraordinary-popular-delusions-and-the-madness-of-crowds.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-mackay/extraordinary-popular-delusions-and-the-madness-of-crowds/nations-like-individuals.md) Topics: [punishment](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/punishment.md), [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > Ramp hawkers were peddling “methods,” low priced sure-fire theories guaranteed to predict bottle twitches and beat the whole Minimax game. The hawkers were ignored by the hurrying throngs of people; anybody with a genuine system of prediction would be using it, not selling it. [Philip K. Dick](https://www.leafyquotes.com/philip-k-dick.md) · [Solar Lottery](https://www.leafyquotes.com/philip-k-dick/solar-lottery.md) · p. 4 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/philip-k-dick/solar-lottery/ramp-hawkers-were.md) Topics: [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md), [deception](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/deception.md) > A gentleman, even if he loses everything he owns, must show no emotion. Money must be so far beneath a gentleman that it is hardly worth troubling about. [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://www.leafyquotes.com/fyodor-dostoyevsky.md) · [The Gambler](https://www.leafyquotes.com/fyodor-dostoyevsky/the-gambler.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/fyodor-dostoyevsky/the-gambler/a-gentleman-even.md) Topics: [money](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/money.md), [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > Is it really not possible to touch the gaming table without being instantly infected by superstition? [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://www.leafyquotes.com/fyodor-dostoyevsky.md) · [The Gambler](https://www.leafyquotes.com/fyodor-dostoyevsky/the-gambler.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/fyodor-dostoyevsky/the-gambler/is-it-really.md) Topics: [superstitions](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/superstitions.md), [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > There is a secret that the casinos possess, a secret they hold and guard and prize, the holiest of their mysteries. For most people do not gamble to win money, after all, although that is what is advertised, sold, claimed, and dreamed. But that is merely the easy lie that gets them through the enormous, ever-open, welcoming doors. > > The secret is this: people gamble to lose money. They come to the casinos for the moment in which they feel alive, to ride the spinning wheel and turn with the cards and lose themselves, with the coins, in the slots. They may brag about the nights they won, the money they took from the casino, but they treasure, secretly treasure, the times they lost. It's a sacrifice, of sorts. [Neil Gaiman](https://www.leafyquotes.com/neil-gaiman.md) · [American Gods](https://www.leafyquotes.com/neil-gaiman/american-gods.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/neil-gaiman/american-gods/there-is-a-secret.md) Topics: [money](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/money.md), [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md) > Thinkers are seldom gamblers; gambling interrupts the habit of thought and turns it towards barren combinations; thus one good result, perhaps the only good result of the taste for science, is that it deadens to some extent this vulgar passion; people will prefer to try to discover the uses of play rather than to devote themselves to it. [Jean Jacques Rousseau](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jean-jacques-rousseau.md) · [Emile; or On Education](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jean-jacques-rousseau/emile-or-on-education.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jean-jacques-rousseau/emile-or-on-education/thinkers-are-seldom.md) Topics: [science](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/science.md), [gambling](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/gambling.md)