What does ‘gamble everything on one card’ mean?

To gamble everything on one card means to risk everything you have on a single opportunity, without keeping an alternative in reserve if things go wrong. The expression can describe either a brave decision or a reckless one, whether you are facing an exam, an interview or an investment.

The origin

It comes from the image of someone staking everything on a particular card turning up during a game. In games that involve betting, there is something similar: an all-or-nothing bet, such as the órdago (all-or-nothing bet) in Mus (the card game).

Is it a good idea?

In cards, almost never. A good player spreads the risk and keeps something in reserve, as we explain in keeping a card back. But sometimes, when you are losing, taking a risk is the only way out.

Examples

• ‘They gambled everything on one card, and it paid off.’
• ‘Don’t gamble everything on one card: have another option ready.’

Other expressions: betting big and having an ace up your sleeve.