gamble

A person who gambles takes certain risks in order to gain an advantage in the form of a position or increased wealth.

• People go to a casino to gamble.
• They also go to a racetrack to gamble on horse racing.
• In some places, it’s illegal to gamble.
• A friend of mine gambled away his life’s savings; now he’s broke.
• Have you ever gambled on anything?

The word "gamble" is often used for situations that have nothing to do with the sport of gambling but involve risk.

• Mario is gambling with his life when he rides a motorcycle without wearing a helmet.
• Ignoring your education is gambling with your future.
• Extreme sports such as mountain climbing and skydiving don’t seem to be worth the gamble. (You might die while participating in these sports.)

The word "gambling" is a gerund:

• The state where I live permits limited gambling.
• It’s not easy to make a living by gambling.
• Gambling can be very addictive.
• A person with a gambling addiction might gamble away his or her personal fortune. (The word "gambling" is an adjective in this sentence.)

This word "gamble" can be used as a noun:

• It’s a gamble to ignore your doctor’s advice.
• Smoking is a gamble. Not everyone gets sick from it, but many people do.
• I wouldn’t want to take that gamble.
• Moving to the United States may or may not be a good idea. It’s a gamble.
• Buying a house as an investment could be a good gamble, depending on the location.

A person who gambles is known as a gambler.

• Poker is a very popular card game among gamblers.
• A successful gambler has to know when to call it quits. (call it quits = stop playing)

A royal flush is a good hand to have when playing poker.

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August 10, 2017