ENGLISH
REFERENCE

play with house money

idiom
Meaning

To be in a situation where little or no personal risk can be incurred.


Origin

disputed origin

Referring to a casino, where gambling one's winnings from the casino ("the house") may feel less risky than gambling the money that one brought from outside.

Examples
SIMPLE

Now that I have saved enough, I am playing with house money.

CONTEXTUAL

After winning the first three rounds of the tournament, the champion felt like she was playing with house money.

COMPLEX

With his initial investment already secured in a high-yield account, he felt he was playing with house money while taking risks on the volatile stock market.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    basket house

    A cafe or similar establishment where musical performances are given and the performers are then paid with money placed in a basket by members of the audience.

  2. 02

    bees and honey

    [Cockney slang]money

  3. 03

    bet the house

    Synonym of bet the farm.

  4. 04

    big money

    A large amount of money, especially a significant source of revenue or income.

  5. 05

    bottom the house

    To clean a house from top to bottom; to clean a house extremely thoroughly.

  6. 06

    bread and Honey

    [Cockney slang]money

  7. 07

    bring down the house

    To garner enthusiastic or wild applause or laughter.

  8. 08

    child's play

    Something particularly easy or simple.

Last updated April 17, 2026