gam·ble
-v
to play at any game of chance for money or other stakes.
One could argue that certain card games are above chance, that skill is involved. Poker, for instance, can be won with Cary Grant charm alone.
Jesse made such an argument, though he didn't mention Cary Grant. Instead he provided anecdotal evidence of consistently beating his friends during poker gatherings.
Jesse had his heart set on playing Texas Hold'm against real people for big bucks. I tried explaining that poker rooms in Vegas would be a bit different than playing drunks in a squat, but he wouldn't hear it.
We started the night at O'Sheas, playing against the dealer, but as this was entirely a game of luck, Jesse and I soon left and went to the poker room at Bally's. It was a $100 buy in, $5 minimum. He sat down and I excused myself, looking for a bathroom. I came back a few minutes later and saw an empty seat.
Cary Grant he is not. He had lost it all in a single hand.
But such is Vegas. Live it, learn it, love it.