Why Do People Say “Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner?”

When I play Texas Hold'em I hear other poker players say "Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner" when they have a winning hand. I was watching the Bills vs. Rams yesterday and I heard one of the announcers say the same thing. I've always wondered where in the hell that phrase came from. After all, a chicken dinner seems like a pretty crappy prize for being a winner.

Why not "Winner Winner, Lobster Dinner?" That seems more befitting a champion! Then I thought if this is worth writing a blog about then certainly someone else has written a blog explaining the origin of that phrase and I'll be damned if I wasn't right!

Here is what I found on the social media site 'Quora' from a contributor named Neil Russo:

"A chicken dinner in Las Vegas used to cost less than $2.00 and the usual bet at that time was $2.00, so when you won you had enough for the chicken dinner. Hence "Winner, winner, chicken dinner!"

Now you know. You're welcome.