Origin of the term "The Nuts"

[JTG51]

I heard a story the other day about where "the nuts" comes from. It sounded believable, I wonder if anyone can confirm or deny it.

In the old West, when a guy had what he was sure was the best hand he would often go outside and take the nuts off of the wheels to his wagon. He'd come inside and bet "the nuts", which represented him betting his whole wagon on the hand.

What do you think?

[Mikey]

I read that somewhere too.......and I think it's true.....but I really think the original term came from what is inbetween your legs.

[Jimbo]

There is a reasonably good chance that it dates back to ancient Egypt. In ancient Egyptian mythology the mother of Isis who was believed to have possesed great magical skill, was named Nut. The entire family was referred to as "The Nuts", this included Isis, Nut, Keb, Osiris and Horus. If the Gods were on your side it was deemed you had "The Nuts". /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Jimbo

[Ginogino]

While I get "the nuts" far too rarely, I am often dealt what I call "the Mertz". It's named for Fred and Ethel on the old I Love Lucy show -- a couple destined forever to be second bananas. Say you have pocket 6's in the big blind, and there's an early position limper, a raise, and two calls to you. You call and the early limper calls. Flop comes 2c-5s-9d. What the heck, you think, and you leadbet the flop. The betting comes back to you capped with everyone on board. You have "the Mertz".