| Phrase | Origin |
|---|---|
| Across the board | Betting |
| All the right moves | Chess, checkers |
| Blindside | Football |
| Break the ice | Sailing |
| Call off your dogs | Fox hunting |
| Can of worms | Fishing |
| Charley horse | Baseball |
| Cocksure | Cockfighting |
| Come away empty-handed | Hunting |
| Come full circle | Medieval fortune wheel |
| Cut a deal | Card games |
| Decked out | Sailing |
| Dig in your heels | Tug-of-war |
| Down and dirty | Poker |
| Face off | Ice hockey |
| Fair play | Sports in general |
| Fair shake | Dice games |
| Floored | Boxing |
| Follow suit | Card games |
| From pillar to post | Tennis |
| Game changer | Baseball |
| Get off the hook | Fishing |
| Get the ball rolling | Soccer |
| Give a wide berth | Sailing |
| Give someone free rein | Horse riding |
| Good break | Pool |
| Hand over fist | Sailing |
| Hard to pin down | Wrestling |
| Hardball | Baseball |
| Have an off day | Baseball |
| High jinks | Dice games |
| Hit-or-miss | Hunting |
| Hoodwinked | Falconry |
| In one fell swoop | Falconry |
| In the nick of time | Soccer |
| Jockey for position | Horse racing |
| Keep the ball rolling | Ice hockey |
| Leave in the lurch | Card games |
| Level the playing field | Football, soccer |
| Make a pass at | Fencing |
| Make a play for | Chess |
| Nice guys finish last | Baseball |
| Off the wall | Racquetball |
| Only game in town | Poker, craps |
| Out of left field | Baseball |
| Over a barrel | Swimming |
| Pit stop | Car racing |
| Play the field | Betting |
| Pull a fast one | Cricket |
| Pull your weight | Rowing |
| Punch-drunk | Boxing |
| Quick on the draw | Dueling |
| Raw deal | Poker |
| Rest on your laurels | Ancient Olympic games |
| Right up your alley | Baseball |
| Rope someone in | Rodeo |
| Run interference for | Football |
| Saved by the bell | Boxing |
| See red | Bullfighting |
| Sit tight | Poker |
| Start from scratch | Boxing, foot racing |
| Stay the course | Racing |
| Take a rain check | Baseball |
| Take someone down a peg | Cribbage |
| Teed off | Golf |
| Three strikes and you’re out | Baseball |
| Touché | Fencing |
| Triple threat | Football |
| Up your sleeve | Card games |
| Win hands down | Horse racing, boxing |
| The zone | Tennis |
