Degen

What does Degen mean?

A person who gambles and makes silly bets

When someone is referred to as a ‘Degen’, they are usually someone who gambles excessively or makes unwise bets. This term, a shortened version of “degenerate”, can apply to poker players, people who bet on sports, or even stock traders. A ‘Degen’ could be someone with a gambling problem, where their betting habits have harmful impacts on their life, or it could just be a person who occasionally likes to wager money on foolish or entertaining bets.

Poker players, in particular, are fond of identifying ‘Degen’ behavior. This includes any kind of reckless or extravagant gambling that takes place outside the game. This term is often used to convey disapproval or a warning about such behavior.

Besides being used as a noun, ‘Degen’ can also function as a verb. For instance, one might say “Mike degened away $10,000 last night.” In this context, to ‘degen’ translates to making a reckless bet. It’s a way of highlighting the riskiness and lack of judgment involved in such betting actions.

Example for using ‘Degen’ in a conversation

Hey, did you hear about Mike? He lost all his money at the casino!

Oh no, really? That guy’s a degen for sure.