Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

After a great deal of research the origin of this phrase, and its first citation in print or broadcast media are unknown, yet theories, of course, abound. Firstly, what does it mean? It seems to a celebratory, rhyming chant to denote a win or a victory of some kind, especially in gambling. The gambling connection derives from the two most popular theories about its origin. The first is that it derives from back-alley crap games during the Great Depression in the 1930s when if you rolled the dice and won, you could afford a chicken dinner. The second theory is that it derives from gambling in Las Vegas casinos in the 1970s, when casinos offered a chicken dinner for two dollars, which was also the minimum bet. Again, if you won you could at least afford a chicken dinner. Note the great discrepancy of dates for the origin, from 1930 to 1970, but neither theory can provide a reliable first citation in any print or broadcast media. The Kevin Spacey casino heist movie '21' in 2008, based on a true story about MIT students who counted cards and won large amounts of money at the blackjack tables, undoubtedly popularised the expression. However, etymologists are still awaiting evidence for a credible first citation.