What Does "Play the Ponies" Mean?
"Play the ponies" is an English idiom. It means "to bet on horse races, especially as a form of gambling or entertainment."Examples in Sentences
Here are three examples of the idiom "play the ponies" used in a sentence:- Some people enjoy spending a day at the racetrack, where they can play the ponies and place bets on their favourite horses.
- He decided to play the ponies for the first time during his visit to the horse racing event.
- Playing the ponies can be thrilling but requires knowledge of horse racing and betting strategies.

What Is an Idiom?
An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Play the Ponies" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.
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