money player

noun

, Slang.

1. a person who performs best under pressure, especially in a competitive situation.
2. a person skilled in gambling when the stakes are high.

Word History and Origins

Origin of money player¹

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

“The undisclosed agreements and payments resulted in the improper classification of Pavón as a target allocation money player in 2019, who should have occupied a designated player slot.”

From Seattle Times

Asa Hoffmann—like Bobby, born in 1943 and the son of two Park Avenue lawyers—became a master and was also adept at other board games, such as Scrabble and backgammon, in addition to chess, and acquired a reputation as a “money” player: that is, his ability often increased in proportion to the wager or prize.

From Literature

“They’re going to test you physically, mentally. How do you respond to certain situations? Cam has never been in a spot where he had to fight for a starting role. Now he’s going to go into a competition. Competition brings out the best in every player on that roster. He is not a first-round pick anymore. He’s not a highly-guaranteed money player anymore. He’s coming in to compete, and we’ll see what happens. He first has to earn the starting job.”

From Fox News

He was still considered a money player by Beckham, the LSU alumnus turned Pro Bowl receiver who celebrated the Tigers’ national title by handing over cash that Jefferson eventually gave to his church to avoid compliance issues.

From Los Angeles Times

Importing a targeted allocation money player from overseas costs $500,000 and up while homegrown players are just a fraction of that.

From Seattle Times