dice gambling; betting on one or six
Specifically refers to gambling on whether a die will show a one or a six. A yojijukugo with a historical flavor.
It is said that dice gambling was popular in the Edo period.
Extended from the dice-specific meaning to refer to gambling in general, though this usage is uncommon.
He ruined himself by getting into gambling.
risky venture; gamble; hazardous attempt
Figurative use: a risky undertaking or a venture with an uncertain outcome. Often used in a literary or emphatic context.
Entering the new business was truly a gamble.