Today we attempt to give the phrase break a leg an even break. As bettors know, even break is another way to say "fair chance." Some folks believe the term even break has its origin in the sport of hare-coursing, in which hares and dogs are released (or allowed "to break") at the same time.

But although we can give the "even break" theory a fair shake, we must caution that it has yet to be substantiated.
Now we move on to break a leg. In cricket, a leg-break is a bowled ball that breaks off from the leg side to the off side, but in theatrical slang, break a leg is a good luck wish. We wish we could say there's a connection between the two terms, but of course that wouldn't be cricket (that is, fair and honorable).

While some folks believe even break originated with hares and hounds on the run, other folks believe break a leg has its origin in the thwarted run of John Wilkes Booth. As their story has it, after the actor and assassin fired a shot at Abraham Lincoln in Ford's Theatre, he leapt down from the presidential box to the stage, breaking a leg in the process. Supposedly, this inspired some black-humored characters to offer an ironic break a leg as a good luck wish to fellow thespians.

Far less complicated (but perhaps more likely) an explanation can be traced to the theatrical superstition which believes that a direct wish of good luck is just plain unlucky.