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Of American-English origin, the phrase to put one’s money where one’s mouth is means: to produce, bet or pay out money to support one’s statements or opinions; to do something that demonstrates one’s assertion.
This phrase occurs, for example, in the following from In defense of ‘thoughts and prayers’, by Brandon Ambrosino, published in the Boston Sunday Globe (Boston, Massachusetts, USA) of Sunday 7th September 2025 [page K3, column 2]:
There’s a saying widely attributed to Pope Francis that takes both sides of the thoughts and prayers debate seriously: “You pray for the hungry, then you feed them. That’s how prayer works.” This quote might be apocryphal, or perhaps a creative paraphrase of similar statements he’s made. At any rate, the general idea—putting your money where your praying mouth is—was something he often put into action.
These are, in chronological order, the earliest occurrences of the phrase to put one’s money where one’s mouth is that I have found:
—Note: In early use, this phrase occurred in a probably apocryphal story:
1-: From City News. Collection of News and Advertisements for Your Consideration, published in The Atchison Daily Globe (Atchison, Kansas, USA) of Tuesday 29th April 1913 [page 7, column 3]:
There is a man in Atchison who is always threatening to bet. He got called this morning. “You put your money where your mouth is or shut up,” said the brakeman as he produced a roll of bills. The Atchison man declined to bet.
—Note: This paragraph was reprinted in Atchison Globe Sights, published in The Fremont Tri-Weekly Tribune (Fremont, Nebraska, USA) of Saturday 31st May 1913 [page 4, column 4].
2-: From The News-Courant (Strong City, Kansas, USA) of Thursday 12th June 1913 [page 4, column 1]:
There is a man in Strong City who is always threatening to bet. He got called this morning. “You put your money where your mouth is or shut up,” said the brakeman as he produced a roll of bills. The Strong City man declined to bet.
3-: From an account of a debate that took place in the U.S. Senate, published in The Evening Star (Washington, District of Columbia, USA) of Saturday 23rd August 1913 [page 2, column 7]:
The tariff debate today was enlivened by a sharp clash between Senator Smoot of Utah and Senator Sheppard of Texas over the wool schedule. Senator Sheppard undertook to refute statements made by Senator Smoot regarding the importation of woolen goods under the Wilson-Gorman tariff law. Senator Smoot declared that under the law which provided free raw wool and reduced rates on manufactures of wool the American people had purchased a comparatively small amount of woolen goods.
“Produce your figures,” said Senator Sheppard, sharply.
“Of course, I can produce the figures, but I don’t happen to have them with me at the moment,” said Senator Smoot.
“Put your money where your mouth is,” retorted Senator Sheppard.
“I am surprised that that remark should be made here by any senator, even from Texas,” replied Senator Smoot.
—Note: In an account of that debate, the Fort Worth Record (Fort Worth, Texas, USA) of Sunday 24th August 1913 added the following explanation [page 3, column 3]:
To the layman it is given to understand that the expression, “Put your money where your mouth is,” is the senatorial expression for “Put up or shut up.”
4-: From City News. Collection of News and Advertisements for Your Consideration, published in The Atchison Daily Globe (Atchison, Kansas, USA) of Saturday 11th October 1913 [page 3, column 5]:
Jude Johnson: “I just know the Giants will take today’s game.” Short Jenks: “Put your money where your mouth is. Here’s my dollar.”
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