ARTICLE II: ON WAGER (Wager)

Wager is a contract by which several persons, contending concerning the truth or concerning the event of some thing, mutually promise something to themselves, or deposit it with someone, so that it may belong to him who has spoken the truth.

1042. Questions. - Query 1° Whether the contract of wager is licit?

Resp. Affirmatively, the things to be posited having been posited; for it bears nothing dishonest before itself. - St. Alphonsus,¹ and others commonly.

Query 2° What are the conditions that a wager be licit?

Resp. 1° That the matter be understood in the same sense by each party; 2° that there be the intention of obliging oneself and of paying what is wagered; 3° that the event be uncertain to each. But if someone manifests that he is certain concerning the fact on which the wager rests, and the other nevertheless wishes to wager, the wager more probably is invalid. Except: a) if he who up to this point was certain concerning the event of the matter begins to doubt; b) if the other wishes to wager, although he doubts concerning the truth of the assertion which he maintains in the wager; or c) if it is openly clear concerning his spontaneous intention of donating. L. IV. 879.

Among us a wager generally furnishes no action in the external forum, and wagers concerning political elections are accustomed to furnish an occasion for many sins, e.g. calumnies, etc.