Gaming
throwing
What does throwing mean?
Intentionally playing badly to lose a match, sometimes out of spite, tilt, or to grief teammates.
"He started throwing on purpose after he got flamed in chat."
Origin
Comes from sports betting and competitive sports, where 'throwing a game' meant deliberately losing. Gaming adopted it broadly to mean blowing a lead, intentional or not, by the 2010s.
Frequently asked questions
What does throwing mean in video games?
It means losing a game you were clearly winning, either by making bad plays or by intentionally tanking it.
Is throwing always on purpose?
No — you can throw accidentally by making a dumb mistake, but 'throwing on purpose' specifically means deliberately losing.
What does 'don't throw' mean?
It's a teammate begging you to play safe and not blow the lead when you're close to winning.
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