This idiom describes receiving unfair or unfavorable treatment, as if dealt a bad hand in a card game. It conveys injustice or disadvantage, often used in personal, professional, or social contexts to lament poor outcomes. The phrase carries a tone of grievance, sympathy, or protest, reflecting cultural values of fairness and the human tendency to feel cheated. Its gambling imagery evokes a rigged game, resonating in scenarios like bad bargains or discrimination. The idiom highlights inequity, making it a sharp metaphor for unfairness.

The phrase originated in early 20th-century America, tied to card game slang where a ‘raw deal’ meant a cheated hand, as noted in gambling manuals. Its earliest recorded use appears in *The Chicago Tribune* (1910s), describing labor disputes. The idiom gained traction in the 1930s, amplified by economic hardship and media, notably in *The New York Times* for social inequities. Its adoption, primarily in the U.S., stems from its vivid imagery and relevance to injustice, with some use in the U.K. and Australia.