a variation of a two-handed game, as backgammon, allowing the participation of three or more persons, in which one player accepts the bets of all the others on the outcome of a game between that player and one other active player, who is permitted to receive advice from the nonplayers
Word origin
[1885–90; ‹ F, from the phrase faire la chouette to play alone against a group of opponents (in billiards, etc.), lit., to play thebarn owl, perh. alluding to the owl's watchful look]