In Ireland, this phrase was attached to a wealthy businessman from Tipperary who, upon his round of drinks, would break his glass on the floor, knowing the owner of the pub would ask him to leave.
This can be achieved by either spreading the risk over a large number of risk-bearers (usually by means of insurance), or by imposing it on a person who is relatively risk-neutral.
The latter is often assumed to be the case for wealthy individuals or large corporations, who are referred to as having "deep pockets", since their wealth will not be affected very strongly if the risk materializes.
[2] A review found four types of application: A variation on the term refers to the special subtype of frivolous litigation where plaintiffs target wealthy or corporate defendants for little other reason than them having high resources.
These cases involve plaintiffs who have suffered genuine damages, but what is considered the "true" culpability lies squarely with an individual or small entity who has very little money that could be collected if the suit was won.