It’s a real skin game.

People are taking friendly bets to extremes, raising the stakes from a few dollars or a free dinner to the humiliation of a bad tattoo.

In December, actor Tom Hardy admitted to Esquire that he would soon be inking the words “Leo knows everything” somewhere on his body after betting his “The Revenant” co-star Leonardo DiCaprio that he wouldn’t get an Oscar nod for his supporting role in the film. Hardy did get nominated and now has to head to the tattoo parlor.

Celebs aren’t the only ones involved in such fleshly pursuits.

Four years ago, Phil Balletto, 41, a Staten Island mechanic, lost a bet with a vegan friend over whether or not the woman could eat a steak. She managed to gobble it down, and Balletto had to get a tattoo of a 2-inch butterfly with male genitalia for a body tattooed on his shoulder.

Still, he has no regrets.

“I’ll never cover it up because it turned out to be so funny when people asked about it,” he said. “It’s a conversation piece.”

Mehai Bakaty, owner of the city’s oldest tattoo parlor, Fineline Tattoo in the East Village, said he’s seen an increase in the number of people coming in after losing bets. In the past six months, he’s inked three such customers.

“Usually you can tell, if it’s a silly design,” said Bakaty.

When Kevin Mahoney, 37 and a Staten Island artist, lost a bet with a friend in 2008 he didn’t go to a tattoo parlor, he took things into his own hands.

His buddy let him pick his own image, and Mahoney inked a lighting bolt and the letters “TCB,” referencing Elvis Presley’s mantra “Taking Care of Business,” on his ankle himself. It looks rough and a bit messy, but that’s the point.

“I want to keep it looking as bad as possible because it reminds me that someone was able to prove to me that I was wrong before,” said Mahoney, who lost his bet over whether his friend’s daughter was present at a pumpkin picking.

“Everyone could stand to be taken down a notch.”

The tradition is common in the sports world: Many athletes and fans get inked over failed fantasy-football leagues or other sports-related wagers. In June, Chicago Cubs pitcher and Texas Christian University alumnus Jake Arrieta lost a bet that his college team would win the College World Series. He now has the logo of his team’s rival, Coastal Carolina University, tattooed. “Not ideal . . . but a bet is a bet,” Arrieta tweeted in December, along with a photo of the fresh ink.

https://twitter.com/jarrieta34/status/809863014497341441

The phenomenon is also common among those in the skin-art industry.

Vincent Signorelli, 60 and the owner of True Blue Tattoo in Middle Village, has several tattoos — from Homer Simpson saying “D’oh!” to various initials — from lost wagers.

“I don’t regret any of them; they bring back fond memories,” said Signorelli, who lives in Ridgewood.

While some ink artists try to discourage customers who come in to make good on a bet, Magie Serpica, of the Milk and Honey tattoo parlor in Staten Island, doesn’t mind. It could result in more business down the road.

“The person might think since I was such a good sport about it, they might come in again.”