: something that is laid, staked, or pledged typically between two parties on the outcome of a contest or a contingent issue : wager—often used figuratively in such phrases as all bets are off to stress the uncertainty of an outcome
Noun He has a bet on the game. He made a bet with his brother that he could finish his chores first. He and his brother have a bet about who can finish his chores first. He lost the bet and had to pay his brother five dollars. His brother won the bet. He paid his brother five dollars to settle the bet. Verb He bet $5 on the game. I'll bet that he makes the next shot. He always bets that the favorite will win. He lost a lot of money by betting on college football and basketball. I bet against the favorite and I lost. I wouldn't bet against her. She's very likely to win this race. Carmakers are betting that people will want to buy larger, more expensive cars this year. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Turning your back on international stocks today, however, is a bet that their lousy performance is pretty much permanent. Jason Zweig, WSJ, 16 Sep. 2022 Few things are a safe bet when the Arizona Legislature reconvenes in January, including who will be sitting in the seats. Kaely Monahan, The Arizona Republic, 14 Sep. 2022 Make a bet of $5 or more on the Broncos vs. Seahawks. Catena Media, al, 12 Sep. 2022 With so much upheaval and uncertainty lately surrounding the team, the No. 12 seems a safe bet. Shane Lantz, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Sep. 2022 Proponents say the spending is a safe bet for the county because the revenue from the All-Star Game at Vivint Arena and related events the weekend of Feb. 18 and 19 will far outweigh the investment. Blake Apgar, The Salt Lake Tribune, 10 Sep. 2022 Make a first bet of between $10 and $1,250 on NFL Week 1 action. Catena Media, oregonlive, 8 Sep. 2022 Given the apparent overall unpopularity of the mini in the first place, a 6.1-inch version of the iPhone SE is probably a safer bet than a 5.4-inch version, but small-screened phone lovers can still keep hope alive. Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 7 Sep. 2022 If your house has multiple stories, the ground floor will be a better bet than the upper floors. Jessica Roy, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2022
Verb
Rather than functioning as a partner investing in long-term careers, or benevolent patron of the arts, major labels prefer to bet on later-stage artists who are on the verge of a hit that the label can sink its teeth into owning. Milan Kordestani, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2022 In the end, the Swedish driver's decision to bet on himself paid off. Nathan Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 14 Sep. 2022 Federal-funds futures, used by traders to bet on interest-rate moves, showed a 76% chance that the central bank will lift rates by 0.75 percentage point. Hannah Miao, WSJ, 14 Sep. 2022 Open a new account at Caesars Sportsbook with the promo code MYBETFULL to access up to $1,250 in bonuses to bet on the game. Catena Media, oregonlive, 12 Sep. 2022 This challenge is especially evident for entrepreneurs in underserved communities who don’t have credit or other assets to bet on when approaching lenders. Natallie Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Sep. 2022 Jackson elected to bet on himself and not agree to a long-term deal ahead of the season. Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 11 Sep. 2022 The Department of Fish and Wildlife is willing to bet at least $3 million over the next two years, with the creation of five new jobs meant to oversee a restoration program specifically for the North American beaver. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2022 Some traders are also still willing to bet on significantly higher prices. Alex Longley, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2022 See More