a pledge of a forfeit risked on some uncertain outcome; wager.
Where do we place our bets?
that which is pledged.
a two-dollar bet.
something that is bet on, as a competitor in a sporting event or a number in a lottery.
That horse looks like a good bet.
an act or instance of betting.
It's a bet, then?
a person, plan of action, etc., considered as being a good alternative; choice.
Your best bet is to sell your stocks now.
all bets are off. see all bets are off.
you bet! of course! surely!.
You bet I'd like to be there!
an agreement between two parties that a sum of money or other stake will be paid by the loser to the party who correctly predicts the outcome of an event
the money or stake risked
the predicted result in such an agreement
his bet was that the horse would win
a person, event, etc, considered as likely to succeed or occur
it's a good bet that they will succeed
a course of action (esp in the phrase one's best bet )
informal an opinion; view
my bet is that you've been up to no good
to make or place a bet with (a person or persons)
(tr) to stake (money, etc) in a bet
informal (tr; may take a clause as object) to predict (a certain outcome)
I bet she fails
informal of course; naturally
First recorded in 1585–95; perhaps special use of obsolete bet “better,” in phrase the bet “the advantage,” i.e., “the odds”
To bet is to gamble or risk something valuable against an unknown outcome. Poker players bet on each hand, hoping the cards they hold will beat those of the other players. Sometimes you bet money on a sporting event, wagering on the team you think will win and collecting even more money if it does. It's even more common to bet in a figurative way, saying something like, "I'd be willing to bet that the bus will be late again." The money you risk when you bet is also called a bet. The word probably comes from the now-obsolete noun abet, or "abetment."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Critics say they often amount to changing the rules of a bet, and that it is unfair to do so when money is already at stake.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 13, 2026
Polymarket data show that 1,838 accounts bet a collective $3.8 million that Strategy would sell bitcoin by May 31 before the clarification wiped them out.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 13, 2026
Prediction market firms, banned in some countries and facing scrutiny in the US over insider trading allegations, allow users to bet on the outcomes of events ranging from conflicts to sports, politics and elections.
From Barron's • Jun. 13, 2026
That isn’t a bet on SpaceX fundamentals, only history.
From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026
“I bet you will,” I tell her, and she nods.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
