bet

1 of 3

noun

ˈbet 

1

a

: 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

b

: the act of giving such a pledge

2

: something to wager on

3

: a choice made by consideration of probabilities

your best bet is the back road

bet

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verb

bet also betted; betting

transitive verb

1

a

: to stake on the outcome of an issue or the performance of a contestant

b

: to be able to be sure that

—usually used in the expression you bet

you bet I'll be there

2

a

: to maintain with or as if with a bet

b

: to make a bet with

c

: to make a bet on

intransitive verb

: to lay a bet

bet

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abbreviation

between

Did you know?

Slang Meaning of Bet

Bet is an informal affirmative, sometimes used jokingly, similar to “For sure!” or “Great!” It can express enthusiastic affirmation, agreement, or approval. Learn more >

Synonyms

Noun

• stake
• wager

Verb

• put
• wager

Examples of bet in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In 1913, a tiny American state made a calculated bet that would reshape the global economy. —Jan Hammer, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025

Semafor traced it to a pair of US life insurers that had funneled policyholders’ cash to 777’s Bermudan reinsurer, which invested it into sports teams, airplanes, a payday lender, and a failing budget airline, among other bets generally unsuited for insurance guarantees. —Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 18 Oct. 2025

Verb

Most companies are betting that the true value of AI will be unlocked when AI agents have access to a user’s entire ecosystem—emails, calendar, messages, and documents—and can perform tasks across them seamlessly. —Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2025

However, Mediawan is cautious about expecting the same level of recognition in international markets, instead betting on the narrative and visual universality that initially propelled Tran’s comic series up Gaul’s publishing charts. —Ben Croll, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing bet

• a good/safe/sure bet
• best/surest/safest bet
• bet the farm on it
• bouncing bet
• do you want to bet?
• good/safe/sure bet
• I bet
• I wouldn't bet on it
• my bet is
• one (can) bet one's ass
• sure bet
• wanna bet?
• would/will bet/stake one's life on

Rhymes for bet

• brett
• debt
• et
• fret
• get
• jet
• let
• lett
• met
• net
• nett
• pet

Kids Definition

bet

1 of 2 noun

ˈbet 

1

: an agreement requiring the person whose guess about the result of a contest or the outcome of an event proves wrong to give something to a person whose guess proves right

2

: the money or thing risked

3

: a choice made by considering what might happen

our best bet is to take the back road

bet

2 of 2 verb

bet also betted; betting

1

: to risk in a bet

I'll bet a nickel

2

: to make a bet with

I bet you he won't

3

: to be certain enough to bet

I bet it will rain