a roll of the dice

phrase

informal

—used to say that something could have either a good result or a bad result

Opening a new restaurant is always a roll of the dice.

It's a roll of the dice whether we succeed or fail.

Examples of a roll of the dice in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Sheepstealer, the wild, untamed dragon claimed by Lady Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell), is still a roll of the dice after going rogue during the Gullet onslaught. — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 6 July 2026

That said, in the end, the casting was a roll of the dice. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2026

But providing consistent power to the 27 million residents of the third-largest state is not a roll of the dice. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026

Anticlimactic, but a summit nonetheless Week 18 is always a roll of the dice in the NFL. — Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2026