a roll of the dice

idiom

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

Seen in this light, the gamble is not purely a roll of the dice. —Dave Birnbaum, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025

But for many, getting a good night’s sleep feels like a roll of the dice, despite trying all the latest sleep hacks and accessories promising deeper rest. —Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2025

Their injury history, combined with a fearless, reckless style of play, makes for a roll of the dice in terms of holding up over the rigors of a 17-game regular season and in theory the playoffs. —Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2025

But the price tag here will be based more on potential than production, and that’s always a roll of the dice. —Vic Tafur, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025

Another possibility would be to confide in a friend or colleague, though that can be tricky and a roll of the dice. —Lance Eliot, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025

But regardless, the point is, each additional person, each human born into the world, is a roll of the dice. —Miles Bryan, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018

However, even with all the proper pieces in place, every film is a roll of the dice, and every good film is widely considered to be a miracle. —Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019

Before the backdrop of a magmatic cavern stand three adventurers: a warrior, a mage, and a trickster who, with a roll of the dice, are preparing to defeat a tentacled chthonic beast. —Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2024