bet

1 of 3

noun

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

2 of 3

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

3 of 3

abbreviation

between

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. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The honey glaze adds a sweetness to the nutty spice from the cinnamon, nutmeg, and more. 02 Broccoli Cheese Casserole This casserole may be your best bet for getting the kids to eat their veggies this holiday! Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 22 Sep. 2023 Raindrops arrive from the south and southeast in the hours after dark, then occasional rain is a good bet through the night. Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 22 Sep. 2023 Finding good, sturdy used knives is a good bet, then take them to a reputable sharpener. Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2023 Prior to selecting Price, the Canadiens twice placed their bets elsewhere (Andrei Kostitsyn, Cory Urquhart) in the 2003 draft before the Bruins selected Quebec City’s Patrice Bergeron at No. 45. Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Sep. 2023 Things marked 1 and 2 — and on rare occasion, 5 — are your best bets, experts told CNN, depending on what your municipality can handle. Martha Shade, CNN, 16 Sep. 2023 The contracts that expire Friday include options tied to single stocks, as well as options and futures tied to major indexes—all tools for investors to hedge risks or make speculative bets. Anna Hirtenstein, WSJ, 15 Sep. 2023 Just days after the MLS Cup final, the team doubled down on that bet, signing Hollingshead to a three-year contract that will guarantee him $515,000 this season, according to the MLS players association. Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2023 But the best bet might be Idaho, which heads down to Reno to take on Nevada. USA TODAY, 9 Sep. 2023
Verb
What if the schools had been willing to bet on themselves? Sept. 22, 2023 2:21 PM PT Facebook Show more sharing options In an alternate universe, Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff’s media strategy would have worked brilliantly. Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Sep. 2023 Whereas Amazon has bet big on Thursday night NFL games, Apple TV+ has made a big push for the other football, launching a service this year allowing subscribers to stream all Major League Soccer matches this season. WIRED, 22 Sep. 2023 Shares of GameStop, a retailer of video games, zoomed from under $5 to an intraday high of nearly $500 amid a jokey viral campaign by small investors meant to counteract many Wall Street short sellers betting on the stock to collapse. Kyle Smith, WSJ, 21 Sep. 2023 And players in the industry are betting big even as rivals wobble and fail. Melina Walling, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2023 Advertisement The 35-point lead also matched a betting line that severely underestimated the Bruins (3-0), who went unbeaten in nonconference play for a second consecutive season. Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2023 It’s guided by the easy suspense and reliable thrill of betting big and winning. Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2023 With its new programming and West Coast edition, ABC News executives and Whitworth are betting that there are also new stories to tell. Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Sep. 2023 Our tips for beginners on how to place bet online is a great place to start. Steve Gardner, USA TODAY, 11 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of bet was in 1591

Dictionary Entries Near bet

Cite this Entry

“Bet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bet. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

bet

1 of 2 noun
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

More from Merriam-Webster on bet

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