wager

noun wa·ger \ ˈwā-jər \

|Updated on: 18 Aug 2018

Examples: wager in a Sentence

Definition of wager

1 a : something (such as a sum of money) risked on an uncertain event : stake

b : something on which bets are laid : gamble

do a stunt as a wager

2 archaic : an act of giving a pledge to take and abide by the result of some action

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See wager defined for kids

Examples of wager in a Sentence

He has a wager on the game.
I don't think the horse will win. What's your wager?

Recent Examples of wager from the Web

The standard wager is a $1 Nassau, meaning $3 are at risk.

— teddy greenstein, chicagotribune.com, "Chicago’s version of Augusta National plays host to inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open," 5 July 2018
The combined carryover is more than $800,000 and betting in this wager is expected to approach $4 million.

— john cherwa, latimes.com, "Racing! Justify has yet another day in the sun," 24 June 2018
No wager is worth risking the reputation of American athletics; the only sure bet against the pernicious effects of sports gambling is a minimum standard of oversight.

— SI.com, "Sports Betting Is Inevitable—Let's Make Sure It's Done Right," 23 May 2018
Twelve states already had legislation pending that anticipated the end of PASPA, fast-tracking their ability to begin taking sports wagers.

— brian barrett, WIRED, "The Sports Betting Revolution Will Be Muted Online," 15 May 2018
And unredeemed winning wagers are counted as revenue, but may be deducted in future months.

— andrew maykuth, Philly.com, "N.J.'s sports betting generates $294K in taxes," 12 July 2018
Mr Molla wagers that Egypt has done with buying gas abroad.

— The Economist, "Egypt is optimistic about new gas discoveries in the Mediterranean," 5 July 2018
Investors have piled into front-end wagers and curve plays betting on the timing and pace of rate increases in the second half of the year and beyond.

— BostonGlobe.com, "Bond traders brace for major moves in aftermath of Fed meeting," 12 June 2018
Wheel Justify over Bravazo, Vino Rosso, Noble Indy and Blended Citizen in exacta and trifecta wagers.

— liam durbin, baltimoresun.com, "How to bet the 2018 Belmont Stakes," 7 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wager.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of wager

Middle English wageour pledge, bet, from Anglo-French wageure, from *wager

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First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

wager Synonyms

Synonyms

bet, stake;

Related Words

collateral;

handle, jackpot, kitty, pool, pot;

Other Game Terms

bezique, carom, convention, crap, euchre, gambit, monte, parlay, tierce

wager

verb

Definition of wager

wagered; wagering play \ˈwāj-riŋ, ˈwā-jə-\

intransitive verb

: to make a bet

transitive verb

: to risk or venture on a final outcome; specifically : to lay as a gamble : bet

wager $5 on a horse

—

wagerer

play \ˈwā-jər-ər\ noun

See wager defined for English-language learners

Examples of wager in a Sentence

She wagered on the game.
I wouldn't wager against them.

Recent Examples of wager from the Web

To wager on the underdog Croatia (+$200), place $100 to win $200.

— ed barkowitz, Philly.com, "Atlantic City bookies offer odds and props for Sunday's World Cup final between France and Croatia," 13 July 2018
No one knows what the future holds, and using your retirement savings to wager on the market’s near-term direction is a fool’s errand.

— michael j. francis, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "401(k) Adviser: Let strategy, not fear of emulating Wile E. Coyote, be your guide," 22 June 2018
As the landscape shifts in Montgomery, the state capital, the consequences may reverberate across the South, where nearby states gladly rake in billions of dollars that Alabamians are not allowed to wager at home.

— alan blinder, The Seattle Times, "Alabama’s longtime hostility to gambling shows signs of fading," 10 June 2018
The Oakland Athletics were willing to wager the ninth overall pick in the draft on Kyler Murray's baseball future.

— USA TODAY, "Kyler Murray: Agrees to $5 million deal with A's, one-and-done stint as Oklahoma QB, per report," 6 June 2018
Or stopping at a kiosk at Staples Center to bet on the number of assists by Lonzo Ball, or at a booth inside Angel Stadium to wager on whether Shohei Ohtani winds up with more pitching wins or home runs.

— sam farmer, latimes.com, "It's a safe bet that Supreme Court decision will be a game-changer for pro sports leagues," 15 May 2018
Ruis already has vowed to wager at least $20,000 on Bolt d’Oro to win, with a potential $48,000 futures-bet winner that a friend bought in Las Vegas after Bolt d’Oro’s loss in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile already parked in his pocket.

— bryce miller, sandiegouniontribune.com, "High-dollar debate: Can El Cajon's Mick Ruis turn Bolt d'Oro into Kentucky Derby winner?," 4 May 2018
But outright victory, with Erdogan winning the presidential vote and his Justice and Development party, or AKP, winning the parliamentary ballot, could turn out to be harder than the firebrand president initially wagered.

— elena becatoros and zeynep bilginsoy, Fox News, "Turkey heads to landmark presidential, parliamentary vote," 22 June 2018
That means the state would need to see a sharp increase in wagering to match or exceed its current profit.

— randall chase, Houston Chronicle, "Delaware casinos to begin sports betting next week," 31 May 2018

First Known Use of wager

1602

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

See Words from the same year

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wager Synonyms

Synonyms

bet, gamble, go, lay, play, put, stake;

Related Words

bid, offer;

adventure, chance, hazard, speculate, venture;

endanger, imperil, jeopardize;

Other Game Terms

bezique, carom, convention, crap, euchre, gambit, monte, parlay, tierce

WAGER Defined for English Language Learners

wager

noun

Definition of wager for English Language Learners

: an agreement in which people try to guess what will happen and the person who guesses wrong has to give something (such as money) to the person who guesses right
: the money or other valuable thing that you could win or lose in a bet

wager

verb

Definition of wager for English Language Learners

: to risk losing something (such as money) if your guess about what will happen is wrong
—used in the phrase I'll wager to indicate what you think will happen or what you believe is probably true