as in wagering
to risk (something) on the outcome of an uncertain event
foolishly bet a week's salary on the World Series
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of betting
At a time when theaters are struggling to sell tickets, exhibitors are betting on increasingly elaborate popcorn buckets like the $50 Yoshi container to capitalize on millennial nostalgia, drum up excitement for movies and ultimately increase profits.
—
Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
And people are betting on whether or not they’ll be saved.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
Each candidate is betting large sums of their own money, as well as raising war chests from funders, to pursue the rare open seat.
—Sacbee.com, 6 Apr. 2026
The Masters, season’s first of four golf majors, tees off Thursday at Augusta anyway with Scottie Scheffler (ho hum) the betting favorite per DraftKings followed by Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau.
—Greg Cote
april 5, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Desmond is betting on his local record to give him an edge.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Sports betting companies have challenged its constitutionality in court.
—Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
While that is a relatively small increase, when the New York Fed looked solely at the population that newly took up sports betting after legalization (roughly 3% of the population), its estimates show delinquencies rose by 10 percentage points.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
DraftKings’ stock has dropped by almost 40% year-to-date to about $21 per share, as investors worry prediction markets (an exchange form of betting available nationwide under federal oversight) will cut into its traditional sportsbook business.
—Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
And people are betting on whether or not they’ll be saved.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
Each candidate is betting large sums of their own money, as well as raising war chests from funders, to pursue the rare open seat.
—Sacbee.com, 6 Apr. 2026
The Masters, season’s first of four golf majors, tees off Thursday at Augusta anyway with Scottie Scheffler (ho hum) the betting favorite per DraftKings followed by Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau.
—Greg Cote
april 5, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Desmond is betting on his local record to give him an edge.
—Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Sports betting companies have challenged its constitutionality in court.
—Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
While that is a relatively small increase, when the New York Fed looked solely at the population that newly took up sports betting after legalization (roughly 3% of the population), its estimates show delinquencies rose by 10 percentage points.
—Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
DraftKings’ stock has dropped by almost 40% year-to-date to about $21 per share, as investors worry prediction markets (an exchange form of betting available nationwide under federal oversight) will cut into its traditional sportsbook business.
—Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for betting
Verb
-
Since then, the state has raked in more than $170 million through a partnership with the wagering company DraftKings.—
Todd Bookman,
NPR,
2 Apr. 2026
-
But when wagering on elections, most traders have seemed to consistently buy and sell only one position, rather than switching between them.—
Parker Bach,
The Conversation,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The first generation of parents to have resorted, at least occasionally, to mollifying their children by putting digital screens in their hands has now seen those kids grow up.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Wainwright alleges that the company started putting profits over people, which is when problems began to escalate.—
Terell Bailey,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Both states scored higher than Florida on CASPR’s online gambling regulatory rankings, and in Oklahoma, online sports gambling isn’t even legal.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2026
-
There are powerful forces that oppose gambling in general, much less any expansion.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Betting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/betting. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
