all bets are off
idiom
—used to describe a situation in which it is impossible to be sure about what will happen
All bets are off on the election: it's too close to call.
Examples of all bets are off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And once the game starts — especially a basketball game — all bets are off.
—
Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 4 Apr. 2024
The Oscars after-parties, then, are when all bets are off and the real fashion begins.
—Alice Newbold, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024
If the military spending spree ends, all bets are off.
—Paul Sonne, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2024
This is a situation in which all bets are off and life is very different.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 23 Feb. 2024
Once Muraki encounters a mysterious female gambler, Saeko (Mariko Kaga), all bets are off.
—Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Aug. 2023
And all bets are off if the Patriots have a disastrous start or Jones gets hurt again.
—Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Aug. 2023
If this is the last invention of humankind, then all bets are off.
—WIRED, 13 June 2023
But experts say that the Fed probably won’t slash rates so soon, at least if the economy stays hot (all bets are off if the US defaults on its debt).
—Krystal Hur, CNN, 14 May 2023
Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 4 Apr. 2024
The Oscars after-parties, then, are when all bets are off and the real fashion begins.
—Alice Newbold, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024
If the military spending spree ends, all bets are off.
—Paul Sonne, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2024
This is a situation in which all bets are off and life is very different.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 23 Feb. 2024
Once Muraki encounters a mysterious female gambler, Saeko (Mariko Kaga), all bets are off.
—Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Aug. 2023
And all bets are off if the Patriots have a disastrous start or Jones gets hurt again.
—Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Aug. 2023
If this is the last invention of humankind, then all bets are off.
—WIRED, 13 June 2023
But experts say that the Fed probably won’t slash rates so soon, at least if the economy stays hot (all bets are off if the US defaults on its debt).
—Krystal Hur, CNN, 14 May 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'all bets are off.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near all bets are off
Cite this Entry
“All bets are off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all%20bets%20are%20off. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
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