bet
verb (used with object)
to wager with (something or someone).
bet
1 American
[bet]
/ bɛt /
verb (used with object)
-
bets,
present (3rd person singular)
-
bet,
past participle, past
-
betted,
past participle, past
-
betting
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
bets,
present (3rd person singular)
-
bet,
past participle, past
-
betted,
past participle, past
-
betting
present participle
noun
-
a pledge of a forfeit risked on some uncertain outcome; wager.
Where do we place our bets?
-
that which is pledged.
a two-dollar bet.
-
something that is bet on, as a competitor in a sporting event or a number in a lottery.
That horse looks like a good bet.
-
an act or instance of betting.
It's a bet, then?
-
a person, plan of action, etc., considered as being a good alternative; choice.
Your best bet is to sell your stocks now.
idioms
-
all bets are off. see all bets are off.
-
you bet! of course! surely!.
You bet I'd like to be there!
bet
2
American
[bayt, bet]
/ beɪt, bɛt /
noun
BET
3
American
abbreviation
Trademark.
bet.
4
American
abbreviation
bet
British
/ bɛt /
noun
-
an agreement between two parties that a sum of money or other stake will be paid by the loser to the party who correctly predicts the outcome of an event
-
the money or stake risked
-
the predicted result in such an agreement
his bet was that the horse would win
-
a person, event, etc, considered as likely to succeed or occur
it's a good bet that they will succeed
-
a course of action (esp in the phrase one's best bet )
-
informal an opinion; view
my bet is that you've been up to no good
verb
-
to make or place a bet with (a person or persons)
-
(tr) to stake (money, etc) in a bet
-
informal (tr; may take a clause as object) to predict (a certain outcome)
I bet she fails
-
informal of course; naturally
bet
More Idioms
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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betsimple
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betssimple
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have betperfect
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have bettedperfect
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has betperfect
-
has bettedperfect
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am bettingprogressive
-
are bettingprogressive
-
is bettingprogressive
-
have been bettingperfect progressive
-
has been bettingperfect progressive
Past
-
betsimple
-
bettedsimple
-
had betperfect
-
had bettedperfect
-
was bettingprogressive
-
were bettingprogressive
-
had been bettingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of bet
First recorded in 1585–95; perhaps special use of obsolete bet “better,” in phrase the bet “the advantage,” i.e., “the odds”
Explanation
To bet is to gamble or risk something valuable against an unknown outcome. Poker players bet on each hand, hoping the cards they hold will beat those of the other players. Sometimes you bet money on a sporting event, wagering on the team you think will win and collecting even more money if it does. It's even more common to bet in a figurative way, saying something like, "I'd be willing to bet that the bus will be late again." The money you risk when you bet is also called a bet. The word probably comes from the now-obsolete noun abet, or "abetment."
Vocabulary lists containing bet
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But remember, Craig was a surprise choice in 2005, so don't bet against a wildcard candidate whose name has not yet been widely reported.
From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2026
Taking no action would have been the safe bet, Newsom said in an interview about his decision a day after he made the announcement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2026
"These results show that bet had an expiry date," Kowaz said.
From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026
The Gulf states have bet hundreds of billions of dollars that building airports between the major air markets of Europe and Asia will let them grow into the world’s dominant aviation hubs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
“Rowdy,” I said, “that paint is built for speed. I’ll bet she could run like the wind.”
From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls
In the new experiments, the researchers again found that BET bromodomain inhibitors slowed the growth of prostate cancer cell lines.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 8, 2026
Even the news that ComicView, the iconic BET stand-up series, was getting a new reboot barely made waves online.
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
The research team had previously shown that drugs known as BET bromodomain inhibitors can interfere with pathways that allow prostate cancer cells to activate alternative identity programs.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 8, 2026
The 2026 BET Awards brought music, comedy and community to the Peacock Theater on Sunday night.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
The rest of the guys were inside waiting to make their calls or playing cards or watching rap videos on BET.
From "We Were Here" by Matt De La Peña
“This is a big bet. These pay packages will not be realized unless Meta achieves massive future success, benefiting all of our shareholders,” a Meta spokesman told Barron’s.
From Barron's ● Mar. 25, 2026
“This is a big bet. These pay packages will not be realized unless Meta achieves massive future success, benefiting all of our shareholders,” a Meta spokesman said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 25, 2026
“End of May, beginning of June is probably a safe bet. Something like that.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 14, 2026
Zuckerberg said he understood the frustration, and admitted: "I can't guarantee you that I'm going to be right about this bet. I do think that this is the direction that the world is going in."
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2023
“I won the bet. So tomorrow we do things my way.”
From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega
Airlines are installing deluxe seats, enlisting Michelin-star chefs for luxury menu offerings and designing elite airport lounges as the industry bets its future on growing demand for premium travel.
From Barron's ● Nov. 8, 2026
High-quality dividend-paying stocks are good bets to beat the 10-year Treasury over the next decade.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 4, 2026
His bets, he said in a text, “couldn’t have turned out much better.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
Last year the Melbourne Cup drew a record $382.5 million in bets.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026
His bets against subprime mortgage bonds were to him more than just bets; he intended them almost as insults.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
Some of those purchases may have been partly driven by hedge funds that had betted against GameStop, trying to cover their positions, and some of those funds made bad losses.
From Reuters ● Oct. 18, 2021
He started Plugable and betted big that depending on Amazon would turn his idea into a business.
From New York Times ● Dec. 19, 2019
No one betted on Ms. Warren dropping out.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 13, 2019
Prosecutors alleged that local media coverage had "aided and betted the overseas media's contempt".
From BBC ● Apr. 15, 2019
Once we would have said, Mr. Pecksniff quitted the firm, betted on the horses, and wetted his whistle, then wedded his sweetheart in a suit that fitted him perfectly.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
Like a lot of other wineries, Somerset is betting heavily on higher-priced wines, which it sells largely to wine-club members.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2026
Everything you need to know about the Rams facing the Washington Commanders on Sunday, including start time, betting odds and a score prediction.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2026
Everything you need to know about the Chargers facing the Houston Texans on Sunday, including how to watch, betting odds, injuries and a score prediction.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2026
LeBron James sent a cease-and-desist letter to Bron AI, an AI-driven sports betting app that posted an ad featuring a look-alike of the NBA star.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
And now no one was betting against Ellsberg at any odds.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
