hedge one's bets

Idioms

Lessen one's chance of loss by counterbalancing it with other bets, investments, or the like. For example, I'm hedging my bets by putting some of my money in bonds in case there's another drop in the stock market. This term transfers hedge, in the sense of “a barrier,” to a means of protection against loss. [Second half of 1600s]

Example Sentences

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See Examples For:

hedge one's bets

In light of human nature, the real question is whether to hedge one's bets with free markets or government.

From US News ● Sep. 19, 2016

Purchasing reputation insurance to hedge one’s bets against a possible corporate crisis may cause some executives to see the policy as a panacea for their management shortcomings.

From BusinessWeek ● Jan. 5, 2012

There are, of course, reasons to hedge one's bets on China.

From BusinessWeek ● Mar. 15, 2010

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023