all bets are off

American  

[awl bets ahr awf, of] / ˈɔl ˈbɛts ˌɑr ˈɔf, ˈɒf /

idiom

1. (used when the outcome of a situation is too uncertain to predict).

   We have to make it to the meeting place by 5:30 or all bets are off.

   The individual ingredients may be safe, but once you mix them up into a brew, all bets are off.

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Etymology

Origin of all bets are off

First recorded in 1830–40, in reference to horse races

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

all bets are off

But all bets are off if you use growth and value funds that track indexes from different providers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

But, he said, New York City is "a big place, it's a complicated place, and so, all bets are off about whether these things can happen or not".

From BBC ● Jan. 2, 2026

And I gotta take this to practice, and when I take that, all bets are off.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2025

But the wildfires ablaze in Los Angeles right now, whose total destruction remains to be seen, show all bets are off when it comes to what defines wildfire season.

From Salon ● Jan. 15, 2025

But make fun of my brother, and all bets are off.

From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya