all bets are off

American

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

idiom

(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.

Etymology

Origin of all bets are off

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

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.

There is a sense that all bets are off.

From BBC • Sep. 10, 2025

If it’s a rainy day, all bets are off.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 11, 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

Should those fur babies be canine, however, all bets are off.

From Science Magazine • Oct. 25, 2023

Funny how distress takes away one’s appetite for real food, but when sweets are involved, all bets are off.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall

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