heads or tails

American  

noun

1. a gambling game in which a coin is tossed, the winner being the player who guesses which side of the coin will face up when it lands or is caught.

2. the tossing of a coin in this manner to determine a question or choice.

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heads or tails Idioms  

1. An expression used when tossing a coin to decide between two alternatives, as in Let's just flip a coin to decide who pays—do you want heads or tails? Each person involved chooses a different side of the coin, either “heads” or “tails,” and whichever side lands facing up is considered the winner. This usage, dating from the late 1600s, is sometimes turned into Heads I win, tails you lose, meaning “I win no matter what,” which probably originated in an attempt to deceive someone. [Mid-1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of heads or tails

First recorded in 1675–85

Example Sentences

He wanted to take a crack at writing like artists like Billie Eilish, but he couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

The iPhone Clean Up tool did OK with the grass, but couldn’t make heads or tails of the tents in the background.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025

There are only two choices: heads or tails.

From Washington Times • Feb. 10, 2023

Each of them received 572 votes, according to local reports, and the two agreed that one would flip a coin while the other chooses heads or tails to decide the winner.

From BBC • Nov. 11, 2022

They would flip a coin, heads or tails, and hope the two-faced god would guide them well.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• advantage
• break
• future
• hit
• lot
• odds
• outcome
• risk