lay odds

1. Make a bet on terms favorable to the other party, as in I'll lay odds that it will rain before the week is out. [c. 1600] The closely related lay a wager means “make a bet,” as in He laid a wager that Don would be late. [c. 1300]

Example Sentences

You can lay odds that there will be at least one docudrama, probably to be directed by Jay Roach, focusing on the incompetent federal response.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Galston, a former adviser to President Bill Clinton, said: “I would lay odds on it being an African American, and possibly an African American woman.”

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A betting man might lay odds that King will prevail in a primary as a visionary zealot who prepared the way for our fearless and feckless leader Trump.

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Basically, our goal is to make forecasts, to handicap the race, and to lay odds.

Read more on Slate

You'll just have to lay odds in every case, but one:

Read more on Golf Digest

Related Words

• pony up 
• speculate 
• wager