lay odds

Idioms  

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]

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Example Sentences

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

From Slate • Oct. 5, 2018

Second, I'd lay odds on having fewer than 37,000 annual deaths and many, many more serious injuries if we switch to self-driving cars.

From New York Times • Oct. 14, 2017

Lexington would lay odds that TV viewers in Detroit and the surrounding state of Michigan will soon know that video well.

From Economist • Mar. 20, 2014

Care to lay odds on either of them?

From Time • Aug. 20, 2012

The rest of 'em took to their heels, you may lay odds on that.

From The Adventures of Kathlyn by MacGrath, Harold

Related Words

• pony up
• speculate
• wager