make out like a bandit

Idioms  

1. Succeed extremely well, as in He invested in real estate and made out like a bandit. This expression likens other forms of success to that of a triumphant robber. It may, however, come from an intermediate source, that is, the use of bandit (or one-armed bandit) for a slot machine, which is far more profitable for the house than for gamblers. [Slang; c. 1970]

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Example Sentences

You and I both know that when investing, you have to be willing to play the long game to make out like a bandit, with an exception here and there.

From Slate

Councilman Gil Cedillo, whose district includes Chinatown, unveiled a plan in November to tap surplus federal COVID-19 relief funds for the purchase, saying the move would protect renters while also allowing the owner to “make out like a bandit.”

From Los Angeles Times

“He’s going to make out like a bandit.”

From Los Angeles Times

“Trump will make out like a bandit on all the big items,” said Steven M. Rosenthal, a senior fellow at the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.

From New York Times

Alex declined to disclose the budget for the project, but says: “If I sold it, I would make out like a bandit. I could easily double my money, but it would take a unique buyer; it’s not for everybody.”

From Washington Post