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Synonyms

numbers game

British  

noun

  1. Often shortened to: numbers.  an illegal lottery in which money is wagered on a certain combination of digits appearing at the beginning of a series of numbers published in a newspaper, as in share prices or sports results

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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That’s probably overegging the pudding — I’d be surprised if that many attendees signed on the dotted line — but in the end, it’s a numbers game.

From MarketWatch Jul. 6, 2026

Dating is a numbers game; the more you swipe on the apps, the more matches you get, the more dates you have.

From The Wall Street Journal May 21, 2026

It’s no longer a pure numbers game for the company.

From Barron's May 11, 2026

People talk a lot about how it’s just a numbers game: You have to go on more dates, you have to swipe on more people.

From Los Angeles Times Feb. 12, 2026

Instead, the staff played a sterile numbers game, seeking to impose a strict ratio everywhere.

From Integration of the Armed Forces, 1940-1965 by MacGregor, Morris J.

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