bets 1 of 2

noun

plural of bet
1
as in stakes
the money or thing risked on the outcome of an uncertain event she offered the bet of a free lunch if her team won the World Series

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in choices
a person or thing that is chosen your best bet would be the scenic route along the coast

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bets

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of bet
as in wagers
to risk (something) on the outcome of an uncertain event foolishly bet a week's salary on the World Series

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bets
Noun
According to TickerTracker, about 78% of Kalshi’s volume this month, roughly $26 billion, has come from sports and parlays, an all-or nothing bundle of bets that are popular with sports. — Marshall Cohen, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 Few have placed bigger bets than Blackstone on the AI revolution, which demands massive funding for large language models and the data centers and energy infrastructure that power them. — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026 That hasn’t stopped prediction markets from offering sports bets. — Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026 Not all Second Projects are good risk/reward bets either, of course. — Rob Day, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 In March, the White House issued an internal memo warning staff against using nonpublic information to place bets on prediction markets, sources previously confirmed to ABC News. — Lucien Bruggeman, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026 The bond market swung Friday as investors built bets that the Federal Reserve may hike interest rates soon to get the nation’s high inflation under control. — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 Over half — 52% — of Gen Z investors (those born between 1997 and 2007) have redirected money intended for investing to sports bets, a Betterment survey of 1,000 investors finds. — Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026 Investors seized on that weakness, many placing bets that the cryptocurrency would be stuck in that range for some time to come. — Michelle Chapman, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026
Verb
But that’s a problem in Bordeaux, a region that bets big on red wines aged in oak. — Kate Dingwall, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 July 2026 Told ‘no’ at every turn, Sylvester Stallone bets everything on himself, holding the line on playing the lead against seemingly impossible odds. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 15 July 2026 This is all heavy investment that bets hard on South Korea's future as a component powerhouse. — Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 30 June 2026 An immigrant educator at a struggling East LA high school decides his students can master AP calculus, bets everything on that belief, and turns out to be right. — Mercury News Editorial Board, Mercury News, 27 May 2026 The prediction market’s CEO, Tarek Mansour, told CNBC that bets on Bad Bunny’s first song alone exceeded $100 million in volume. — Josephine Rozzelle, CNBC, 11 Feb. 2026 If a new account opens and immediately bets on a single player micro-market, that’s suspicious. — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 24 Oct. 2025 Similarly, if an existing account that typically bets $50 on certain games suddenly places a $1,000 bet, that outlier behavior could trigger an investigation. — Dian Zhang, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025 Told no at every turn, Stallone bets everything on himself, holding the line on playing the lead against seemingly impossible odds. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bets
  1. stakes
  2. choices
  3. wagers
  4. favorites
  5. puts
  6. selections
Noun
  • Several other brands have activated during high-stakes competitions and inked their own collaborations that tap into the convergence of beauty and sports this year.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • This dwindling buffer forces the nation into a high-stakes standoff against the uncompromising laws of fluid dynamics, immense geological forces, strict federal statutes, and relentless geopolitical pressure.
    — Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of stakes
Noun
  • The Sun conjoins Mercury in Virgo and your 1st House of Self, sharpening your voice, presence, choices, and personal direction.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Clients are looking for a partner who grasps their objectives, assists with key financial choices, and adapts alongside them as their circumstances shift, said Scott Stearsman, head of Premier and branch banking at Truist.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of choices
Verb
  • That is the legal hook that does not exist on SafeBets, where no user ever wagers anything.
    — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of wagers
Noun
  • Naturally, some of our favorites happen to be in the women’s designer sale section.
    — Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026
  • And this year’s menu reflects some through-the-years favorites, including some that have been re-imagined.
    — Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of favorites
Verb
  • My analysis, built on the County’s framework and precedent, puts the exposure at a considerably higher level.
    — Joseph M. Singer, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026
  • This is a callous continuation of the ongoing campaign by the same individuals and groups targeting Jewish people and the state of Israel, a pattern of antisemitism and misinformation that puts our community in grave danger.
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of puts
Noun
  • The first-round selections will be announced in early September, followed by final pitching in late September, with final selections announced during ACFM.
    — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Over the course of two long and decorated MLB careers — which includes Heyward’s five Gold Gloves, Freeman’s 10 All-Star selections, and five World Series rings between the two of them — their paths diverged and reconnected multiple times.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of selections

Browse Nearby Words

betroths
bets
bets (on)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bets. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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