all bets are off
idiom
—used to describe a situation in which it is impossible to be sure about what will happen
All bets are off on the election: it's too close to call.
Examples of all bets are off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
If Trump wins the election, all bets are off for a resurrection of the case.
—
Devlin Barrett, Washington Post, 21 July 2024
After that, all bets are off in what is predicted to be a hyperactive season.
—Andrew Freedman, Axios, 19 July 2024
When the Black Death strikes the city of Florence in 1348, all bets are off — at least for a handful of nobles who retreat to a grand villa to wait out the plague.
—Samantha Highfill, EW.com, 10 July 2024
This impasse is unlikely to be resolved until the war in Ukraine ends in some sort of peaceful settlement—unless Trump returns to the White House in January 2025, in which case, all bets are off.
—Matthias Matthijs, Foreign Affairs, 22 Aug. 2023
If someone is nursing a ginger ale for an hour, then all bets are off.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2023
Similar to Star Wars: The Force Awakens and its adherence to Star Wars: A New Hope, Chapter 1 follows suit with Bertino’s 2008 film, but all bets are off for Chapter 2 and Chapter 3.
—Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 May 2024
And once the game starts — especially a basketball game — all bets are off.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 4 Apr. 2024
The Oscars after-parties, then, are when all bets are off and the real fashion begins.
—Alice Newbold, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024
Devlin Barrett, Washington Post, 21 July 2024
After that, all bets are off in what is predicted to be a hyperactive season.
—Andrew Freedman, Axios, 19 July 2024
When the Black Death strikes the city of Florence in 1348, all bets are off — at least for a handful of nobles who retreat to a grand villa to wait out the plague.
—Samantha Highfill, EW.com, 10 July 2024
This impasse is unlikely to be resolved until the war in Ukraine ends in some sort of peaceful settlement—unless Trump returns to the White House in January 2025, in which case, all bets are off.
—Matthias Matthijs, Foreign Affairs, 22 Aug. 2023
If someone is nursing a ginger ale for an hour, then all bets are off.
—Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2023
Similar to Star Wars: The Force Awakens and its adherence to Star Wars: A New Hope, Chapter 1 follows suit with Bertino’s 2008 film, but all bets are off for Chapter 2 and Chapter 3.
—Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 May 2024
And once the game starts — especially a basketball game — all bets are off.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 4 Apr. 2024
The Oscars after-parties, then, are when all bets are off and the real fashion begins.
—Alice Newbold, Vogue, 11 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'all bets are off.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near all bets are off
Cite this Entry
“All bets are off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all%20bets%20are%20off. Accessed 18 Aug. 2024.
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