gamble

Everyday

1. To gamble is to bet money on a game, race or event, hoping to win more but risking losing it. tree →
2. To gamble is to take a risk, hoping things turn out well. tree →
3. A gamble is a risky action or choice. tree →

In the lessons

In maths lessons on chance and probability pupils learn that gambling games are designed so that, over time, players lose more than they win. In stories a character takes a gamble. In everyday safety, gambling is only legal for adults. Phrases: «take a gamble», «gamble on», «a big gamble», «it paid off».

Examples

• It was a gamble to leave without umbrellas, and we got wet. tree →
• The captain took a gamble and it paid off. tree →
• People who gamble usually lose more money than they win. tree →
• She gambled on the weather staying sunny. tree →
• Gambling is only for adults, by law. tree →
• Some online games use tricks like gambling to get you to spend money. tree →
• Was it a good gamble or a silly one? tree →

Note

Regular verb (drop «e»: gambled, gambling). Homophone trap: «gambol» means to skip and jump like a lamb. In maths: in gambling games the chance of losing is bigger than the chance of winning, so the house wins over time. Loot boxes in games work like gambling; talk to an adult.