all bets are off

American

[awl bets ahr awf, of] / ˈɔl ˈbɛts ˌɑr ˈɔf, ˈɒf /

idiom

(used when the outcome of a situation is too uncertain to predict).

We have to make it to the meeting place by 5:30 or all bets are off.
The individual ingredients may be safe, but once you mix them up into a brew, all bets are off.

Etymology

Origin of all bets are off

First recorded in 1830–40, in reference to horse races

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“The rule of law in this country is what protects every citizen from governmental abuse. If we don’t have that protection, then all bets are off.”

From Salon

All bets are off if inflation remains elevated or even rises.

From MarketWatch

If stocks stumble, all bets are off.

From Barron's

But, he said, New York City is "a big place, it's a complicated place, and so, all bets are off about whether these things can happen or not".

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023