betting

betting — noun

1. the practice of putting money at risk on events whose outcome is not yet known,

1.nounB1
Definition

the practice of putting money at risk on events whose outcome is not yet known, such as horse races, sports matches, or card games

Example

Beatriz lost a lot of money through online betting on football matches.

collocation: online betting / sports betting

The government introduced new rules to regulate sports betting across the nation.

passive: regulate + [activity]

Common collocations
  • betting shop
  • betting slip
  • betting ring
  • betting exchange
  • betting market
  • illegal betting
  • heavy betting
  • online betting
Synonyms
  • gambling

    wider in scope — includes casinos, lotteries, slot machines, not just event-based wagers

  • wagering

    more formal or legal; common in official documents and legislation

  • gaming

    a euphemistic term preferred by the industry to sound more respectable; can also refer to casino play rather than sports betting

Grammar Patterns

often in compounds: [type of event] + betting

Usage Note

Uncountable noun — never used in the plural ('bettings'). Often appears in compounds that specify the type of event: sports betting, horse-race betting, online betting. Carries a strong warning tone in many contexts because of the financial risks involved.

Common Mistakes

I made a betting on the game.
I placed a bet on the game.
'betting' is the activity, not the individual wager; use 'bet' (countable noun) for a single instance.
Betting are popular in many countries.
Betting is popular in many countries.
'betting' is uncountable and takes a singular verb.
Idioms

Word family

  • bet
    verbA2
  • bet
    nounA2
  • bettor
    nounB1
  • better
    nounB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Betting is a specific kind of gambling: you risk money on the outcome of a single event — a horse race, a football match, an election. Gambling is the broader term that covers all activities where money is risked on chance, including casino games, slot machines, lotteries, and bingo. You can gamble on a slot machine, but you cannot bet on one — betting expects a defined outcome. Wagering is a more formal, legal synonym for betting; contracts and laws use 'wagering' far more often than everyday speech does ('wagering agreement', 'wagering tax'). Gaming is a euphemism used by the industry itself: what a casino calls 'gaming' is still gambling. In British usage, 'gaming' can specifically mean casino play as opposed to sports betting. For everyday conversation, use 'betting' for event-based wagers and 'gambling' for the general habit.

betting ↗gambling ↗wageringgaming ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • place a bet
  • win a bet
  • lose a bet
  • have a flutter (BrE, informal)

Prepositions

Etymology

unknown origin (late 16th century)English

The verb 'bet' first appeared in English around the 1590s, possibly shortened from 'abet' (to encourage someone to gamble) or derived from an earlier noun meaning 'stake' or 'wager' of uncertain origin. The gerund form 'betting', used to name the activity itself, came into use during the 1600s as wagering on horse races and card games became a common pastime.