place bet
9
4.2
- noun
- Jargon
:
apuesta
- At the racetrack, she decided to place a bet on the favorite horse to win.
Examples
-
Also supporting Cohen's case is the fact that World Sports Exchange requires customers to have an open account in Antigua before they place bets.
Academic text (2000) -
Scotty: You can place a bet on any game, college or pro, up until noon the day of the game.
Fiction book (1998) -
If you want me to place a bet for you, let me know tomorrow.
Fiction book (2000) -
Once all this is clear to you, you will be on your path to making wins each time you place a bet.
Blog text (24) -
Where did she go to place a bet, anyhow?
Fiction book (1991) -
Well, the way it works is I have an 800 number people can call if they want to place a bet.
Fiction book (2000) -
And I want to place a bet on tonight's fight.
Fiction book (1990) -
A recent survey found that by the age of 15, more than 80 percent of teens have placed bets.
Fiction book (1998) -
The majority of them feel most comfortable wagering with friends, while some of the more daring ones place a bet against their spouse!
Blog text (24) -
They loved going to the races and placing bets on horses; in moderation, naturally.
Fiction book (2000)
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is compositionally built from 'place' (to achieve a finishing position) + 'bet' (a wager), so a learner who knows both words can infer it is a wager about a competitor's finishing position. However, the precise convention that a 'place bet' pays if the horse finishes first or second is a domain-specific rule of racing and not predictable from the constituents alone, so full understanding requires exposure.
Etymology
The noun place bet comes from horse racing: to place means to finish in a top position. A place bet wins if the horse finishes 'first or second', so it is seen as a safer choice than a 'win' bet.