I was struggling with some packages today, and some really nice man asked if he could help me. I politely declined, and then I said, "Thanks". He replied, "You bet". My dad often says, "You bet", instead of, "You're welcome". I am curious--is that just regional slang? I tried looking it up in various slang dictionaries, as well as other sites, but couldn't find it. Does anyone know?

I doubt it's regional, as I've herd it on both coasts.

It would seem to be American; I can't say that I've ever heard the phrase used like that over on this side of the pond.

"You bet" is often used in lieu of "you're welcome" here in the PNW (Pacific North West), and I'm inclined to think it's common throughout the US. I have no evidence to back that up, of course.

It is a curious expression. "You bet" essentially means "yes" (the AHD says "you bet" is an idiom meaning "of course; surely") and to answer "you're welcome" with "yes" seems odd. Yet we use "yes" as an answer in many ways. When someone calls us, we may answer "yes?" instead of "what?" If someone says, "do you mind if I come in?", we answer, "yes, come on in", instead of the more logical, "no, I don't mind; come in".

Perhaps the phrase was "you're welcome, of course" or "you're surely welcome" and got shortened to "of course" or "surely", which became "you bet". Pure conjecture, of course.

Tinman

I think Tinman's on the right track. I've heard, "You bet you are" as well as the shorter "You bet." It seems to be a gambling reference, as though one could safely wager that the act was done gladly, thus an elaborate euphamism for "You're welcome."

Yes, Tinman, I think you have it. I imagine it is somewhere in a slang dictionary, but I sure couldn't find it.

I hear "You betcha!" all the time, as well as "You bet!"

I hear "You betcha!" all the time
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Although I've never been drawn to popular music, I vaguely remember a song entitled, "Betcha By Golly Wow"about thirty years ago. I betcha (!) that stems from the same source.

Betcha By Golly Wow

~~ The Stylistics



(And an aside..I also found it by...gulp...The Backstreet Boys )