Is there a difference between a wager and a bet?

In poker, the terms are generally used in similar contexts. If there is no previous amount bet, you could say "I wager 10" or "I bet 10". Wager is used far less often, and sometimes seems archaic, or at least "old-timey".

I use the word bet all the time, but almost never used the word wager, so I'm trying to think of contexts where they aren't interchangeable.

I'd say wager sounds more posh. The gentry will have a wager at Royal Ascot race meeting, but the masses will have a bet. I'd say they were true synonyms.

I agree with Sean that "wager" sounds "old-timey" to me, too, whereas "bet" is fairly common. Also, in the U.S. we use "bet" in sentences like, "I bet I'll win first prize in the WPSI." We'd not say "I wager I'll win first prize...."

I also think it interesting that "wage" means the salary that one is paid and yet a "wager" is not one who pays the wage. I suppose, though, that a "wager" could be one who wages war.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kalleh,

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Also, in the U.S. we use "bet" in sentences like, "I bet I'll win first prize in the WPSI." We'd not say "I wager I'll win first prize...."

Actually, I've heard the later, typically in older movies, or by older people. It sounds like something John Wayne or Clint Eastwood would say, even though "I reckon" is probably what those guys used.

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I also think it interesting that "wage" means the salary that one is paid and yet a "wager" is not one who pays the wage

A wager is something someone does with his wages. There is probably an absurd Latin sounding term for this construction. It would be interesting to see whether wager was initially a verb or a noun, since it is used interchangeably, as it bet.