How do you talk about a business decision you think will succeed?
Today, Lindsay and Michelle share how to use “bet on” naturally at work.
They introduce similar expressions you can use when talking about expectations and predictions.
Would you bet on it?
Lindsay mentions that Michelle and her husband now own their own company.
She asks Michelle how she knows if something is going to succeed in their business.
Michelle responds that you don’t always know.
A lot of it comes down to betting on your ideas.
There will be times when you have a good idea that something will succeed because you’ve done it before or have previous data to guide you.
Lindsay agrees and mentions that running a business is often an educated gamble.
A lot of it involves betting on yourself and your ideas to make things succeed.
In today’s episode, Lindsay and Michelle talk about betting on business decisions.
The phrase “bet on” isn’t always about gambling.
In business situations, it can be a natural way to express confidence in something you believe will work out well.
Lindsay and Michelle share how to use “bet on” in business conversations, along with other useful phrases for talking about predictions, expectations, and confidence at work.
Bet on it!
To “bet on” something means to believe that it will succeed or that a particular outcome will happen.
It’s often used when making predictions about the future and can show that you have confidence in a person, strategy, product, or outcome.
“Bet on” is casual and is commonly used in spoken English.
You may hear it in business meetings, presentations, and interviews.
Examples:
- I prefer to bet on long-term investments over get-rich-quick schemes.
- We’re betting on a huge turnout for the event.
- The team is betting on this marketing strategy.
However, “betting on” can sometimes suggest that there is an element of risk or uncertainty involved.
The meaning depends on the context and the speaker’s tone.
Example:
- The startup is betting on new technology that hasn’t been tested.
In this case, the company believes the technology could succeed, but there is clearly some risk involved.
You can use “bet on” in many different business situations when talking about something you expect or hope will succeed.
Here are different scenarios that you’d often hear using this phrase.
#1: New technology
You can use “bet on” when investing in or relying on new technology to produce a particular result.
Example:
- The company is betting on AI to improve customer service.
#2: Upcoming events or campaigns
Use this when you expect an event or campaign to perform well.
Example:
- We’re betting on a big response to the new ad campaign.
#3: Hiring someone
You can use “bet on” when a company or its investors believe a particular person will be successful in a role.
Example:
- Investors are betting on the new CEO to improve the company.
#4: Trusting someone to lead a project
This can show that you have confidence in someone’s ability to deliver a successful result.
Example:
- We’re betting on Sarah to lead the project.
#5: Product launches
Companies may “bet on” a new product when they expect it to drive growth or improve business performance.
Example:
- The company is betting on its new phone to increase sales.
#6: Market strategy
You can also use the phrase when discussing a business strategy you believe will lead to future success.
Example:
- We’re betting on international expansion next year.
How do we use “bet on” grammatically?
In business conversations, you’ll often hear “bet on” in the present continuous form “betting on.”
This is especially common when talking about a current strategy or something a company is relying on for future success.
However, you can use other verb tenses when they make sense.
For example, in the past tense: “We bet on the startup early, and it really paid off.”
There are also several common sentence structures you can use with “bet on.”
#1: Bet on + noun
Use this when putting your confidence in a particular thing, idea, or strategy.
Example:
- The company is betting on innovation.
#2: Bet on + person or team
Use this when you have confidence in someone’s ability to achieve a result.
Example:
- We’re betting on the new CEO to increase our revenue.
#3: Bet on + gerund (-ing)
Use this when talking about an action or strategy you expect to be successful.
Example:
- We were betting on expanding into Asia, but the market has changed.
#4: Bet on + something happening
Use this when making a prediction about a future event or outcome.
Example:
- We’re betting on the market recovering next quarter.
Similar phrases for expressing confidence
“Bet on” isn’t the only expression you can use when talking about expectations and confidence at work.
Lindsay and Michelle share three other useful phrases that you’ll often hear in business conversations.
#1: Count on
To depend on or expect something or someone to deliver a particular result.
Examples:
- We’re counting on strong holiday sales this year.
- The team is counting on your presentation to impress the client.
#2: Bank on
To rely heavily on something or someone.
This is similar to “count on,” but it can suggest that a lot depends on the outcome.
Examples:
- The company is banking on the new product launch to increase revenue.
- We’re banking on customer referrals to grow the business.
#3: Be confident about
To feel sure or optimistic about something.
This expression is more direct and literal than “bet on” or “bank on.”
Examples:
- I’m confident about the results of this campaign.
- The leadership team is confident about next quarter’s growth.
Roleplay
Lindsay and Michelle show these expressions in a natural workplace conversation.
In this scenario, they’re colleagues planning an upcoming conference.
Michelle is asking Lindsay about their expectations for the event.
Michelle: Are we expecting a big turnout for the conference?
Lindsay: Yes, we’re betting on strong attendance this year.
Michelle: Good. I’m also counting on the keynote speaker to attract more people.
Lindsay: Absolutely. We’re really banking on her talk being a highlight of the event.
Michelle: Great. So would you say we’re confident about the event overall?
Lindsay: Definitely. I think it will go really well!
Takeaway
Being confident at work doesn’t always mean saying “I’m sure” or “I know.”
In fact, business decisions often involve making predictions without knowing exactly what will happen.
Expressions like “bet on” can help you communicate that confidence while still leaving room for uncertainty.
The next time you’re discussing a strategy, project, or upcoming result, try using it to share what you’re willing to put your confidence behind.
This can make your English sound more natural while participating confidently in conversations about decisions and future plans.
Check out BE 603: How to Talk About Competition at Work for more practical business English vocabulary.
What is one business strategy or trend you would bet on being successful in the future?
Share it in the comments below!
