a roll of the dice
idiom
informal
—used to say that something could have either a good result or a bad result
Opening a new restaurant is always a roll of the dice.
It's a roll of the dice whether we succeed or fail.
Examples of a roll of the dice in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Commercial flights had been shut down for months, and travel around Port-au-Prince was a roll of the dice.
—
Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 13 July 2025
Mikolas and Fedde are both free agents at the end of the season, and if the Cardinals are serious about making the playoffs and having a chance, a roll of the dice on Gallen could be the best call.
—Hunter Mulholland, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
Seen in this light, the gamble is not purely a roll of the dice.
—Dave Birnbaum, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
But for many, getting a good night’s sleep feels like a roll of the dice, despite trying all the latest sleep hacks and accessories promising deeper rest.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2025
Their injury history, combined with a fearless, reckless style of play, makes for a roll of the dice in terms of holding up over the rigors of a 17-game regular season and in theory the playoffs.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2025
But the price tag here will be based more on potential than production, and that’s always a roll of the dice.
—Vic Tafur, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
Another possibility would be to confide in a friend or colleague, though that can be tricky and a roll of the dice.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
But regardless, the point is, each additional person, each human born into the world, is a roll of the dice.
—Miles Bryan, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
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Jason Motlagh, Rolling Stone, 13 July 2025
Mikolas and Fedde are both free agents at the end of the season, and if the Cardinals are serious about making the playoffs and having a chance, a roll of the dice on Gallen could be the best call.
—Hunter Mulholland, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
Seen in this light, the gamble is not purely a roll of the dice.
—Dave Birnbaum, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
But for many, getting a good night’s sleep feels like a roll of the dice, despite trying all the latest sleep hacks and accessories promising deeper rest.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2025
Their injury history, combined with a fearless, reckless style of play, makes for a roll of the dice in terms of holding up over the rigors of a 17-game regular season and in theory the playoffs.
—Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2025
But the price tag here will be based more on potential than production, and that’s always a roll of the dice.
—Vic Tafur, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
Another possibility would be to confide in a friend or colleague, though that can be tricky and a roll of the dice.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
But regardless, the point is, each additional person, each human born into the world, is a roll of the dice.
—Miles Bryan, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Cite this Entry
“A roll of the dice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20roll%20of%20the%20dice. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.
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