What does “dollars to donuts” mean?
”Dollars to donuts” means you’re positive something will happen. You’re so positive, in fact, that you’d be willing to wager your dollars against the other person’s donuts, with the idea being that dollars are more valuable than donuts. (To which we say, speak for yourself.) The phrase is sometimes preceded by “I’ll bet”; often, “I’ll bet” is merely implied. It’s also most often used in the plural, but “I’d bet a dollar to a donut” is also sometimes used. Dollars to donuts they’re going to win the election. I’ll bet dollars to donuts you don’t pass your exam if you don’t study. It’s dollars to donuts that roof will leak if it’s not patched quick.
“Dollars to Donuts” Origins
This American idiom originated in the mid-1800s. At the time, you could get a donut for only a few nickels, so the wager of “dollars to donuts” indicated the person (figuratively) betting was 100% certain of what they were wagering. Nowadays, donuts in many places cost at least a dollar, much to our sorrow. The dollars could also be bet against donuts because donuts are shaped like a zero, further indicating their relative worthlessness. Other related phrases used around the same time are “bet dollars to buttons” and “bet dollars to dumplings,” though these fell out of fashion more quickly. “Dollars to donuts” is primarily used in America and reached its peak in popularity in 1915. Though it’s dropped in popularity since then, it’s still used in American English.
How to Use “Dollars to Donuts”
Use it to express (almost) total certainty about something. Next time you’re sharing a theory that something is going to happen or not happen, invoke this classic idiom to show the person you’re talking to just how certain you are that you're right. It’s dollars to donuts that marriage will fail in the first 6 months. Dollars to donuts that vintage Pee-wee Herman doll is worth at least a few hundred bucks. I’d bet a dollar to a donut you’ll enjoy yourself at the demolition derby.
Related Idioms
I’d bet a pound to a penny I’d bet a dollar to a dime I’d bet my boots You can bet your bottom dollar I’d bet the farm You can take that to the bank
Other Donut-Related Slang
“Doing donuts” When you “do a donut,” you drive your car into a tight circle. You might not leave a trail of flames like people in movies, but you can leave some sick tire treads and look cool in front of your friends.
“You donut!” Another way to say “You idiot!” This mild insult is more common in southern England.
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