crapshoot
Pure luck situation
A crapshoot is something whose outcome depends on chance rather than skill or planning.
The term comes from craps, the dice game, where results are unpredictable.
Any venture with uncertain results qualifies: Hiring is always a crapshoot.
The weather in April is a total crapshoot.
The word implies accepting risk without much control over what happens.
Marked cubes for chance
- wagerStake on uncertainty
- bettingStaking money on outcomes
- casinoFacility for wagering
- stakesPosts or wagers
odds · jackpot · payout · ante · high-roller · roll · house-edge · boxcars
Chance affecting outcomes
- probabilityQuantified chance of occurrence
- oddsLikelihood expressed numerically
- likelihoodChance something will occur
- possibilityState of being achievable
randomness · unpredictable · uncertain · iffy · dicey · toss-up · wild-card · hit-or-miss
Stake on uncertain outcome
- hazardSource of potential harm
- ventureRisky new undertaking
- speculationUnproven theorizing or risky investment
- uncertaintyState of being unsure
jeopardy · precariousness · exposure · vulnerability · pitfall · unknown · chancy · sketchy
Predetermined course of events
- fortuneWealth or destiny
- karmaSpiritual cause and effect
- providenceDivine protective care
- kismetPreordained future outcome
happenstance · serendipity · fluke · accident · coincidence · fortuitous
dice
Marked cubes for chance
stakes · odds · jackpot · payout · ante · high-roller · roll · house-edge · boxcars
luck
Chance affecting outcomes
- probabilityQuantified chance of occurrence
- oddsLikelihood expressed numerically
- likelihoodChance something will occur
possibility · randomness · unpredictable · uncertain · iffy · dicey · toss-up · wild-card · hit-or-miss · pot-luck
gamble
Stake on uncertain outcome
- hazardSource of potential harm
- ventureRisky new undertaking
- speculationUnproven theorizing or risky investment
uncertainty · jeopardy · precariousness · exposure · vulnerability · pitfall · unknown · chancy · sketchy
destiny
Predetermined course of events
- fortuneWealth or destiny
- karmaSpiritual cause and effect
- providenceDivine protective care
kismet · happenstance · serendipity · fluke · accident · coincidence · fortuitous
- chancechance, luck, lottery, dice, randomness
- risk phrasestake a chance, take a gamble, risk it all, go for broke, roll the dice
- gamblesgamble, bet, wager, risk, chance
- guessesguess, conjecture, supposition, speculation, surmise
- unpredictableunpredictable, uncertain, unreliable, erratic, inconsistent
- long shotslong shot, longshot, long odds, dark horse, underdog
crapshootsure thing
Guaranteed outcome or agreement
certainty · guarantee · foregone conclusion · safe bet · lock
crapshootscience
Systematic study through observation
meritocracy · exact science · precision · sure thing · skill game