What the Expression "Dollars to Donuts" Means

PDF download Download Article
Learn how to use this popular idiom, plus where it came from
PDF download Download Article

Maybe you’ve heard the popular phrase “dollars to donuts” a number of times but never knew what exactly it meant—or maybe you heard it for the very first time recently! This idiom has been around for a long time, but its meaning isn’t exactly obvious at a glance. Keep reading for the full scoop on the saying “dollars to donuts,” including the meaning of the phrase, where it came from, and how to use it.

“Dollars to Donuts” Meaning

“Dollars to donuts” is an American saying that means you’re sure something is going to happen. The expression originated in the mid-1800s, and it essentially means you’d be willing to bet dollars against donuts that something will occur, since dollars are (or were at the time) much more valuable than donuts.

Section 1 of 5:

What does “dollars to donuts” mean?

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/1\/1c\/Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/1c\/Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-1.jpg\/v4-728px-Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    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. [1] (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.
    2. Advertisement
Section 2 of 5:

“Dollars to Donuts” Origins

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d3\/Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d3\/Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-2.jpg\/v4-728px-Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    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. [2] 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.
Section 3 of 5:

How to Use “Dollars to Donuts”

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/c4\/Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/c4\/Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-3.jpg\/v4-728px-Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    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.
    2. Advertisement
Section 4 of 5:

Related Idioms

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/52\/Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-4-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-4-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/52\/Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-4-Version-2.jpg\/v4-728px-Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-4-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    • 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
Section 5 of 5:

Other Donut-Related Slang

PDF download Download Article
  1. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/6a\/Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-5.jpg\/v4-460px-Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-5.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/6a\/Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-5.jpg\/v4-728px-Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-5.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    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.
  2. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a0\/Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-6.jpg\/v4-460px-Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-6.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a0\/Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-6.jpg\/v4-728px-Dollars-to-Donuts-Meaning-Step-6.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>\u00a9 2024 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This image is <b>not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.<br>\n<\/p><p><br \/>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    Another way to say “You idiot!” This mild insult is more common in southern England. [3]
    3. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      You Might Also Like

      Everything You Need to Know About Skibidi & Skibidi Toilet
      What Does "Sigma" Mean on TikTok?
      What Does "Bop" Mean in Slang & Why Is It Problematic for Girls?
      What Does "I'm Cooked" Mean? TikTok Slang, Explained
      What Does "Unc Status" Mean?
      What does "2 Man" Mean?
      What Did Doc Holliday Mean by “I’m Your Huckleberry”?
      Everything You Need to Know About the “My Roman Empire” TikTok Trend
      What Is Glazing?
      What Does GGG Mean?
      Your Ultimate Guide to Millennial Slang
      What Zesty Really Means on TikTok
      What Does the Slang Term “FAFO” Mean? (Plus How to Use It)
      What Does Fanum Tax Mean & Where Did It Come From?
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.theidioms.com/dollars-to-donuts/
      2. ↑ https://7esl.com/dollars-to-donuts/
      3. ↑ https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/378072/what-is-the-origin-of-the-pejorative-idiom-you-doughnut

      About This Article

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 386 times.

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement