Wager can be either a verb or a noun.
As a noun, it is a sum of money that an individual risks in the hope of winning more – it is a bet. If you try to guess something uncertain, and put money down, betting that if it happens you get a reward – such as more money – the money that you bet is a wager.
Below are some examples:
– “I put a cash wager of $100 on the horse race.”
– “They tried to eat 100 sausages in 30 minutes for a wager.”
As a verb, it means to risk money by guessing what will happen, i.e. to bet. For example:
– “Billions of dollars are wagered on sports event each year.”
– “The world champion was so sure that he would win again that he wagered on himself.”
Etymology of ‘wager’
Etymology is the origin of words, and how their meanings have changed throughout history. Somebody who specializes in etymology is an etymologist.
According to etymonline.com, the word Wajour appeared in the British Isles in the thirteen hundreds meaning ‘a vow, a promise, something sworn to, something pledged’, as well as ‘stakes, something laid down as a bet, a bet.’
The term came from Anglo-French Wageure, Old North French Wagiere, meaning ‘pledge, security’. It then turned into Wagier.