Back the Wrong Horse

Also: Bet on the wrong horse

Meaning of Idiom

Back the Wrong Horse: to make the wrong choice concerning who or what you support and to support a person or action that is later unsuccessful; to make a wrong choice; to guess wrongly concerning the final outcome. ^{1 2 3}

The idiom is widely used to refer to political races and any situation where the outcome is uncertain.

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Sentence Examples

“I backed the wrong horse in last year’s election.”

“Investing in such an unproven product was a mistake. He really backed the wrong horse on that one.”

“You don’t know who he is! He’s Vigo! You’re like flies to him.” “You backed the wrong horse. Hose him, please.” — Ghostbusters II (1989)

“I made this the second-largest petroleum corporation in the world. What I did, I did to protect its interests.”You backed the wrong horse, Papa, the Germans lost the war.” — Foyle’s War (2002)

“You know, I’ve been thinking, maybe we’re backing the wrong horse.” “How do you mean?” “Ranching. It’s a risky business, Bob.” — Backfire (1950)

“You do realize you’re backing the wrong horse, don’t you?” —  White Hunter Black Heart (1990)

“What did I tell you, Adnan? You backed the wrong horse.” — Çakallarla Dans (2010)

“Maybe we just backed the wrong horse. Perhaps there is another in here better suited for the job.” — Prison Break: Vamonos (2007)

“You know you’ve backed the wrong horse. Everybody roots for Peter, but in the end, he always winds up losing.” — Heroes: Chapter Thirteen ‘Dual’ (2008)

“I think I may have backed the wrong horse.” “She’s pretty bad, right?” “She’s really the worst.” .— Up All Night: Hiring and Firing (2011)

“Ludwig, much against his will, had been obliged to pick sides when two Germanic states, Austria and Prussia, came to blows. Unfortunately, he backed the wrong horse.” — The Fairytale Castles of King Ludwig II (2014)

Origin of ‘Back the Wrong Horse’

In this idiom, the word back is used in the sense of “support.” To back a horse is to support its chances of winning a race, which, in horse racing, usually entails the intention of betting on the horse to win. Thus, to “bet on the wrong horse” has the same meaning. In regards to wagering on horses, the expression has been used since the late 1600’s.

More Idioms Starting with B

• Be in Someone’s Hair
• Beat a Dead Horse
• Be a 10, to
• Buck For Something
• Bottomless Pit

More Animal Idioms

• Copycat
• Scaredy-Cat
• Play Cat and Mouse
• Look What the Cat Dragged In
• Down the Rabbit Hole
• Beat a Dead Horse

More Gambling Related Idioms

• Lot Riding On Something, a
• You Bet
• Roll the Dice
• Play Russian Roulette
• Bet the Farm

More Horse Idioms

• Beat a Dead Horse
• I’m Going to See a Man About a Horse (Dog, Duck) Meaning
• If Wishes Were Horses
• A Shoo-in
• Rarin’ To Go

More Sports Related Idioms

• Play Hardball
• Can of Corn
• Raise the Bar
• Par For the Course
• Set the Table

References

1. McIntosh, Colin. Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Cambridge University Press, 2013.
2. Ayto, John. Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms. Oxford: Oxford U, 2010.
3. Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.