The idiom "back the wrong horse" means to support or invest in something or someone that is likely to fail or lose. It is often used to describe a situation where someone has made a poor decision or choice, and as a result, they have lost money, time, or other resources.
For example, if you invest in a new startup company that has a bad business model and no clear path to profitability, you are backing the wrong horse. Similarly, if you support a political candidate who has a history of scandal and poor decision-making, you are also backing the wrong horse.
The phrase comes from horse racing, where bettors place bets on the horse they think will win the race. If you back the wrong horse, you lose your bet and any money you wagered.
In everyday conversation, you might use this idiom to caution someone against making a poor decision or to describe a situation where someone has made a mistake. For instance, you could say, "I wouldn't invest in that company if I were you. You might be backing the wrong horse."
• I regretted backing the wrong horse when I realized that my favorite candidate was not going to win the election.
• Despite the warnings from experts, the government continued to back the wrong horse by investing in a technology that was not yet proven.
• My friend invested all his money in a startup that failed, and I warned him not to back the wrong horse.
• I didn't know which team to support, so I backed the wrong horse and they lost the game.
• The manager's decision to back the wrong horse and invest in a failing project cost the company millions of dollars.
• The company decided to back the wrong horse by investing in a product that was already outdated.