The idiom "play the percentages" means to make decisions based on the most likely outcome or the probability of success. It is often used in situations where there are multiple options or choices, and you want to choose the one that has the highest chance of success.
For example, if you are playing a game of basketball and you have the option to take a difficult shot or pass the ball to a teammate who is in a better position, you might choose to "play the percentages" and pass the ball because it has a higher chance of success.
Similarly, in business or finance, you might "play the percentages" by investing in a low-risk, high-reward opportunity rather than a high-risk, high-reward opportunity.
Overall, "playing the percentages" means making smart decisions based on the likelihood of success, rather than taking unnecessary risks or making impulsive choices.
• The CEO's decision to invest in the new product line was based on playing the percentages and choosing the option with the highest probability of success. (more advanced sentence with a business context)
• When it comes to investing, my dad always tells me to play the percentages and not take unnecessary risks. (slightly more complex sentence with a clear example of the idiom)
• As a coach, I always tell my players to play the percentages and not try to make a difficult shot if there's a safer, more reliable option. (more complex sentence with a specific context)
• The politician's strategy was to play the percentages by appealing to the specific interests and concerns of different voting groups. (expert-level sentence with a political context)
• I always play the percentages when I'm playing cards with my family. (basic understanding of the idiom in a simple sentence)
• When deciding whether or not to accept the job offer, she played the percentages by considering the potential salary, benefits, and career growth opportunities. (advanced sentence with a personal decision-making context)
• As a seasoned politician, she knew how to play the percentages by speaking to the issues that were most important to her constituents.
• The company's marketing strategy is to play the percentages by targeting their advertisements to the demographic that is most likely to buy their product.
• The experienced poker player always played the percentages, carefully calculating the odds of winning each hand and making strategic bets accordingly.
• Before making any investment decisions, it's important to play the percentages and assess the potential risks and rewards.
• As a basketball player, I learned to play the percentages by taking shots from places on the court where I had the highest chance of making them.
• I always play the percentages when I order food at a restaurant because I don't like to try new things.