Definition

1. Noun:
   • People who are highly experienced or who have inside information: Refers to a group of individuals considered to be knowledgeable, well-informed, or expert in a particular field, especially in finance, gambling, or politics. Their opinions or actions are seen as predictive.
   • (Law) Compensation in excess of actual damages: A legal term for punitive damages awarded as a form of punishment in cases of malicious or willful misconduct.
   • Money bet or invested by experienced gamblers or investors (especially if they have inside information): Funds wagered or committed by those believed to have superior knowledge or access to non-public information.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Informed People):
  • The smart money is betting on the incumbent to win.
  • According to the smart money, the tech stock is undervalued.
• Noun (Legal Term):
  • The jury awarded smart money to punish the company for its fraudulent actions.
• Noun (Informed Funds):
  • The sudden stock movement suggested that the smart money was already moving in.

Advanced Usage

• "To follow the smart money": To mimic the investments or bets of those considered to be well-informed insiders.
  • Many amateur investors try to follow the smart money.
• "The smart money is on...": A common phrase used to indicate that knowledgeable people favor a particular outcome.
  • The smart money is on a merger announcement next week.

Variants and Related Words

• Smart (adj): Intelligent, clever, or stylish. (Note: This is the base adjective, but "smart money" is a fixed phrase with specific meanings distinct from simply "intelligent money").
• Punitive damages (n): The formal legal term synonymous with the "smart money" definition in law.

Synonyms

• Insiders: People with privileged information.
• Experts: People with extensive knowledge.
• Punitive damages: (For the legal sense) Exemplary damages.
• Informed capital: (For the investment sense) Money from knowledgeable sources.

Related Phrases

• Whale (n): (In gambling/investing) A person who gambles or invests very large sums of money.
• Inside information (n): Confidential, non-public knowledge.
• Betting line (n): The odds set for a wager, which can be influenced by where the smart money is placed.

Noun

1. people who are highly experienced or who have inside information
   • the smart money said Truman would lose the election
2. (law) compensation in excess of actual damages (a form of punishment awarded in cases of malicious or willful misconduct)
3. money bet or invested by experienced gamblers or investors (especially if they have inside information)