high-risk, high-reward

It [sc. “investment”] should not be loosely used as a synonym for “speculation,” which is the outlay of money in an enterprise offering the hopes of high reward in return for the incurring of high risk.

1948, Theodore Jesse Hoover, “The Valuation of Mining Shares”, in The Economics of Mining (Non-Ferrous Metals), third edition, Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, risk" "high reward"/ page 322

We are fortunate that we live in this region of “black gold” and we should never forget that the American oil industry is the product of the American way of life, of the way of free enterprise: of men taking high risks and often winning high rewards

1949 October 19, “Around the Golden Circle”, in Olean Times Herald, Olean, New York, page 3

It has attracted to it (from outside and inside Monsanto) young entrepreneurs (usually M.B.A.s from the graduate schools) with the willingess and capacity to flourish in a high risk, high reward situation.

1969 December 10, Austin M. O'Malley, “Enterprise division for new products”, in The Times, London: News UK, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 25

“These are high-risk, high-reward stocks,” Walter Altherr, an analyst at Merrill Lynch Japan, said. “But over the long term one has to believe these stocks will show better growth than the banks.”

1993 December 22, James Sterngold, “Japan's Loan Sharks Make Good Money in Bad Times”, in The New York Times (Business Day: Market Place section), New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 1

The UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria), which backs high-risk, high-reward projects, has awarded £81m to 27 teams.

2025 February 18, Damian Carrington, “Early warning system for climate tipping points given £81m kickstart”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC