winner take all

winner take all

A competition in which the victor is granted all possible benefits, accolades, prizes, etc. Hyphenated if used before a noun as a modifier. How about one last round of darts, winner take all? My sister and I used to bet our Halloween candy on our report card grades, winner take all. The tournament concludes with a winner-take-all round between the four finalists.
See also: all, take, winner
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

winner take all

a situation where the one who defeats others takes all the spoils of the conflict. The contest was a case of winner take all. There was no second place or runner-up.
See also: all, take, winner
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • eleventh hour
  • a round robin
  • round robin
  • heads I win, tails you lose
  • black market
  • a light touch
  • first hand
  • rust bucket
  • good for nothing
  • good-for-nothing
References in classic literature
Winner take all. Play it up in the sportin' columns.