What does "it is a long shot" mean as in:?

Question

But the fact that it was a long shot didn't keep him from insuring the store for up to $300,000 worth of furniture with a company that specializes in insuring prize reimbursements.

Answer 1

A 'long shot' comes from the sport of billiards.

It means that it is going to be difficult to land the ball in the designated pocket because of the long distance across the felted surface.

Answer 2

The long shot refers to the odds of winning the prize. Despite the fact that it was statistically unlikely for someone to win the prize, the subject of your sentence needed to be insured in the event someone actually won.

Answer 3

I think it may be a sports analogy. Whether you are playing soccer, golf, hockey, archery, basketball, or kicking a field goal in football... the farther you are from the target, the worse your chances in hitting it are. It's LIKE taking a long (far away) shot. Takes alot of luck.

Answer 4

Probably derived from archery where the target (human or otherwise) was just at the outside range of the bow.

Answer 5

both of the other answers are correct so i won't try to improve on them. the term came from shooting arrows, i believe. if the target is far away it's less likely you will hit because of wind variable and velocity. math wiz could explain that better than me, but that's where it came from.

Answer 6

sounds to me someone is bitter for not getting some furniture before the game lmao

Answer 7

a long shot means the odds are against it.

Answer 8

i think it means risk. Risk sounds right to me.