In horse racing, an entry heavily favored to win a dubious or manipulated race is often called a shoo-in. A political candidate with no significant competition or a senior employee clearly qualified for a promotion could also be called a shoo-in for the new position. A shoo-in often holds such a commanding lead over the nearest competitor or such an impressive reputation in the field that the results are almost inevitable.

This seemingly guaranteed result of a lopsided contest is one reason some overqualified entrants refuse to enter the competition. When a competitor in a sporting event or a candidate in a political election becomes viewed as a shoo-in, he or she may no longer feel a need to put forth a maximum amount of effort. A shoo-in often dominates the field to the point where the real competition is for second place or another form of consolation prize.