Wiktionary
vb. 1 (context poker English) To raise the stakes of a hand of poker 2 (context idiomatic English) to increase in significance or risk
Usage examples of "raise the stakes".
Kirby Hensley founded the Universal Life Church and started ordaining everybody as a minister of the gospel, the Paratheo-Aname-tamystikhood of Eris Esoteric has decided to raise the stakes.
For several moments Arilyn simply parried the blows, giving Danilo the chance to raise the stakes on his wager.
He had called the dawn meeting in East Berlin to raise the stakes.
The director tosses in a life-threatening asthma attack in an effort to raise the stakes, but it's not enough.
In a Stephen King novel the child would die -- that's how you raise the stakes.
If he was intending to play me false in the end, he wouldn't have hesitated to raise the stakes.
Jadzia was about to raise the stakes when she was interrupted by an announcement from hidden speakers.
They could raise the stakes of the battle by an exchange of information beforehand.
He wasn't a progressive offender but he did raise the stakes because he knew-well, he believed-he could get away.