odds

The ratio of the probability of an event happening to that of it not happening.

Noun plural, plural only

  1. The ratio of the probability of an event happening to that of it not happening.
    • I'd say the odds are strongly in favor of the sun rising tomorrow morning.
    • A thouſand Perſean horſemen are at hand, Sent from the King to ouercome vs all. […] A thouſand horſmen? We fiue hundred foote? An ods too great, for vs to ſtand againſt: […] - c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher...
  2. The ratio of winnings to stake in betting situations.
    • I looked at the odds given by all bookmakers.
  3. An advantage given to a weaker opponent in order to equalize the game when playing casually, usually by removing one of the stronger player's pieces or by giving the weaker player more time.
    • She beat me with knight odds but lost with rook odds.
    • The grandmaster gave his opponents significant time odds, of one minute versus ten minutes.
    • The resulting match of fourteen games was won by Mr. Maurian, who had scored all the Knight-odds parties and the majority of the even-term ones! - 1913, The British Chess Magazine, volume 33, Trubner & Company, page 51:

Origin

From odd (“uneven, strange”).

Noun form of, plural

  1. plural of odd

Related

even money evens

Derived

against all odds at all odds at odds beat the odds by all odds even odds fixed odds implied odds lay odds long odds make no odds may the odds be ever in your favor odds against odds and bods odds and ends odds and sods odds are oddsboard odds bud odds it oddsmaker oddsmaking oddsman odds match