noun
odds
odz
noun
1
The likelihood of something happening, especially as expressed in betting.
"The odds of winning the lottery are extremely slim."
"Bookmakers shortened the odds after the star player was confirmed fit."
2
A handicap given to a weaker player or side to even out a contest.
"She gave her younger brother odds of two extra turns to make the game fair."
How to Use Odds
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe chances of something happening, or a betting handicap.
Common pairings
against the odds
the odds of
beat the odds
long odds
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The _____ of winning the lottery are extremely slim.
Etymology
From "odd" in the old sense of "uneven" — the imbalance between two outcomes.