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The Britannica Dictionary odds 5 ENTRIES FOUND:

• odds (noun)
• odds–on (adjective)
• odds and ends (noun)
• favor (noun)
• sod (noun)

odds /ˈɑːdz/ noun odds /ˈɑːdz/ noun Britannica Dictionary definition of ODDS [plural] 1 : the possibility that something will happen : the chance that one thing will happen instead of a different thing

• She wanted to improve her odds [=chances] of winning.
• They believe that surgery may increase his odds of survival. [=may make it more likely that he will survive]
• There's a chance it could rain, but odds are that it'll be sunny tomorrow. [=it is more likely to be sunny than rainy tomorrow]
• The team has made some major improvements, but they still face long odds. [=they still are not likely to win]

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• The odds are good that he'll survive. [=he is likely to survive]
• What are the odds of winning?
• What are the odds that they'll be there on time?
• Smoking increases the odds of getting lung cancer.
• The odds are in our favor. [=it is likely that we will succeed]
• She knew that the odds were against her. [=she knew that she was not likely to succeed]
• It could rain tomorrow, but the odds are against it. [=it probably will not rain]
• The odds are in favor of a major storm this weekend. [=a major storm is likely this weekend]

[+] more examples [-] hide examples [+] Example sentences [-] Hide examples 2 : conditions that make it difficult for something to happen

• They fought against great/heavy/impossible/overwhelming odds and won.
• He was able to do it, against all odds. [=even though it was very difficult and unlikely]

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• They defied/overcame the odds.
• Despite/against the odds, she has survived breast cancer.
• I tried to beat the odds. [=to succeed even though I was not likely to succeed]

[+] more examples [-] hide examples [+] Example sentences [-] Hide examples 3 : two numbers that show how much a person can win by betting a certain amount of money

• I bet $1,000 at 4–1 odds. If the horse I bet on wins, I will walk away with $4,000.
• winning at odds of 6–1

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at odds

: not agreeing with each other : in a state of disagreement

• The parents and teachers are still at odds (about/over what to teach the students).

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• The two groups have long been at odds with each other.
• He was completely at odds [=he completely disagreed] with the way the problem was being handled.
• The results of the study are at odds with our previous findings.

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make no odds

British, informal — used to say that a choice is not important

• It makes no odds [=makes no difference] to me when we leave.

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odds are in favor

— see 1favor

over the odds

British, informal : more than the usual or expected amount

• We had to pay over the odds to get good seats for the concert.

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what's the odds?

British, informal — used to say that something is not likely to have an effect or make a difference

• He'll do it anyway, so what's the odds [=what's the use] of telling him not to?

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