ODDS

noun plural but singular or plural in construction Date: circa 1520 1. inequalities, degree of unlikeness, 2. an amount by which one thing exceeds or falls short of another , b. a difference favoring one of two opposed things , a difference in terms of advantage or disadvantage , c. the probability that one thing is so or will happen rather than another ; chances , the ratio of the probability of one event to that of an alternative event, disagreement , variance , 4. special favor ; partiality , an allowance granted by one making a bet to one accepting the bet and designed to equalize the chances favoring one of the bettors, the ratio between the amount to be paid off for a winning bet and the amount of the bet