odds

odds — noun

1. the strength of the chance that a particular event takes place rather than fails

1.名詞C1
釋義

the strength of the chance that a particular event takes place rather than fails to — looked at as a measurable amount.

例句

The odds of finding a parking space near the stadium on game day are very low.

the odds of + -ing for measurable chance

Doctors said the odds that Mia would walk again after the accident were one in twenty.

the odds that + clause

同義詞
  • chances

    everyday equivalent; 'chances' is more neutral and works for both good and bad possibilities

  • likelihood

    more formal; usually singular ('the likelihood of rain'); no betting flavour

  • probability

    technical or scientific register; often expressed as a percentage

反義詞
  • certainty

    the opposite endpoint: no doubt at all about the outcome

文法句型

the odds of + noun/-ing

the odds that + clause

the odds are + adjective

用法筆記

Always plural in form, but takes either a singular or a plural verb depending on whether the writer treats the chance as one quantity ('the odds is short') or as a set of possibilities ('the odds are long'). The plural verb is far more common in modern English.

常見錯誤

❌There is one odd of winning the prize.
✅The odds of winning the prize are tiny.
💡'odds' has no singular form in this meaning; you cannot count individual 'odds'.
❌The odds for him to pass the exam are low.
✅The odds of him passing the exam are low.
💡use 'of + -ing' or a 'that'-clause, not 'for + to-infinitive'.

2. in betting, a pair of numbers showing how much money you will get back compared

2.名詞C1
釋義

in betting, a pair of numbers showing how much money you will get back compared with what you risked, used to describe how likely the bookmaker thinks an outcome is.

例句

The bookmaker offered odds of five to one on the grey horse winning the Derby.

offer odds of X to Y on + outcome

Lina placed twenty pounds on Brazil at odds of seven to two.

place a bet at odds of X to Y

同義詞
  • price

    British betting slang: 'a price of 5-1' means the same as 'odds of 5-1'

  • line

    American sports-betting term, especially for point spreads

文法句型

odds of X to Y

at odds of X-Y

give/offer odds of

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense always involves an explicit pair of numbers (5-1, 7/2, 100 to 1) that translate into payout. Sense 1 just talks about how likely something is, with no payout implied. Subject is usually a bookmaker, a betting site, or the bet itself.

常見錯誤

❌The horse has odds of 30 percent.
✅The horse has odds of seven to two.
💡betting odds are written as a ratio of two numbers, never as a single percentage.