odds

noun

1. (plural, plural-only)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: […]”

2. (plural, plural-only)The ratio of winnings to stake in betting situations.

   “I looked at the odds given by all bookmakers.”

3. (plural, plural-only)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!”

   “Nowadays, giving material odds in this way is rather rare, but the advent of the chess clock has made it possible for strong players to give time odds — taking one or two minutes for all their moves, for example, and allowing their opponents five minutes or more.”

   “Harry Golombek, who had returned from Argentina with the British chess team but spent two years in the infantry before joining B.P., occasionally played chess with Turing, giving Queen odds in order to make the game more equal.”

4. (form-of, plural)plural of odd
5. (form-of, plural)plural of ODD