# odds

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɑdz/ · frequency rank #4,471

## Definitions
1. The ratio of the probability of an event happening to that of it not happening.
2. The ratio of winnings to stake in betting situations.
3. 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.

## Etymology
From odd (“uneven, strange”).

## Easily confused with
- **OS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/odds-vs-os)
- **old** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/odds-vs-old)
- **ops** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/odds-vs-ops)
- **Ons** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/odds-vs-ons)
- **ode** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/odds-vs-ode)
- **ODI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/odds-vs-odi)
- **oss** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/odds-vs-oss)
- **ord** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/odds-vs-ord)
- **OTS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/odds-vs-ots)
- **Ors** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/odds-vs-ors)
- **OWS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/odds-vs-ows)
- **ones** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/odds-vs-ones)
- **owns** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/odds-vs-owns)
- **ours** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/odds-vs-ours)
- **Olds** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/odds-vs-olds)
- **oops** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/odds-vs-oops)
- **odor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/odds-vs-odor)
- **Otis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/odds-vs-otis)
- **owls** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/odds-vs-owls)
- **Odin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/odds-vs-odin)

## Common misspellings (4)
`dods`, `oddss`, `ods`, `odsd`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/odds