Talk:odds

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Tea room discussion[edit]

Note: the below discussion was moved from the Wiktionary:Tea room.

I was surprised to find nearly 20% or b.g.c. usage had "odds" taking a singular verb, which seemed absolutely wrong to me. "The odds is in favor of the sun rising tomorrow morning."?????? Where is this acceptable (or even preferred)? DCDuring TALK 03:45, 28 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

NOAD calls this a plural noun. Michael Z. 2008-08-28 05:24 z
So does the OALD. Plural noun, thus plural form of verb. --Duncan MacCall 22:25, 29 October 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Tea room discussion (November 2008)[edit]

Note: the below discussion was moved from the Wiktionary:Tea room.

Odds have meaning of handicap? Like in phrases:

"Odds matches versus grandmasters ... He had won 1½-½ when given pawn-and-move, and 2½-1½ (1 win, 3 draws) when given exchange odds but playing black. In two standard games (Milov had white, no odds), Rybka won 1½-½." TestPilottalk to me! 08:15, 26 November 2008 (UTC)[reply]

nvm, m-w.com answered the question. TestPilottalk to me! 08:24, 26 November 2008 (UTC)[reply]

What are the odds an earthquake will devastate Seattle?[edit]

Is the following nominal phrase correct? What are the odds an earthquake will devastate Seattle? --Backinstadiums (talk) 18:29, 29 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]