even money

Bet returns double

Even money describes a bet or wager where the potential winnings equal the amount staked—bet ten dollars, win ten dollars.

The phrase appears in gambling contexts and extends to any situation with roughly equal odds: It's even money whether she shows up or not.

Also used as a noun: I'll give you even money he doesn't finish.

probability

fifty-fifty

Split equally between two

coinflipRandom binary outcome
toss-upOutcome with equal chances
chanceLikelihood of occurrence

likelihood · randomness · uncertainty · percentages · prediction · estimation · expectation · calculation · statistics · forecasting

betting

wager

Stake on uncertainty

stakeSharpened post or share
bookmakerOne who takes bets
oddsLikelihood expressed numerically

punter · sportsbook · bookie · handicapping · moneyline · spread · vig · juice · layoff · action

parity

equal

Identical in amount

levelHorizontal or uniform position
balancedIn a state of equilibrium
tiedFastened by knotting

deadlocked · split · draw · stalemate · equilibrium · symmetry · equivalence

Categories

blackjackblackjack, 21, twenty-one, hit, stand
gambling lingoall in, ante up, raise the stakes, go all in, high roller
bettingbet, ante, wager, odds, stake
gambling oddsodds, probability, house edge, expected value, EV
sports bettingodds, bets, bookmaker, bet, sportsbook
gambling tacticsbasic strategy, card counting, betting strategy, betting systems, running count

Opposites

betting odds/probability

even moneylongshot

Unlikely to succeed

long odds · outside chance · long shot · dark horse · unlikely

certainty/uncertainty

even moneysure thing

Guaranteed outcome or agreement

dead cert · lock · slam dunk · safe bet · guaranteed

betting value/return

even moneyhigh stakes

Significant potential for loss

odds-on · chalk

Family

even, money, evenly, evenness, unevenness, uneven, evener, moneyed, moneys

Familiarity: Top 100,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Rated G