# what are the odds

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/what-are-the-odds
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Used to express surprise at an unlikely outcome.

## Examples

- We met in a tiny village; what are the odds?
- I ran into my old teacher at the airport in another country, so I asked, what are the odds?
- Finding two identical copies of such a rare, out-of-print book in the same shop makes one wonder, what are the odds?

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.