In a race or contest, if you bet on a horse or competitor that is quoted at evens, you will win a sum of money equal to your bet if that horse or competitor wins.
[British]
He won his first race by six lengths at evens.
The Martell Cup Chase was won by the evens favourite Toby Tobias.
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
If there is an evens chance that something will happen, it is equally likely that it will happen or will not happen.
[British]
You've then got an evens chance of doubling your money at a stroke.
evens in British English
(ˈiːvənz)
adjective, adverb
1.
(of a bet) winning the same as the amount staked if successful
2.
(of a runner) offered at such odds
Examples of 'evens' in a sentence
evens
Without Heighway, he could probably get evens; with her, he'd be lucky to get eight to five dog.
Ruell, Patrick THE ONLY GAME (2002)
I was far from convinced that we could get a result, but I thought the chances were better than evens.
Val McDermid DEAD BEAT (2002)
All related terms of 'evens'
even
You use even to suggest that what comes just after or just before it in the sentence is rather surprising .
evens favourite
the favourite to win a race and on which the bookmakers are offering even odds .
even up
To even up a contest or game means to make it more equally balanced than it was.
even out
If something evens out , or if you even it out , the differences between the different parts of it are reduced.
break even
to attain a level of activity, as in commerce , or a point of operation , as in gambling , at which there is neither profit nor loss
odd or even
any of various games of chance in which one bets on an odd or even number, as one in which two players alternately draw from a pile of an odd number of counters any desired number up to a prearranged limit , the object being to have drawn an odd number of counters at the end of the game