even money

noun

1. the equal sum staked by each bettor.
2. equal odds in a wager:

   It's even money that the home team will win.

Other Words From

• even-money adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of even money¹

First recorded in 1890–95

Idioms and Phrases

Equal odds that something will occur, as in It's even money that he'll get the contract . The term comes from gambling, where it signifies equal odds in a bet. [Late 1800s]

Example Sentences

Shopping less frequently requires advance work, but that early investment will ultimately save you time and even money.

From Washington Post

And to bet even money on a 2-to-1 favorite, he would walk quite a distance and stay quite a while.

From The Daily Beast

Geneticists believe there is an even-money chance that William and Kate's baby could be born with red hair.

From The Daily Beast

For they thought if only Casey could get a whack at that, They'd put up even money with Casey at the bat.

From Project Gutenberg

Her heirs take her separate estate; even money received by her husband on her account.

From Project Gutenberg

But surely in some cases, not even money could procure such perfection of detailI began.

From Project Gutenberg

Not even money-necessity was able to overcome me on a couple of occasions when perhaps I ought to have allowed it to succeed.

From Project Gutenberg

"Even money on the little fellow," sang out a voice with the flat twang of a banjo.

From Project Gutenberg