Odds and evens is the quick hand game kids and grown-ups use to settle who goes first, and on My MP Games you can play odds and evens online in seconds. One player is Odds and the other is Evens. You both throw one to five fingers at the same moment, the fingers are added up, and an odd total wins the round for Odds while an even total wins it for Evens. Play a friend with a room code, pass one device around for a local game, or practise against a computer that tries to read your habits. It is free in the browser on phone, tablet and desktop, with no download and no sign-up.
How Does Odds and Evens Work?
The whole game fits in one sentence: add both throws together and check whether the total is odd or even. Because each player can change the total by one finger, nobody can force a result, which is why odds and evens is such a fair way to decide things. Here is how a match runs on this page.
- Pick a mode. Press Play vs Computer for an instant match, Create room to invite a friend, Join room if you have a code, or Local vs to share one device.
- Check your role. The badge under your name says Odds or Evens. You want the total to match your role.
- Throw your fingers. Tap a hand showing one to five fingers, or press keys 1 to 5. Your throw stays hidden until your opponent throws too.
- Reveal and score. Both hands appear, the total is shown, and the round goes to Odds or Evens.
- Swap and repeat. Roles swap every round so neither player has an edge. First to five rounds wins the match.
Odds and Evens Rules
Roles
In the first round the host or first player is Odds and the second player is Evens. After every round the roles swap, so each player is Odds half the time. This removes any advantage from being the player who calls first, which is a common argument in the playground version.
The throw
Each player shows one, two, three, four or five fingers. Some playground versions allow a closed fist for zero, but this game uses one to five so every throw is clear on screen. A throw is final once you tap it.
Odd finger and even finger totals
Add the two throws. A total of 3, 5, 7 or 9 is odd and scores for Odds. A total of 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 is even and scores for Evens. The odd finger trick to remember: odd plus odd is even, even plus even is even, and odd plus even is odd. So if you are Odds, you win whenever your throw has the opposite parity to your opponent's.
Winning the match
The first player to win five rounds wins. The host can change this to first to three for a quick decider or first to seven for a longer battle.
Game Modes: Online, Local and vs Computer
Odds and evens online with friends
Create a room and share the five-character code or invite link. Both players throw on their own screens, so nobody can peek, and the reveal happens at the same moment for both of you.
Local on one device
Pass one phone or laptop. The screen tells each player when it is their turn to throw; the other player looks away, then the hands are revealed together.
Play vs Computer
Choose easy, medium or hard. The easy computer throws at random. Medium and hard watch your recent throws and try to predict your next one, so the computer is a great way to test whether you are as random as you think.
Odds and Evens Strategy
- Know the maths. Against a truly random opponent every throw has a 50 percent chance, so no throw is better than another.
- Do not fall into patterns. Repeating the same throw or alternating odd and even is easy to read.
- Watch after a loss. Many players switch parity after losing a round. If you spot it, play the throw that beats the switch.
- Only parity matters. One, three and five fingers all count as odd; two and four count as even. The number you choose only matters for whether it is odd or even.
History of Odds and Evens
Odds and evens is one of the oldest games still played today. In ancient Greece and Rome, players guessed whether a hidden handful of pebbles or nuts was odd or even, a game the Romans called par impar. The finger version spread around the world and is still used in schoolyards and sports to decide who serves, kicks off or picks first. It is a close cousin of morra, where players shout a guess of the total, and of rock paper scissors, the other famous hand game.
Odds and Evens FAQ
How does the game odds and evens work?
One player is Odds and the other is Evens. Both throw one to five fingers at the same time and the fingers are added up. An odd total wins the round for Odds and an even total wins it for Evens.
How do you play odds and evens online?
Press Play vs Computer for an instant match, or Create room and share the code with a friend. Tap a hand to throw one to five fingers; your throw stays hidden until both players have thrown.
Is odds and evens fair?
Yes. Each player can change the total by one finger, so no throw is better than another. Against a random opponent every round is a 50/50, and roles swap each round so neither player has an edge.
What does odd finger mean in odds and evens?
It is the player whose throw makes the total odd. Odd plus even fingers gives an odd total; odd plus odd or even plus even gives an even total.
Can I play odds and evens against the computer?
Yes. Easy throws at random, while medium and hard study your recent throws and try to predict your next one.
How many rounds is a game?
The first player to win five rounds wins. The host can change it to first to three or first to seven.
Is it free and does it work on phones?
Yes. Odds and Evens is free with no download or sign-up, and it works in any modern browser on phones, tablets and computers.
More Quick 2 Player Games
Odds and evens is one of 50+ free games on My MP Games. Try these next:
