The spelling of the phrase "was odds" may seem confusing at first glance, but it can be explained using IPA phonetic transcription. The "was" is pronounced as /wʌz/, with a short "u" sound and a voiced "z" at the end. The "odds" is pronounced as /ɒdz/, with a short "o" sound and a voiced "z" at the end. Together, the two words create the phrase "was odds" /wʌz ɒdz/, which means that something is not likely to happen or is unlikely to be true.