favourite
Preserved but no longer current.
The horse that has the lowest odds laid against it in the betting list. When the FAVOURITE wins, the public or backers of horses generally are the gainers. When an outsider wins, the ring, that is to say, the persons who make a business of laying against the chances of horses, are the gainers.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “favourite” mean?
The horse that has the lowest odds laid against it in the betting list. When the FAVOURITE wins, the public or backers of horses generally are the gainers. When an outsider wins, the ring, that is to say, the persons who make a business of laying against the chances of horses, are the gainers.
Is “favourite” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.