Difference Between Opportunity and Chance

Opportunity vs Chance

Chance and opportunity are two words that are used commonly in our daily lives. Though having nearly same meanings, they are used in different contexts and have different usages. Many people tend to use these words interchangeably which is a wrong practice. This article will attempt to highlight the subtle differences between opportunity and chance.

Opportunity is a word that signifies some specific results that are there to be taken (up for grabs). For example, there are lots of job opportunities if you get an MBA degree. This simply means that one can lay his hands or rather become qualified to get high paying jobs if he gets an MBA degree. There is nothing left for chance or probability. When we talk of chance, we are referring to probabilities of an event occurring or taking place in future. For example, there is an equal chance of a woman giving birth to a boy or a girl. One can never hope to put in opportunity in place of chance in this context.

Similarly, in a game of luck like roulette or poker, one always talks of chances in a game situation and never uses the word opportunity. When you throw a dice, you talk about chance of getting a 5 or 6 rather than opportunity of obtaining the results.

Chance and opportunity are both nouns but whereas chance is a possibility, opportunity is an opening offered by circumstances.

It was the sudden demise of the Prime Minster that the finance minister got an opportunity to become the leader of the government

I met my old classmate by chance when I went to see a movie.

When a doctor talks about the chance of a patient surviving an ailment, he is basing his opinion upon his medical condition. He is taking into account the probability of survival. On the other hand, taking a chance of doing a stunt is taking some type of a calculated risk.