Struggle avoided, ignoring the odds (3)
I believe the answer is:
vie
'struggle' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'avoided ignoring the odds' is the wordplay.
'ignoring the odds' means one should take alternating letters (letters in odd-numbered positions are removed).
The alternate letters of 'avoided' are 'VIE'.
(Other definitions for vie that I've seen before include "Rival" , "Compete (with others)" , "I've got to compete" , "Eagerly compete" , "Try to do better than" .)