Can I use "if" instead of "whether"? Would the meaning get changed?
Native speaker’s answer
Rebecca
If this sentence stays the same, "if" can not replace "whether" because the meaning of the sentence would change to "50-50 would be true if you own a snake". However, if the sentence changed to "it's about 50-50 if you own a snake or not", then "if" replacing "whether" is acceptable.