[丧心病狂的问题] Python 这种判定的高级写法是什么？

i = 0
try:
if odds[12] < odds[26]:
i = i+1
elif odds[12] > odds[26]:
i = i-1
else:
pass
if odds[54] < odds[68]:
i = i+1
elif odds[54] > odds[68]:
i = i-1
else:
pass
if odds[96] < odds[110]:
i = i+1
elif odds[96] > odds[110]:
i = i-1
else:
pass
if odds[138] < odds[152]:
i = i+1
elif odds[138] > odds[152]:
i = i-1
else:
pass
if odds[180] < odds[194]:
i = i+1
elif odds[180] > odds[194]:
i = i-1
else:
pass
if odds[222] < odds[236]:
i = i+1
elif odds[222] > odds[236]:
i = i-1
else:
pass
if odds[264] < odds[278]:
i = i+1
elif odds[264] > odds[278]:
i = i-1
else:
pass
if odds[306] < odds[320]:
i = i+1
elif odds[306] > odds[320]:
i = i-1
else:
pass
if odds[348] < odds[362]:
i = i+1
elif odds[348] > odds[362]:
i = i-1
else:
pass
if odds[390] < odds[404]:
i = i+1
elif odds[390] > odds[404]:
i = i-1
else:
pass
if odds[432] < odds[446]:
i = i+1
elif odds[432] > odds[446]:
i = i-1
else:
pass
if odds[474] < odds[488]:
i = i+1
elif odds[474] > odds[488]:
i = i-1
else:
pass
if odds[516] < odds[530]:
i = i+1
elif odds[516] > odds[530]:
i = i-1
else:
pass
if odds[558] < odds[572]:
i = i+1
elif odds[558] > odds[572]:
i = i-1
else:
pass
if odds[600] < odds[614]:
i = i+1
elif odds[600] > odds[614]:
i = i-1
else:
pass
except IndexError:
pass
print(i)

新手小白，我的判定是这么写的。我知道肯定是最低级的。 这种判定的高级写法是什么？
- 我需要 try - except, 因为某些 odds[]值是空的，会发生 IndexError 错误。
- odds 是字符串列表，对比的是字符串，不是数字。
- A 组起始为 12 每隔 42 取值，B 组起始位 26 每隔 42 取值

问：这种用循环怎么写？ 先谢了！