meaning of "Better off doing smth"

[Lost_Soul]

Hey everybody !!

Could you help me figure this lyric out:

Hey, everyone, listen up, your attention if you please
We wanna give you a warning
'Cause I found out this morning
About a dangerous, insidious computer virus
If you should get it, an email with the subject, 'stinky cheese'
Better off protecting your chances
Under no circumstances, should you open it
Or else it will

Particulary, I cant come up with the idea what the line in bold means...
Could you tell me (or refer me to some resourse where it is explained) what 1. better off doing something and 2. protect one's chances mean

Thank you in advance.
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Alex

How much upchuck would a woodchuck upchuck if a woodchuck could upchuck ?

(a guy from Russia)

[Yankee]

Hi LS

Keep in mind that lyrics often use some odd language simply to get the rhyme or beat that is desired.

That said, if I say "You are better off deleting the e-mail attachment" that means 'you will be safer/it will be better for you if you delete the attachment'.

As I see it, the word 'chances' was used mainly because it rhymes with 'circumstances' -- not because it makes a lot of sense. But, if I had to guess what the song-writer had in mind, then I'd guess that 'protecting your chances' is supposed to mean something similar to 'protect your luck'.
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Amy
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ESL teacher, and native speaker of American English