How to read sports bet odds

Learn how to understand what each set of odds means at an American sportsbook. An easy way to remember: The number attached to the “+” symbol reflects how much you would win for every how to read sports bet odds wagered. So a $ bet would win. Whether you're dealing with American, decimal, or fractional odds, bettors need to know what they mean. Start with this ten minute guide. And for fractional odds, those winnings are calculated by taking the wagered amount and multiplying it by the fraction. If $25 was wagered for the horse racing.

Decoding the Language of Sports Betting Odds

In the world of sports betting, understanding odds is key to making informed decisions and maximizing your chances of success. Reading sports betting odds may seem like a daunting task at first, but with a little guidance, you can soon navigate through the numbers like a pro.

Types of Sports Betting Odds

There are three main types of sports betting odds that you are likely to encounter: American odds, Decimal odds, and Fractional odds.

• American Odds: These odds are presented with a plus or minus sign in front of the numerical value. Positive numbers show how much profit you would make on a $100 bet, while negative numbers indicate how much you need to bet to win $100.
• Decimal Odds: Commonly used in Europe and Australia, decimal odds represent the total payout, including your stake. To calculate your potential winnings, simply multiply your bet by the decimal odds.
• Fractional Odds: These odds are displayed as fractions and are popular in the UK. The first number represents the potential profit, while the second number shows the stake required to make that profit.

Interpreting Sports Betting Odds

When it comes to interpreting sports betting odds, the key is to remember that lower odds indicate a higher probability of a particular outcome, while higher odds suggest a lower probability.

For example, if you see odds of -150 on a team winning a game, it means you would need to bet $150 to win $100. On the other hand, odds of 200 indicate that a $100 bet would yield a profit of $200 if the outcome occurs.

Calculating Payouts Using Odds

Understanding how to calculate payouts based on odds is crucial for successful sports betting. For American odds, the formula is straightforward:

Payout = (Stake * Odds) / 100

For Decimal and Fractional odds, you can use the following formulas:

Decimal Odds Payout = Stake * Odds

Fractional Odds Payout = (Stake / Denominator) * Numerator

Final Thoughts

Mastering the art of reading sports betting odds is a valuable skill that can enhance your betting experience and improve your chances of success. By familiarizing yourself with the different types of odds and their implications, you can make more informed decisions and increase your profitability in the competitive world of sports betting.

How to read and calculate sports betting odds

How do I calculate odds? To convert from a probability to odds, divide the probability by one minus that probability. So if the probability is 10% or 0.10 , then the odds are 0.1/0.9 or '1 to 9' or 0.111. To convert from odds to a probability, divide the odds by one plus the odds.

What does +140 odds mean? underdog

How do negative odds work? Negative numbers (in American money line odds) are reserved for the favorite on the betting line and indicate how much you need to stake to win $100. Conversely, positive numbers are attached to the underdog and refer to the amount you could win if you bet $100.

What does minus 170 odds mean? The numbers next to the teams, such as +150 and -170 in the example above, represent the money line payouts, and they're connected to the calculated odds. The negative number shows how much has to be risked to win a $100 payout.

What does 2 to 1 odds mean? A 2/1 fraction suggests that for every 2 failures, there's one chance of success, giving you a 33% probability; 3/2 means a 40% chance, 2/3 works out to 60%, and 10/1 means a 9% chance, and so on.

How do you read bet odds? Whereas negative (-) odds tell you what you have to bet on the favorite to win $100, positive (+) odds tell you how much you'll win for every $100 you wager on the underdog. So, a team with odds of +120 would pay $120 in profits on a $100 wager.

Are negative odds bad? Negative numbers (in American money line odds) are reserved for the favorite on the betting line and indicate how much you need to stake to win $100. Conversely, positive numbers are attached to the underdog and refer to the amount you could win if you bet $100.

What does minus 7 odds mean? If the Titans are a 7-point favorite over the Jaguars, it'll be presented as “-7″ at your sportsbook. That means the Titans need to win by more than seven points for you to cash your: Titans -7. The “minus” 7 is because you take their score at the end of the game and subtract seven points from it.

How do I calculate my odds? To convert from a probability to odds, divide the probability by one minus that probability. So if the probability is 10% or 0.10 , then the odds are 0.1/0.9 or '1 to 9' or 0.111. To convert from odds to a probability, divide the odds by one plus the odds.

How do you read an odds checker? Any team that is listed with - odds is considered the favorite or "odds-on". However, if a team is listed with + odds they are considered the underdog and any wager that is + is showing the amount of money you'll win on a $100 wager.

How To Understand Betting Odds – The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide

For starters, you will need somewhere to place bets. If you are in Vegas, great. You can bet at one of the sportsbooks in their casinos. As more and more states pass laws to legalize sports betting, you will also be able to place wagers at local casinos in your area.

You could also find a local bookie to bet through, but we recommend betting online. We have an excellent list of the top places to bet online that take U. If you are looking to maximize your first deposit, we also have a great comparison of the best sportsbooks signup bonuses for you.

If you got started betting on sports in the early s then you probably used an online sportsbook. You made a deposit, got a hefty signup bonus, and placed all of your wagers either online or by calling their customer service call centers. Some got shut down, some went broke, and others consolidated. There are still a few that are worth using, but you will need to check on the legality of betting offshore before you do so.

One of the benefits of betting on an online sportsbook is convenience. There are a lot of wagering options, but they also accept higher limits than most places. They do move the lines when sharp bets come in, making their lines more accurate and tougher to beat. However, most other books follow their lead and use odds that are very close to the same anyway.

The best part about betting at a licensed, state-regulated sportsbook is that you know your money is safe. You know you are going to get paid when you win. The other good news is that transferring money in and out of the books is easier since the financial institutions are working with them instead of against them.

With multiple apps in most states, there is fierce competition. This is good for the bettor because the books will offer a steady dose of promos and welcome packages to gain market share and keep the bettors that they already have. How to read sports bet odds Make good use of these promotions. Betting sports in Vegas is likely going to be the option with the biggest learning curve. You will understand the odds after reading this article, but there are a few other rules and common practices you want to be familiar with that are specific to Vegas.

The legality of betting through locals is beyond the scope of this article, as it largely has to do with your jurisdiction. Finding a local bookie often involves word-of-mouth recommendations from friends, family, or acquaintances who are already involved in the betting scene. Local bookies tend to operate in communities where they are known and trusted. It is important to exercise caution and ensure that you are dealing with a reputable individual to avoid potential scams.

Always remember that the number one thing you need to worry about is if you are going to get paid when you win. Most bookies now use what are called pay-per-head PPH sites to manage everything. As a bettor, you log in to the site and place all your wagers. This cuts down on communication and allows you more freedom and flexibility. Make sure they offer odds as early as you normally like to bet, on the offerings that you require, and with sufficient credit and wager limits.

Local bookies often deal in cash, but with the advancement of technology, many are now accepting digital payments as well. It is important to establish a clear understanding of the payment methods accepted and to ensure timely payments to maintain a good relationship with the bookie. There can be advantages to betting with a local bookie.

They also might offer better odds and unique betting opportunities based on their understanding of the local betting landscape. There are downsides though. Not all of them are licensed and the legality can be questionable. There is also a non-zero chance the book goes under, the bookie dies or gets arrested and you end up getting stiffed out of your winnings.

In season-long fantasy sports betting, you draft a team of players before the season begins and compete based on their stats over the course of an entire season. This was the traditional format of fantasy sports where a group of friends would get together for a live draft and then battle it out over several months using the same players. These are slower-paced and thus not as popular with the sports bettors who are looking for an edge.

It takes longer to get paid out, and if something goes bad to one of your top players, you can have a bad run over the course of an entire season. A different way to bet on sports is with daily fantasy. You pay an entry fee to enter contests where you build a lineup of players while adhering to a predetermined salary cap.

Multipliers vary in size but you can win a multiple of your entry fee if you finish in a winning position. Daily Fantasy is legal in almost all of the states now and makes for a fun alternative to traditional sports betting. It all starts with stats. You have to be able to analyze the stats for both players and teams.

You need to know how they perform in the situations they are in for the upcoming game, how they have done recently, and how they have done head-to-head with similar opponents they are facing. There are other situational factors to consider like the weather or venue. Of course, you want to factor in your own cognitive biases to see if you are missing something you should be seeing.

If you are going to handicap games on your own, then keep track of your sports bets and why you took that game. Our site has the best sports handicappers in the world and they are here to help you build your bankroll. You can get started with the free sports picks offered. Then when you are ready you should look at buying a premium picks subscription.

These are the top best bets that the pros use to hammer their books and increase their cash flow. Bankroll management in sports betting means you are using strategy to ensure the sustainability of your bankroll. You want to maximize your returns while minimizing the risk of serious losses. Fractional odds are often displayed as fractions representing the numerator as the amount a bettor could win divided by the denominator including the amount wagered.

Read on to learn more. Wagers on underdogs, which always have positive odds, are typically more likely to lose. However, a winning bet will produce a bigger profit with a higher payout. It can also be represented with a colon or dash. The numerator represents the amount a bettor could win divided by the denominator, the amount wagered.

Following the formula of multiplying the amount wagered by the divided fraction will calculate the payout. Negative odds indicate that the bet is favored to win, and therefore results in a lower potential profit and total payout for winning bets. The Inquirer is not an online gambling operator, or a gambling site. We provide this information about sports betting for entertainment purposes only.

Skip to content. How to.bet on sports Sports Betting. Share Icon. Facebook Logo. Link Icon. Link copied to clipboard. Betting Commercial Content. Provided by Action Network, official betting partner of The Inquirer. American Odds. Fractional Odds. Decimal Odds. Moneyline Odds. This is a very reasonable juice since as a bettor who wants to make a profit, you'll want to aim for one that's as little as possible.

That way, you can keep most of your earnings to yourself. Sometimes, a sportsbook may offer odds that you are not comfortable with. Fortunately, we can convert these odds simply using our free betting calculator. But if you prefer to do math, we'll show you how to convert each type of betting odds in this section.

You can convert both positive and negative American odds to decimal odds. You'd plug your numbers in; the equation should look like the one below. Converting decimal odds is easy. However, the formula differs depending on the value of the odds. If the decimal odds is greater than or equal to 2 American odds, you'll need to follow this formula:.

If they are greater than this value, use this formula:. We're now offering the best sports picks across every major matchup with Edge, our A. How to read sports bet odds Sports Betting system. Perfect for those looking to boost their bankroll with the help of automated picks generated with an industry-leading algorithm, this artificial intelligence prediction system provides confidence scores for every pick.

The American odds are easy to read. They come in negative and positive values. The positive value, i. Odds with a negative - in front indicate that a team has a higher chance or is favored to win. A bookmaker employs a trader or odds compiler to set odds.

These experts properly evaluate team performance based on past results, skill, and recent form. Better teams will have lower odds since they have higher chances of winning, while less powerful teams will have higher odds. Our editorial content strives to be highly informative and educational to our audience, especially for visitors who are new or relatively new to analyzing and predicting sporting event results.

All of our content is created by informed writers with backgrounds in their subject area and reviewed for omissions or mistakes. Our editorial team is run by individuals with many years of experience in digital publishing, editorial, and content production. Our editorial content is always marked clearly in any instances where it may be sponsored by a third party, though it is still reviewed by our staff to ensure it remains consistent with our company mission.

BY Lines. Try this betting calculator. Betting Odds Calculator. To win. Loading Winter Special Premium Football Loading Offer wall Loading DraftKings Sportsbook Banner Loading Fanduel Sportsbook Loading Winter Special Premium Basketball Confidence Level i. Moneyline Pick. Point Spread Pick. See Less See More. Loading Winter Special Premium Hockey Comments 2. Popular Latest.

Not a bad article, but the numbers need to be cleaned up. The second one is wrong I assume 2. If decimal odds are 4.