澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询

Sports Betting Odds: How They Work and How To Read Them

Learn about A🍰merican, British, an🎃d European odds formats

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If you're new to sports betting, understanding how odds work is crucial. Whether you're betting in a casino, on sports, or on any other event, knowing how to read and interpret different types of odds is key to placing smart bets.

澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询: The types of sports betting odds 🏅includ✨e:

  • Moneyline Odds (American): widely used in the United States
  • Fractional Odds (British): common in the United Kingdom and Ireland
  • Decimal Odds (European): popular in Europe, Canada, and Australia

Key Takeaways

  • The three main types of betting odds are fractional (British) odds, decimal (European) odds, and moneyline (American) odds.
  • These formats are alternate ways of presenting the same thing and have no difference in terms of payouts.
  • British fractional odds are the ratio of the amount won (profit) to the bettor's stake.
  • European decimal odds represent the amount the bettor could win for every $1 they wager.
  • Depending on the negative or positive sign, American moneyline odds either indicate the amount one needs to wager to win $100 or the amount one would win for every $100 staked.

How U.S./Moneyline Odds Work

澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Moneyline odds (aka "American odds" or "๊U.S. odds") are popu𒐪lar in the U.S.

  • Favorites: Denoted with a minus (-) sign. The number shows how much you need to bet to win $100.
  • Underdogs: Denoted with a plus (+) sign. The number shows how much you'll win if you bet $100.

For example, if a team has odds of -150, you'd need to bet $150 to win $100. If the odds are +200, a $100 bet would win you $200. In both cases, your original bet is returned along with your winnings. The larger the gap between the favorite and underdog odds, the higher the favorite's chances of winning.

Betting on the Moneyline

Let's say a betting website (also known as an online 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:sportsbook) priced an NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Ka♏nsas City Chiefs with the following moneyline odds♉.

  • Steelers: +585
  • Chiefs: -760

The bookmaker has offered odds of +585 for the Steelers, which indicates that the bookmaker has placed a much lower probability (about 15%) that the Steelers will win the game. Therefore, if you risk $100 on the Steelers, you could win $585.

If the S😼teelers pull off the upset, you get back your initial stake of $100 in addition to the $585 you won, for a total payout of $685.

If you decide to bet on the Chiefs—the team that, according to the bookmaker, has a higher probability of winning the game—you would need to bet $760 to win $100. If the Chiefs are victorious, you will win $100, for a total payout of $860 (initial stake of $760 + profit of $100).

In this matchup, there is a big difference between the two odds, indicating a much higher probability of the Chiefs winn🌞ing the game. Often the odds🧸 are much closer.

Fast Fact

In 2018 the U.S. Supreme Court gave states permission to legalize sports betting if they wished to do so. It is legal in 38 states plus Washington, D.C. as of 2024, with other states either working on legislation or not considering it.

How British/Fractional Odds Work

Fractional odds (aka "British odds," "U.K. odds," or "traditional odds") are popular among British and Irish bookies. They are typically written with a s🍒lash (/) or hyphen (-).

A fractional listing of 6/1 (six-to-one) odds would mean that you could win $🦩6 for every $1 you wager as well as get the amount you wagered back. In other words, 6/1 is the ratio of the potential profit to the initial bet. Therefore, if you stake $10 at 6/1 and win, you'll get a total payo൲ut of $70 ($60 profit + $10 stake).

The total (potential) return ꦓon▨ a stake can be calculated as:

T p = ( S ( N D ) ) + S where: T p = The total payout S = Stake N / D = The numerator/denominator of the fractional odd  ( e.g.,  28 6 ) \begin{aligned}&T_p=\bigg(S\bigg(\frac{N}{D}\bigg)\bigg)+S\\&\textbf{where:}\\&T_p=\text{The total payout}\\&S=\text{Stake}\\&N/D=\text{The numerator/denominator of the fractional odd }\bigg(\text{e.g., }\frac{28}{6}\bigg)\end{aligned} Tp=(S(DN))+Swhere:Tp=The total payoutS=StakeN/D=The&n𝓡bsp;numerator/denominator of the fractional odd (e.g., 628)

Let's posit that the following are the odds on the three teams most likely to win th🌺e NBA Championship:

  • Brooklyn Nets: 13/5
  • Golden State Warriors: 9/2
  • Milwaukee Bucks: 7/1

It can be determined quickly that the Brooklyn Nets are the favorite𓃲s, while the perceived odds of Golden State or Milwaukee winning are longer.

You would win $13 against every $5 you wager on 𒉰Brooklyn to be the champions. Meanwhile, you'd win $9 against each $2 you put at stake for Golden State to win, and for Milwaukee, you'd wi🐽n $7 against each $1 bet. 

In the above example, if you bet $100 on Brooklyn to win, you could make a $260 profit ($100 x (13/5)) and 🉐get back your initial stake of $100, resulting in a total payout of $360.

However, if you wager $100 on Golden State to win, you could receive a profit of $450 ($100 x (9/2)) in addition to the $100 initial stake, leading to a total payo🍸ut of&n🅠bsp;$550.

The potential profit for a Milwaukee win would be even higher because you could make a profit of $700 ($100 x (7/1)). With your initial stake of $100 returned, it would result in a total payout of $800.

How European/Decimal Odds Work

Decimal odds (aka&🌊nbsp;"European odds," "digital odds," or "continental odds") are popular in continental Eu❀rope, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. These are a bit easier to work with and understand. The favorites and underdogs can be spotted instantaneously by looking at the numbers.

The decimal odds number represents the amount the bettor could take home for every $1 wagered—the total payout rather than just the profit. In other words, your stake is already included in the decimal number (no need to add back your stake), which makes the calculation easier.

The🙈 total (potential) return on a stake can be calc😼ulated as:

T p = S × D where: T p = The total (potential) return S = Stake D = The decimal odd \begin{aligned}&T_p=S\times D\\&\textbf{where:}\\&T_p=\text{The total (potential) return}\\&S=\text{Stake}\\&D=\text{The decimal odd}\end{aligned} Tp=S×Dwhere:Tp=The total (potential) returnS=StakeD=The decimal odd

Let's look at an example involvin🎶g who might have won the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Suppose the dec♌imal odds were:

  • Donald Trump: 4.00
  • Joe Biden: 1.3

These numbers represent the amount you could win against each $1 you put at stake. So, if you bet $100 on Donald🦹 Trump to be reelected as president, you could receive a total payout of $400 ($100 x 4.0🅺0). This amount includes the initial stake of $100, resulting in a net profit of $300.

Similarly, you could receive a total payout of $130 ($100 x 1.3) if you successfully bet $100 o💖n Joe Biden. Deducting $100 from this return gives you a $30 net profit.

Here we can see that the bookmaker correctly priced Biden as the favorite to win the election. The higher the total payout (i.ﷺe., the higher the decimal odds), the less probable it is that the candidate will win (in the bookmaker's opinion), and the riskier the bet is.

Types of Bets

Sports bettors have numerous🌺 options on the types of bets they can make. Here are a few of the most popular ones avail☂able:

  • Over-under bets: Also known as a total bet, an 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:over-under bet is a wager on whether a specific statistic for a game will be higher or lower than a quoted value from a sportsbook. The most common over-under bet is on the combined score of the two teams in a match. These are among the most popular sports-betting wager options.
  • Parlay bets: When a bettor makes two or more bets and combines them into one wager, it's called a 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:parlay bet (or an "accumulator" or "multi"). This type of bet is riskier than others because you have to win all of the small bets to win the parlay bet, and losing one means losing the whole bet. Parlay bets have a bigger payout if all the wagers are won.
  • Teaser bets: A type of parlay bet, a teaser bet allows the bettor to change the point spread for a game, which makes the bet easier to win, but also lowers the payout in the event of a win. The most common teaser bet is a two-team, six-point football teaser for which the bettor can adjust the point spread for two games.
  • Prop bets: A prop bet is a wager on a game that isn't tied to its outcome. Prop bets might be made on the accomplishments of individual players in a game, for example, or which player might hit a home run in a Major League Baseball game.

How Do Odds Impact Payout?

Simply put, the greater the odds against a team, the larger the payout will be for anyone who bets on that team and wins. 𝔉For example, 7 to 2 odds mean that for every $2 you wager, you could win $7 if your bet is successful, while 5 to 1 odds mean you could win $5 for every $1 you bet.

What Do the + and - Mean in Sports Betting?

In American sports betting, odds are typically expressed with a plus (+) or minus (–) symbol followed by a number. For example, +200 signifies the amount a bettor could win if wagering $100. If the bet works out, the player would receive a total payout of $300 ($200 profit + $100 initial stake).

What Does It Mean When Odds Are Negative?

Negative numbers (in American moneyline 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. You stand to make more money on positive odds, but the chances of a win are lower.

What Are Vegas Odds?

Vegas odds (aka "Las Vegas odds") are a form of American moneyline odds used in sportsbooks. They can include a 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:point spread representing the expected margin of victory. This allows bettors to wager not only on the winner but 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:over or under the bookmaker's predicted point spread.

The Bottom Line

American, British, and European odds are three different ways of expressing the same thing and can 𝔍be converted𝔍 from one to another. By understanding all three and how they work, you'll increase your own odds of placing well-informed (if not always successful) bets.

If you or someone you know has a gambling disorder, please call the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) or visit to chat with a helpline specialist.

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