Betting Odds Explained - A Beginners Guide

What Are Betting Odds and How Do Odds Work?

When you start betting, be it sports betting, casino gambling, or other types, you must fully understand betting odds. It is absurd to place a wager without understanding the different types of betting odds and how to interpret and read the different formats.

If you understand the basics revolving around betting odds, you will have a good time placing wagers.

Your potential wins may also be greater than those who have yet to understand how betting odds work. Let us now look into different types of betting odds and what they entail.

The Different Types of Betting Odds Explained

There are three major betting odds types:

• Fractional Odds
• Moneyline Odds
• Decimal Odds

Betting odds represent a similar thing, and payouts are not different. It means that the chance of the event occurring remains the same, but when you read betting odds, it appears in a different format, ie odds type.

Decimal Odds Format - European Odds

Decimal odds are popular with online sportsbooks in Europe, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. They are easy to understand, and you can easily manoeuvre them. You can easily spot the underdogs and favourites when looking at the numbers.

How to Read Decimal Odds

Decimal odds usually represent the amount you can win for each dollar you wager. The number will represent the payout instead of the profit for decimal odds. Importantly, including the stake money is also a factor in the decimal numbers, so there is no need to add to your stake again. You can now calculate the total payout easily.

Calculating Decimal Odds and Payouts Example

To calculate your potential return, use the formula below:

• Total payout equals a decimal odd number multiplied by the stake

For example, a betting website has priced the presidential election candidates. Decimals odds are for the candidates, and they will be visible as (the best example is the U.S. elections in 2020):

• Donald Trump - 3.00
• Joe Biden - 1.40

The numbers indicate what you can win for each dollar you stake. Thus, if you bet $10 on Donald Trump, you can win $10 multiplied by 3, which is $30. The amount has included your $10 stake, and your profit will be $20.

If you decided to place a wager for Joe Biden to win, the payout would be 1.4 X $10 if you staked $10. The return would be $14. Minus the money you staked, your profit would be $4.

You should review each bookmaker's prices for every candidate or team. The probability of Joe Biden winning was higher. The higher the decimal odds, the lesser the chance of winning.

Fractional Odds Format - British Odds

Fractional odds are common among Irish and UK bookmakers and appear with a hyphen or a slash, for example, 5-1 or 5/1. The odds are then announced as five to one. Fractional odds are popular with famous bookmakers globally, and most gamblers worldwide prefer them.

How to Read Fractional Odds

Fractional odds mean you can win $6 against each $1 you wager. You would receive your dollar back if you wagered $1. The ratio represents the profit won to the initial bet. For $1, you will receive $5 if the odds are 5/1. The total payout will be %6. Thus, if you placed $100 as a wager amount, you will receive a $600 payout, of which $500 is profits, and $100 is the stake.

Fractional odds mean you can win $6 against each $1 you wager. You would receive your dollar back if you wagered $1. The ratio represents the profit won to the initial bet. For $1, you will receive $5 if the odds are 5/1, and the total payout will be %6. Thus, if you placed $100 as a wager amount, you will receive a $600 payout, of which $500 is profits, and $100 is the stake.

Calculating Fractional Odds and Payouts Example

To calculate your potential return, use the formula below:

• Total payout equals (numerator/denominator) x stake + stake
• The numerator/denominator can be 30/5

If a betting website is using fractional odds, a suitable example of how the odds would be is as follows:

• Houston Rockets: 8/3
• Golden State Warriors: 9/10

In this case, the Golden State Warriors are the favourites, and the odds on the Houston Rockets will be longer. You can win $9 for every $10 you stake on the Golden State Warriors. If you wager $100, you stand to win $90. The total payout would be $190.

American (Moneyline) Odds Format

American odds are also referred to as Moneyline odds. They are popular in the U.S. and are usually accompanied by the minus (-) sign, indicating the amount you are supposed to stake if you want to win a certain amount.

How To Read American Odds

The odds meant for the underdogs will be accompanied by a positive (+) sign. The amount you will win for the money you have staked will be indicated. In both instances, you will get the initial amount you placed as a wager back and the amount you have won. The only difference in Moneyline odds is that the odds for the underdog and favourite will widen, similar to the probability of winning for the favourites.

Calculating American Odds And Payouts Example

To understand how to calculate American odds, it is advisable to use an example. For instance, there is a basketball game that has the following odds:

• Duke: +585
• Syracuse: -760

The bookmaker has placed an odd of +585 for Duke, indicating that the bookmaker has set a lower probability of at least 15% for Duke winning the match. If you place a stake of $100, you can win $585 if Duke wins the game.

When you bet on Syracuse to win, and they are showing as the favourite, you will win $100 when you wager $760. The total payout will be $860. There is a huge difference between the odds, and there is a high probability that Syracuse will win and advance to the next level of the tournament.

Other Odds Types

There are other odd types besides British and European odds, and they include:

Malaysian

Malaysian odds are among the ways to correspond the relationship between your potential profit and stake on a certain bet. The odds will depend on local customs, which are similar to the local language. When you show up in a nation that speaks another language, the people may fail to understand you as you inquire about how the odds work.

Hong Kong

They are also known as HK odds and are among the simplest formats. The minus (-) and (+) symbols express the relationship between the potential profit and the initial stake. For example, Team C has +1.25, Team D has -1.25, and the draw is +0.25.

Indonesian

They are also known as Indo odds and usually represent the likelihood of something taking place. They’re somewhat similar to favourable American odds for those yet to understand how odds work. The odds are divided by 100. For instance, odds of +120 will be expressed as 1.20.

What Is Implied Probability?

Besides looking into implied probability, we will also look into how to calculate implied probability. When it comes to sports betting odds, implied probabilities are defined as converting actual betting odds to a percentage, considering the bookmaker margin when expressing the likelihood of the outcome taking place.

You need to understand how to calculate an event's probability.

How To Convert Odds And Probabilities?

The math underlying gambling and being able to read betting odds will help determine whether a wager is worth it. Firstly, you need to understand that there are different types of odds, representing different formats to present the probability of an event. For American odds, we have positive or negative odds. After understanding the implied probability for the outcome, you can decide whether or not to place a wager.

So far, you have an overview of how betting odds work.

Discover the Best Odds With Oddspedia

There is more to sports than cheering on your preferred team. You can also earn money when you place a winning bet. If you are interested in gambling, you must sign up with an online sportsbook with a good reputation. If you have an in-depth understanding of sports betting, you will easily calculate your potential winnings. As you take time to learn about sports betting, you can go ahead and also look into betting exchanges with the help of Oddspedia.

Oddspedia issues a comparison, which aids your betting experience using different betting tools. You will easily get to know your potential wins, and you stand to win after placing a wager since you already know how the odds work. Also, your winning rate will be higher with the right knowledge, especially if you understand implied probability.

Conclusion

With betting odds explained, you can maximise your potential winnings since you understand the odds work. Also, you can take advantage of the tools available at Oddspedia and have a smooth time placing wagers without worrying about making losses. Considering that you now have a good understanding of the odds work.

Betting Odds Explained - FAQ