How betting odds work

Odds do two jobs. They tell you what a bet pays, and they show the chance the sportsbook is pricing in. Every format says the same thing in a different way, so once you can convert between them you can compare any two prices.

Decimal odds

Decimal odds show the total return for each $1 staked, including your stake. A $10 bet at 2.50 returns $25 if it wins: $15 profit plus your $10 back. They are the easiest format for comparing prices, because a bigger number always means a bigger payout.

Fractional odds

Fractional odds show profit relative to stake, and your stake comes back on top. At 6/4 you win $6 for every $4 staked, so a $10 bet wins $15 and returns $25. That is the same bet as 2.50 in decimal. "Evens" means 1/1, or 2.00 in decimal.

American odds

American odds are built around $100. A plus sign shows the profit on a $100 stake, so +150 wins $150. A minus sign shows what you must stake to win $100, so -200 means staking $200 to win $100. Plus prices are for outcomes priced as less likely than not, and minus prices are for outcomes priced as more likely than not.

Conversion table

Turning odds into a percentage

Divide 1 by the decimal price. A price of 2.50 implies 1 ÷ 2.50 = 40%. That is the chance the price represents, including the sportsbook's margin, so it is not the true chance of the outcome. Our guide to margin and payout shows how to take the margin out.

Converting between formats

• Fractional to decimal: divide the two numbers and add 1. 6/4 is 1.5, plus 1, which gives 2.50.
• American plus to decimal: divide by 100 and add 1. +150 gives 2.50.
• American minus to decimal: divide 100 by the number and add 1. -200 gives 1.50.

You can switch format on any page using the selector at the top of the site. Every price and table updates to match.