Common Sports Betting Odds Formats

The most popular online betting winning ratio formats are easy to recognize, and top sportsbooks offer different probability based on the markets they serve. While you can place bets by knowing just the format used in your country or using a betting odds calculator, it’s helpful to understand other types too.

How do betting odds work? Megapari can break down the three main formats: American odds, Decimal odds, and Fractional odds. The chances you see will depend on your location or the platform you’re using, so it’s useful to know how each one works.

1. American/Moneyline

American odds are commonly used in the US and are also known as Moneyline. They are shown with a plus (+) or minus (-) sign in front of a number. The plus sign is for the underdog, and the minus sign is for the favorite. Your total payout includes your profit plus the original stake.

For example, if the Golden State Warriors are playing the New York Knicks and the Warriors are the favorites, the edge might be Warriors: -400 and Knicks: +300. If you bet 400 on the Warriors and they win, you’d make a 100 profit (500 total payout). If you bet 100 on the Knicks and they secure a victory, you’d get a 300 profit (400 total payout). Payouts change depending on how much you bet. 

2. Decimal

Decimal odds are simpler than moneyline ratio and make it easy to see who is the favorite and who is the underdog. For example, if you’re wagering on the total goals in a soccer game, the chances can also show what kind of match the bookie expects. Lower probability means a team or player is more likely to prevail, while higher edge means they are less likely to succeed. If you’re betting on soccer, the site will also provide a winning ratio for a draw, so you can just use the sports betting calculator provided. 

Let’s look at another example from soccer. Imagine a La Liga match between Sevilla and Real Sociedad. The sportsbook has set the following ratio:

Sevilla to win: 2.80

Draw: 3.30

Real Sociedad to win: 2.40

From such probability, we can see that Real Sociedad is a slight favorite, but it’s not a strong difference. If you bet 10 on Sevilla to win and they win, your total payout would be 10 x 2.80 = $28. It’s simple and easy to calculate.

3. Fractional

This format is mostly used in the UK and Ireland and is sometimes called “British odds.” They are written as two numbers separated by a slash (/) or hyphen (-). This edge shows the potential profit you can make from a sports game, not including your original stake or a free bet.

To understand fractional edge at sports betting, the number on the left is the profit you can win, and the number on the right is the amount you need to bet. For example, if the ratio is 5/1, you would bet 1 to win 5. If you bet 10, you’d win 50 in profit, plus your $10 stake back.

Sometimes, the fractional edge appears reversed, like 1/10 or 2/5. These are called “Odds-On” selections and are used when there’s a strong favorite. For example, with a 2/5 ratio, you’d need to bet 5 to win 2.