Decimal Betting Explained

• With decimal odds your stake is automatically included in your returns and it makes for a far easier calculation. Decimal odds of 2.0 represents even money (1/1) and anything less than 2.0 is an.
• Many betting websites - including the Betfair Exchange - now use decimal odds as standard, so let’s take a closer look at this popular format. The purpose of sports betting odds Odds are a numerical way of describing the probability of an outcome occurring.
• Decimal Betting Odds Explained. Jon Jones 1.49 vs. Mauricio Rua 2.65; Decimal odds are used in most countries outside of North America, so we include decimal odds on our site for punters. Decimal odds are also known as European odds. To understand decimal odds you always need to remember that your stake and profit are included in the odds.
• Decimal odds are a way of listing the betting prices that is commonly used in Europe and are probably the most straightforward method. They are portrayed as two figures separated by a decimal point. What are American Odds? American odds – sometimes known as moneyline odds –.

1. Betting Payouts Explained
2. Football Spread Betting Explained
3. Sports Betting Numbers Explained
4. Decimal Betting Odds Explained
5. Betting Odds Explained

Payout if betting $40 on Golden State: $43.08; Decimal Odds Explained. Of the three types of odds you’ll encounter in your betting endeavors, decimal odds are the easiest to work with. Decimal odds are displayed like this.

In the next section, we will have betting odds explained for you. If you are a novice, we do recommend you stick around. Odds are one of the important factors in sports betting, and you need to make sure you understand their purpose and function. As you will see below, there are different odds formats, but they all play the same role – they help you determine if a bet is worth placing or not. You certainly need to read about odds in detail to figure out what they are before you place a bet. So, how do betting odds work? After reading this post, you will see that it is not as complicated as you thought. Check it out.

List of the bookmakers with the best betting odds

* T&C’s apply, 18+.

How do betting odds work?

For instance, let’s say you want to place a bet on a sports event and the odds are +200 (3 in decimal odds). It means that you would get £200 back with a bet of £100. If that number is -200 (1.5 in decimal odds), it means that you need to stake £200 to get £100 in return if your bet is correct. When it comes to American odds, an even bet is displayed as +100 (2 in decimal odds).

Purpose of Odds

Now, let us explain the betting odds to you so that the next time you are at a sportsbook, you will know what you are doing. One of the purposes of odds in sports betting is to show how likely a particular outcome is to occur. If the outcome is very likely to happen, the odds are as low as they can be, and vice versa. Hence, if you are betting on a team that has bigger chances of winning than the other one, and they win, you will gain a very small profit, as opposed to what you could get if you bet on the team which is less likely to win.

Now, the other purpose of odds is to determine how much you will get if your wager wins. You should be able to view the odds of a bookmaker at the moment of placing your bet. Lower odds mean lower payouts and greater chances of winning, whereas higher odds mean higher payouts and less chance of winning. Even money odds mean that your chances of winning are 50/50.

Formats of Betting Odds

Now, we cannot explain the betting odds in detail without talking about odds formats. In general, they are three: fractional, decimal and moneyline/American odds. The reason as to why you need to be familiar with them all is that at some point you will have to deal with them in some form. The good news is, they have the same functions and mean the same thing, it is just that they are expressed in different ways. We will give you detailed information about each format, including how to read betting odds.

Decimal Odds

This is the most common odds format, which used to be common in Australia, Canada and Europe in the past. However, lately more and more bookmakers have adopted this format, as a result of which it has become the norm. An exception to this is some betting sites in the USA.

The reason decimal odds format has established itself as the standard is that it is displayed as a single number, which is positive. The number expresses how much money you will receive for guessing the correct outcome and includes the original stake. For instance, if you make a stake at odds of 1.5, every £1 staked will return £1.50. If you make a stake at odds of 2.25, for every £1 you will receive £2.25. As far as decimal odds are concerned, an even money stake is displayed as 2.00.

Moneyline Odds

We shall now move on to the next odds format. Moneyline odds are more often than not used in the States, which is why they are often referred to as American odds. So, if you encounter the term American odds, do not worry, this is not a new odds format you are not familiar with. It is the same as moneyline odds. Read more about how to bet with moneyline.

What is typical of these odds is that they are expressed in a negative or positive number. If a negative number is displayed, it serves to show how much money you have to give away to win back £100. If a positive number is displayed, it shows how much a £100 bet would win if it is correct according to the news.

Fractional Odds

This odds format used to be the standard in the United Kingdom. However, understanding betting odds of this kind is not easy. As you will see, it is not as straightforward as decimal odds, which is probably the reason why the latter are taking over the British Islands. For a novice, fractional odds may be a little tricky, especially when it comes to calculating one’s potential profits.

For your peace of mind, we shall say that the format is not as complicated as it appears to be. With a little practice, you will get things right eventually. Normally, the format is expressed as a fraction. Take for instance 5/1 (in decimal odds: 6). It serves to show that you can win five units for each unit you stake. The same goes for 7/1 (in decimal odds: 8), which means that you can get three units for each unit you stake. Here is how to read odds: “five to one” for 5/1 and “seven to one” for 7/1. When it comes to fractional odds, an even bet is expressed by 1/1 (“one to one”). So far, so good. This does not look so complicated yet.

In sports betting, and especially with fractional odds, you can also get odds of 5/2, 11/10 or 6/4. Now, that makes things a little complicated. For instance, 6/4 serves to show that for every four units you stake, you are going to get six units. As a whole, this means that per every unit you stake, you will get 1.5 units. And as for 11/10, every ten units you stake will get you back eleven units, which means 1.1 units per one unit you bet.

If the first number in this odds format is greater than the second, this is said to be “odds against”. What it means is that the potential winnings will be much bigger than the amount of money you need to stake. Overall, this is the same as positive moneyline odds.

However, when the potential winnings are fewer than the amount of money you need to stake, this is called “odds on”. Basically, it is the same as negative moneyline odds. How is this expressed in numbers and pronounced? For example, 4/7 odds is pronounced as “seven to four on”. As it suggests, every seven units you stake will get you four units.

You are probably wondering how to convert odds so that you can use them in your desired odds format (in case they are displayed in a format you are not well acquainted with). No worries. You do not have to make complicated calculations. You can simply use different odds converter sites, which automatically convert the desired number into the format you wish. No effort or calculations required on your part. It is fast and easy.

Why Are Odds Different With Different Bookmakers

It is not uncommon to encounter different odds for one and the same event with various sportsbooks. For instance, some of top online bookmakers may display odds of 2.30 for a team to win a game; and others may offer odds of 2.20 for the same team to win. Now, this is another important aspect of understanding betting odds. We mentioned earlier that one of the purposes of odds is to show how likely a particular outcome is to happen. However, this view is expressed by the bookmakers themselves.

So, it is safe to say that odds are a matter of opinion. Someone else’s opinion. So, the more sportsbooks there are, the more different odds you are likely to encounter for the same sporting event. There are many factors that determine the odds with a particular bookmaker. They could be affected by the profits a sportsbook has made in a certain market. So, it does not always mean that the odds express the possibility of a particular team winning the game. It could be much more than that.

Your job is to correctly guess the outcome of a match because that will make you a good profit. The more often you predict the correct end result, the more you will win. This is all that matters. You can be a successful punter. Of course, there is more to winning at sports betting than simply understanding the odds and making correct predictions. If you want to make a profit consistently, you need to know about other things. Not to worry, in the next sections of our guide, we will explain other key aspects of sports betting, and hopefully, we will make you an informed and reasonable bettor who knows what they are doing. Keep reading.

Other Betting Markets & Strategies

If there’s one thing you know, it’s sports. You’ve been making friendly bets with your buddies for years, and almost always come up a winner. But do you really understand odds in sports betting?

Sports betting odds can be tricky to understand at first, especially since you may see the odds posted in more than one way.

From plus/minus to decimal, to fractional — how is anyone supposed to know how to place the best bets?

Don’t sweat it, we’ve got you.

In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about how to understand odds in sports betting, and how you can start creating your own odds.

Understanding Sports Odds: What Are They?

So, you want to place a bet on the upcoming match but you’re not sure how to get started.

First things first, you have to understand the odds to know which bets are worth the risk. We’ll touch more on that in the sections below.

Secondly, you need to know that there are a variety of formats for which odds are displayed, such as:

• American (plus/minus)
• Decimal Odds
• Fractional Odds

All of them are easy to understand, and we’ll show you in the upcoming sections of this article.

Lastly, odds are used to calculate the implied probability of a particular outcome in any sporting event.

Once you have a solid understanding of how the odds work, you’ll be able to determine which bets offer the best payouts and how much money you are willing to wager.

Sports Odds Explained: American Odds

If you don’t know how to calculate sports betting odds, don’t worry, you’re not alone.

The most common type of sports odds used in North America is American Odds, which uses a plus/minus system for calculating payouts.

Below, we’ll answer your question: how are odds calculated in sports?

We’ll start with the American way, and give you some betting odds examples so you know exactly what you’re looking at the next time you want to make a wager.

But first, it’s important to know what odds are designed to do.

1. Odds flag potential bettors as to the implied probability of the bet
2. Odds announce the payout you could win if you bet on that outcome

Betting Payouts Explained

However, odds can be influenced by more than the events that are relevant to the outcome of the game or match.

Many traditional sportsbooks are known for manipulating the odds in their favor and factor in how much the book is charging for you to place your bet. You may hear fellow wagerers refer to this cut as the “juice”, “vig”, or “cut.”

How Does Plus/Minus Work in Sports Betting?

When you see +130/-240 (or any other three-digit combination) you know you’re dealing with American odds.

The plus or minus indicates whether you’re betting on the favored team or the underdog.

A negative number on the betting line implies the favorite, and exactly how much you have to bet to walk away with a $100 payout.

Positive numbers belong to the underdog, and let you know how much you’ll win if you bet $100.

For example:

How Do You Understand Odds in Sports Betting With American Odds?

Using the above example, calculating your odds look like this:

To win $100 on the Vikings (favorites), you would need to wager $130. If you bet $100 on the Packers (underdogs), you’d be paid out $260 in addition to receiving your $100 bet back.

Calculating Payouts

Let’s say you don’t want to bet $100 of your money — we get it, that can add up.

Many people prefer to place a series of smaller bets on multiple games to get the most out of the experience.

Winning two and losing one can be more appealing than losing it all in one shot.

With the above example, let’s calculate the odds of betting the underdog with only $10, instead of $100.

Using the +260 odds on the Packers, a $10 bet would payout $26 in profits, plus the return of your original $10 bet for a total of $36 back in your pocket.

In most cases, the sportsbook you’re betting with will do the calculations before you even place the bet.

You’ll know the exact payout before you confirm your bet.

Calculating Implied Probability

If you’ve started to research exactly how sports betting works, then you’ve probably heard the term “implied probability”.

The odds are what suggest a particular outcome in any match, and the implied probability refers to the prospect of that outcome.

To calculate the implied probability you need to convert the odds into a percentage.

The reason you’d want to calculate the implied probability is to determine if the estimated probability of a match you wish to bet on is different from the sportsbook so that you can adjust your bet accordingly.

Remember, that all odds available at a sportsbook include the “juice” or “cut” so you’ll need to factor that in, as the implied probability of every conceivable outcome of a match is going to be above 100%.

This is called overround, and it’s the reason you should remove the “juice” from betting lines before calculating what the oddsmakers actually expect the outcome to be.

Sports Odds Explained: Decimal Odds

Of the three types of odds you’ll come across, betting with decimal odds are the easiest to learn.

Decimal style odds are typically used in Europe, but many Sportsbooks default to American odds. However, you should be able to set the preference to any betting style.

Decimal odds look like this:

How Do You Understand Odds in Sports Betting With Decimal Odds?

Calculating your potential winnings with decimal odds is easy. All you have to do is multiply the amount of money you’re wagering with the odds attached to the team you’re betting on.

For example:

Calculating Implied Probability

Calculating your implied probability is a valuable tool to determine if a wager is worth the risk.

Using our example above, we’ll determine implied probability using the following formula: 1 / Decimal odds

With the above example, the Toronto Blue Jays implied probability of winning is:

1 / 2.10 = 47.6%

And the New York Yankees implied probability of winning is:

1 / 1.40 = 71.4%

In this case, the New York Yankees have a much higher probability of winning, and therefore the safer bet… unless you know something we don’t.

Sports Odds Explained: Fractional Odds

Fractional odds are most commonly used in the UK and can typically be seen when placing bets on horse races.

They’re sort of funny looking odds, but when you understand what they mean, they are really easy to calculate.

How Do You Understand Odds in Sports Betting With Fractional Odds?

Let’s say you want to bet on a horse in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

You open up your betting app and see strange-looking figures such as 8/3 or 1/2 (which, by the way, we would say “eight to three” or “one to two”).

So, how do you calculate these odds?

Simple.

The number on the left (8) tells you how many times the oddsmaker expects the related outcome to fail. And the number on the right (3) dictates how many times the outcome should succeed.

So, what does this mean for your pocketbook?

Calculating Payouts

Calculating your payout for fractional betting is really quite easy.

Multiply your bet by the numerator (or top number), then divide the result by the denominator (bottom number).

For example, if you place a $50 bet on 8/3 odds the calculation would look like this:

(50 x 8) / 3 = $133.33 (a total of $183.33 coming your way).

Or if you placed your $50 bet on the 1/2 odds, then the calculation would look like this:

Football Spread Betting Explained

(50 x 1) / 2 = $25 (for a total of $75 in your pocket).

Calculating Implied Probability

Figuring out the implied probability for fractional bets can be done fairly easily.

Sports Betting Numbers Explained

Let’s say your horse of choice has 8/3 odds on him, this means that out of 11 races (8+3) your horse is expected to win eight times. Pretty good right?

Now divide the number of times he’s supposed to win by the number of races on the roster and you get your implied probability: 8 / 11 = 72.7%

Remember though, it costs money to play, so anytime you’re calculating odds, whether American, decimal or fractional,the outcomes when added together will always equal more than 100%… that’s the “vig” or the “cut” we’ve been talking about.

What is a Push?

A push — while not related to odds — can directly affect your payout so we thought it was worth mentioning here.

Being aware of the possibility of a push before you place your first bet on a sports match is important.

So, what is a push, exactly? In simple terms, it’s a tie.

You will not see a push on the moneyline when placing bets, so you need to know in advance if it’s an outcome you can bet on. Typically this only applies if you’re betting against the spread or making a totals bet.

If a push occurs and hasn’t been bet on, then you’ll just get your money back, as it’s considered neither a win nor a loss.

A point spread will usually add half a point to each number so that a push can’t happen, but that’s not always the case, so keep your eye on your bets and all possibilities of a push.

What Is ZenSports?

Now, that you know how to figure out odds in betting this is where it gets really interesting.

ZenSports is an online peer to peer betting marketplace that removes the need for a bookmaker, and thus the “vig”, “cut”, or “juice”.

By eliminating the bookmaker, ZenSports can charge 50-90% lower fees than traditional bookmakers do.

On top of saving a lot of money, every customer that uses ZenSports is betting against other sports bettors (not greedy bookmakers), so customers feel good knowing that they’re going up against people that are just like them.

Create Your Own Bets and Odds With ZenSports

Decimal Betting Odds Explained

How does peer to peer betting work, exactly?

By eliminating the bookmaker, ZenSports has essentially created a marketplace for which every bettor plays a role in creating a fun, decentralized ecosystem for everyone involved.

Here’s a five-step overview of how the ZenSports process currently works:

1. Makers create bets. Anyone can create any imaginable sports bet they want with their own terms, payout, and wager amount.
2. Takers accept bets. Anyone can accept part of or a whole bet created by a Maker.
3. Makers submit the results of the bet outcome. To prevent a Maker from submitting false results, Makers have an escrow fee of 10% of their bet set aside in case of a dispute by the Taker.
4. Takers can dispute results. A Taker can dispute any outcome but are required to hold 5% of their bet in escrow aside to prevent the Taker from making false disputes.
5. The Marketplace resolves disputes. The Marketplace is incentivized to vote correctly because they will receive half of the losing party’s escrow amount if they vote alongside the majority of the voters. The prevailing party received a full refund of their escrow fee, along with half of the losing party’s escrow fee.

Betting Odds Explained

All bets are then paid out accordingly.

ZenSports is the only mobile peer to peer sports betting marketplace, where anyone can create and accept bets around the world without the need for a centralized bookmaker.

The future of online sports betting is here.