Understanding American Odds

1. Understanding Odds Football
2. Understanding Odds In Horse Racing
3. American Odds Explained
4. How To Interpret Odds

American odds are a touch more complicated to understand, but not too much. They are read differently for the favourites and the underdogs. So, using our Manchester City vs Aston Villa example, the odds for Outright Winner converted to American odds come out as the following: Manchester City.

1. This video explains in brief detail how decimal odds work, and how you can apply this information when betting online. Check out our website http.
2. The house edge on an American roulette wheel is 5.26%, so having a good grasp of the odds involved is key if you want to improve your odds of winning. There isn't a solution for how to win.
3. Understanding American Odds American odds can be either positive or negative. Positive American odds are used when the potential profit on a bet is larger or equal to the stake. The odds value shows how big your winnings are if you bet 100 units. Negative American odds are used when the potential profit on a bet is smaller than the stake.
4. Understanding American Odds As the name suggests, American odds are most popular in the United States. Working differently for favorites and underdogs, they're also known as 'moneyline' odds. American odds for betting on the favorite work by showing how much.

The format for betting odds can vary depending on which part of the world you live in. The two most common options used are Decimal and American odds. But what is the difference, how do you calculate returns for each format and convert from one to the other? Read on to find out.

Before we delve into examples on how to calculate bet returns that have been presented in different odds formats, it is important to note that, irrespective of which odds format you use, the potential profit is the same, the presentation just differs.

Odds expression indicating return relative to 100 unit base figure. With money odds, whenever there is a minus (-) you lay that amount to win a hundred dollars, where there is a plus (+) you win that amount for every hundred dollars you bet.

Calculating profits with Decimal odds

Decimal odds are predominantly used in continental Europe, Australia and Canada. The format is a simple numerical representation of the potential return of a bet, which includes the stake amount.

Understanding Odds Football

The potential return on a bet quoted in Decimal odds is extremely easy to calculate by simply multiplying the amount you wish to bet by the Decimal odds offered – just remember that the return includes your stake. Here is an example of Decimal odds in a 1X2 soccer market from Pinnacle:

Calculating the potential return for a $100 Bet on Chelsea at 2.270:

Odds x Stake = 2.270 X 100 = 227

As this includes your original $100 stake amount, the potential profit is $127.

Calculating the potential return for a $100 bet on Liverpool at 3.390:

Odds x Stake = 3.390 x 100 = 339

Calculating profits with American odds

American odds are unsurprisingly the default format used in America. They start either with a positive or a negative sign, e.g. -110, or +120. A negative number indicates the amount you must stake to make $100 profit (or the equivalent in your chosen currency) and a positive number indicates how much you might profit if you bet $100 (again, this would be the equivalent in your chosen currency).

Using the example above, if you bet $124 on the Washington Redskins -2.5 handicap with American odds of -124 and they cover the spread, you will make $100 profit (plus your original $124 stake). If you bet $100 on the Dallas Cowboys +2.5 handicap with odds of +112 and they cover the spread, it will return $112 profit (plus the original $100 stake).

As with any odds format, the potential return and profit from a bet is relevant to the stake amount. Using a $100 bet example is the easiest way to calculate profits with American odds, but below is a simple formula to work out potential returns for any stake.

Negative American odds calculation:

(100/Odds) x stake

Positive American odds calculation:

Odds x (stake/100)

If we use the odds from the above example, you could bet $13.75 on the White Sox at -129 and your potential profit is $10.66:

Using the same example for positive odds, you could bet $15 on the Royals at +119 and your potential profit is $17.85:

Odds x (Stake/100) = 119 x (15/100) = 17.85

Odds conversion table

This table can be used to convert one type of odds format into another. If you have a specific bet or odds you wish to convert, use Pinnacle's Odds Converter.

Whether you use the Decimal or American format, you'll get the best betting odds with Pinnacle, the ultimate bookmaker with the highest limits and lowest margins.

Decimal odds video explainer

Found this article useful? Why not check out our video that details Decimal and American odds.

American odds video explainer

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American odds, as the name suggests, are commonly used in the United States of America and are sometimes referred to as US odds. They are also known as ‘lines' or ‘money line odds'. Reading and understanding American odds can be very confusing, especially if you are based in mainland Europe or the United Kingdom. In fact, they are often considered to be more confusing than fractional odds but thankfully, our simple guide below will allow you to understand American odds easily.

Positive or Negative

The first thing to understand with American odds, is that they can either be positive or negative. So, when looking on a bookmakers website at odds, say for an NFL match, you could see odds showing either -150 or +150.

Odds which start with a negative sign (-), are showing you what you will need to stake in order to make a profit of $100.

Odds which start with a positive sign (+), are showing you how much potential profit you can make from a stake of $100.

Example

If the Green Bay Packers were playing the Seattle Seahawks in an NFL match, the odds for this match may be as follows:

Green Bay Packers (+120) vs Seattle Seahawks (-140)

So, if you wanted to place a bet on the Seattle Seahawks, using the information above, shows you would need to place a bet of $140, to win $100 profit. If you wanted to stake a lower amount, the same principle applies. For example, if you were looking to make a profit of $10, you would need to stake $14. All we have done, is take a zero off both amounts by moving the decimal place.

Understanding Odds In Horse Racing

If you wanted to place a bet on the Green Bay Packers, using the information above, shows that a $100 stake would lead to a return of $120. If you wish to stake a lower amount, such as $10, this would result in a return of $12.

The Calculation

Here are two simple calculations, you can use when betting with American odds.

Positive money line odds: Odds x (Stake/100)

Negative money line odds: (100/Odds) x Stake

Let's use the above examples again here, in order to see these calculations in action.

Green Bay Packers: 120 x ($100/100) = $120

Seattle Seahawks: (100/140) x $140 = $100

Converting to Decimal Odds

As American odds can be difficult to understand in comparison to Decimal odds, you can always convert them. The majority of good online bookmakers will do this automatically for you but if you would like to do it yourself, you can, by using the calculation below.

For odds of -140 we need to do the following: (100/140) + 1 = 1.71

For odds of +120 we need to do the following: (120/100) + 1 = 2.2

American Odds Explained

So, if you are ever unsure what the American odds actually mean in terms of your potential winnings, you can always convert them to decimal odds using the above calculations.

Conclusion

You now have a good understanding of how American odds work and what they mean. If you are betting on American sports, such as NFL, Baseball or Basketball, you will find this guide very helpful. Below is a recap of the key points to remember, which you can easily refer back to if required.

• American odds can either be positive or negative

How To Interpret Odds

• Odds which start with a negative sign (-), are showing you what you will need to stake in order to make a profit of $100

• Odds which start with a positive sign (+), are showing you how much potential profit you can make from a stake of $100

• Positive money line odds calculation: Odds x (Stake/100)