3 Types Of Betting Odds And What They Mean

23-07-2025



If you’re new to sports betting, you may have stumbled upon some terms on your betting sheet or online sportsbook that you don’t know what they mean. This is normal, as betting can feel complex at first. One of the first things to familiarize yourself with is betting odds, what they are, and what they mean.

When navigating betting sites, like Sikrebettingsider, where you can find competitive odds and special bonuses, you’re going to come across three main types of odds. Although all these odds reflect the same probabilities and possible returns, they’re expressed differently based on regional preferences.

1. American/Moneyline Odds

American odds, also called moneyline odds, can be a bit confusing at first since they appear less straightforward than the other two types of odds. American odds use plus (+) and minus (-) symbols, and are based on a $100 bet. However, the relationship between the $100 and the odds varies, depending on whether it`s an underdog or a favored bet.

• Minus (-) odds: Odds for favored bets have a minus sign. These odds tell you how much you have to bet to win $100. So, if the odds are -120, you need to bet $120 to win $100. This means your total payout would be your initial bet plus your payout, which equals $220. Of course, bets don’t have to be that size; the $100 is just used for the odds. A bet of $10 with -200 odds will result in $15 payout (your original $10 along with the $5 winnings).
• Plus (+) odds: Odds favoring the underdogs will have a plus sign. These odds tell you how much you will win in profit when you bet $100. For example, a $100 bet with +110 odds will give you $110 in profit, along with your initial $100 bet, totalling $210. Again, you don’t have to bet $100. If you were to bet $20 with +200 odds, you would win a total of $60 (your initial $20 plus $40 in winnings).
• Even-money odds: These odds are very rare and would be listed as, for example, “-100, +100”.

For this type of odds, your payout would be your original stake plus your profits.

2. British/Fractional Odds

Fractional odds are common outside of the US but can still be found on some popular American sportsbooks.

Fractional odds are displayed as fractions, like 7-3 or 3-1. You can multiply the wager amount by the fraction to display the profit. So, if you’re betting $100 with 3-1 odds and win, you will earn $300 profit, along with your original $100 stake, totalling $400.

When it comes to a more complicated fraction, like 6-4, you can do the math on a $100 bet as follows: Multiply the $100 by the numerator (6), then divide by the denominator (4). That gives $600 divided by 4, which is $150. You’d take home a total of $250, which is your profit and your original stake.

• Favored bets: The denominator will be larger than the numerator, like 1-3 or 3-7.
• Underdog bets: The numerator is larger than the denominator, like 4-3 or 6-2.

Fractional odds are commonly used for futures betting.

3. European/Decimal Odds

Decimal odds are represented as a single number with a decimal. The odds show the total you will receive if your wager wins. So if the odds are 2.5 and you bet $100, you will win $250 (2.5 x $100). This return includes your original stake.

Wrapping Up

It’s easy to become overwhelmed when trying to figure out betting odds; however, you need to understand that the odds are there to help you figure out how much you can win from each bet you place. Take time to consider different odds and familiarize yourself with the math involved so you can make informed bets.