Can Somebody Explain Sports Betting Odds To Me

[Doug 0]

I usually think of odds in the old english way which is like 10/1 or 6/1. Like fractional odds. A lot of companies these days use decimal odds though and this looks like the way forward so if something is offered as 1.41 for example does this mean it's giving me the price of 1.41/1 or is it completely different? For example if i bet $100 on 1.41 then I would win $14? Sorry for the stupidity of this question but I wouldnt want to get it wrong.

[serge 904]

I usually think of odds in the old english way which is like 10/1 or 6/1. Like fractional odds. A lot of companies these days use decimal odds though and this looks like the way forward so if something is offered as 1.41 for example does this mean it's giving me the price of 1.41/1 or is it completely different? For example if i bet $100 on 1.41 then I would win $14? Sorry for the stupidity of this question but I wouldnt want to get it wrong.

most sites have odds like -141 or +141If its -141 you have to bet $141 to win a $100...If its +141 you win $141 to your $100 bet

[ahosang 0]

I usually think of odds in the old english way which is like 10/1 or 6/1. Like fractional odds. A lot of companies these days use decimal odds though and this looks like the way forward so if something is offered as 1.41 for example does this mean it's giving me the price of 1.41/1 or is it completely different? For example if i bet $100 on 1.41 then I would win $14? Sorry for the stupidity of this question but I wouldnt want to get it wrong.

Hi doug, since you are from UK, I'd asume you're referring to decimal odds as used on Betfair(but also by Laddies, Hills etc increasingly), rather than the American notation that serge explained.For the decimal, it is simply a case of subtracting 1. So 1.4-1 = 0.4. Then thats the odds to 1, giving you 0.4/1 or 2/5(odds-on).7.0 = 6/126.0 = 25/13.25 = 9/4 etcthe decimal is just the 'return odds' rather than fraction which is the 'profit odds', so if you bet £10 at 1.4, you will receive £14 giving you a profit of £4, so it's 2/5