Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 5: Understanding Betting Odds
• Part 2 of 5: British (Fractional) Betting Odds
• Part 3 of 5: American Betting Odds
• Part 4 of 5: Betting with a Handicap
• Part 5 of 5: Bet on Total Over / Under
• Tips

If you are betting on the outcome of a sporting event, you need to be familiar with the odds. You also need to learn how to quickly calculate the likely winnings for different odds, especially when they change over the course of a sporting event. Betting odds determine the likelihood of a certain event happening (the team wins, the boxer wins) and the amount you will receive if you win. But there are several ways to convey such information.

Steps

Part 1 of 5: Understanding Betting Odds

1. 1 Betting odds determine the likelihood (chance) of a certain event occurring, that is, which team, horse or athlete has the highest chance of winning. There are various ways of recording the odds, but they all indicate the likelihood of a particular outcome of a sporting event.
   • For example, flipping a coin will either come up heads or tails. The odds are the same, that is, equal "one to one".
   • For example, it will rain with an 80% probability, that is, there is a 20% chance that it will not rain. Odds: 80 to 20. Or they say the probability of it raining is four times higher.
   • Circumstances change spontaneously, so the odds (and with them the odds) also change. This is not an exact science.
2. 2 In most cases, bets are placed on the outcome of a specific sporting event. For example, the probability of winning a team, athlete or horse.Bookmakers use statistics (teams, athletes, horses) to predict who will win.
   • The team, athlete or horse with the higher odds is the favorite. If the odds are low, then most likely the event will not happen.
3. 3 Remember, lower odds are more profitable. Betting on outsiders is more risky than betting on favorites, but the higher the risk, the higher the potential winnings.
   • The less chance of winning, the more money you can win.
4. 4 Know the terminology of betting. The meaning of this terminology can be found in the bookmaker's office, but it is better to know it in advance (before placing a bet).
   • Bank - the amount of money allocated by the player for bets.
   • Bookmaker ("beeches") - a person or agency that accepts bets, pays out winnings and sets the odds for the bets.
   • Favorite - the participant of the competition with the highest chances of winning (according to the bookmaker).
   • Fork - bets on both the favorite and the outsider at the same time, allowing you to minimize losses.
   • Line - a specific list of events and their outcomes with set odds.
   • Bet - the amount of money a player places on the probability of a certain event occurring

Part 2 of 5: British (Fractional) Betting Odds

1. 1 These odds determine the profit you get for every dollar (ruble, pound, etc.) wagered. A ratio of 3-5 indicates that you will earn three-fifths for every dollar. For example, if you bet $ 5, if you win, you will receive $ 3 in profit.
   • To determine the profit, multiply the amount you are betting by the coefficient. For example, if you bet $ 15, your profit will be $ 9 (15 x 3/5).
   • If you bet $ 15, the bookmaker will pay you (your winnings will be) $ 24 (15 + [15 x 3/5])
2. 2 The coefficient, the fractional value of which is more than one, characterizes the outsider. This makes sense because by betting on the outsider, you are hoping to get a bigger win.
   • If you do not understand fractions, then the outsider will have the top number of the odds higher than the bottom number.
   • For example, if the odds of a bet on one of the teams is 3/1, this means that the chances of this team of losing are three times higher than their chances of winning.
   • If the odds are 3-1 and you bet $ 100, you can win $ 400 (your bet plus your profit). If the odds are 1–3, then your profit will be $ 33, and your winnings will be $ 133 (100 + 33).

Part 3 of 5: American Betting Odds

1. 1 Remember that betting here only considers the odds of winning. American odds are the positive or negative numbers that appear next to the team names. A negative number identifies a favorite, and a positive number identifies an outsider.
   • For example, "Dalas Cowboys", -135; Seattle Seahawks, 135. This means the Cowboys are the favorites, but you get a smaller win if they win.
   • If you are not familiar with American odds, find an online calculator to calculate your winnings and profits. But over time, you will learn how to do it manually.
2. 2 A positive coefficient indicates how much profit you will get for every $ 100 wagered (you will also be paid the amount you wagered). For example, if you bet $ 100 on Seahawks, if that team wins, you win $ 235 (your profit is $ 135).
   • If you bet $ 200, your profit will double. To calculate the profit for each dollar wagered, divide the amount you wager by 100.
   • Multiply the result by the bet coefficient to calculate the profit. For example, if you bet $ 50, then (50/100) x 135 = $ 67.50. This is your profit margin.
   • For example, if you bet $ 250 on Cowboys, if that team wins, you win $ 587.50 (250 + 135 x [250/100]).
3. 3 Negative odds indicate how much you have to bet to get $ 100. By betting on a favorite, you risk less and therefore win less. For example, to make a profit of $ 100, you need to bet $ 135 on "Cowboys" (you will also be paid the amount you bet).
   • Divide 100 by the odds to calculate the profit for each dollar wagered. If the odds are -150, then you will receive 66 cents for every dollar wagered (100/150).
   • For example, if the odds are -150 and you bet $ 90, your winnings will be $ 150 (90 + 90 x [100/150]).

Part 4 of 5: Betting with a Handicap

1. 1 A handicap bet takes into account the difference in points (goals). This is easier to explain with an example. If New York plays Boston, which is the favorite, then a 4-handicap bet on Boston will only be won if the favorite wins by 5 points (goals) or more. A bet on New York will be won if New York wins or loses by 3 points (goals) or less.
   • If the difference in points (goals) is equal to the handicap, then the bets are returned to the players (that is, no one gets any profit). For example, if Boston wins 88–84, the bets will be returned to the players.
   • If the handicap is expressed as a fraction (for example, 4.5), then the bets are not returned - the player either loses or wins.
   • When the handicap is small, it is better to place regular bets (which are described in the previous section), since handicap bets do not give a clear idea of ​​the favorite and the outsider.
2. 2 When placing a handicap bet, ask the bookmaker for your potential profit. Usually bookmakers report odds similar to those described in the previous section, for example -110.
   • If the odds are -110, then you need to bet $ 110 to get $ 100 in profit.
   • For example, you bet on Boston with a 4 handicap of $ 110. If Boston wins 96–90, you get $ 210 (110 + 100).
   • Sometimes the odds for different teams differ from each other. For example, a line might look like this: Boston -6, -125; New York +6, -110. This means that you have to bet $ 125 on Boston to make $ 100, because when you bet on Boston, you risk less.

Part 5 of 5: Bet on Total Over / Under

1. 1 Total is the total number of points (goals). You can bet on the total over / under and you will win if the total number of points (goals) is over / under the specified number. The total bet is less risky and difficult compared to other types of bets.
   • For example, the total is 198.5 and you bet more on the total. Your bet will win if the total number of points (goals) is equal to or more than 199.
   • If the total number of points (goals) is equal to the total, then the bets are returned to the players (that is, no one gets any profit).
2. 2 In most cases, when you bet on total, you will earn as much as you bet. For example, if you bet $ 100 and your bet wins, you will receive $ 100 as profit.
   • Ask the bookmaker about the exact amount of profit.

Tips

• For example, in the United States, betting through bookmakers is legal only in the state of Nevada. But in Britain and a number of other countries, bookmakers work legally. There are also countries where bets can be made exclusively through state-owned agencies. Moreover, bets can also be accepted on events not related to sports - for example, on the outcome of elections.
• Money line (moneyline) is an ordinary for the winner of a match or a draw. The difference in the final account is not decisive here. The money line means a bet on a home win, a draw or an away win. In some events, only odds for the victory of one or the other team are given, and in the event of a tie, the funds are returned (determined by the rules of the bookmaker's office).Money line odds can be positive or negative. The first type of bet (with a positive sign) tells how much the player will win with a bet of $ 100. The second type of bet (with a negative sign) shows how much must be bet in order to get the amount of net profit in the amount of $ 100. So, with a bet of +120, it is reported that with a bet of $ 100, the tipster will make a profit of $ 120. And a -120 bet says the tipster must bet $ 120 to get a net $ 100.
• The described principles work for any currency (ruble, dollar, pound, and so on).