Sports Betting Odds: How They Work and How To Read Them

This figure you eventually see on the sportsbook as odds is based on probability and shows you the chances the sportsbook believes a bet has of winning. Many top sports gambling sites offer resources to promote responsible gambling, such as deposit limits and self-exclusion lists. These tools can help you control your spending and take a break from betting if needed. Make sure to take advantage of these features to keep your betting activities in check.

College Football (NCAAF)

Our regional betting sites range from Europe and practically everywhere else in between. You are responsible for verifying and examining all aspects of your online sports bet with the bookmaker before placing it. We provide no guarantee as to the accuracy of the information found on this site. Use this calculator to determine the stakes necessary to guarantee a fixed return regardless of the outcome. Punters comfortable with exchange betting often use this approach as odds fluctuate more frequently.

• It serves as a way to balance the betting action on both sides of a game or match.
• California’s rejection of a sports betting ballot measure in 2022 has put a pause on immediate legalization efforts, but the topic remains a hotbed of discussion.
• When choosing your deposit method, consider factors like transaction speeds, fees, and convenience.
• A fractional listing of 6/1 (six-to-one) odds would mean that you could win $6 for every $1 you wager as well as get the amount you wagered back.
• If you’re dealing with outdated information, you’re not making the most of sports betting.
• In football, for example, you might place a live bet on which team will score next or the total number of touchdowns in a game.
• Remember, some sportsbooks may offer better sports betting odds for specific sports or events, so don’t hesitate to shop around.

NFL Odds & Lines

If you’re still not quite sure how sports odds work, below is an example for scores and odds you’d find for an NFL game. There are two main ways to look at sports odds, and that’s a moneyline bet and a spread bet. A moneyline bet is a simple pick on who will win the game and probably the best place for a novice bettor to begin. We go in depth on what a moneyline bet is at our What Is A Moneyline Bet And How Does it Work?

Today’s Matchups

A wager on the Devils would pay off if they won or lost by a single goal. American, British, and European odds are three different ways of expressing the same thing and can be converted from one to another. By understanding all three and how they work, you’ll increase your own odds of placing well-informed (if not always successful) bets. This promotional offer is not available in DC, Mississippi, New York, Nevada, Ontario, or Puerto Rico.

Best Picks

As of now, 38 states, including Washington D.C., have legalized some form of sports betting, with 30 states allowing online sports betting. Thunderpick’s focus on esports and its innovative approach make it a standout choice for bettors interested in the growing market of competitive gaming. With its extensive coverage and user-centric design, Thunderpick provides a unique and exciting betting platform. With a point spread, both teams can be wagered on at -110 and that is a common line set by reputable sportsbooks.

American Football Odds

• It is always suggested to set a limit for yourself and stick to that limit.
• From popular leagues like soccer, basketball, and tennis to niche sports, EveryGame provides a broad spectrum of betting opportunities to attract a diverse audience of sports enthusiasts.
• The most popular NFL odds betting options include the point spread, total points, the moneyline and prop bets.
• Additionally, an app that offers easy deposit and withdrawal options, along with robust customer support, is essential for a hassle-free betting experience.
• Totals or OVER/UNDER betting is when you wager on the combined score of the two teams competing in any given game, and whether the total will be OVER or UNDER the sportsbook’s prediction.

You can see the calculated stakes for each outcome by entering how much you want to wager in total, and the profit you will make. If you are looking strictly for value and a way to get ahead of the bookmakers, the value bets page provides you with some bets with mathematically calculated value. The odds of a bookmaker are compared with the total average odds of the same outcome to illustrate markets with unique value, and probability also included. The dropping odds page demonstrates when a team, player, or market’s odds have dropped before the start of a match. There are 20 sports available for you to choose from to find odds comparisons on OddsPortal, with numerous markets available for each of them, including both individual matches and outrights.

• If you see a betting line that you want to take advantage of, click on the sportsbook name to go directly to that betting site to make the wager.
• The larger the difference between two teams’ odds (say -300 and +250) the more like sportsbooks expect a blowout.
• EveryGame is a great choice for beginners due to its user-friendly interface, appealing bonuses, and easy betting system.
• Ticket writers rely on that rotation number to eliminate all confusion between themselves and the bettor.
• There are 20 sports available for you to choose from to find odds comparisons on OddsPortal, with numerous markets available for each of them, including both individual matches and outrights.
• Let’s explore some of these tools and the support available for problem gamblers.
• A closer look at the top sports betting sites for 2025 reveals how these factors combine to create a superior betting experience.

NHL Picks & Odds

You might be able to guess what the payout could be based on the odds but in case you can’t do the math (or don’t want to) our betting odds calculator can do the work for you. The grand salami is a bet synonymous with hockey and baseball where bettors can wager on the total points scored in that day’s games. In hockey, bettors can choose whether the total goals in that day’s games will go over or under the grand salami number. In baseball, bettors can wager on how many total runs will be scored on the day.

Can I bet on sports from my mobile device?

In 2025, the competition is fiercer than ever due to the rising popularity of online sports betting. This rivalry benefits users by pushing sportsbooks to offer better odds, more betting markets, and attractive surebet bonuses. From the vast betting markets of BetUS to the user-friendly interface of Bovada, the online sports betting sites of 2025 offer diverse experiences tailored to different betting preferences.

Upcoming Events

Basketball is second only to football when it comes to sports betting in America. Again, the action is split between the NBA odds and the College basketball odds. The National Basketball Association is the top professional league in the world, although Bovada also has Euroleague and other odds alongside our NBA betting lines.

How to Convert Fractional Odds to American Odds

When embarking on the quest to find the perfect online sports betting site, doing your due diligence through research and reading reviews is essential. Customer feedback and expert opinions provide a wealth of information that can help you gauge the reliability and user experience of a site. Platforms like BetUS and Bovada, for instance, have built reputations for excellence over the years, which is often reflected in the positive reviews they receive from satisfied bettors. Many betting sites offer tools to help you set and adhere to these limits, reinforcing the importance of responsible gambling and providing a safety net for their users.

Consider Bovada’s extensive sports betting markets, which include over 35 sports, offering both breadth and depth. BetNow’s combination of user-friendly design and innovative features makes it a top choice for those looking for a modern and engaging betting platform. The live streaming and prop bet builder, in particular, set it apart from many other online sportsbooks.

NHL Odds & Lines

Here, the Lightning are the short favorites, so if you backed the Buffalo Sabres with a $100 wager, and they won, you would make $145 in profit. Odds Shark also covers UFC, boxing, soccer, horse racing and NASCAR, along with other markets such as the Olympics and esports. Our wildly popular odds calculator lets you move easily between formats so you can quickly convert one odds type to your preferred option. Fractional odds (aka “British odds,” “U.K. odds,” or “traditional odds”) are popular among British and Irish bookies. Odds Shark has enlisted experts to help explain sports and poker odds, and casino pros who can advise on the math behind Kentucky Derby.

Point Spread Betting

BetNow is a relative newcomer to the online sports betting scene, having been established in 2016. However, it has quickly established itself as a user-friendly platform that prioritizes easy navigation and a clutter-free interface. Licensed by Curacao, BetNow offers a secure betting environment with a variety of mainstream sports such as NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB.

Promos and Bonuses

Additionally, a well-thought-out betting strategy can significantly influence success, though no method guarantees profits. For those eager to interpret betting lines, fractional odds are a great starting point. Although American odds are a default option at most of the operators we work with, fractional odds have become increasingly common. This is the case when it comes to betting on tennis and the totals over/under market. With USA betting odds, the moneyline is the best way to describe how these odds work.

The bettor’s job is to predict whether the actual total will be greater than 52 points (taking the over) or less than 52 points (taking the under). NBA over/under bets require you to make an accurate prediction about the combined score of both teams. It revolves around deciding whether the total score will surpass or fall below the number that was determined by oddsmakers. E-wallets like PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller have emerged as a preferred payment method for many bettors, thanks to their security and speed. Acting as an intermediary between your bank and the betting site, e-wallets protect your financial information and often offer instant deposit and withdrawal capabilities. This speed and convenience are invaluable for bettors who need to move funds quickly and securely.

Innovative Features and User Experience

This accessibility and speed make online sports betting a preferred choice for many. Odds Shark’s 101 wagering tutorials are essentially your online gambling bible for everything pertaining to online sports betting. From moneylines to totals, point spreads to parlays, and futures to teasers, Odds Shark is your No. 1 prop stop betting shop. Moneyline bets are the simplest form of sports betting, focusing solely on picking a winner. If you see +250, that team is the underdog; a $100 bet would return $250 if they win.

We monitor odds from online sportsbooks to find the best odds and lines currently available. That way, we can ensure your NCAAF prop bets are as bright as the outfits worn on draft night. To newcomers, betting odds and their varying formats can seem off-putting at first, but once you know your way around them they’re easy enough to understand. It can be useful to work out the implied probability from the odds you’re seeing for a particular selection – i.e. the approximate likelihood of that selection winning.

MyBookie offers a 50% sports reload bonus, ensuring that your wagering funds are regularly topped up. Other ongoing promotions include a Monday rebate for casino players and free spins on Wednesdays, adding extra value to your betting experience. Moreover, BetOnline’s live betting interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, making it suitable for both seasoned bettors and newcomers. Whether you’re betting on the next touchdown or the final score, BetOnline provides a thrilling live betting experience that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

In this example, a winning bet of $100 would also return a total payout of $220 (the original $100 wager plus $120 in profit). In this example, a winning bet of $120 would result in a total payout of $220. The payout includes the return of the original wager ($120) plus $100 in profit for a total return of $220. NBA spreads offer another way to bet on basketball beyond picking an outright winner. In spread bets, favorites are given a minus (-) sign beside their total, while underdogs receive a plus (+) sign.

If the Steelers pull off the upset, you get back your initial stake of $100 in addition to the $585 you won, for a total payout of $685. Please check your local laws to determine if sports betting is legal in your state. We try our best to keep this information up to date and accurate, but what you see on an operator’s site may be different than what we show.

For example, +200 signifies the amount a bettor could win if wagering $100. If the bet works out, the player would receive a total payout of $300 ($200 profit + $100 initial stake). If you decide to bet on the Chiefs—the team that, according to the bookmaker, has a higher probability of winning the game—you would need to bet $760 to win $100.

Decimals are a great introduction for those wishing to read sports odds, but you need to understand the math behind it. Also known as British odds, fractional odds are quite simple to calculate. If you bet $10 on a team with a price of 5/1, then a $10 winning wager would pay out $50.

From online sportsbooks to in-person wagering, the scale of sports betting can range from small to big bets. Sports betting is an investment in a specific outcome of your choice, and receiving the reward when that outcome is achieved. It is important to note that sports betting is something you do at your own risk. Live betting allows bettors to place wagers on events as they unfold, enhancing the overall betting experience with real-time odds adjustments. This type of betting increases engagement by allowing users to bet on various aspects of the game as it progresses, making every moment impactful.

For example, odds of 2.50 mean you’ll receive $2.50 for every $1 bet if you win, covering both your initial wager and your profit. Navigating betting odds can be difficult for newer players – especially when you consider that there are multiple odds formats used throughout the wagering world. When novice bettors first realize that -125, 1.80 and 4/5 all represent the same probability, it can make them dizzy – but we’re here to lay it all out clearly. With historical data through the years for all those tournaments, showing results and sports betting odds, you can bet on cricket with an in-depth knowledge of each event.