Moneyline odds, also known as American odds, are the standard betting format used by sportsbooks in the United States. Instead of using decimals or fractions, they are displayed as positive or negative numbers, making them look very different at first glance.
Although they may seem complicated, moneyline odds simply show either how much profit you can make or how much you need to stake to win a fixed amount.
Moneyline odds are expressed relative to a 100-unit reference stake. The number will always be either positive (+) or negative (−), and each tells a different story.
Positive odds show how much profit you would make from a 100-unit stake.
For example:
This means a £100 stake would return:
Positive odds are usually assigned to underdogs because they offer larger potential profits.
Negative odds show how much you must stake to make 100 units of profit.
For example:
This means you must stake £150 to earn:
Negative odds are commonly assigned to favourites because they are considered more likely to win.
Many bettors prefer decimal odds because they are easier to compare. Fortunately, converting between the two formats is straightforward.
Example:
So, +250 is the same as decimal odds of 3.50.
The vertical bars (| |) simply mean you ignore the negative sign before performing the calculation.
Example:
So, -150 is equivalent to decimal odds of approximately 1.67.
Moneyline odds are the default format used by most sportsbooks in the United States. If you bet on American sports such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, or NHL, you'll see them frequently.
Many international bookmakers also allow users to switch between decimal, fractional, and moneyline formats in their account settings.
You are likely to encounter moneyline odds when using sportsbooks such as:
Regardless of the format displayed, the underlying probability remains exactly the same. Only the way the odds are presented changes.
If you compare odds across international bookmakers, you'll often encounter different formats. Knowing how to convert moneyline odds into decimal odds allows you to compare prices quickly and identify the best available value.
Professional bettors rarely think in terms of the display format—they think in terms of probability. Whether the odds are shown as +250, 5/2, or 3.50, they all represent the same underlying chance of an outcome occurring.
Moneyline odds use positive and negative numbers to express potential returns relative to a 100-unit reference. Positive odds show the profit from a 100-unit stake, while negative odds show how much must be staked to earn 100 units of profit. By converting moneyline odds into decimal odds, you can easily compare prices across different sportsbooks and better understand the implied probability behind every bet.
