American odds always indicate potential profit, not your total return. On the flip side, negative odds (with a – in front) show how much you need to bet to win $100. American odds are based around the number 100: odds with a + in front of them indicates how much you could win if you bet $100. Uses the formula: Profit = (100 / Absolute Value of Odds) * StakeĪmerican odds, sometimes referred to as Moneyline Odds, are the most common way of expressing betting odds in the United States and Canada.Īmerican betting odds are always three digits long, and will always have a plus (+) or a minus (-) sign in front of them.Requires bettors to risk staking an amount greater than their potential profit.Indicates the favourite, or the safer bet.
Indicates the underdog, or the riskier bet.While many bettors can quickly convert odds using mental math, most bettors will use an odds calculator to convert between odds format. While this article goes into depth on how to read American betting odds, and how to calculate your stake or profit, there is no need to memorize formulas.
