Odds Formats | Better Bet

Beginner•2-3 min•Fundamentals

What are odds formats?

Bookmakers display prices in different ways, but they all describe the same thing: how much you get back if your bet wins. The main formats you’ll see are decimal, fractional, and American (moneyline).

We use decimal across our site and tools because it’s faster for calculations.

Three columns showing decimal, fractional, and American odds side by side — Different looks, same meaning.

Decimal odds (1.50, 2.25, 3.10)

Common in the UK/EU and on exchanges. Decimal odds show the total return per £1 stake, including your stake. Example: 2.50 means £10 returns £25 (profit £15).

Fractional odds (1/2, 5/4, 12/5)

Traditional UK style. The fraction shows profit : stake. Example: 5/4 means £4 returns £9 in total (profit £5 + your £4 stake).

American odds (+110, −150)

Used in the US. Positive numbers tell you profit from a £100 stake (e.g., +110 → profit £110 from £100). Negative numbers tell you what stake returns £100 profit (e.g., −150 → stake £150 to profit £100).

Quick conversions

Handy formulas & examples

Implied probability from decimal: P = 1 ÷ decimal. Example: 2.50 → 40%.

Fractional → decimal: (numerator ÷ denominator) + 1. Example: 5/4 → 2.25.

Decimal → fractional (simple): decimal − 1, then express as a neat fraction. Example: 2.50 → 3/2.

American → decimal: +A → 1 + (A ÷ 100); −A → 1 + (100 ÷ A). Examples: +110 → 2.10, −150 → 1.67.

You can use our odds converter to convert between odds formats even faster.

Odds Converter

Frequently Asked Questions

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