Football betting odds explained. The three common formats (decimal, fractional, American), how to convert between them, and how to compute implied probability so you can spot value.
Decimal odds (used in most of Europe and on most betting exchanges) show the total return per unit staked: a 1-unit bet at 2.00 returns 2 units (1 stake + 1 profit). Fractional odds (UK traditional) show profit per stake: 1/1 = 2.00 decimal, 2/1 = 3.00 decimal. American odds (North America) show +200 (profit per 100 stake on underdogs) or -200 (stake per 100 profit on favourites).
Implied probability from decimal odds is 100 / decimal. A 2.00 odds = 50% implied. A 1.50 = 67%. A 3.00 = 33%. The bookmaker's margin (vig) is built into the odds: across 1X2, the three implied probabilities sum to around 105-110% rather than 100%. That 5-10% is the bookie's edge.
See the live list at /tips-today, refreshed every morning around 06:00 CET.
Decimal is the cleanest for math. Fractional is traditional in UK. American is standard in North America. Most bookmakers let you switch in settings.
Positive (+) odds: divide by 100 then add 1. So +200 = 200/100 + 1 = 3.00. Negative (-) odds: 100 / (absolute value of odds) + 1. So -200 = 100/200 + 1 = 1.50.
Typically 5-10% across the three 1X2 outcomes in major football markets. Bigger margins on niche markets like Correct Score (up to 60-70% for low-volume bookmakers).
BetBot auto-posts the daily list straight to your channel. Free, 30-second setup.
Add to Discord