If you are a newcomer foraying into the world of online gambling, the different formats on different online sports betting sites may puzzle you initially. But don’t let that worry you, for we have you covered.
Although the odds are expressed differently, they all pay the same eventually. The different formats of betting emerged in different parts of the world which is why some may appear more complicated to you than others.
Among the various odds formats, three are most popular across the world – the Fractional, the American and the Decimal Formats.
Fractional odds aren’t too difficult. The values are represented as A/B, for instance, say 8/1. The latter value represents your stake while your winnings are a sum of both A and B. This means, if you stake 100 rupees at 8/1 odds, you win a total of (800 + 100), i.e., 900 rupees.
The American format is called so because it is primarily used by bookmakers in the United States. The American system represents the odds as positive and negative numbers. For example, if the odds are -120, it means you will have to bet $120 in order to win $100. In contrast, if the odds are +240, it implies you need to bet $100 to win $240.
The Decimal format, the more widely used format in India, prefers decimals instead (hence the name). It is calculated as:
Winnings = (odds * stake) – stake
This is fairly easy to understand. Your winnings equal the odds times your stake minus your original stake. For instance, if you are staking 100 rupees at 9.0, you will win (9.0 * 100) – 100 = 800 rupees. Note that unlike the Fractional odds, this system doesn’t take into account your original stake in your winnings.