Odds and math
Decimal odds
Also called European odds
Odds expressed as the total return per unit staked, including the stake itself.
Decimal odds of 2.50 return $2.50 for every $1 staked — $1.50 profit plus the original dollar. Even money is 2.00.
They are easier to work with than American odds for anything involving arithmetic: implied probability is simply 1 divided by the decimal, and parlay odds are the legs multiplied together. Most bettors doing serious calculation convert to decimal first regardless of which format their book displays.
See also
- American odds — The +/− format used in the US, showing profit on a $100 stake or the stake needed to win $100.
- Implied probability — The chance of an outcome as expressed by its odds, including the bookmaker's margin.
- Parlay — A single bet combining several selections, all of which must win to pay out.