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To a newcomer, understanding gambling odds seems disorienting, but in reality it’s surprisingly easy to figure out what the fractions, pluses and minuses mean. Look at the following simple breakdown of betting odds explained and you’ll be reading the lines like a true pro immediately thereafter.

Moneyline Odds Explained

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There are three ways that betting odds are displayed and the most common would be the Moneyline Odds. These odds are also known as American Odds used by sports books like 5Dimes. You can visit 5Dimes by clicking here

For an example imagine CM Punk returns to challenge Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania 33 in Orlando and sports books assign the following lines.

Roman Reigns -400 vs CM Punk +320

Roman Reigns is the favorite based on the -400 as the minus always signifies the favorite. -400 would mean $400 would have to be risked in order to win $100.  CM Punk at +320 would be the underdog as a plus indicates the underdog. A $100 risk would win $320.  It’s as simple as that. A minus(-) indicates how much needs to be wagered to win $100 and a plus(+) is for how much a $100 bet would win. This is done to present a balanced wager and it’s values are known to change dramatically and even flip completely.

Fractional Odds Explained

Fractional odds are used primarily in Europe, such as by Irish sports book Paddy Power. These are very easy to figure out. An example of fractional odds would be Sami Zayn 3/1 vs Kevin Owens 7/2. In this case Owens is the favorite and Zayn is the underdog. A $1 bet on Sami Zayn could win $3, however a $7 bet on Owens would only win $2 because he is the favorite. In fractional odds, the number to left is won on a successful bet to the number on the right.

How to Convert Betting Odds

betting odds converter

This handy tool can be used to convert the odds and determine the potential winnings and probability of that win occurring based on the lines. This tool also provides the equivalent in the decimal and fractional odds for those that follow them. This tool can be found by clicking here and visiting Odds Converter.