How to Read Betting Odds
Every sportsbook in the US shows American odds. Learn to read them once and every line, prop and parlay makes sense.
Minus and plus
A minus number marks the favorite and tells you how much you must risk to win $100. A plus number marks the underdog and tells you how much a $100 bet wins.
- -110: risk $110 to win $100
- -230: risk $230 to win $100
- +150: risk $100 to win $150
- +300: risk $100 to win $300
- +100: even money, risk $100 to win $100
The bigger the minus number, the bigger the favorite. The bigger the plus number, the bigger the underdog. You do not have to bet $100; the odds scale. At -110, a $11 bet wins $10.
Odds as a probability
Every price implies how often the bet has to win to break even. This is the number that matters most, because it is what you compare against your own read of the game.
Plus odds100 ÷ (odds + 100). At +150: 100 ÷ 250 = 40%.
So a -110 bet has to win more than 52.4% of the time to make money. That gap above 50% is the sportsbook's cut, called the vig or juice.
The bet types
- Minus is the favorite (risk that much to win $100); plus is the underdog (win that much on $100).
- Odds imply a break-even win rate: 52.4% at -110, 40% at +150.
- A bet is only worth making when you think it wins more often than its price implies.
Put it to work
The MC Sports model boards rank every player and game, every game day, and show the numbers behind each score.
See the model boards →