Odds are the ratio of “one to one” or “tally to one” (depending on whether you’re talking about wins or losses). So, an odd of 1.5 means that for every two bets you make, you’ll win one and lose one. The chances of winning or losing are thus the same! If you believe in luck rather than skill when it comes to sports, odds can seem like a good way to measure it.
Why Are Odds Important?
Odds matter in sports because they determine the payout on wagers. It’s very simple: If you bet $100 on the favorite and it wins, you’ll get your $100 back plus $150 from the bettor. However, if the favorite loses, you’ll only get your $100 back. This is important to keep in mind because it means that if you’re betting the favorite, you’re essentially betting on them to win, but if they lose you don’t necessarily lose all your money. This can be confusing, especially when you’re betting on multiple games simultaneously. To avoid any misunderstandings, you should always consult the betting slip or the event program before placing any wagers. This will contain all the information you need in order to correctly calculate your winnings or losses.
Odds in Sports
Odds can be found in many places, including newspapers, sports books, and online. However, if you want to get your hands on them, you’ll have to go to the source: the sports book! You might think that online odds are just as good as those found in newspapers and sports books, but you’d be mistaken. Especially since they’re not regulated by the government, online odds can be notoriously bad!
For the best odds, you’ll have to go through a sports book. Even a decade ago, getting your hands on the best odds was difficult. These days, it’s almost impossible. With many sports books doing business online, ordering from hundreds of miles away is all but guaranteed. You can still visit a physical bookshop and put in a good word for them to get the best odds, however. The important thing is to do your homework and find a source that treats your money well and offers good odds for the games you are interested in.
Odds and Decimal Points
If you’ve ever played the odds game in a casino, you’ll know what a pain in the butt it can be to try and keep track of all the decimals. Trying to work with fractions when making a wager on sports is even more tiresome. For instance, a dime now means something other than what it used to: A dime 1.0 now means a 1 in 20 chance of winning, while a dime 0.5 means a 1 in 4 chance of winning. Keep all this in mind when making your next wager!
The More You Bet, The More You’ll Win
Oddsmakers are always looking for ways to trick you into betting more than you should. One of the best things they did for us was to create games with escalating odds. For example, the Kansas City Chiefs are an NFL football team that plays home games in Kansas City, Missouri. They’re 11–2 ATS this season and 4–1 against the spread (ATS) against division opponents. Their biggest game of the year is against the New England Patriots on January 13th. The Chiefs have the 1.65 odds of beating the Patriots in an oversimplified example.
If you believe that the Patriots are going to beat the Chiefs, you have to bet $650 to win $100. The return on investment is thus 441:1.
On the other hand, if you think the Chiefs have a good chance of pulling off the upset, you have to bet $100 to win $150. The return on investment is thus only 21:1.
Key Takeaway
Odds are important in sports because they determine the payout on wagers. If you bet on the favorite you’re essentially betting on them to win, but if they lose you don’t necessarily lose all your money. This can be confusing, especially when you’re betting on multiple games simultaneously. To avoid any misunderstandings, you should always consult the betting slip or the event program before placing any wagers. This will contain all the information you need in order to correctly calculate your winnings or losses.