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Odds Calculator: Should You Use a Sports Betting Odds Calculator When Betting?

Publish Date: 01/21/2025
Fact checked by: Sadonna Price

Converting odds between formats and figuring out their implied probabilities can be tricky. That's why I created a betting odds calculator to do the work for you.

This tool converts odds between formats and figures out the implied probability for you, eliminating the complex math and guesswork. It’s a huge time saver and helps you make well-informed wagers. I’ll walk you through how it works in this guide.

Odds calculator

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The lowdown on sports betting odds and probabilities

Before you start using the odds calculator, you first need to understand what odds and implied probabilities are all about. Basically, odds are the cost of your bet, showing how much you can win back. For instance, consider odds of 5/1, or "five to one." This means if you bet $1, you'd get $5 profit, plus your original dollar - winning $6 total. Sounds easy, right?

But hold on, it gets a bit trickier. There are several different odds formats, like American, fractional, and decimal. Let's take a quick look at the differences between these formats.

Odds FormatExplanationExample
FractionalShows the profit relative to the stake.5/1
DecimalRepresents the total return for every $1 bet, including the stake.6.00
AmericanPositive number shows profit on a $100 bet; negative number shows the stake needed to win $100.+500 or -120

Implied probability comes into play when you convert those odds into a percentage that indicates the likelihood of a certain outcome. For instance, odds of 2/1 translate to an implied probability of about 33.33%. This helps you get a rough idea of how likely an event is to happen according to the bookmaker, which can help guide your betting decisions.

The importance of a betting odds calculator

When you start diving into the world of online sports betting, you're going to be looking through different sites to see which ones have the best odds. However, you'll soon notice that sportsbooks display odds in various formats. One site is showing you fractional odds, another one is throwing decimal odds at you, and another one has American odds. It can quickly feel like you're in a math class you didn't sign up for.

You could do the calculations yourself, but who really wants to do that? Plus, manual calculations are prone to errors, and that's the last thing you want when your bets are on the line. That’s exactly why I created the odds calculator. It will make your life easier by quickly converting odds between formats and showing the implied probability. Just like my hedge calculator, it saves you time and greatly reduces the risk of human error, making it an essential tool for placing well-informed wagers.

betting odds pro contra
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  • Completely free to use
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How to use the odds calculator

Just like my arbitrage calculator, the odds calculator is incredibly user-friendly. You'll see seven fields for different odds formats and implied probability, but you only need to fill out one. The rest autofill once you hit "Calculate." It's so simple, that it's perfect even if you’re new to sports betting. Here’s a quick guide on how to use it:

  • Open the betting odds calculator.
  • Enter your odds in the preferred format.
  • Click "Calculate."

That’s all there is to it. The calculator does the work for you, providing immediate results. It converts odds into all the major formats - American, decimal, and fractional - plus others like Hong Kong, Indonesian, and Malay. You'll also see the implied probability, which helps you better understand the likelihood of a bet winning according to the bookmaker.

The math behind the sports betting odds calculator

If you want to calculate the implied probability from odds on your own, without using an odds ratio calculator, just keep in mind that the math will vary based on the chosen format. Let me break it down for you with some examples:

American odds

Suppose a football team has odds of +150 to win the Super Bowl. Here's how you'd work out the probability without using an American odds calculator:

  • Add 100 to the odds: 150 + 100 = 250.
  • Divide the original odds by the new total: 150 ÷ 250 = 0.6.
  • Convert to percentage: 0.6 x 100 = 60%.

This means there’s a 60% chance they’ll win, according to those odds.

Fractional odds

Let's say you're betting on the Knicks to beat the Celtics with odds of 5/2:

  • Add the numbers together: 5 + 2 = 7.
  • Divide the denominator by the total: 2 ÷ 7 = 0.286.
  • Convert to percentage: 0.286 x 100 = 28.6%.

This tells us that, according to the bookie, the Knicks have about a 28.6% chance of winning.

Decimal odds

Let’s say the Warriors have decimal odds of 1.75 to win their next game. Here's how you can work out the implied probability without using a decimal odds calculator:

  • Divide 1 by the decimal odds: 1 ÷ 1.75 = 0.571.
  • Get the odds calculator percentage: 0.571 x 100 = 57.1%.

So with odds of 1.75, the bookie sees a 57.1% chance for a Warriors victory.

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Unlocking the full potential of the odds calculator: Tips to keep in mind

betting odds calculator

I'm not just going to show you how to use the odds payout calculator and then leave you to it. I want to make sure you really get the hang of it and can make the most of it. So, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

🔍 Compare Odds from Different Sportsbooks

A great way to use my odds calculator is to compare odds from various sportsbooks. Simply take the odds for a specific event from different sources, pop them into the calculator in any format you prefer, and you'll be able to cross-check the results to see where the best odds and probabilities are.

🛠 Use the Odds Calculator with Other Tools

The odds calculator is super helpful, but to really tap into its full potential, try pairing it with any of the other tools I’ve got on my site. For example, if you pair the odds calculator with the arbitrage calculator, you'll be able to find ways to cover all possible outcomes of an event and guarantee a profit, no matter what happens. Or, try it with my parlay calculator to combine several bets into one wager for a bigger payout. Whatever type of bet you're considering, these tools will help you make well-informed wagers.

📚 Learn Different Formats

Just like my parlay calculator, the odds calculator is totally free to use, no subscription needed. So, feel free to use it as much as you want to learn different odds formats. You can see how they convert and affect the implied probability. The more you use it, the better you'll understand how odds and implied probability work, making you a smarter sports bettor overall.

Conclusion - The odds calculator is an essential tool

There you have it. You now have a good understanding of odds and implied probabilities, and how to calculate them. Sure, you could do the math yourself, but why bother when you can use the odds calculator instead? With this handy tool, you can forget about complex calculations and conversions and get quick, accurate results every time. It's the essential tool for anyone looking to make well-informed wagers without the fuss.

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Odds calculator FAQ

❓ Is the sports betting odds calculator free to use?

Yes, the odds calculator is completely free to use. There's no need to pay for a subscription or any hidden fees to use any of my betting calculators. You can use them anytime and as often as you need to help with your betting decisions.

🧮 How do I use the betting odds calculator?

Using the betting odds calculator is super easy. Simply enter the odds in your preferred format into one of the fields provided, then hit the "Calculate" button. The calculator will automatically fill in the other formats and show you the implied probability.

📊 What formats work with the odds calculator?

The odds calculator works with multiple formats, including American, fractional, decimal, Hong Kong, Indonesian, and Malay odds. Just input the odds in any of these formats, and the calculator will convert them for you.

🔍 How accurate is the odds calculator?

The odds calculator is highly accurate in converting odds and calculating implied probabilities. It uses precise mathematical formulas to ensure that the conversions and probability calculations are correct.

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