What is American Odds? American Odds Explained in 2 minutes
Mike Goodpaster Last Verified
31/03/2021
What Are American Odds?
American odds are also known as moneylines, and, like other odds, are a way of expressing how likely the bookmaker thinks a result is and what the return to a bettor will receive if a particular stake is bet. All American odds are calculated using a stake of 100, and are expressed as either a positive (with a + sign) or a negative (using a – sign).
The plus or minus sign offers an indication of how likely the bookmaker thinks a result is. In addition, a plus sign means that the odds indicate how much profit will be made on a 100 stake, while a minus sign means that the odds show how much needs to be bet in order to make 100.
If you head over to our Betting Odds Page you can see odds offered from multiple sportsbooks for games happening right now all across the globe. By clicking on "Select Betting Market" you can choose to display American Odds, or odds in any other form.
How Are American Odds Used In Sports Betting?
In practical terms, a bet which has odds of -250 is a stronger favorite than one which has odds of -175. Similarly, a + sign indicates an outsider, and the higher the number, such as +275, the more of an underdog the choice is seen as being.
An example of American odds:
If the Jacksonville Jaguars were to play the Los Angeles Rams in LA, the rams would likely be the favorites. In this case, the American Odds offered by a bookmaker might be as follows:
Rams: - 825
Jaguars: + 400
In this case, a bet of $100 on Jacksonville would, if Jacksonville wins, result in a return of $400, plus the original $100 stake. At the same time, a bettor would have to risk $825 betting on Los Angeles in order to win $100, plus the original $825 stake. Of course, many bets involve amounts less than $100, and most online bookmakers offer a calculator which can take American odds and express them as decimal odds or fractional odds.
How to take Advantage of American Odds
Taking advantage of American odds is no different than taking advantage of any other types of odds offered. The best thing to do is research the sport you plan on betting, find odds that you think are favorable, and place a smart bet. One way to do research and help better predict outcomes is by following along with our Sports Betting Strategy Guides. Our strategy guides allow you to learn the best and most intelligent ways to wager.
We have strategy guide for every major and even Esports that will help educate you on the best ways to bet.
Use Bonuses to Make the Most of the Odds
One thing the smartest bettors know is that the odds won't always be in your favor. Even when you think you've found the best odds and best bets, there are times that you will still be wrong. At the end of the day, the best thing bettors can do is try to maximize their opportunities to profit.
One of the best ways to do just that is by looking into the best bonuses and promotions. Every legal operator continuously offers deals for bettors like free bets and odds boosts. You could go from operator page to operator page comparing all of the offers to find the best one. Or you could go to our Best Betting Offers Page where we have done all of the work for you. On that page you'll find the best offers and promos from every legal operator in your area.
Below we have an example of a great promotion from our friends at Unibet. Be sure to take advantage of these promotions when you find a good one. They change often, and some can be better than others so whenever a great one is offered use it before it gets rotated out.
