Betting on sports differs based on your location. While Europeans favour decimal odds, and Brits love fractional odds, American sports betting odds revolve around pluses and minuses. This makes sports betting with these odds tricky for those not familiar with them. What do “+” and “-” mean in betting? Join Go Spin as we reveal everything you need to know about the basics of betting with American sports odds in 2025.
American Sports Betting Odds Explained
Nip over to any US sportsbook, and you’ll see odds displayed with plus and minus symbols. Large numbers accompany these. They represent the betting odds of favourites and underdogs, and it’s up to you to work out which is which. Fortunately, this handy Go Spin guide helps you do that like so:
Plus Odds (+) for Underdogs
The plus odds shown at US sportsbooks reveal the underdogs. The number reveals how much you’ll win if you stake $100 on the underdog.
Minus Odds (-) for Favourites
By contrast, minus American sports betting odds refer to the favourite. This time, the number reveals how much you need to stake to win $100.
Pay Attention to the + and – Values
Because the two odds shown work very differently (one tells you what you’ll win, while the other tells you what to bet to win a specific amount), it’s vital to pay attention to the exact odds you see. For this reason, it’s common for rookies to make mistakes when betting with American odds for the first time.
Examples of US Odds Used Online
Now that you know how to read sports betting odds in American sportsbooks, let’s give you an example. As with most odds, the bigger the gulf between the favourite and underdog’s chances of success, the greater the odds displayed. Let’s play with two fictional bets on matches and give you an example of how they work:
Betting on a Favourite
If a sports team has odds of -150, this means you must stake $150 to win $100 betting on the team. If the odds are -200, then you’ll win $100 if you bet $200, and so on.
Betting on the Underdog
If an underdog has odds of +150, then wagering $100 sees you land $150. If the odds are +200, then you’ll receive winnings of $200 if you bet $100, and so on.
Common Types of Bets Using American Odds
You’ll see American sports betting odds in virtually all betting options at sportsbooks. Next, let’s look at how they feature in the most common bets at online sportsbooks and how you read them.
- Moneyline: This bet required you to pick the winning side. For instance, if the odds are +550 on Team A and -750 on Team B, then Team B is the heavy favourite to win.
- Point Spreads: Sportsbooks decide the points spread, which aims to even the odds between two teams. You’ll effectively bet on whether a team wins or loses by a predetermined number of points.
- Totals (Overs/Unders): Totals see you bet on specific statistics. Here, your team must have totals over or under the figure the sportsbook chooses. For instance, you must decide if the total number of points in a match is higher or lower than the quoted value the sportsbook offers.
- Parlays: Known as accumulators in Europe, parlays tie several bets into one ticket. Whether you win your parlay is entirely dependent on the results of all the wagers on your slip winning. Just one wrong bet can see the entire parlay bet losing, although there’s often wiggle room with this at major sportsbooks.
- Teasers: Teasers see you combine bets on two games, and while you can adjust the point spreads for those games, you’ll receive a lower return if you win.
- Futures: These bets see you wager on something happening in the future. For instance, you may bet on a team winning a championship or an athlete winning a gold. You’ll wager most future bets far in advance of the event taking place.
Calculating American Odds into Fractional or Decimal Odds
Fractional odds are most popular in the UK, with most players worldwide preferring decimal odds. Decimal odds are firm favourites because they offer you more flexibility when betting. Instead, they simply tell you what you’ll receive if you bet $1 on an outcome. If you bet $2 instead, you’ll double that figure, and so on. In short, they are easy to scale if you need to. For this reason, some players might consider a betting odds conversion rather than trying to have American odds explained.
Obviously, calculating American odds into fractional or decimal odds isn’t easy. You can find mathematical equations to do it online, and anybody with a keen interest in mathematics will find this fun. However, there are other resources.
Most major sportsbooks allow you to alter how you view odds, choosing between American, decimal and fractional, even Asian odds within the site. If yours doesn’t, you can still find odds converters online that do the job for you.
FAQ
Are American sports always shown using American odds?
No. It depends on where you play. Sports gambling odds at US sportsbooks will be in American odds most of the time. In Europe, sites may keep American odds for US sports competitions but often change them to decimal or fractional for the convenience of their audiences.
Do US sportsbooks use American odds for soccer and other predominantly European sports?
Normally, yes. American sports betting odds are preferred for all sports events Stateside. Not everybody likes this, though, and some actively seek to change how they view odds.
Do US betting sites allow me to change how I view my odds?
This depends on where you play. Some US sportsbooks, specifically the offshore ones, are very set in their ways. Mainstream and established sportsbooks let you change how you view odds, though.
Is it better to wager on favourites or the underdogs?
It’s a trade-off. Bet on favourites, and you’ll have increased chances of success due to short odds, albeit with smaller payouts. Bet on underdogs, and you might win a fortune via long odds, but those results aren’t likely to emerge.
Do US odds tell me which team is more likely to win?
Yes. In fractional odds, you can tell which team is the underdog by looking at the second integer in the fraction. The bigger it is, the less likely a team wins. In decimal odds, the lower the decimal odds, the more a team is the favourite. In American odds, you simply need to look for the “+” and “-” symbols to identify favourites and underdogs.
