Odds do two jobs at once: they tell you how likely an outcome is and how much you collect if it lands. Read all three formats and you can price any bet on JetBet at a glance.
What do betting odds tell you?
Every price is a probability turned into a payout. A short price means the outcome is likely, so the payout is small; that’s the favourite. A long price means it’s unlikely, so the payout is big; that’s the underdog. The same selection can be written three ways, and they all mean exactly the same thing: decimal (2.50), fractional (6/4), or American (+150). JetBet Sportsbook lets you pick which one you see, and remembers the choice once you set it.
Convert any odds with the JetBet Sportsbook tool
To switch a price between formats, or to see the implied probability and return, use the converter below. Enter odds in American, decimal or fractional, add an optional stake, and it returns all three formats plus the implied win chance.
Odds Converter
–Enter a price, e.g. +150 or -110
Implied probability is what the odds suggest, before the bookmaker’s margin. Returns show in your account currency. 18+. Please gamble responsibly.
The three odds formats on JetBet
The same price can be written three ways. Here is what each one is telling you:
| Format | What the number means | On a €10 bet | Spotting the favourite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decimal | Total return per €1 staked | 2.50 returns €25 | Priced under 2.00 |
| Fractional | Profit against your stake | 9/5 returns €28 | First number smaller (odds-on) |
| American | Profit on, or stake for, 100 | +150 returns €25 | Shown with a minus sign |
How to read decimal odds
Decimal odds are your total return for every €1 staked, so you just multiply the price by your stake.
That makes decimal the easiest format to read, because the stake is already in the number: under 2.00 is a favourite, over 2.00 an underdog, and 2.00 is even money.
It is also the format JetBet settles in. Whichever display you choose, every slip is calculated in decimal, and the decimal price is always equal to or higher than the other formats, so switching the view never costs you anything.
How to read fractional odds
Fractional odds show profit against stake: 9/5 wins €9 for every €5 you put on.
They are common in the UK and in horse racing, and if you prefer them you can set JetBet to show fractional across every market, including the racing card. When the first number is smaller than the second, the selection is odds-on, a strong favourite: 8/13 wins 8 for every 13 staked, so the profit is smaller than the stake.
To turn any fraction into a decimal, divide the first number by the second and add 1, so 6/4 becomes 2.50, the same price in decimal.
How to read American odds (moneyline)
A plus is the underdog's profit on a 100 stake; a minus is the stake you need to win 100.
American odds, also called moneyline, use a plus or minus sign. A −150 means you stake 150 to win 100, so €15 returns €25.
In short, the plus side pays more than you stake and the minus side pays less. Switch your JetBet display to American and the sign shows on every price: +150, 2.50 and 6/4 are all the same price in different clothing.
How to read handicaps and totals
A handicap gives one side a virtual head start or deficit; a total sets a number to bet over or under. Both markets attach a line to the price, and reading the line matters as much as reading the odds.
Handicap (spread): Back Arsenal at −1 and they need to win by two or more; back their opponent at +1 and you collect if they avoid losing by two. JetBet also runs Asian handicaps, where half-ball lines such as −0.5 or +1.5 take the draw out of play, and quarter-ball lines such as −0.25 split your stake across the two nearest lines, so a single bet can win, lose, or land half and half.
Totals (over/under): A line for goals, points or corners, and you pick which side the match finishes on. Over 2.5 goals needs three or more; the half-number means the line can never be tied.
Odds and implied probability
Implied probability is 1 divided by the decimal price: 2.50 means a 40% chance.
It is what the odds suggest an outcome's chance to be. To turn any decimal price into a percentage:
- Take the decimal price, say 2.50.
- Divide 1 by it: 1 ÷ 2.50 = 0.40.
- Multiply by 100: 40%.
The JetBet converter does this for you, showing the implied chance for any price you enter. The same 40% sits behind +150, since it is the same price.
One thing worth knowing: add up the implied probabilities for both sides of a market and they total more than 100%. That gap is the built-in margin, and it's why comparing prices and taking the bigger number matters over time.
What counts as good odds
Good odds are bigger than the outcome's true chance, not just a big number.
If you rate a team at 50% and the price implies only 40% (2.50 or longer), that is value: the payout beats the risk. Meet that same 50% view with a price implying 60% and you are overpaying, however tempting the favourite looks.
Short favourites are where this bites hardest, because the margin baked into every market eats a bigger share of a small price. That's why experienced bettors judge a price against their own estimate first — checking the JetBet price against their own view — and treat the odds as the question, not the answer.
Why betting odds change
Odds move with the money, team news and live play, and taking a price locks it in.
Prices move for a few reasons:
- Money piles in on one side, so the trader shortens it.
- Team news, injuries or lineups land before kick-off.
- The match goes live and the picture shifts by the second.
A price you saw in the morning may be shorter or longer by the time you back it, but a pre-match single is settled at the price you took. In play, JetBet refreshes prices in real time and briefly suspends a market around big moments such as a goal.
Odds conversion table
The same price reads differently in each format. Here is how some everyday odds line up, with the chance each one implies. Drop any of them into the JetBet converter above to switch formats or add a stake:
| American | Decimal | Fractional | Implied chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| −250 | 1.40 | 2/5 | 71% |
| −150 | 1.67 | 2/3 | 60% |
| +100 | 2.00 | 1/1 (evens) | 50% |
| +150 | 2.50 | 6/4 | 40% |
| +200 | 3.00 | 2/1 | 33% |
| +400 | 5.00 | 4/1 | 20% |
| +900 | 10.00 | 9/1 | 10% |
Frequently asked questions
What do betting odds actually mean?
Two things at once: the chance of an outcome and the payout if it wins. A shorter price is more likely and pays less; a longer price is less likely and pays more.
What do the plus and minus mean in betting?
They're American odds. A plus (like +150) marks the underdog and shows the profit on a 100 stake. A minus (like −150) marks the favourite and shows the stake needed to win 100.
What does 9/5 or 8/13 mean?
Fractional prices show profit against stake. 9/5 wins 9 for every 5 staked. 8/13 is odds-on, meaning the favourite: you win 8 for every 13 staked, so the profit is less than your stake.
Is 7/2 better than 5/1?
It depends what you mean. 5/1 is the bigger price (6.00 in decimal) and pays more, but it's less likely to win. 7/2 (4.50 in decimal) is shorter, so it pays less but is rated more likely. Converting both to decimal is the quickest way to compare any two prices.
Which odds format should I use?
Whichever you find easiest to read. They describe identical prices and pay out the same, so it's purely a display preference. You can set yours in your JetBet account.