Decimal Odds and Fractional Odds: How to Change the Odds Format at Sports Betting Sites

Decimal Odds and Fractional Odds

Understanding how odds work in any betting market is a key part of what it takes to succeed in sports betting. Knowing when you’re getting good value or how odds compare across different bets and sportsbooks will be the difference between gamblers who prevail, and those who fall down too soon - either on poor value bets, or through taking unexpectedly long risks.

A solid command of the numbers is next in importance to a solid understanding of the sports you are betting on, and understanding basics like what the odds on the screen actually mean is the starting point.

There are two commonly quoted odds formats you’ll see on your travels - decimal odds and fractional odds. But what are they, and how can you change the odds formats to suit your preference?

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How to Switch to Decimal Odds at Sports Betting Sites

Decimal odds express the odds as a simple number in decimal format. The format can often be controlled through your account settings within your sports betting account. Login to your account, navigate to the account settings and look for the odds format options - you will generally be able to choose between decimal odds and fractional odds, depending on which you’re most comfortable working with.

Decimal odds are a simple multiplier for your stake - so if you see odds of 2.54, expressed here as a decimal, you know you’re on for a return of £254 for a successful £100 bet. Note that decimal odds include your stake return, so odds of 2.00 are at Evens. Anything less than 2.00 is odds on.

To calculate how much you’ll win with decimal odds, simply multiply your stake by the decimal - stake x odds = return (including stake). Many punters who have always bet online tend to prefer working with decimal odds because it makes for simpler calculations. In contrast, older punters, and those who are familiar with betting on other sports like horse racing for example, tend to find fractional odds more comfortable. In reality, it’s a matter of personal preference as to which you use, and online bookies are equipped for both common formats.

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How to Switch to Fractional Odds at Sports Betting Sites

Switching to fractional is easy and can be controlled within the settings of your betting account. Go to ‘settings’ or ‘preferences’ - this may be called a variety of things, depending on how your bookmaker sets the odds up. Once there, look for the option to switch your odds format from decimal to fractional odds, and you’ll get quoted in the traditional fractional format for your bets going forward.

Fractional odds express returns as a fraction, rather than a decimal. So instead of 2.00, you’ll get quoted Evens - 1/1. Note that fractional odds do not include the stake. Any amount staked is treated as a separate entity, returned to you aside from your winnings. Fractional odds only calculate the winnings, with the stake back as an additional to those winnings. So with odds of 2/1, you’re actually getting a 3x multiplier on your stake when returned. A £100 bet at 2/1 leaves you with £300 in your hand when the dust settles - £200 from your winnings, plus your original £100 stake.

Things get a little more complicated with fractional odds when you start looking at fractions that are not denominated in 1s - in layman’s terms, fractions where the bottom number isn’t 1. So you might see odds at 6/5, for example - £6 back for every £5 bet. The formula you need to use for working with these types of odds is stake/denominator * numerator = winnings excluding stake. So for a £100 bet at 6/5, you’d get £120 back, plus your original £100 stake.

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What’s the Difference Between Decimal Odds and Fractional Odds in Sports Betting?

Decimal odds and fractional odds are two ways of expressing the same thing - namely, the amount of money you stand to win when your bet comes good. Decimal odds express this as a decimal, e.g. 5.00, while fractional odds express this as a fraction, e.g. 4/1. The outcome in both of these cases is the same - a £100 bet returns £500 in your hand, including the original £100 at stake.

Some punters prefer working with decimal odds because it’s a simpler calculation. Others prefer fractional odds because they’re more familiar with this traditional type of quoting odds, or because they come from a background in sports like horse racing where fractional odds have historically been more commonplace.

Remember that decimal odds always include the stake return in the multiplier - so evens is 2.00, not 1.00. Fractional odds do not include the stake, so 3/1 on a £100 bet returns £300 in winnings, plus the original £100 stake.

The difference is one of personal choice, and depends largely on what you’re comfortable with. Fortunately, online betting sites are set up to quote odds in both formats in real-time, and it’s usually a straightforward toggle from one to the other if your chosen sports betting site is quoting in a format you’d rather they didn’t. Once you’ve decided to go with decimal or fractional odds, your sports betting account should always display odds in that format.

Decimal odds and fractional odds are just two different ways of saying the same thing. Both will tell you how much you stand to win when your bet comes in, and it’s important that you understand how to work with odds if you’re to get the most from your betting - regardless of which of the two formats suits you better.

Switching is straightforward, so whichever you’d prefer is only ever a couple of clicks away, via your sports betting account settings. By learning how to work with either decimal or fractional odds, and how to convert from one into the other format when you need to, you can have the grasp of the numbers necessary to make decisions as an informed sports bettor.

Decimal Odds and Fractional Odds: How to Change the Odds Format at Sports Betting Sites

How to Switch to Decimal Odds at Sports Betting Sites

How to Switch to Fractional Odds at Sports Betting Sites

What’s the Difference Between Decimal Odds and Fractional Odds in Sports Betting?

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