How To Read American Betting Odds

American style betting odds are the most popular and commonly seen way of expressing betting odds in the United States and Canada for sports betting. They are fairly straightforward once you understand the basic concepts. These odds are displayed as either a positive (+) or negative (-) number, indicating either how much profit you can make on a bet or how much you need to wager to achieve a specific win amount.

Positive American Odds (+)

When you see a positive number, such as +150, this indicates that the team or player is considered the underdog. The odds show how much profit you could make on a $100 bet. For example, with +150 odds, a $100 bet would win you $150 in profit if your bet is successful. The total payout would then be $250, which includes your original $100 stake plus the $150 profit.

Positive odds are associated with riskier bets because the outcome is considered less likely to happen. The higher the positive number, the more unlikely the event is to occur, and therefore, the greater the potential profit. For instance, in the NHL, if the Rangers have odds of +300 to win a playoff series against the Lightning, a $100 bet on the Rangers would return $300 in profit if they win, reflecting their status as underdogs compared to the Lightning.

Negative American Odds (-)

Negative odds, on the other hand, indicate the favourite in a match or event. The number shows how much you need to wager to win $100. For example, if the odds are -150, you would need to bet $150 to win $100. Your total payout would be $250, which includes your original $150 stake plus the $100 profit.

These odds reflect safer bets, where the outcome is considered more likely. However, the trade-off is that you must risk more money to achieve a smaller profit. For example, in the NFL, if the Chiefs have odds of -200 to win a game against a less favoured team, you would need to bet $200 to win $100 in profit, indicating that the Chiefs are strong favourites to win that matchup.

A Few More Examples of Underdogs and Favourites

In our example below, the Ravens have odds of +130 and the Chiefs odds are listed at -155. This means the Ravens are the underdogs and bettors could win more if Baltimore pull off an upset. Conversely, the Chiefs are the favourites, requiring a higher stake to win a smaller profit because they are expected to perform better.

Consider another NFL game: the Green Bay Packers versus the Philly Eagles. If the Eagles are listed at -155, it means you need to bet $155 to win $100 if you believe they will win. On the other hand, if the Packers are listed at +130, a $100 bet on Green Bay would yield a $130 profit if they manage to secure the victory.

In the NHL, imagine the Boston Bruins are playing against the Montreal Canadiens. If the Bruins are favourites with odds of -250, you would need to wager $250 to win $100. If the Canadiens are underdogs with +200 odds, a $100 bet on them would result in a $200 profit if they pull off the win.

 Check out our guide to learn more about how to read sports betting odds.