How do American odds work?
A minus number is what you risk to win $100; a plus number is what you win on a $100 bet. Either one converts to an implied probability: −110 means 52.4%, +150 means 40%.
Betting prices, answered in plain English
Most bettors don’t lose to bad picks. They lose to bad prices. Each answer below links to a full guide.
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Popular questions
What is the vig in sports betting?
The vig is the sportsbook’s built-in cut. It is why both sides of a −110 / −110 market add up to 104.8% instead of 100%, and you pay it on every bet.
What is a no-vig fair price?
Remove the vig from both sides of a market and what’s left is the market’s consensus price. A −110 / −110 market works out to 50% for each side.
What is closing line value (CLV)?
CLV compares the price you got with the final price before kickoff. If you bet a side at −110 and it closes at −125, you got a better number than the market ended on.
What is a betting unit?
A unit is one fixed stake that you choose and keep. Measuring results in units instead of dollars lets you compare weeks and months fairly.
What are NFL key numbers?
They are the final margins NFL games land on most often. Since 2015, 14.8% of games were decided by exactly 3 points and 8.7% by exactly 7, so a spread crossing 3 or 7 matters most.
How do I convert American odds to decimal or probability?
Use the odds conversion chart: −110 is 1.91 in decimal odds and a 52.4% implied probability; +150 is 2.50 and 40%. The chart covers −1000 to +1000 with the formulas.
How should I track my bets?
Log every bet in units with the odds you got and the closing odds. Our free bet tracking spreadsheet works out profit, ROI and closing-line value (CLV) in Excel or Google Sheets.
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