Understanding sports betting odds before making a killing

In case you have entered the betting arena without having a clear strategy under consideration then you could emerge out as a very disappointed bettor, not to mention that you could also lose a lot of money at the same time. Just like a doctor would require the right skills before operating over a patient, you also will have to work tirelessly to understand sports betting odds before you make a killing in the betting arena.

Each fascinating sport such as boxing, tennis, golf, baseball, football, basketball, horse racing, car racing, and several such more qualify for betting. Even if the sport is college football games handled by the ncaa or pro football handled by the nfl, bets may be placed, even though the odds will certainly differ in every sport and each game too. Odds are also displayed differently in various countries. For example, USA displays odds as American odds, i.e. -100, -230, etc, while Canada, Australia and Countries in Europe display odds as Decimal odds, i.e. 2.50, 1.30, etc, and the UK displays odds as Fractional odds, i.e. 8/8, 8/4, etc.

Sports betting odds also display the underdog team together with the top-dog, the over-under and also the spread through which you need to win if you decide to bet for or against the spread. A simple example will show you betting odds easily. For example in a nfl match between the Buffalo Bills and the New York Giants, the odds could be displayed as under

Buffalo Bills -11.2 -120 -160
New York Giants +11.2 -120 +270

The first sign next to the teams name signifies the underdog and also the top-dog. Therefore, Buffalo Bills would be the top-dog due to the “-” sign whereas the Giants are the underdogs because of the “+” sign next to it. The figure 11.2 signifies the spread plus the favored team has got to win with the points mentioned on the spread. The figure 120 implies that you will need to bet $120 to win $100 on that spread. The final figure of 160 next to the Bills signifies that you have to stake $160 to win $100 together with your stake on that bet because the Bills are the favored team to win. Alternatively, you only have to bet $100 to win $270 should you bet on the Giants as it is the underdog team.

The above mentined was an illustration of betting odds in the American odds format. Each bookie displays odds in numerous formats however, you could quickly convert it in your format by using the odds converter available in most websites. The Internet has today definitely made betting easier although you will certainly need to work towards understanding and calculating the betting odds prior to placing your bet.

You might definitely be able to bet efficiently and convert most of your placed bets into huge wins if you read and understand sports betting odds. Each sports book will display odds and you’ll have to choose sites which have the best odds for you to bet on. Understanding sports betting odds is vital if you wish to beat the odds and the bookies and make a killing by winning the highest amount of bets.