- Betting odds tell you how likely an event is to happen
- They also tell you how much money you will win
- However, at first, they may seem confusing and complex
- Our comprehensive guide takes you step-by-step to explain them
Odds are a numerical expression, usually expressed as a pair of numbers, used in both gambling and statistics. In statistics, the odds for or odds of some event reflect the likelihood that the event will take place, while odds against reflect the likelihood that it will not. In gambling, the odds are the ratio of payoff to stake, and do not necessarily reflect exactly the probabilities. Odds are expressed in several ways (see below), and sometimes the term is used incorrectly to mean simply the probability of an event. Conventionally, gambling odds are expressed in the form "X to Y", where X and Y are numbers, and it is implied that the odds are odds against the event on which the gambler is considering wagering. In both gambling and statistics, the 'odds' are a numerical expression of the likelihood of some possible event.
In gambling, odds represent the ratio between the amounts staked by parties to a wager or bet. Thus, odds of 6 to 1 mean the first party (normally a bookmaker) stakes six times the amount staked by the second party. In simplest terms, 6 to 1 odds means if you bet a dollar (the "1" in the expression), and you win you get paid six dollars (the "6" in the expression), or 6 x 1. If you bet two dollars you would be paid twelve dollars, or 6 x 2. If you bet three dollars and win, you would be paid eighteen dollars, or 6 x 3. If you bet one hundred dollars and win you would be paid six hundred dollars, or 6 x 100. If you lose any of those bets you would lose the dollar, or two dollars, or three dollars, or one hundred dollars.