American odds: what plus and minus mean
How American odds work: what +168 and −105 mean, how to turn them into decimal odds and a chance, worked through with this week's real BAI8 Desk prices.
On this page
American odds (also called moneyline odds) tell you how much a 100 stake wins. A plus number is the profit on 100: +168 wins 168. A minus number is the stake needed to win 100: −105 means you stake 105 to win 100. In decimal terms +168 is 2.68 and −105 is about 1.95, and those are two real best prices on the BAI8 Desk this week. The format changes the writing, not the bet.
Plus and minus, worked through
Take this week's two college football cards, both quoted at 04:36 UTC on 22 October.
| Card | Decimal | American | Profit on a 100 stake | Bookmaker's chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Illinois, Courtside | 2.68 | +168 | 168 | 37.3% |
| Arizona, BoyleSports | 1.95 | −105 | 95 | 51.2% |
Plus numbers are underdogs (the bet pays more than the stake), minus numbers are favourites (it pays less). A price of exactly 2.00 is +100 or −100, an even-money bet.
The conversions
- Plus to decimal: divide by 100, add 1. +168 → 1.68 + 1 = 2.68.
- Minus to decimal: divide 100 by the number, add 1. −105 → 100 / 105 = 0.952, + 1 = 1.95.
- Decimal to American: at 2.00 or above, (decimal − 1) × 100, with a plus sign. Below 2.00, −100 / (decimal − 1).
- Chance from a plus number: 100 / (number + 100). +168 → 100 / 268 = 37.3%.
- Chance from a minus number: number / (number + 100). −105 → 105 / 205 = 51.2%.
Those chances include the bookmaker's margin, which is why the two sides of one game add up to more than 100%. The idea is the same as in implied probability in one minute.
This week's Desk in American odds
Here is every live card on the Desk this morning, with our fair price in both formats. The edge is our chance minus the bookmaker's chance.
| Card | Best price | American | Our fair price | Fair, American | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gent at SC Braga | 4.20, Coolbet | +320 | 2.28 | +128 | +20.0 pts |
| Lech Poznań v Sunderland | 4.80, Nordic Bet | +380 | 2.46 | +146 | +19.8 pts |
| Arizona v Iowa State | 1.95, BoyleSports | −105 | 1.43 | −233 | +18.7 pts |
| Northern Illinois v Hawaii | 2.68, Courtside | +168 | 1.80 | −125 | +18.2 pts |
| Lugano at Getafe | 4.36, 1xBet | +336 | 2.57 | +157 | +15.9 pts |
| Amed SK at Samsunspor | 2.33, betPARX | +133 | 1.72 | −139 | +15.2 pts |
Notice Northern Illinois: the bookmaker writes them as an underdog (+168), our fair price makes them a favourite (−125). The sign flipping is the disagreement in one character. Amed SK is the same story: +133 at the bookmaker, −139 on our numbers.
What this does not tell you
It does not tell you whether a price is good; only a comparison with a chance you trust does that, which is what fair price vs best price on a BAI8 card covers. The conversions are exact, but the table rounds to whole American numbers. Prices move, and every row above is one bookmaker's quote at one moment on 22 October. Fractional odds work the same way, in fractional odds explained with real prices.
18+. Bet only what you can afford to lose.
Common questions
What do American odds mean?
A plus number is what a 100 stake wins (+168 wins 168). A minus number is what you must stake to win 100 (−105 means stake 105 to win 100). Both include the stake coming back on a win.
How do you convert American odds to decimal?
For a plus number, divide by 100 and add 1 (+168 is 2.68). For a minus number, divide 100 by the number without its sign and add 1 (−105 is about 1.95).
How do you get a chance from American odds?
For a plus number, 100 divided by (number plus 100): +168 is 37.3%. For a minus number, the number divided by (number plus 100): −105 is 51.2%. That is the bookmaker's chance including its margin.
Do American odds change the value of a bet?
No. The same price written as +168, 2.68 or 42/25 pays the same and implies the same chance. Only the notation changes.