What American Odds means
American odds are the plus/minus format standard at virtually every US sportsbook. A minus number (like -150) tells you what you'd need to risk to win $100 - in this case, $150 to win $100 profit. A plus number (like +130) tells you what a $100 bet would profit if it wins - $130 profit on $100 risked. The minus side always denotes the favorite; the plus side always denotes the underdog. Odds don't have to be exactly ±100 in increments - you'll commonly see numbers like -137 or +215, scaled proportionally from the same $100 baseline. Every US sportsbook lets you enter any stake, not just $100, and the payout scales accordingly.
Key points
- American odds are the plus/minus format standard at virtually every US sportsbook.
- The minus side always denotes the favorite; the plus side always denotes the underdog.
- Every US sportsbook lets you enter any stake, not just $100, and the payout scales accordingly.
Example and context
A minus number (like -150) tells you what you'd need to risk to win $100 - in this case, $150 to win $100 profit.
Related glossary terms
These terms sit in the same part of the betting vocabulary and are useful to read next.
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