In case you have entered the betting arena without having a clear strategy in mind then you could emerge out as a very disappointed bettor, not to mention that you might 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 including boxing, tennis, golf, baseball, football, basketball, horse racing, car racing, and many such more are eligible 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, although the odds will surely differ in every sport and every game too. Odds are also displayed differently in various countries. By way of 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 along with the top-dog, the over-under and the spread by which you need to win if you choose to bet for or against the spread. A straightforward example will show you betting odds easily. For instance in an nfl match involving 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 indicates the underdog and also the top-dog. Hence, Buffalo Bills is the top-dog because of the “-” sign while the Giants are the underdogs because of the “+” sign next to it. The figure 11.2 signifies the spread and 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 near the Bills indicates that you need to stake $160 to win $100 along with your stake on that bet since the Bills are classified as the favored team to win. Alternatively, you only need to bet $100 to win $270 should you bet for the Giants since it is the underdog team. pokerstars sport betting

The above was an example of betting odds in the American odds format. Each bookie will display odds in numerous formats however, you would be able to quickly convert it in your format when using the odds converter obtainable in most websites. The world wide web has today definitely made betting easier although you will certainly have to work towards understanding and calculating the betting odds before you place your bet.

You might certainly be in a position 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 select sites which have the most effective odds for you to bet on. Understanding sports betting odds is essential if you wish to beat the odds and the bookies and make a killing by winning the maximum amount of bets.