Betting odds are put together by sportsbooks representing the likelihood of an event happening. In Europe and the UK, odds appear as either fractions (3/1) or a decimal (2.0). However, there is the American style, which is where a number has a plus or minus in front of it (+200 or -110). So, in this article we will answer what + and – in betting means.
What Does the + and – Mean in Sports Betting Spread: How Do Betting Odds Work?
At first glance, odds can look quite confusing. Like, what does the + and – mean in sports betting? Now, anyone who is into sports betting should learn, be able to understand and calculate odds. This is because they reflect your chance of winning a bet and how much you could earn if your wager is successful.
What Does – Mean in Betting: What Are Negative Betting Odds?
The minus sign (-) denotes the favorite in a game, that is the team or individual that is most likely to win, according to the bookmaker. The number that comes after the minus sign indicates the amount of money a player needs to bet to win 100 USD. For instance, if Team Y is listed at -110, this means that Team Y is the favourite. Therefore, the player needs to bet 110 USD to potentially win 100 USD (plus the original stake of 110 USD back).
What Does + Mean in Betting: What Are Positive Betting Odds?
The plus sign (+) represents the underdog, which is the team or individual that is less likely to win, according to the sportsbook. The number that follows the plus sign is indicative of the amount a bettor would win from a 100 USD bet. This means that, if Team Z is listed at +200, therefore, Team Z is the underdog. So, with a 100 USD bet on Team Z and it is successful, the bettor would win 200 USD (plus the original stake of 100 USD back).
+ and – in Betting – When Odds Change
Sportsbooks set odds depending on a number of factors, such as team form, player injuries, head-to-head and other statistics, etc. These initial odds reflect the bookmaker’s perspective of the game’s probable outcome. However, in + or – in betting, the odds can change, and here are some of the reasons this happens.
Wagers & Market Sentiment
If there is a noticeably significant amount of wagers and funds placed on a particular outcome, the odds will be affected. Let’s say, big amounts are being placed on the home team to win: the teams odds will shorten, becoming less profitable to wager on, while the odds for the away team becomes more appealing to bettors.
News Update
Reports of the availability or absence of key players in football for example [being a team sport], can suddenly affect the chances of a team. Odds can dramatically shift in favour of the opposition if there is news of a star player being unavailable. Other news like mood in the camp, tactics, etc, can also influence changes.
Random Factors
External and unrelated events can also have an influence on the sport games odds, e.g. adverse weather, political events, recession, or even sudden global events can affect performance and indirectly influence the odds.
Bookmaker Strategy
At times, the sportsbook adjusts odds in order to balance their accounts. If the bookmakers notice that they stand to lose a large amount of money should a certain result occur, they could adjust the odds so as to encourage betting at the other end.
Finding Value in Underdogs: Betting + vs –
When betting + vs -, look for value in the underdogs. Don’t just go ahead to bet on the team with the highest odds, as this is not a guarantee for a profitable outcome. Look for the lower ranking team whose odds are undervalued instead. One of the ways to choose good underdogs is to identify teams whose bad results are actually misleading. Other ways to pick valuable underdogs include team dynamics, historical matchups with the opposition, home field advantage, etc.
All Favorites are Not the Same: + or – in Betting
Just as some underdogs can be undervalued, the same way, not all favourites are the same. Some top teams don’t do well on certain pitches, stadia or overall against certain teams. So, before you go into + and – betting to wager on who you consider favourites, check the stats on how they do without their key players or when they play away, etc.
The Benefit of Promos
Promotions are important to players, even though they can confuse some sports bettors, particularly when they are looking at the betting + vs – figures and that’s why this article is what is + – in betting. Bookmakers offer some major promotions on some teams that open as favorites, and that can shift the sign from -a to +a. As a bettor, always check the promotional details to know and understand when and how it works. Some of these promotions include welcome bonuses, free bets, and comp points.
What Does + – Mean in Betting: Understanding Sports Betting Odds
Getting the answer to what does – and + mean in betting is very important. Having a good understanding of odds is vital in sports betting. To be able to read and interpret odds, comprehend value and inferred probabilities, and carefully consider the vigorish, is the difference between the experienced bettor from the novice.
Before you place any wagers, thoroughly understand the sport, and the players/teams. You don’t need to be an expert, but a solid understanding of the basics will help you in making informed decisions and significantly improve your betting chances.
What Does -110 Mean in Betting: How to Read American Odds
Moneyline, also known as American odds, always uses a baseline value of 100 USD. For your favourites players risk the money to win 100 USD, and for underdogs players risk 100 USD to win the amount. For example, a -135 favourite means you must wager 135 USD to win 100 USD from the bookmaker. So, you either lose 135 USD, win 100 USD, or your bet is a push. Then, a +350 underdog means the player risks only 100 USD, but can win 350 USD. Thus, you either lose 100 USD, win 350 USD, or your wager is a push.
Pros and Cons of American Odds
Pros
- Simple and straightforward;
- Easy for novices to understand;
- Payouts are calculated quickly;
- Fast in determining percentage probability;
- Odds are convenient;
- Allows more flexibility with odds comparison;
- Doesn’t necessarily require conversions.
Cons
- Potentially higher losses due to vigorish;
- Lack of consistency in presentation.
How to Calculate & Bet Using American Odds
Let’s see an example of how to calculate and bet using American odds. Using a football match between Team A FC vs Team B FC, for example: Team A FC are the favourites, while Team B FC are the underdogs. What does + – mean in betting on this game? It means that the minus (-) sign would represent the favourites, while the positive (+) sign would be for the underdog.American odds bets are usually set at 100 USD. So, we will use that as what you could win or bet depending on the side you’re wagering on.
Now, let’s say the American odds for Team B FC, who are the underdogs are +200. What this means is that you would win 200 USD if you are successful with your bet at 100 USD, plus your initial bet. For positive odds such as this, it is calculated in percentage as: 100/(Money line odds + 100), which is 100/200+100. With that math, the probability of you winning that bet is 0.33 or 33%
Team A FC on the other hand are the favourites and the American odds for them are -200. And this means that, to win 100 USD plus your initial bet, you will have to make a bet of 200 USD. For negative odds such as this, it is calculated in percentage as: Money line odds/(Money line odds + 100), which is 200/(200 + 100). The probability of you winning that bet, when you do the math is 0.67 or 67%.
Author’s Conclusion
What does the + and – mean in betting? They represent the betting odds skillfully put together by a bookmaker. Particularly, they are used in moneyline betting, also called American odds. American odds are simple and straightforward such that they are very easy for novices to understand.
When you use American odds it makes it easier and quicker for the player to be able to to calculate his payout without ado. With these odds, players can determine the percentage probability of a bet very fast, hence the moneyline odds are quite convenient.
American odds allow more flexibility with odds comparison and unless you want to, it doesn’t necessarily require bettors to make conversions to know what to expect. However, due to vigorish also known as juice, there are potentially higher losses. Another part of American odds that may cause some eyes to roll is the lack of consistency in its presentation.
FAQ
What does a +7 spread mean?
If the betting spread is set at +7, the underdog has to either outright win the match or lose by less than 7 points. And for the favorite, they have to win by more than 7 points.
What does +/- mean in betting?
The positive and negative signs (+ and -) are put in front of betting odds as an indicator or referring to the favorites (-) and underdogs (+).
What does a negative spread mean?
In basic terms, a negative spread refers to the favourite in a game, that is the side that is expected to win the game. A negative point spread puts the team at some form of disadvantage, meaning that the team has more work to do. For a negative spread bet to win, the favourites have to beat the opponent by a greater margin than the point spread.
What does +1.5 mean in spread betting?
The +1.5 is a common odds in baseball betting, standard “runline” for MLB. What it means is that the underdog has to get an outright win or lose by just one run to cover the spread.
What is betting?
Betting is an activity which involves gambling money on the outcome of an unpredictable event such as a game, race, etc.
What does spread mean?
The points spread in sports betting refers to artificial handicaps made by bookmakers in an attempt to even out a game between opponents.
What are the different types of odds format?
There are 3 main types of betting odds, which are British (fractional odds), European (decimal odds), and American (money line odds). They are just alternate ways of presenting the same odds and in terms of payouts, they are no different.