Odds explained

Horse racing odd are shown in either the traditional format ½ or decimal 1.5.

Most UK on-line bookies like ukbetting.com keep with the traditional format when expressing betting odds 1/2, 11/8 etc.

Their argument is that this is a format their user is familiar with, although you wonder if the larger numbers help disguise bad odds, there must be a case for showing both figures!

You will also come across other companies like betfair.com using the decimal format 1.5, 2.38.

If you are using one or the other this is ok, because working out your winnings is just a matter of using the appropriate method.

Traditional: Left Hand Figure, Divided by the right hand figure and then multiplied by the stake so for a 50pts stake.

1 / 2 X 50 = 25 pts return, you will also get back your stake of 50 pts making 75 altogether.

Decimal: 1.5 X 50 = 75 - 50 (original stake) = 25pts

But what happens if you want to check the best odds given between two bookies that both use different systems?

Well you can use an odds conversion table (click here to have a look at one), or you can work it out easily yourself.

Just convert the traditional format to a decimal!

So using our above example, just divide 1 by 2 then add 1:

1 / 2 + 1 = 1.5

You can use the form below to do it for you.

So now you should be able to easily work between the odds given by traditional bookies like ukbetting.com and those that use decimal.