What Does -110 Mean in Sports Betting? American Odds Explained
Learn what -110, +150, and -200 odds mean, how to calculate a winning payout, and why your profit differs from your total return.
In sports betting, -110 means you must risk $110 to earn $100 in profit if the bet wins. You can wager a different amount; the same ratio applies. For example, a $10 stake at -110 earns approximately $9.09 in profit on a winning bet.
Those numbers are American odds. Once you understand the plus and minus signs, you can work out how much a winning ticket returns—and how much is at risk.
How do American odds work?
American odds use $100 as a reference point:
- Negative odds, such as -110 or -200, tell you how much must be risked to earn $100 in profit.
- Positive odds, such as +150, tell you the profit on a $100 stake.
The reference point is a way to express the price, not a minimum wager. DraftKings’ explanation of American odds (https://support.draftkings.com/dk/en-us/understanding-odds?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0010466) describes the same relationship between stake and potential profit.
What would a $10 bet return?
Here are three hypothetical bets, each with a $10 stake:
- At -110: A $10 stake earns $9.09 in profit if successful, for a $19.09 total payout.
- At +150: A $10 stake earns $15 in profit if successful, for a $25 total payout.
- At -200: A $10 stake earns $5 in profit if successful, for a $15 total payout.
Amounts are rounded to the nearest cent. A losing bet in any of these examples loses the $10 stake.
Net winnings are the profit. Total payout includes the returned original stake. A $19.09 payout on a $10 bet therefore represents $9.09 in profit. BetMGM’s odds calculator (https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/betting-tools/sports-betting-odds-calculator-converter/) also distinguishes these two amounts.
How can you calculate the winnings yourself?
For negative odds, divide 100 by the size of the odds number, ignoring the minus sign. Multiply that result by the stake.
At -200, a $10 stake earns: $10 × 100 ÷ 200 = $5 profit.
For positive odds, divide the odds number by 100 and multiply by the stake.
At +150, a $10 stake earns: $10 × 150 ÷ 100 = $15 profit.
Add the original stake to the profit to calculate the total winning payout.
Does -110 mean the bet has a 52.38% chance of winning?
The price implies a 52.38% break-even rate, calculated as 110 ÷ (110 + 100). If every bet is placed at -110 with equal stakes, that is the proportion of settled wins and losses needed to break even before other costs. This calculation excludes pushes, bonuses, and fees.
It does not establish the actual probability of the outcome. The price tells you the payout terms; the event can still end either way. Negative odds offer a smaller profit relative to the amount risked, while positive odds offer a larger one. Neither guarantees a result.
Before confirming a ticket, check the selection, current odds, stake, and potential profit. Small differences in the price change the amount a winning bet earns.
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Sports betting involves risk. Only wager money you can afford to lose.
Written by The Winning Wager