How Betting Odds Are Made

• How Betting Odds Are Made Chart
• Betting Odds Presidential Election
• Betting Odds Meanings
• How Betting Odds Are Made Definition
• How To Read Odds Betting

As the name suggests, American odds are most popular in the United States. Working differently for favorites and underdogs, they're also known as 'moneyline' odds. American odds for betting on the favorite work by showing how much money you would have to bet in order to win $100. Things are different when betting on an underdog.

If you’re not familiar with betting on boxing, you might need a little help in having boxing betting odds explained. That’s what we’re here to help with. On this page, we not only explain how to read betting odds, but we also go over how to bet on boxing. At boxing betting odds explained, we go over the most common wager types and the odds associated with them, so that by the time you’re ready to wager on a boxing match, you’ll feel like an expert.

No matter what side of the bout you choose to bet on, remember that anything can happen in boxing. Major underdogs are known to be punching bags for the title holders and favorites but this isn’t always the case. Buster Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson, giving bettors 42 times their money in 1990. More recently, a 33-1 Andy Ruiz Jr. beat Anthony Joshua in a heavyweight championship.

1. Feb 08, 2021 Odds of +300 indicate that if you bet $100, you will win $400, the original amount of your bet plus the profit. In Summary: Betting Odds Explained. Betting odds represent the probability of an outcome occurring and the return (profit) you will receive if your bet is a winner.
2. Odds will generally be the same for betting either the over or the under, and the total set by the sportsbook can change throughout the week. When making this kind of bet, ensure you click on the option with the correct letter — “o” for over and “u” for under.
3. Since we know how important cash flow is and how it affects the odds, this is the other way to find value. In popular leagues, the money placed could sometimes skew the prices to a point where there is money to be made. When millions go in one direction, the bookies adjust and you could find some good betting.

How To Read American Boxing Odds

When it all comes down to it, boxing betting odds are not that different than any other odds. One way to present boxing betting odds is in the standard American format. In this form, fighters will have a number associated with their name. This is their line. When it has a (-) symbol next to it, it shows they are the favorite. When it has the (+), it shows they are the underdog. A number with a (-) symbol denotes how much you would have to pay in order to make $100, while a number with a (+) symbol shows what you stand to gain based on a $100 wager.

• Manny Pacquiao -650
• Jeff Horn +425

In this situation, Pacquiao is favored. This means oddsmakers think he has a better chance to win. If you bet on him, you would have to wager $650 to win $100, if he wins the fight. If you bet on Jeff Horn, you only have to bet $100 to win $425 if he wins the match. This is because he is perceived as “less likely” to win.

How Betting Odds Are Made Chart

Understanding Boxing Betting Odds In Fractional Form

Fractional betting odds are another common way to have a fight’s betting odds presented. Figuring out your payout when odds are in fractional form is pretty simple. The denominator (bottom number) will always show what you have to stake, while the numerator (top number) will denote what you stand to gain. You can tell a competitor is favored when the denominator is higher than the numerator.

• Manny Pacquiao 3/20
• Jeff Horn 17/4

We used the same example from before for continuity. Pacquiao is the favorite in this fight, and you would have to bet $20 just to win $3, or about .15 cents for every $1 wagered. So if you bet $100, your profit would be $15. On the other side of that, Horn is a 17/4 underdog. For every $4 risked, you earn $17, or $4.25 for every $1 wagered. On a $100 risk, you’d gain $425 if Horn were to win.

Fractional and American odds denote the same payout, you just have to calculate it a different way. 3/20 odds are the same as -650 and would earn you the same payout. Most online sports betting sites will allow you to change between the two different types of odds, as well, so you can read a boxing betting line however you’d like.

There is one more incredibly important thing to remember when it comes to reading boxing betting lines – odds are not a reflection of actual chance. Odds and betting lines are influenced by public opinion more than anything. Oddsmakers will use basic stats to formulate who is more likely to win a match, but after that, the lines move based on how bettors are wagering. So if you do your research and everything you see points to Horn being able to beat Pacquiao, don’t be intimidated by his underdog status. Your ability to read odds and truly understand how they’re formulated can help you win big.

Betting On A Fighter To Win The Fight

This is the simplest way you can bet on a fight. This is a bet on the outright winner of the match, much like a moneyline bet in other sports. This is as straightforward as you can get when betting on boxing. They’re also the most common boxing betting odds. No matter what, a match will at least have odds on who will win the fight, even if there’s no other way to wager on the fight.

Article: How To Wager on Fighters

Boxing Prop Bets Explained

Prop bets are bets made on individual aspects of a match, rather than just on the winner of the fight. So when you bet on props, you have the option to bet on the number of rounds a match will go, who will win in which round, or the method of victory by which they win. Some matches will be very high profile, and on those, you’ll generally find even more props like if the fight will go the distance or how many viewers there will be. Below are the most common boxing prop betting odds, explained.

Round Betting

Sometimes, boxing matches will have rounds betting odds. This means that you can bet on which round you think the fight will be decided in. This allows you to get a little more detailed with the wagers you’re placing. Generally, you’ll have betting odds on each round for each fighter, as well as odds on the match going to a draw or a decision. Rounds betting generally yields a much higher payout but is also a bit trickier to win. If you bet on Fighter A to win in the 12th round and he wins in the 11th, your bet is considered a loss.

Round Group Betting

If rounds betting odds are a little too adventurous for your taste, but you have an approximation of when a fighter will win, try rounds group betting. Odds for these will be assigned to a set of rounds, usually in groups of three. Betting on a rounds group yields less of a payout than just a regular round betting, but in exchange is easier to win. Betting on Fighter A to win in the 10th-12th gives you three chances to win your bet. It’s like a little safety cushion when betting on boxing.

Betting On The Fight Outcome

When betting on boxing, you will more than likely see lines on the fight outcome. This is a general way to wager on how the fight will end, and only has five options. Each fighter will be given odds to win by knockout, technical knockout, or disqualification. Each fighter will be given odds to win by decision or technical decision, and the match will be given odds to end in a draw or technical draw.

Total Rounds

Boxing totals are pretty much the same as any other betting totals, but instead of points, you’re betting on the total number of rounds the match will last. For fights that seem to be more one-sided, oddsmakers will probably favor the under, as the underdog probably won’t be able to keep up. A more even fight might see the over favored. Boxing totals betting odds can be found alongside prop bets at most sportsbooks. A subset of a total rounds bet is betting on whether the fight will go the distance. This is offered much less often, so you shouldn’t expect to see it on every fight. It’s a yes or no proposition bet, wherein you bet on whether or not the fight will last through every round.

Parlays

When you are betting on boxing, you can create a parlay card. When you wager on a parlay card, you can generally combine anywhere from 2-15 different wagers on a single card. Doing so makes the payout much more appealing than a whole bunch of singular bets. However, parlay bets are incredibly hard to win. If you’re wrong on even a single element of a parlay card, your entire bet is considered a loss.

If you do decide to create a boxing parlay bet, it will have to be a parlay card made of moneyline bets. Sportsbooks won’t create a boxing parlay with prop bets due in large part to wagering limits. So if you are ready to watch a match and like all of the fights on the card leading up to the main event, you can create a small or large parlay of all the fights to try and win a nice sum of money.

Live Betting On Boxing

While you are able to bet on boxing events before they begin, you are also able to wager of them once they have heard the first bell. With live betting, bettors can see updated odds as each second of the clock ticks off. Live betting can be tricky in boxing, as the favorite who seems to be winning can get knocked out the second after you place your wager. However, with other prop bets available, it creates more entertainment on top of the actual fight.

Bovada Sportsbook - Betting Options For Boxing on Bovada

A lot of time players get on their Bovada account and already know what they plan to bet on. The boxing fans know that they can log on to their account and find all kinds of prop bets on any match. This is why players make sure to tell others that they should join Bovada. Players also have a lot of bonuses that could make then bets even better and have them play with more money. The biggest deal here is the fact that the banking methods are also there as well for players to pick and choose from. When you know once you log into your betting account that you have a good chance to make money, your confidence in your bets goes up.

SportsBetting Sportsbook - Boxing Huge on SportsBetting

To get things started, when it comes to SportsBetting, there is not one thing bettors can’t find on this online sportsbook. All the sports that can be bet on are on SportsBetting and that includes boxing which is one sport that is known for having a lot of bettors in every match. All players have to be is 18 and older to sign up for an account here and things will be all good moving forward. Profiting is the goal so when it comes to betting on boxing matches, there are many of those prop bets here on SportsBetting. There is no reason that boxing fans should be broke when having an account with SportsBetting.

BetOnline Sportsbook - BetOnline Has Boxing As A Betting Option

BetOnline is clearly the best online sportsbook here for all the big-time exotic bettors. The reason for this is there are all the things that you need here when it comes to betting and most of the time you know that when you log in that money is going to be made on BetOnline. Boxing matches will always be on BetOnline and plenty of fans will be ready to make major bets as soon as these matches show up on BetOnline. The bonuses that are offered are also here for players who like to bet on boxing as well. Already knowing that you have some money in your account ready to bet, the bonuses here are going to help players have more money as well. Checkout BetOnline and see what it brings for all players all around.

MyBookie Sportsbook - Top Sportsbook For Boxing Fans

The main thing that MyBookie has for players to bet on is all sports. The NFL and NBA are the premier sports that many players like to bet on and put big money on these games all the time. Even with that being said, boxing matches are still one of the options that players take a glance at once they long in. The number one thing that players look for when they log in is bets to where they can make a lot of money and when it comes to boxing matches, these things can end quickly and end up with a huge payout to players. The mobile betting options are here as well as having great banking methods. All bettors have to be is 18 and older to sign up for an account. Soon as players log in another thing that will pop up for them is bonuses that could change their bank account number and help what prop bets they take on these boxing matches. MyBookie is the best sportsbooks with boxing available and there is no question about it.

By Derek Simon

Note: I wrote the following article several years ago, but received a request to post it again. It pertains to making a fair odds line and includes a link to an Excel program that I created to aid in the process.

Recently, I’ve been getting quite a few inquiries about fair odds lines — mainly, how does a horseplayer go about making one and what are they good for?

Let’s kick off the discussion with the last question — after all, what’s the use in creating something without first knowing what it does (trust me, I’ve seen enough science fiction movies to know this is a terrible idea)? Simply put, a fair odds line provides gamblers with a means of making rational wagering decisions.

For example, most players know that betting to win on a horse that is 2-5 or less doesn’t make a lot of sense. To make any money on such steeds, a gambler would need to cash at least 71 percent of the time, which is extremely unlikely (not to mention the fact that the place and show payoffs would probably be just as high if not higher than the win return, making a win bet look that much more foolish).

Yet very few punters take the next logical step and assign specific minimum betting odds to all (or even some) of the race contenders.

This is where a fair odds line comes in.

A fair odds line attempts to quantify a handicapper’s feelings about a particular race and provide a framework for better money management decisions. Statements like “I knew I should have used that horse” are, theoretically at least, foreign to one who employs a fair odds line on a regular basis.

Betting Odds Presidential Election

This is because bets are made — or not made — depending on whether the horse in question is an overlay (post-time odds greater than its fair odds) or underlay (post-time odds less than its fair odds). As a result, the angst of deciding whether or not to include a horse in one’s wagers is, in effect, made by the betting public.

So, without further ado, let’s move on to the main course — constructing the line:

• For every horse, assign odds that you think are fair. If it helps, use the morning line as a guide.
• Convert these odds to a percentage. Because I am such a kindhearted guy, I have included a chart, as well as a link to an Excel spreadsheet program, to make this process easier.
• Add all the individual percentages together to get the total line percentage. If this number is exactly 100 percent (plus or minus a few tenths of a point due to rounding discrepancies), you have what is known as a “true” line, which is what I personally strive for.

However, many value handicappers like to mirror the tote board and include takeout and breakage in the equation. In this case, a total line percentage of up to 125 percent is OK. Beyond that, though, I would suggest re-calculating or massaging your fair odds. Perhaps the horse you listed at 2-1 should be 5-2 instead. Maybe a couple of the horses you tabbed at 15-1 should really be 20-1. Continue making adjustments like this until the total line percentage meets your goal.

Click HERE to get your free Fair Odds Calculator.

Actually using the fair odds line is a piece of cake: just concentrate on betting overlays and eliminating underlays.

Of course, I’m aware of the fact that this is easier said than done and will almost surely require practice and a fair amount of patience. Underlays you tossed will win — sometimes at or above their fair odds, thanks to an influx of late money into the pool; overlays you wagered on will magically transform into underlays for the same reason.

But don’t give up. Remember, most gamblers lose because they bet too many underlays. The legendary punter George E. Smith (“Pittsburg Phil”) said it best when he noted: “You cannot be a successful horse player if you are going to get the worst of the price all the time.”

Betting Odds Meanings

Fair odds ensure that you don’t.

Now, before I leave this subject there are two important things to consider as you move along the path toward becoming a value bettor:

1. A horse is not an overlay or underlay just because your fair odds say it is. After all, your line could be — and in many cases is — wrong.
2. Don’t get overly cocky and dismiss the crowd’s opinion entirely. If a horse that you think should be 5-2 is 20-1 on the board, ask yourself why. Is there something you missed, a factor that you weighted too heavily or too lightly? In other words, look for errors in your calculations before you rush to the windows to bet your life savings.

Also, be sure to test your fair odds. They should win at the rate you say they do. What’s more, they should keep winning at that rate (or very close to it) as the actual odds vary. If your 2-1 shots win a third of the time overall, but only one percent of the time when the horse is a supposed overlay, you’ve definitely got a problem.

In regard to your fair odds line itself, it pays to keep in mind something that betting guru Dick Mitchell learned in the course of his fair odds studies. After years of trying to find a line that adequately reflected the performance of the top three wagering choices (again, contrary to what racetrack charlatans proclaim, the betting pools are generally efficient), Mitchell heard a television commentator discuss the “80/20 rule.”

How Betting Odds Are Made Definition

First advanced by business consultant Joseph M. Juran, the 80/20 rule, or Pareto Principle, is the notion that 80 percent of all consequences stem from just 20 percent of all causes. 20 percent of the world’s population control 80 percent of its resources, 20 percent of the people on Earth possess 80 percent of the talent (not necessarily the same 20 percent, mind you) and so forth and so on.

From a betting standpoint, Mitchell realized that a fair odds line should reflect that same fundamental truth. Hence, he began assigning 80 percent of his ratings to his top contenders and the remaining 20 percent to the rest of the field — with great success.

How To Read Odds Betting

I bring this up because many rookie line makers will find that their fair odds are too similar — a lot of 3-1, 4-1 and 6-1 chances — and not very reflective of real-life betting tendencies (which should always be one of the goals). By reassigning 80 percent (or thereabouts) of the probabilities to one’s top choices, this can be avoided.