Sports Betting Strategies and Tips. The America’s Bookie Sportsbook, as a value added service, provides this intuitive section on how to bet your favorite sports such as baseball, football, basketball, hockey, soccer, horse racing, NASCAR, tennis, and golf. Please refer to our how to bet guides for questions regarding betting tips and advice. American Odds are the default odds at American sportsbooks. These odds are based on winning $100 for a given bet. Betting a Favorite: The odds for favorites will have a minus (-) sign, and represent the money you need to risk to win $100. So if you're betting on the Packers at -140 against the Vikings, that means Green Bay is a slight favorite. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. Also known as the Bradley Act, or just PASPA, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was a sweeping federal regulation that passed in 1992, with the supposed intent of protecting the integrity of sports by making sports betting illegal. At the time the bill was passed, there were sports lotteries in Delaware, Montana, and Oregon.

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The format for betting odds can vary depending on which part of the world you live in. The two most common options used are Decimal and American odds. But what is the difference, how do you calculate returns for each format and convert from one to the other? Read on to find out.

Before we delve into examples on how to calculate bet returns that have been presented in different odds formats, it is important to note that, irrespective of which odds format you use, the potential profit is the same, the presentation just differs.

Odds expression indicating return relative to 100 unit base figure. With money odds, whenever there is a minus (-) you lay that amount to win a hundred dollars, where there is a plus (+) you win that amount for every hundred dollars you bet.

Calculating profits with Decimal odds

Decimal odds are predominantly used in continental Europe, Australia and Canada. The format is a simple numerical representation of the potential return of a bet, which includes the stake amount.

The potential return on a bet quoted in Decimal odds is extremely easy to calculate by simply multiplying the amount you wish to bet by the Decimal odds offered – just remember that the return includes your stake. Here is an example of Decimal odds in a 1X2 soccer market from Pinnacle:

Calculating the potential return for a $100 Bet on Chelsea at 2.270:

Odds x Stake = 2.270 X 100 = 227

As this includes your original $100 stake amount, the potential profit is $127.

Calculating the potential return for a $100 bet on Liverpool at 3.390:

Odds x Stake = 3.390 x 100 = 339

Calculating profits with American odds

American odds are unsurprisingly the default format used in America. They start either with a positive or a negative sign, e.g. -110, or +120. A negative number indicates the amount you must stake to make $100 profit (or the equivalent in your chosen currency) and a positive number indicates how much you might profit if you bet $100 (again, this would be the equivalent in your chosen currency).

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Using the example above, if you bet $124 on the Washington Redskins -2.5 handicap with American odds of -124 and they cover the spread, you will make $100 profit (plus your original $124 stake). If you bet $100 on the Dallas Cowboys +2.5 handicap with odds of +112 and they cover the spread, it will return $112 profit (plus the original $100 stake).

As with any odds format, the potential return and profit from a bet is relevant to the stake amount. Using a $100 bet example is the easiest way to calculate profits with American odds, but below is a simple formula to work out potential returns for any stake.

Negative American odds calculation:

(100/Odds) x stake

Positive American odds calculation:

Odds x (stake/100)

If we use the odds from the above example, you could bet $13.75 on the White Sox at -129 and your potential profit is $10.66:

Using the same example for positive odds, you could bet $15 on the Royals at +119 and your potential profit is $17.85:

Odds x (Stake/100) = 119 x (15/100) = 17.85

Odds conversion table

This table can be used to convert one type of odds format into another. If you have a specific bet or odds you wish to convert, use Pinnacle's Odds Converter.

Whether you use the Decimal or American format, you’ll get the best betting odds with Pinnacle, the ultimate bookmaker with the highest limits and lowest margins.

Decimal odds video explainer

Found this article useful? Why not check out our video that details Decimal and American odds.

American odds video explainer

If you want to watch more educational betting videos, subscribe to the Pinnacle YouTube channel!

The expansion of legal sports betting in the United States offers sports fans the opportunity to engage with their favorite teams and leagues in a new and fun way. The American Gaming Association and our members are committed to making sure you’re playing safely and responsibly. Let’s keep sports betting fun…have a game plan to bet responsibly.

Set a budget and stick to it.

Responsible gaming means enjoying sports betting as a fun and leisurely activity, by playing for limited amounts of time – both in frequency and duration – and with a predetermined budget. You can establish your own limits by developing a set of personal guidelines to determine when and how much to gamble.

Keep it social: play with friends, family, and colleagues.

Sports betting is a form of entertainment. Responsible gaming means keeping sports betting social and ensuring it remains entertaining.

Be informed: learn the details of the games you’re playing.

Utilize resources provided by sports betting operators on the games you’re playing and your odds of winning.

Play with trusted licensed, regulated operators.

State licensed and regulated sportsbook operators are committed to responsible gaming practices and ensuring that their staff are properly trained on responsible gaming policies. Illegal and unregulated sportsbook operators do not have any responsible gaming measures in place, placing consumers at heightened risk.

Where I can bet legally?

Use the interactive sports betting map to see if sports betting is legal in your state, the types of wagering allowed, a list of legal retail sportsbooks and online/mobile, and more.

Sports betting is no longer fun. Where can I get help?

It may be time to step away if sports betting is no longer a fun, affordable activity for you or a loved one. The signs below may indicate that it’s time to take a break or step away from playing.

• Sports betting for longer and longer periods of time
• Lying about the extent of sports betting involved
• Often missing work or school to wager
• Neglecting personal or family responsibilities to wager
• Using sports betting as an escape
• Wagering with money needed for paying bills
• Believing the “big win” will bring sports betting under control

If you’re concerned about a potential gambling problem, take the ten-question self-assessment provided by the National Council on Problem Gambling or call the 24-hour confidential hotline: 1-800-522-4700.

Have A Game Plan^® Partners

The AGA is proud to partner with the gaming and sports industry to advance responsible sports wagering.

As the campaign’s first professional sports league partner, NASCAR is executing co-branded content that encourages new and seasoned sports bettors to “Know When To Pit” and bet responsibly.

American Sports Betting Apps

As the first of the four major leagues to partner with the campaign, the NHL and its teams in legal sports betting jurisdictions will use co-branded materials to promote responsible sports betting online and in arenas during the league’s coming seasons.

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The PGA TOUR aligned with Have A Game Plan to encourage its fans to “Know When to Lay Up” and bet responsibly. The co-branded content will live on social and digital platforms along with public service announcements that will air on PGA TOUR Radio.

American Sports Betting Coalition

FanDuel is the first mobile sportsbook operator to partner with Have A Game Plan and has made a multi-million dollar commitment of its owned media inventory and assets annually toward responsible gaming messaging.