How to read and calculate football betting odds

The moment of receiving the winnings from a bet in a football match is a fantastic moment that every betting enthusiast desires after long nights of battling. However, the betting industry is continuously evolving with new playing styles and rules, which leads to changes in how football betting payouts are calculated and how football odds are read. Each bookmaker or individual player may have different methods of calculating payouts. To ensure your own benefits, it is recommended to read the analysis below from a reputable wagering website to accumulate more experience.

Calculating Payouts in Football Betting

Knowing how much you win or lose is crucial when participating in betting. Currently, there are various methods to calculate football betting payouts based on the odds provided by bookmakers. These odds are diverse, so it's important to thoroughly understand them to make appropriate choices.

Terms for calculating football betting payouts:

• Full win: Winnings = Initial stake x Odds.
• Half win: Winnings = 1/2 x Initial stake x Odds + Initial stake.
• Full loss: Loss = Initial stake (losing the entire bet).
• Half loss: Loss = 1/2 x Initial stake.

Calculating Payouts in Football Betting

The most detailed guide to reading football odds online

There are three popular types of football betting odds today: Asian Handicap, European odds, and over/under odds. Specifically:

How to read Asian Handicap odds

What is a handicap bet? This concept is also known as Asian Handicap betting, which is a type of bet that relies on the odds provided by European bookmakers. Based on these odds, Asian bookmakers will offer handicap bets specifically for players in the Asian region.

When choosing this type of odds, you can only bet on the upper or lower side; there is no draw option.

0-0 Handicap

When selecting this handicap, if the match ends in a draw, you will get a refund regardless of whether you bet on the upper or lower side. However, if there is a winner, those who bet on the correct winning team will receive a payout.

The amount won or lost is calculated as the initial stake multiplied by the specified odds.

1/4 Handicap

This is commonly referred to as a half-ball handicap. It means that if the match ends in a draw, those who bet on the upper side will win. But if the match has a result of a win or loss, those who bet on the correct handicapped team will win.

The payout is calculated as the initial stake multiplied by the specified odds.

1/2 Handicap

The lower side is given a half-ball handicap compared to the upper side. However, in this handicap, there is no refund for a draw result. It is a win/loss scenario. If you bet on the upper side and they win, you will receive a payout, and vice versa.

3/4 Handicap

This is a simple concept where the handicap is set at three-quarters of a goal.

For example, if you place a bet on Barcelona - Real Madrid, and the score is 1-0, those who bet on the upper side for Barcelona will receive half of their stake as an additional payout, while those who bet on the lower side for Real Madrid will lose half of their stake.

If you want to win the full payout, Barcelona must win by a margin of two goals or more, while the lower side will lose their entire stake.

1.25 Handicap

If you choose this calculation method, the upper side will lose half of the stake if the margin is only one goal. However, they will win the full payout if the margin is two goals or more.

1.5 Handicap

Also known as a 1.5-goal handicap. In this calculation method, the upper side is giving a 1.5-goal handicap to the lower side. If the result is a draw or 1-0, the upper side will lose their entire stake, and vice versa. If they win by a margin of two goals or more, those who bet on the upper side will win.

Additionally, you can explore other handicap options such as 2-2 or 1.75, depending on the bookmaker. It's recommended to gradually learn about them after becoming familiar with the detailed ones.

1.75 Handicap

This is a handicap of one and three-quarters or two goals. The upper side must win by a margin of three goals to secure a victory, or they will receive half of the payout if the winning margin is two goals.

In the event of a draw, the lower side will win the entire stake, which is understandable as the upper side is given a 2.5-goal handicap.

2.25 Betting Odds

With this calculation method, the bettor who chooses the lower side can win. If the winning margin is 2 goals, the lower side will win half of the stake, while the upper side will lose half of the stake.

However, if the winning margin is 3 goals or more, the upper side will win the full payout.

Reading European Football Odds

European odds, also known as 1x2 odds, are explained as follows:

• 1: Betting on the home team, and you win if the home team wins.
• 2: Betting on the away team, and you win if the away team wins.
• X: This represents a draw. If the bookmaker offers a handicap, you win if the two teams draw. Otherwise, you lose.

Reading European Football Odds

Reading Over/Under Odds

Over/Under odds, also known as totals, involve predicting whether the final result will be over (Over) or under (Under) a certain number determined by the bookmaker. The basics are:

• If the total goals scored by both teams in the match is 2, the bettor who chose Under wins, while the bettor who chose Over loses. A popular choice is the 2.5 odds.
• With 1/4 odds, if you bet on Over and there are only 2 goals, you lose half of the stake. However, if there is an additional goal, you win in this bet.
• 2 3/4 odds are challenging. If you bet on Over, you only receive half of the stake as winnings. However, if there are 3 or more goals in the match, you can participate in this bet with these odds.

Conclusion

Football is a popular sport with millions of fans worldwide. It not only provides entertainment after a stressful day but also offers an opportunity to increase income if approached correctly. When betting, understanding how to read football odds and calculate earnings or losses is crucial.

See more: What is sports betting?