Calculations

forms of odds

(a) fractional odds


British (fractional odds) - expressed as a fraction, with the numerator representing the amount of profit you will win for every unit of stake, and the denominator representing the amount of your stake

f=f1f2f=\frac{f_1}{f_2}

f1,f2f_1,f_2 are two integer components that make up the displayed odds

after the division of the displayed odds ff is the decimal form (not to be confused with decimal odds) of the fractional odds

w=p+pαβ=p(1+αβ)w=p+p \frac{\alpha}{\beta}=p\left(1+\frac{\alpha}{\beta}\right)

(b) decimal odds


European (decimal odds) - represent the amount of money you will win for every unit of money you stake (excluding stake)

dd

dd is a decimal float that is a multiplier of your stake that results in the amount you will win

w=pdw=pd

(c) money line odds


American (money line odds) - expressed as a positive or negative number, with the positive number representing the amount of money you will win for every $100 you stake, and the negative number representing the amount of money you need to stake in order to win $100

±m\pm m

mm is a figure that shows how much you will win or how much you need to win

one odd can be expressed positively or negatively, depending on how you want to view the odds


depending on the value of the fractional odds or decimal odds or money line odds (ultimately depending on which side of even) different formulas must be used, this is common practise in the betting industry

obviously you can ignore which specific formula you “should” use and and put the value into either of the two formulas, resulting in two money line values for the corresponding one fractional value and one decimal value



converting forms of odds

fractional \leftrightarrow decimal


fractional odds and decimal odds are equivalent apart from the fractional form includes original stake

f=f1f2=d1d=f1f2+1=f+1f=\frac{f_1}{f_2}=d-1\quad \Leftrightarrow \quad d=\frac{f_1}{f_2}+1=f+1

moneyline \leftrightarrow decimal


{1d<2m100}d=1100mm=1001d\{1\leq d<2\cup m\leq-100\} \quad d=1-\frac{100}{m} \quad \Leftrightarrow \quad m=\frac{100}{1-d}
{2d100m}d=1+m100m=100(d1)\{2\leq d \leq \infty \cup 100\leq m \} \quad d=1+\frac{m}{100} \quad \Leftrightarrow \quad m=100(d-1)

moneyline \leftrightarrow fractional


{0f<2m100}m=100ff=100m\{0\leq f<2\cup m\leq-100\} \quad m = -\frac{100}{f} \quad \Leftrightarrow \quad f=-\frac{100}{m}
{2f100m}m=100ff=m100\{2\leq f \leq \infty \cup 100\leq m \}\quad m=100f \quad \Leftrightarrow \quad f= \frac{m}{100}

standard calculations

implied probability of payout


from betting odds we can determine the implied probability of that outcome occuring

αβp=αα+β\frac{\alpha}{\beta} \quad \Rightarrow \quad p=\frac{\alpha}{\alpha+\beta}

pp is the implied probability of odds αβ\frac{\alpha}{\beta}


general winnings and stakes


when a bet wins the original stake is returned with the addition of the stake multiplied the odds

w=p+pαβ=p(1+αβ)w=p+p \frac{\alpha}{\beta}=p\left(1+\frac{\alpha}{\beta}\right)

ww is the winnings (including the initial placement)

pp is the value of bet place

αβ\frac{\alpha}{\beta} are the odds


optimal ratios

specific winnings and stakes


each outcome has a winning associated with the stake placed on that outcome

w1=p1(1+αβ)w2=p2(1+γδ)wn=pn(1+ψω)w_1=p_1\left(1+\frac{\alpha}{\beta}\right) \quad w_2=p_2\left(1+\frac{\gamma}{\delta}\right) \quad \cdots \quad w_n=p_n\left(1+\frac{\psi}{\omega}\right)

w1,w2,...,wnw_1,w_2,...,w_n are the corresponding winnings of every outcome

p1,p2,...,pnp_1,p_2,...,p_n are the respective stakes placed on each outcome


introducing total stake, budget


bettor’s have limited budget for each event which is to be split amongst the outcomes in the optimal way

w1=a1z(1+αβ)w2=a2z(1+γδ)wn=anz(1+ψω)w_1=a_1 z\left(1+\frac{\alpha}{\beta}\right) \quad w_2=a_2 z\left(1+\frac{\gamma}{\delta}\right) \quad \dots \quad w_n=a_n z\left(1+\frac{\psi}{\omega}\right)
a1+a2++an=1a_1+a_2+\cdots+a_n=1

a1,a2,...,ana_1,a_2,...,a_n are the ratios of the budget to be placed on each outcome (to be calculated)

zz is the total budget for the scenario (determined by operator)


condition for optimal ratio


the optimal ratio of placement of stakes occurs when the winnings of every outcome are equal

max(a1(1+αβ)=a2(1+γδ)==an(1+ψω){0<a1+a2++an<1})\max\left(a_1\left(1+\frac{\alpha}{\beta}\right)=a_2\left(1+\frac{\gamma}{\delta}\right)=\cdots=a_n\left(1+\frac{\psi}{\omega}\right)\left\{0<a_1+a_2+\cdots +a_n<1\right\}\right)

calculating optimal ratio


optimal ratio can be calculated by manipulation of the two expressions, making ana_n the subject

a1(1+αβ)=a2(1+γδ)==an(1+ψω)a_1\left(1+\frac{\alpha}{\beta}\right)=a_2\left(1+\frac{\gamma}{\delta}\right)=\cdots=a_n\left(1+\frac{\psi}{\omega}\right)
a1+a2++an=1a_1+a_2+\cdots +a_n=1

for two outcome events

a1=1+b1(1+b1)+(1+b2)a2=1+b2(1+b1)+(1+b2)a_1=\frac{1+b_1}{\left(1+b_1\right)+\left(1+b_2\right)} \quad a_2=\frac{1+b_2}{\left(1+b_1\right)+\left(1+b_2\right)}

for three outcome events

a1=(1+b2)(1+b3)(1+b1)(1+b2)+(1+b1)(1+b3)+(1+b2)(1+b3)a_1=\frac{\left(1+b_2\right)\left(1+b_3\right)}{\left(1+b_1\right)\left(1+b_2\right)+\left(1+b_1\right)\left(1+b_3\right)+\left(1+b_2\right)\left(1+b_3\right)}
a2=(1+b1)(1+b3)(1+b1)(1+b2)+(1+b1)(1+b3)+(1+b2)(1+b3)a_2=\frac{\left(1+b_1\right)\left(1+b_3\right)}{\left(1+b_1\right)\left(1+b_2\right)+\left(1+b_1\right)\left(1+b_3\right)+\left(1+b_2\right)\left(1+b_3\right)}
a3=(1+b1)(1+b2)(1+b1)(1+b2)+(1+b1)(1+b3)+(1+b2)(1+b3)a_3=\frac{\left(1+b_1\right)(1+b_2)}{\left(1+b_1\right)\left(1+b_2\right)+\left(1+b_1\right)\left(1+b_3\right)+\left(1+b_2\right)\left(1+b_3\right)}

for nn outcome events

akth=(j=1n(1+bj)1+bk)i=1n(j=1n(1+bj)(1+bi))a_{k \mathrm{th}}=\frac{\left(\frac{\prod_{j=1}^n\left(1+b_j\right)}{1+b_k}\right)}{\sum_{i=1}^n\left(\frac{\prod_{j=1}^n\left(1+b_j\right)}{\left(1+b_i\right)}\right)}

numerator equals ( product of all ( 1 plus every outcomes odds ) excluding the ithi\text{th} odds )

denominator equals ( sum of all possible n1n-1 collection of ( 1 plus every outcomes odds ) )

quantity of items on denominator equals ( nn choose n1n-1 )