An odds number does not explain itself. Decimal 1.90 and Hong Kong 0.90 can describe the same full-win cash return, while the number 0.90 would not be interpreted as decimal odds in the same way. Confirm the format before doing arithmetic or comparing two records.
All calculations below are fictional teaching examples for fully winning or fully losing cash bets. They exclude fees, commission, bonuses and partial settlements. They are not quotations for a current fixture.
Decimal odds include the returned stake
For a full win at decimal odds D, total return is stake multiplied by D. Net profit is stake multiplied by D minus 1. At decimal 1.90 with a 10-unit stake, the return is 19 units: the original 10 plus 9 units of profit. A full loss returns zero and loses the 10-unit stake.
Fractional odds describe profit relative to stake
Fractional 9/10 means a full win earns 9 profit units for each 10 staked. Divide the first number by the second and add one to obtain decimal odds: 9 ÷ 10 + 1 = 1.90. Fractional 6/4 similarly converts to decimal 2.50.
Hong Kong odds describe the profit multiplier
At positive Hong Kong odds H, a full win earns stake multiplied by H in net profit, before costs. Add the stake back for total return. Hong Kong 0.90 therefore gives 9 profit units and 19 returned units on a 10-unit stake, equivalent to decimal 1.90 in this simple example.
| Format | Displayed odds | Stake | Full-win profit | Full-win return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decimal | 1.90 | 10 | 9 | 19 |
| Fractional | 9/10 | 10 | 9 | 19 |
| Hong Kong | 0.90 | 10 | 9 | 19 |
This conversion applies to the specified formats and the stated full-win example. Do not use it to reinterpret a price labelled with another format or to turn a content purchase price into match odds.
Implied probability is not an accuracy certificate
The reciprocal of decimal odds gives the price-implied probability: 1 ÷ 1.90 is approximately 52.63%. For Hong Kong 0.90, convert to decimal first; using 1 ÷ 0.90 would use the wrong denominator.
In a bookmaker market, implied probabilities can include margin. A quoted price does not independently prove the true probability of the event. To understand a whole market, inspect all relevant mutually exclusive outcomes rather than isolating one number.
Settlement and content prices are separate questions
Handicap and quarter-line markets can return some or all of the stake, so a score must be interpreted under the actual rules. A subscription or individual-tip purchase price is a charge for access, not an odds multiplier. Keep those amounts in separate columns.
When reading OptaTips public selections, record the market, exact line, displayed odds and status together. A number below 1.00 is a reason to confirm the format; it is not, on its own, proof of which format the page uses. Nor should a publication-time price be labelled a closing price without evidence of when it was observed.
Continue with the bookmaker-margin explanation and prediction formats to keep the price format separate from the type of record being evaluated.
For adults aged 18 and over. These explanations do not guarantee a match outcome or profit. Use services only where legal and do not risk funds you cannot afford to lose.
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