Positive: 100 / (Odds + 100)
The Moneyline is the absolute purest bet in all of sports. There are no confusing point spreads, no win-by margins, and no complex rules. You simply pick which team you think will win the game outright. If your team wins, your ticket cashes. It is that simple.
However, while picking a winner is easy, calculating how much money the sportsbook will actually pay you is highly complicated. Our free online Moneyline Odds Calculator instantly translates the confusing American plus (+) and minus (-) odds into real dollars. Simply enter your wager amount and the moneyline odds, and the calculator will generate your pure profit, total payout, and the bookmaker’s implied probability of that team winning.
How to Read Moneyline Odds (+ vs. -)
In American sports betting, moneyline odds are heavily anchored around the number $100. To balance the betting action between a heavy favorite and a massive underdog, the sportsbook alters the payout math using Plus and Minus symbols.
| The Symbol | What it Means | The $100 Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Minus Odds (-) | The Favorite | Tells you exactly how much money you must risk to win $100 in profit. (e.g., A -150 moneyline means you must risk $150 just to win $100). |
| Plus Odds (+) | The Underdog | Tells you exactly how much money you will win if you risk exactly $100. (e.g., A +200 moneyline means a $100 bet yields a massive $200 in pure profit). |
Understanding Pure Profit vs. Total Payout
The most common mistake new sports bettors make is confusing their pure profit with their total payout at the cashier window. Here is exactly how the calculator breaks down your winnings.
| Financial Metric | The Definition | Example ($50 Bet on a +150 Underdog) |
|---|---|---|
| Pure Profit | The actual new money you won from the sportsbook. | $75.00 |
| Total Payout | Your pure profit, plus the return of your original $50 wager. This is the total cash handed to you at the window. | $125.00 |
If you prefer to bet on the margin of victory rather than the outright winner, switch over to our Point Spread Calculator. To combine multiple moneyline bets into one massive, high-risk ticket, utilize our Parlay Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the difference between a Moneyline and a Point Spread?
A Moneyline bet simply requires your team to win the game outright, regardless of the final score. A Point Spread bet requires your team to “cover” a mathematical margin. If you bet on a heavily favored team against the Point Spread, they must win the game by a specific amount of points (e.g., winning by 7+ points) for your ticket to cash.
What does “Pick ’em” or “PK” mean on a Moneyline?
If a sportsbook lists a game as a “Pick ’em” (PK) or uses the abbreviation “Ev” (Even Money), it means they believe the two teams are so perfectly matched that there is no mathematical Favorite or Underdog. If you bet $100 on an Even Money line, your pure profit will be exactly $100.
Why do both teams sometimes have Minus (-) odds?
This is how the sportsbook guarantees they make money! If you see a game where both teams are listed at -110, the bookmaker is heavily taxing the bets. This mathematical tax is known as “The Vig” or “The Juice.” It forces bettors on both sides to risk $110 just to win $100, mathematically guaranteeing the sportsbook turns a profit regardless of which team wins the game.