Betting Odds Explained: How to Read a Price and Its Cost
A price of 2.29 tells you two things: what a winning bet pays, and how likely the book thinks it is. Add up the prices on one match and you also see what the book keeps. Here is each step on one real match.
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Marek HoltUpdated 22 October 20267 min read
Decimal odds explained: what a price pays
Shuffle priced Bayern Munich v Arsenal at 2.29, 3.75 and 3.00 on 21 October 2026. A 10 USDT bet on each:
- Bayern at 2.29
- 22.90USDT back if Bayern win, 12.90 of it profit
- Draw at 3.75
- 37.50USDT back if it is a draw, 27.50 profit
- Arsenal at 3.00
- 30.00USDT back if Arsenal win, 20.00 profit
The rule: stake times odds is what you get back, stake included. Take away the stake and you have the profit. A price below 2.00 pays less than you staked in profit.
How betting odds turn into a probability
Divide 100 by the price and you get the chance the book gives each result, in percent.
- Bayern at 2.2943.67%100 / 2.29
- Arsenal at 3.0033.33%100 / 3.00
- Draw at 3.7526.67%100 / 3.75
- All three added103.67%more than 100%
Three results that cover every outcome should add up to 100%. They add up to 103.67%. The extra 3.67% is the book's margin, its built-in cut.
Betting odds and the book's margin, on one match
The same match at every book that priced it. Lower margin means better prices for you.
BookBayern / Draw / ArsenalMargin
Shuffle2.29 / 3.75 / 3.003.67%
Thrill2.24 / 3.80 / 3.004.29%
Cloudbet2.20 / 3.75 / 3.054.91%
Duelbits2.23 / 3.70 / 3.005.20%
Rainbet2.22 / 3.75 / 2.985.27%
Stake2.16 / 3.80 / 3.055.40%
BC.Game2.20 / 3.70 / 2.966.27%
Sportbet.one2.20 / 3.70 / 2.897.08%
Over many bets, a 3.67% margin keeps about 3.67 USDT of every 100 staked; a 7.08% margin about twice that. Work it out for any market with the betting margin calculator, and see who prices football best on USDT football betting. Bettors who keep beating these prices can have their stakes cut; see why sportsbooks limit winners.
Fractional and American odds explained
The books on this site priced the sample match in decimal odds. The other two formats say the same thing.
- Evens / +100
- 2.00the stake back twice over
- 2/1 / +200
- 3.002 profit for every 1 staked
- 1/2 / -200
- 1.50stake 200 to win 100
- about 13/10 / +129
- 2.29Shuffle's Bayern price
Fractional odds show profit against stake: 2/1 pays 2 for every 1. American odds show the profit on 100 when positive, and the stake needed to win 100 when negative. Decimal is the fractional figure plus 1. Prediction markets quote a share price in cents instead; see prediction markets vs sportsbooks.
Odds to watch when you bet with USDT
Where the price on the slip is not the whole story.
- Odds-on prices
Below 2.00 the profit is smaller than the stake. 1.30 pays 3 USDT on a 10 USDT bet.
- Minimum odds for bonuses
Many bonuses only count bets above a set price. Dexsport's deposit rule needs 1.3 or more; see minimum odds for bonus rollover.
- Accumulators
The prices multiply, and so does the margin. See accumulator bets explained.
- Live odds
Prices move during the match. See USDT live betting.
- Early payout prices
Thrill's Early Payout prices on Bayern v Arsenal carried 7.66% against 4.29% for its normal prices.
Betting odds explained: FAQ
What do decimal odds of 2.50 mean?
A 10 USDT bet returns 25 USDT if it wins: 15 profit plus your 10 stake.
How do I work out my winnings?
Stake times decimal odds is the return. Take away the stake for the profit.
How do I turn odds into a probability?
Divide 100 by the decimal price. 2.29 is a 43.67% chance.
What does the margin mean?
The share of all stakes the book expects to keep. Add up 100 divided by each price, then take away 100.
Are higher odds better?
For the same result, yes: you get more back. Comparing one match across books shows who pays most.
What are odds-on and odds-against?
Odds-on is below 2.00, where profit is smaller than the stake. Odds-against is above 2.00.
Marek Holt, USDT payments and betting writer. Marek writes about what it costs to bet with USDT: network fees, withdrawal minimums, payout limits and the margin a sportsbook builds into its odds. He lives in Tallinn and has worked with stablecoin payments since 2019. Updated 22 October 2026. Winnings may be taxable where you live; this site gives no tax advice.
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