If you’re a sports bettor, odds are the foundation of your betting experience. They show you the probability that a particular bet will win, and you should have them memorised so you can make better decisions on what bets to place. Whether you want to turn a profit, or you want to simply enjoy the thrill of betting on sport, odds are what separates the pros from the amateurs.

Understanding how to read a odds board can be overwhelming for the beginner. Luckily, the odds calculator allows you to quickly calculate your potential payout by entering your stake and the current odds in American, Decimal or Fractional formats. This will give you an idea of how much you can potentially win based on your current wagers and will help narrow down the available bets to those that offer the best profits.

One of the most important things you can learn is that a sportsbook’s lines are not necessarily a reflection of what will happen in a game. Instead, they are designed to attract roughly equal action on both sides of a bet to protect themselves from huge losses. The sharpest punters are able to take advantage of this by betting against the public and finding value.

The best way to find value is to start with the major stats and big picture items, before working your way down to smaller detail – like team records, defensive and offensive trends and coaching changes. By taking this approach, a customer can aim to make 55% winning bets, or even 60-65% if they are willing to increase their risk level.