You may think your bookie is usually close to the best odds but there are always many examples where every bookie is far from being the best odds. This tool shows you the difference which 20% better odds can make to your profit/loss over a year. EG if you bet £30 per day and typically win £1 per day then just a 5% increase in your average odds would more than double your profits from £365 per year to £730 per year! If you don't currently shop around for the best odds try this quick test to see how much money you are throwing away - more than you think we expect. Comparing the odds of your selections would be very time consuming if you were going to each bookmaker's website to check the prices of everything you fancy and then comparing them yourself to see which offers the most value. The fact that everything is compared on one page on one matrix and the best prices are highlighted makes the whole process much easier and quicker, giving you more time to spend studying the form. First of all, you are going to need to know what you want to back. Visit an odds comparison site and select the sport you want to bet on from the tabs at the top of the page.
| Bookmaker | Manchester City Win | Draw | Liverpool Win |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bet365 | 2.10 | 3.60 | 3.40 |
| William Hill | 2.05 | 3.50 | 3.50 |
| Pinnacle | 2.15 | 3.65 | 3.30 |
| Betfair | 2.12 | 3.55 | 3.45 |
Click on the event and you will be brought to the odds comparison page. There is also the ability to change the odds to whichever format you are comfortable dealing with. Punters can choose between decimal, fractional and American odds and this can easily be changed using the drop down in the top right-hand corner of the page.
Indicates what you must bet to make £100 profit. Here are some examples of US bets, how they would work and how much the bookies will pay out for a win. +250: Bet £100, win £250, profit £350 +250: Bet £10, win £25, profit £35 -125: Bet £125, win £25, profit -£100 -125: Bet £10, win £2, profit -£8 To convert US odds to percentages, use these rules: The odds themselves are the profit therefore the percentage of return is the odds + 100% of the wager. You can use this to work out how much money will be returned if you win. With odds of +250 this equals 250%.
If you wager £100, with a successful bet you would profit £250 including the betted £100 equaling 350%. To convert favourites odds to a percentage, use the formula 100 – (10000 / +odds) the bettor bets £100 with -125 odds. This equals 20% of what you wagered. Therefore £100 * 20% equals a £20 return or an £80 loss. To calculate the probability from an underdog American odds, use the same method as fractional odds. Once you have found the best odds, click on the odds displayed to be taken straight to the bookmaker to place your bet. Finding out which bookmaker has the best odds on one selection is very simple when using odds comparison sites but what if you are placing a more complex betting accumulator or any other type that involves multiple selections?
Fortunately most odds comparison sites will now allow you to put each selection you want to back into a bet basket.
The odds available on any selection will often vary by up to 50%! It is hard enough to make a profit from betting as it is, by not backing at best price every time you are seriously handicapping your chances of making betting pay. By just gaining 20% better odds you could double your winnings! You hear this talk about 20% better odds, especially from the betting exchanges but is that the case? The answer is that it is very common for odds to vary by way more than 20% between the worst odds and the best for any outcome. When you have added all your selections that you want to bet on you are able to view your bet basket and see which bookie offers the best combined odds on all of your selections. Each bookie's odds on each accumulator will be displayed so that you can be sure you are getting the best odds and it is worth remembering that differences in odds as they can be huge!
Using the example +250 odds with a £100 bet. Divide the odds by 100 and use the formula (y / (x + y)) * 100 where odds are x/y. (1 / (2.5 + 1)) * 100 (1 / 3.5) * 100 0.2857 * 100 28.57% win probability To calculate the probability from a favourites American odds, use the same formula as above but subtract the final number from 100. 100 – ((1 / (2.5 + 1)) * 100) 100 – ((1 / 3.5) * 100) 100 – (0.2857 * 100) 100 – 28.57 71.43% win probability. The William Hill website automatically does this for you.
On desktop you can see the option to change the odds format in the top right. On mobile, this is located at the bottom of the menu. To convert decimal odds to fractional odds use the formula (x – 1.00) and place over 1. For example: 6.00 odds 6.00 – 1.00 = 5.00 = 5/1 You may need to simplify the fraction like this more complicated example. 5.50 odds 5.50 – 1.00 = 5.5/1 = 11/2 To convert decimal odds to American odds, you will need to determine which formula you use based on the decimal value. Odds comparison sites not only compare the prices from all of the top bookmakers, but also the most reputable betting exchanges. Some betting exchanges charge 5% commission, but the odds displayed on their sites don't take this commission into account which can sometimes be confusing, especially If you are trying to decide if a traditional bookmaker or betting exchange is best. That commission is sometimes taken into account on odds matrix but on others it is not.
Check out William Hill’s latest sports betting odds. With hundreds of different betting sites, finding the best can be confusing. I'll guide you through and find the most suitable bookie for you. Our deep-dive article reveals the ins and outs of Odds Comparison, a game-changing approach that can significantly boost your betting prowess. By understanding how to compare odds effectively, you'll gain a competitive edge, ensuring you make informed betting decisions.
Read on to transform the way you bet and capitalize on the benefits this technique has to offer. Odds Comparison tools compare the bookmaker's prices offered on every event so that you can pick the selection with the best odds to place your bet. The example below is from the PDC World Darts Championship 2025. Odds as you see can vary significantly between bookmakers, especially now that odds are available from a few days before in football or the night before for daily horse racing. Add in Ante Post odds such as those above and you can see why using an odds comparison tool is essential for the 21st-century punter. When it is automatically set to reduce the available odds by commission you can compare the correct exchange prices with the traditional bookmaker prices.
| Selection | Betfair Exchange (Back) | Betfair Exchange (Lay) | Average Bookmaker Odds | Liquidity on Exchange |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team X to Win | 2.20 | 2.22 | 2.10 | £250,000 |
| Team Y to Win | 3.50 | 3.55 | 3.40 | £180,000 |
| Draw | 3.80 | 3.85 | 3.60 | £95,000 |
If you pay less than 5% commission then there is also the ability to change the commission rate on the site. Odds comparisons will usually have some extra time saving tools to help the punters, they can also feature a section on where to access any special offers and free bets.
For decimal odds 2.00 or greater use the formula (decimal odds – 1) * 100. Example: (3.56 – 1) * 100 2.56*100 = +256 For decimal odds lower than 2.00 use the formula -100 / (decimal odds – 1). Example: -100 / (1.20 – 1) -100 / 0.20 = -500 To convert fractional odds to decimal odds use the formula: If the fraction is x/y then (x / y) + 1.00 Example: (5 / 1) + 1.00 5 + 1.00 = 6.00 Or a more complicated example: (7 / 3) + 1.00 2.33 + 1.00 = 3.33 To convert fractional odds to American odds you need to determine what formula to use based on the fraction value if the fraction is equal to x/y. For fractions greater 1, use the formula (x / y) * 100. Example: 5/1 Fractional odds (5 / 1)* 100 5 * 100 = +500 For fractions lower than 1 use the formula -100 / (x / y) Example: 3/7 Fractional odds -100 / (3 / 7) -100 / 0.4286 = -233 To convert American odds to decimal odds, you need to choose the formula based on whether the American odd is an underdog (positive number) or a favourite (negative number).
To convert underdog odds to decimal odds use the formula (+x /100) + 1 +400 American odds (400/100) + 1 4+1 = 5.00 To convert favourite odds to decimal odds 100 divided by the positive moneyline amount and add 1. -400 American Odds (100 /400) + 1 0.25 + 1 = 1.25 To convert American odds to decimal odds, you need to choose the formula based on whether the American odd is an underdog (positive number) or a favourite (negative number). To convert underdog odds to fractional odds, use the formula x / 100 then simplify the fraction if possible. A more complicated example +350 American odds 350 / 100 3.5 = 7 / 2 To convert favourites odds to fractional odds, use the formula -100 / x -100 / -400 0.25/1 * 1000/1000 = 250/1000 The greatest common denominator is 250. A more complicated example: -650 American odds -100 / -650 0.15/1 * 1000/1000 = 150/1000 The greatest common denominator is 50 (150/50)/(1000/50) 3/20 Ready to put your new knowledge into practice? One of the tools available is the Bet Basket. Most people who bet on the 1x2 markets on football each week combine their fancied selections to form an accumulator whilst doubles and trebles can be popular bets on other sports too.
You can spot which bookie is best for each bet on the relevant market pages but it is more complicated comparing the combined odds of several selections and this is where the Bet Basket comes in.
A price from one bookmaker may offer no each bet sports betting bonus sign up way value, but with another would give you a decent return on your investment. The prices are usually compared on a matrix, with all of the possible outcomes of the event down the left-hand side and the bookmakers' prices in columns along the top. For example, odds comparison sites such as ValueChecker compare odds from many of the best betting sites and the leading betting exchanges. Most OLBG members who are trying to win the monthly tipping prizes are always aware of odds comparison data., Having accounts with as many of these bookmakers and exchanges as possible is a must; you can then always get the best odds on your bet. We know the key to any chance of long-term betting profitability is value betting and without having access to the biggest odds, you will be putting yourself at a disadvantage.