How to read betting odds (decimal odds explained)
Odds tell you two things: what a winning bet returns, and how likely the bookmaker thinks an outcome is. Golden88 shows decimal odds, the simplest format.
What a bet returns
With decimal odds, multiply your stake by the odds. The result is your total return, which already includes your stake.
Example: a bet of 100 MYR at odds of 1.80 returns 180 MYR if it wins: 100 back plus 80 profit. At odds of 3.40 the same bet returns 340 MYR.
What odds say about chances
Divide 1 by the odds to see the chance the odds imply:
- Odds of 2.00 imply 1 / 2.00 = 50%.
- Odds of 1.50 imply about 66.7%.
- Odds of 3.40 imply about 29.4%.
The margin
Add up the implied chances of every outcome of an event and you get more than 100%. The extra is the bookmaker's margin. Example: two sides priced 1.90 and 1.90 imply 52.6% + 52.6% = 105.3%, a margin of about 5.3%.
This is why a favourite at low odds is not free money: the price already includes the margin.
On the Golden88 match cards
Match cards show a price for each side. W1 is a bet on side 1 (the first team or player) and W2 a bet on side 2. Tap a price to open the sportsbook, where you can see more markets and place your bet.
Keep in mind
Odds describe a bookmaker's view, not a certainty. Never bet money you cannot afford to lose.