How to read betting odds and work out your return

Every Zambian bookmaker shows decimal odds. The number is what you get back for every K1 staked, including your stake.

The maths

• Odds of 1.85 on a K100 bet return K185: your K100 back plus K85 profit.
• Odds of 2.00 double your money. Anything below 2.00 is the favourite, anything above is the outsider.
• Odds of 8.00 on a correct score return K800 from K100. It lands rarely, which is why the price is big.

Why the same pick is priced differently

Each bookmaker sets its own margin. On a Premier League match result the gap between the best and worst price is often 5 to 10 ticks. That is money left on the table if you always bet at the same site. Our tip pages list the same pick at several bookmakers so you can see it.

Implied chance

Divide 1 by the odds. 1.85 implies a 54% chance. If you think the true chance is higher, the bet has value. If not, leave it.

Accumulators

Odds multiply. 1.85 × 1.70 × 2.05 = 6.45. A K20 stake returns K129 if all three win. Add the win bonus at betPawa, SportyBet or MSport and it grows further.