Break-Even Calculator

How to use it

1. 1 Enter odds in American, decimal or fractional format to see the win rate needed.
2. 2 Or enter your win rate as a percentage to see the minimum odds that break even.
3. 3 Compare the result with the table of common prices below the calculator.

How break-even works

Your break-even win rate is the share of bets you must win so that profit on winners exactly covers losses on the rest. It equals 1 divided by the decimal odds, which is also the implied probability of the price.

In the other direction, the minimum odds for a win rate p are 1 divided by p in decimal. At 55% that is 1.818 decimal, or about -122 in American odds.

Why -110 needs 52.38%

At -110 you risk $110 to win $100. Winning 52.38 bets out of every 100 returns the same total as the losses on the other 47.62, so you finish level. Below that rate you lose money over time; above it you profit.

That extra 2.38 points above 50% is half of the overround on a -110 / -110 market. The two implied probabilities total 104.76%, so the overround is 4.76% (the hold, the share of money staked that the book keeps with balanced action, is 4.55%). Shopping for -105 instead of -110 lowers the bar to 51.22%.

Worked example

At -110 the decimal odds are 1.909, so you need to win 52.38% of your bets to break even. In the other direction, a bettor who wins 55% needs at least 1.818 decimal (9/11 fractional, -122 American) to break even.

The formula

Frequently asked questions