{"id":15125,"date":"2026-08-24T13:25:25","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T10:25:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/7bet.co.uk\/blog\/?p=15125"},"modified":"2026-08-24T15:59:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T12:59:29","slug":"what-is-a-moneyline-bet-and-how-do-they-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/7bet.co.uk\/blog\/what-is-a-moneyline-bet-and-how-do-they-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Moneyline Betting Explained: Meaning, Odds & How It Works"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Moneyline bets are the simplest form of wagering on a sporting event. Its primary goal is to predict the winner of the game. Unlike other bets, <\/span>moneyline betting is not focused on point spreads, the final score, or other aspects of the game. You will find moneyline bets in both team and individual sports betting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In this guide we are going to look at how moneyline bets work, how to read moneyline odds, as well as go through several comprehensive examples. <\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_raw_js el_class=”banner-highlight”]JTNDc2NyaXB0JTIwdHlwZSUzRCUyMnRleHQlMkZqYXZhc2NyaXB0JTIyJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZqcy43YmV0LnBhcnRuZXJzJTJGamF2YXNjcmlwdC5waHAlM0ZwcmVmaXglM0RnMHRwcEFNSVpFbVhyWnp4QzYzOG5XTmQ3WmdxZFJMayUyNmFtcCUzQm1lZGlhJTNENDU5JTI2YW1wJTNCY2FtcGFpZ24lM0Q0MCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNjcmlwdCUzRQ==[\/vc_raw_js][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

What Is a Moneyline Bet?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A <\/span>moneyline bet is a standard betting market where bettors are wagering on the potential winner of the match, game, or event. It is the most common bet in sports betting and applies to essentially any sport with at least two competing sides.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If this bet sounds familiar, it is probably because you have already seen it before, but under a different name. While the term \u201c<\/span>moneyline bet\u201d is commonly used in the United States and several other American countries, punters in the United Kingdom, most of Europe, and some other countries in the world know it as the match win, 1×2, outright win, and others.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since it is largely considered an American term, you will find it in betting on such sports popular in the US as the NFL, basketball, especially the NBA, baseball, and others. But of course, if you want to bet on <\/span>tennis<\/span><\/a>, football (soccer), or any type of martial arts, you can place a wager on moneyline too.<\/span><\/p>\n

The easy to understand concept makes this bet a good first step for beginner bettors. At the same time, since it is directly focused on the outcome of the event, it retains interest among experienced punters too.<\/span><\/p>\n

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What Does Moneyline Mean?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

While names like \u201coutright win\u201d or \u201cmatch win\u201d clearly point to the goal of the bet, where does the name \u201c<\/span>moneyline\u201d come from? The \u201cmoney\u201d part seems to be pretty straightforward, but what \u201cline\u201d are we talking about here?<\/span><\/p>\n

It actually refers to the posted betting terms a bookmaker offers to the bettors. The odds can be expressed in various ways, depending on the nature of the bet. For example, for point spread bets the terms are expressed in points, so in this case we are talking about a point spread line.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In a moneyline, the terms are expressed in monetary value, i.e. they show you how much you stand to win or how much you need to wager to win a certain amount. Hence the \u201cmoney\u201d part.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another point of confusion can be the distinction between \u201cmoneyline\u201d and a \u201cmoneyline bet\u201d. We have already established that the first is the betting terms. The moneyline bet is the actual wager you place on the market. However, in modern <\/span>sports betting<\/span><\/a> you might often hear \u201cmoneyline\u201d used in both cases.<\/span><\/p>\n

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How Do Moneyline Bets Work?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Once we have determined the nature of moneyline, it is time to answer another question: <\/span>how does moneyline betting work<\/b>? As any other sports bet, it shows the implied probability of winning for the teams or players involved. Bookmakers assign odds accordingly, and bettors can wager their money on either the favourite or the underdog.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The favourite is the team or the player that is perceived to have a bigger chance to win the event due to their skill, strength, physical form, or experience. You will find their odds expressed with a minus next to the figure.<\/span><\/p>\n

The underdog, on the other hand, is considered to be more likely to lose for the same reasons. Bookmakers give their odds with a plus next to the number. You can still place a wager on them to win the event.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In this case, you may ask: why bet on an underdog if they are perceived as the one more likely to lose? Well, the thing is that <\/span>moneyline betting<\/b> is gambling, and just like any other type of gambling, the outcome can\u2019t be guaranteed with a 100% certainty. Favourites do lose and underdogs do win, so how you bet depends on your judgement and analysis of the field.<\/span><\/p>\n

Identically to any other bet, if your predicted outcome turns out to be correct, you will get a payout proportional to the offered odds and your stake size. You will notice that a win on the favourite will generally pay less than a win on the underdog because the latters usually have higher odds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This happens because, while nothing is guaranteed, there is a higher chance that the favourite will win. This causes more punters to wager their money on favourites. This means, if the favourite wins, the bookmakers will have to pay out a large amount. To balance this out, they offer lower odds, and correspondingly, a lower return on stakes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For the same reason, underdogs have higher odds and higher payouts. Fewer people risk their bets on someone who is perceived as less likely to win, meaning the bookmakers won\u2019t have to pay out as much, that\u2019s why higher odds are viable.<\/span><\/p>\n

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How to Read Moneyline Odds<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Moneyline odds have their own format, different from fractional or decimal odds. Since the term \u201cmoneyline\u201d is mostly used in American sports betting, these odds are also often referred to as American. Here numbers are given with a plus (+) or a minus (-). The team or player with negative odds is the favourite, while the ones with a plus are the underdog.<\/span><\/p>\n

The negative odds show how much you need to wager to win \u00a3100 (or $100). The formula is 100\/odds x wager. So if the odds are -125 and you stake \u00a310, you will win 100\/125 x 10 = \u00a38. Your total payout will be \u00a38 (winnings) + \u00a310 (initial stake) = \u00a318.<\/span><\/p>\n

The positive odds show how much you stand to win if you wager \u00a3100 (or $100). The formula is slightly different: odds\/100 x wager. So if the odds are +125 and you stake \u00a310, you will win 125\/100 x 10 = \u00a312.5. Your total payout will be \u00a312.5 (winnings) + \u00a310 (initial stake) = \u00a322.5<\/span><\/p>\n

You are less likely to find fractional or decimal odds in <\/span>moneyline betting because the bet will probably be called an outright or a match win. However, it bears repeating how to calculate these odds.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fractional odds represent the favourite if the lower (second) number is higher and the underdog if the upper (first) number is higher. In both cases, the first number determines how much you stand to win if your stake is equal to the second number. The formula is upper number \/ lower number x stake. Then you add the initial stake for the total payout.<\/span><\/p>\n