What does -125 mean in betting?
-125 means you risk $125 to win $100, or $12.50 to win $10. The price says it wins 55.6% of the time, so you need to win more than 55.6% of your bets at -125 to make money.
In plain words
-125 is close to a coin flip with the book's cut built in. It usually sits across from +105 on the other side of a spread, a total or a player prop.
Add the two chances: 55.6% + 48.8% = 104.3%. The extra 4.3% is the book's cut, called the juice or the vig. It is why you need 55.6% at -125, not 50%, to break even.
This is where shopping for the price pays most. The same pick at -120 instead of -125 wins $3.33 more on every $100 bet that wins.
Where you see -125
A shaded price on a spread, a total or a player prop: the book leans to this side without moving the number itself.
100 bets at -125
| Win rate | Wins in 100 | Result on 100 bets of $10 |
|---|---|---|
| 52.6% | 52.6 | -$54 |
| 55.6% (break-even) | 55.6 | $0 |
| 58.6% | 58.6 | +$54 |
Three points above break-even turns 100 bets of $10 at -125 into about $54 of profit; three points below loses about the same. The edge is the few points, not the pick.
Prices next to -125
| Price | Chance | $10 wins | Bet to win $100 |
|---|---|---|---|
| -150 | 60.0% | $6.67 | $150 |
| -140 | 58.3% | $7.14 | $140 |
| -130 | 56.5% | $7.69 | $130 |
| -125 | 55.6% | $8 | $125 |
| -120 | 54.5% | $8.33 | $120 |
| -115 | 53.5% | $8.70 | $115 |
| -110 | 52.4% | $9.09 | $110 |
One step better for you, -120 pays $3.33 more than -125 on every $100 bet that wins.
Convert -125 or any other price, see what a ticket pays, or get a suggested bet size for your bankroll.
Questions
What does -125 mean in betting?
-125 means you risk $125 to win $100, or $12.50 to win $10. The price says it wins 55.6% of the time, so you need to win more than 55.6% of your bets at -125 to make money.
How much does a $10 bet win at -125?
$8 in profit. You get $18 back in total: your $10 plus the win. A $100 bet wins $80.
What win rate do I need at -125?
More than 55.6% to make money over time. That is the price's implied chance, also called the break-even rate.
What is -125 in decimal odds?
1.8. A $1 bet returns $1.8 in total. As a fraction it is 4/5.
How much juice is in -125?
With +105 on the other side, the two implied chances add up to 104.3%, so the book's cut is about 4.3% of the market.
One pick a day, free, with its price, the book and a suggested bet size, posted at least 30 minutes before the game. Every result stays public.
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