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Betting & Odds

Implied Probability

Implied probability is the chance of an outcome that is baked into the book odds. It converts a price into a percentage so you can compare it to your own estimate.

The math

For decimal odds, the conversion is simply:

implied probability = 1 / decimal odds

Worked example. Decimal odds of 1.50 imply 1 / 1.50 = 66.7%. Odds of 2.00 imply 1 / 2.00 = 50%. Shorter odds (a heavier favorite) mean a higher implied probability.

The overround (vig)

Add up the implied probabilities of both sides of a match and you get more than 100%. That excess is the overround, also called the vig or juice, and it is the book's built-in margin.

Example. If both players are priced at 1.90, each implies 1 / 1.90 = 52.6%, and the two sum to 105.2%. That extra 5.2% is the house edge. It is why beating the closing price consistently is hard, and why a real model edge has to clear the vig before a value bet exists.

Smashrs always measures edge against these real book-implied probabilities, never against a price invented from the model itself.

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