This guide answers the practical question how does betting over under work and shows exactly what +150 pays on totals bets. You will find short formulas, worked examples, and simple rules to avoid common calculation errors. The focus is arithmetic and interpretation: learn how to convert +150 to decimal odds, how to compute profit and total return for common stake sizes, and how to read implied probability as a market price rather than a guaranteed likelihood.

At +150 American odds, profit equals 1.5× the stake and total return equals 2.5× the stake.

Convert +150 to decimal by using 1 + (A/100), which gives 2.50; implied probability is 40 percent.

Over/under payouts follow the listed odds; choosing over or under does not change the payout mechanics.

how does betting over under work: quick answer

An over/under, also called a totals bet, asks whether the combined points from both teams in a game will finish above or below a posted line; the bet wins if your chosen side covers that line, and the payout uses the listed odds rather than which side you pick, so the mechanics are the same for over or for under Investopedia over/under explainer.

How does betting over under work and what does +150 pay?

An over/under bet predicts whether combined points exceed or fall below a posted line; a listed price such as +150 means profit equals 1.5 times your stake and total return equals 2.5 times your stake if the bet wins. Convert to decimal with 1 + (A/100) to use the number in other calculations, and convert to implied probability with 100/(A + 100) to see the market price.

The core payout rule for positive American odds is: total return = stake × (1 + odds/100). For example, at +150 the math gives total = stake × 2.5, which means profit equals 1.5 times the stake and total return equals 2.5 times the stake when the bet wins Investopedia American odds guide.

Key formulas at a glance, written out cleanly: decimal = 1 + (A/100); total = stake × (1 + A/100); implied probability = 100 / (A + 100). These three one-line formulas let you move quickly from American odds to payout and to price interpretation Wikipedia odds overview.

Understanding American odds: what +150 means

Positive American odds show the profit on a standard $100 stake; at +150 the profit is 150 on a 100 stake, so the calculation for profit is stake × (A/100) and for total return is stake × (1 + A/100) Investopedia American odds guide.

Converting to decimal follows the same arithmetic: decimal = 1 + (A/100). Applied to +150, decimal = 1 + 150/100 = 2.50, which means a winning $1 stake returns $2.50 in total, including the original stake Wikipedia odds overview.

Put simply, profit = stake × 1.5 at +150, and total = stake × 2.5. That distinction helps avoid a frequent mistake where people treat the listed number as the full multiplier instead of as the profit-per-100 basis Investopedia American odds guide.

how does betting over under work: payouts and worked examples

Worked example one, using the total formula: with stake = $10 and odds +150, total = 10 × (1 + 150/100) = 10 × 2.5 = $25 in total returned if the bet wins; profit on top of the stake is $15 Investopedia American odds guide.

Worked example two: stake = $50 at +150, total = 50 × 2.5 = $125 returned; profit is $75, and the calculation is identical whether you backed the over or the under because payouts follow the posted odds not the side chosen Investopedia over/under explainer.

Practice payouts and staking in a structured challenge

Try these simple multiplications on paper or in a spreadsheet before you place a bet, so you can confirm the total return and profit for the stake you plan to use.

Learn about FundedPlays Challenges

Worked example three: stake = $100 at +150, total = 100 × 2.5 = $250 returned; profit is $150. Remember these formulas only describe what a winning bet returns and do not guarantee a win or ongoing profit Ohio state regulator sports gaming guide.

When reading a totals market, treat the posted odds as the price you can buy; the side (over or under) does not alter the arithmetic, only the event outcome determines whether you collect the quoted payout American Gaming Association sports betting primer.

Converting +150 to implied probability and why it matters

To convert positive American odds A to implied probability use the formula implied probability = 100 / (A + 100). For +150 that gives 100 / (150 + 100) = 100 / 250 = 0.40, or 40 percent as the market-implied chance that the bet wins Investopedia implied probability explainer.

Interpreting that 40 percent figure requires caution: implied probability is a price measure derived from odds and reflects how the market and the bookmaker priced the event, not an objective or guaranteed measure of how likely the event truly is American Gaming Association sports betting primer.

Practically, implied probability helps you compare two lines or convert odds formats for staking models: converting +150 to decimal 2.50 then using that decimal in multiplications simplifies parlay math and expected-value calculations Wikipedia odds overview.

Step-by-step: how to calculate total return and profit (with formulas)

Follow these numbered steps for any positive American odds to compute profit and total return precisely Investopedia American odds guide. For quick conversion you can also use an online odds converter like TheRundown.

1) Identify the American odds, A, for the leg you are considering.

2) Compute profit using profit = stake × (A/100).

3) Compute total return either as total = stake + profit or total = stake × (1 + A/100).

Worked math for three stake sizes at +150: for $10, profit = 10 × 1.5 = 15 and total = 25; for $25, profit = 25 × 1.5 = 37.50 and total = 62.50; for $75, profit = 75 × 1.5 = 112.50 and total = 187.50 Wikipedia odds overview.

Funded Plays Challenges

Learn about FundedPlays Challenges

Checklist of common calculation errors to avoid: do not treat +150 as a 2.5 multiplier for profit, ensure you convert American to decimal correctly when needed, and watch rounding to cents when you split stakes or build parlays Investopedia American odds guide.

Bankroll and stake sizing for totals bets

Stake sizing matters because odds are prices, not certainties; use a consistent staking plan such as fixed-percentage or fixed-unit staking to limit volatility and avoid oversized losses when a single leg pays +150 but still loses often enough to drain a poorly managed bankroll American Gaming Association sports betting primer.

Example: with a $1,000 bankroll a 1 percent fixed-percentage stake is $10 per bet. At +150 a win returns $25 on a $10 stake, but repeated losses at that stake reduce bankroll gently compared with larger flat stakes, demonstrating how staking rules control drawdown and variance Wikipedia odds overview. (see Funded Plays homepage)

Quick stake calculator to compute a simple percent-based stake

Use whole numbers for percent

Platform or challenge rules may impose specific stake or drawdown limits; always check the program rules or your own loss limits before choosing a stake because payouts depend on winning outcomes and platform limits can restrict how you apply theoretical calculations Ohio state regulator sports gaming guide. (see how Funded Plays evaluations work)

Common mistakes when calculating totals payouts

Typical mistake one: treating +150 as the full multiple of the stake instead of understanding it indicates profit per $100; that confusion leads to overstating expected returns which simple formula checks prevent Investopedia American odds guide.

Typical mistake two: mixing formats and formulas, for example applying decimal multipliers to American-odds numbers without converting first. Convert +150 to 2.50 before multiplying in decimal-based calculators to avoid errors Wikipedia odds overview.

Edge cases to watch: pushes and exact ties on totals lines return the stake in most markets, so they change whether a payout occurs; check market rules so you know when a stake is returned versus lost or paid Investopedia over/under explainer.

One-line fixes: remember profit = stake × (A/100) and total = stake × (1 + A/100). If in doubt, do the multiplication step by step and verify the cents when you place the bet Investopedia American odds guide.

Real-world scenarios: NBA and NFL over/under worked bets

NBA example: imagine a game with a totals line around 215 and the over priced at +150. A $20 over at +150 returns total = 20 × 2.5 = $50 if the combined points exceed 215, giving $30 profit; the same arithmetic would apply if the under were +150 instead, it only matters which side covers the posted line Investopedia over/under explainer.

Minimalist 2D vector split panel showing an NBA scoreboard left and an NFL stadium right with three stake chip stacks and larger payout coin piles representing two and a half times return for odds plus 150 how does betting over under work

NFL example: in a lower-scoring matchup with a totals line around 40 and the under available at +150, a $40 stake returns 40 × 2.5 = $100 on a winning wager, with $60 profit. These examples show how stake size maps directly to returned cash using the same payout rules Wikipedia odds overview.

In both sports, game factors like pace, injuries, and weather influence which side receives a price like +150; the important point for bettors is the arithmetic does not change when those market factors move the price American Gaming Association sports betting primer.

How sportsbooks set totals and odds

Bookmakers and market makers set totals using factors such as team offense and defense metrics, injury news, weather for outdoor sports, and how the market is betting to balance liability and manage risk American Gaming Association sports betting primer.

Odds like +150 reflect both the underlying assessment of the event and the book's desire to manage exposure; that is why one side may be priced at +150 while the other side carries a different number, but the payout math for a winning leg always follows standard formulas Wikipedia odds overview.

Responsible play and regulatory notes

Regulators and industry bodies advise that odds and bet types should be understood before participating and that no wager is a guaranteed source of income; treat payout calculations as pricing information, not as a promise of profit Ohio state regulator sports gaming guide.

Simple safety steps: set pre-commitment limits, track results, use small unit sizes relative to bankroll, and avoid chasing losses. These controls help keep totals betting disciplined and within personal risk tolerance American Gaming Association sports betting primer.

Advanced: combining odds and cross-format conversions

When you build parlays, convert each American leg to decimal first. For +150 convert to 2.50, then multiply decimals across legs and multiply the final product by your stake to estimate total parlay payout; remember the parlay only pays if every leg wins Wikipedia odds overview. For an online converter you can also try AceOdds.

Checklist for conversions: convert American to decimal using decimal = 1 + (A/100), confirm decimals are used consistently when multiplying, and avoid applying the American profit formula across multiple legs without conversion, which double-counts the stake Investopedia American odds guide.

Summary: what +150 means for over/under bettors

Key takeaways: +150 means profit equals 1.5 times the stake and total return equals 2.5 times the stake; use total = stake × (1 + A/100) to compute returns quickly Investopedia American odds guide.

Implied probability conversion reminder: implied = 100 / (A + 100), so +150 implies a 40 percent market-implied chance. Use that as a price measure to compare lines, not as an absolute probability of the event occurring Investopedia implied probability explainer.

Final practical note: always confirm stake and payout before you submit a wager and keep betting disciplined with sensible limits since payout math applies only to winning bets and does not change the underlying risk American Gaming Association sports betting primer.