Open any Singapore-facing sportsbook and you will see the same match displayed in several odds formats at once. SBOBET, for example, lets you toggle between decimal, Malay, Hong Kong, and Indonesian odds with a single click. That flexibility is useful once you know what you are looking at, but deeply confusing if you do not. This guide breaks down every odds format used in sports betting Singapore, explains how to calculate implied probability and potential payouts, and shows you how the bookmaker margin works so you can spot genuine value.
Decimal Odds Explained
Decimal odds are the global standard and the default display on most platforms accessible from Singapore. They represent your total return per SGD 1 staked, including the original stake. The formula is straightforward:
Total return = stake x decimal odds
Profit = total return - stake
Suppose Liverpool are playing Wolverhampton in the Premier League and SBOBET prices Liverpool at 1.65. A SGD 100 bet returns SGD 165 if Liverpool win. Your profit is SGD 65. If the odds were 2.00 exactly, you would double your money. Anything below 2.00 means the sportsbook considers the outcome more likely than a coin flip; anything above 2.00 means it is considered less likely.
Decimal odds never go below 1.00 in a legitimate market, because that would mean you receive less than your stake even if you win. When you see odds very close to 1.00, such as 1.04, the sportsbook considers the outcome almost certain. Backing heavy favourites at these prices is rarely worthwhile because a single loss wipes out dozens of wins.
Fractional Odds
Fractional odds are the traditional British format and still appear on some Singapore-accessible sportsbooks, particularly for horse racing and UK football markets. They show profit relative to stake as a fraction.
- 5/1 means SGD 5 profit for every SGD 1 staked. A SGD 100 bet returns SGD 600 (SGD 500 profit plus your SGD 100 stake).
- 1/2 means SGD 1 profit for every SGD 2 staked. A SGD 100 bet returns SGD 150 (SGD 50 profit plus SGD 100 stake).
- Evens (1/1) means equal profit to stake. A SGD 100 bet returns SGD 200.
To convert fractional odds to decimal: divide the numerator by the denominator and add 1. So 5/1 becomes (5 / 1) + 1 = 6.00, and 1/2 becomes (1 / 2) + 1 = 1.50.
Malay Odds
Malay odds are the native format on SBOBET and cause the most confusion for new Singapore bettors. They use positive and negative values that work differently from each other.
Positive Malay Odds
A positive Malay number represents your profit per unit staked. Malay odds of +0.85 mean a SGD 100 bet returns SGD 85 profit if you win, plus your SGD 100 stake back, for a total of SGD 185. This is equivalent to decimal odds of 1.85.
Conversion: decimal = Malay + 1
Negative Malay Odds
A negative Malay number indicates how much you must risk to win one unit. Malay odds of -0.85 mean you risk SGD 85 to win SGD 100. If you bet SGD 100 at -0.85 and win, your profit is SGD 100 / 0.85 = SGD 117.65. If you lose, you forfeit the full SGD 100.
Conversion: decimal = (1 / |Malay|) + 1
So Malay -0.85 converts to (1 / 0.85) + 1 = 2.176 in decimal. Negative Malay odds always correspond to decimal odds above 2.00, meaning the outcome is considered the underdog side of the market.
Hong Kong Odds
Hong Kong odds show net profit per unit staked, similar to positive Malay odds but always expressed as a positive number. They are easy to read: Hong Kong odds of 0.90 mean SGD 90 profit on a SGD 100 bet. Hong Kong odds of 1.50 mean SGD 150 profit on a SGD 100 bet.
Conversion: decimal = HK odds + 1
Hong Kong 0.90 = decimal 1.90. Hong Kong 1.50 = decimal 2.50. This format is popular on platforms that serve the Greater China market and appears occasionally on SBOBET as a selectable option.
Indonesian Odds
Indonesian odds work like a scaled-up version of Malay odds. They use whole numbers instead of decimals.
- Positive Indonesian odds (e.g., +1.50): You win 1.50 units per unit staked. A SGD 100 bet at Indo +1.50 returns SGD 150 profit. Equivalent to decimal 2.50.
- Negative Indonesian odds (e.g., -1.50): You must stake 1.50 units to win 1 unit. A SGD 150 bet at Indo -1.50 returns SGD 100 profit. Equivalent to decimal 1.667.
Conversion (positive): decimal = Indo + 1. So +1.50 becomes 2.50.
Conversion (negative): decimal = (1 / |Indo|) + 1. So -1.50 becomes (1 / 1.50) + 1 = 1.667.
The Indonesian format is most common on platforms serving the Indonesian market but frequently appears alongside other formats on SBOBET.
Calculating Implied Probability
Every set of odds encodes the sportsbook's assessment of how likely an outcome is. Extracting this implied probability lets you evaluate whether the price is fair. The formula using decimal odds is:
Implied probability = (1 / decimal odds) x 100
Decimal odds of 1.90 imply a probability of (1 / 1.90) x 100 = 52.6%. Decimal odds of 3.00 imply 33.3%. Decimal odds of 1.40 imply 71.4%. If you believe a team's true chance of winning is 60% and the sportsbook prices them at decimal 1.90 (implying only 52.6%), those odds represent value. Over hundreds of similar bets, that edge compounds into long-term profit.
Being able to estimate true probability is the core skill that separates recreational bettors from profitable ones. It requires studying form, squad news, tactical matchups, and historical data. Our Premier League betting guide covers this in the context of EPL football.
Calculating Potential Payouts
Here is a worked example using a real match scenario. Arsenal host Aston Villa in Matchweek 5 of the Premier League. The sportsbook prices the match as follows:
| Selection | Decimal Odds | SGD 100 Bet Returns | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal win | 1.55 | SGD 155 | SGD 55 |
| Draw | 4.20 | SGD 420 | SGD 320 |
| Aston Villa win | 5.80 | SGD 580 | SGD 480 |
The calculation is always the same: multiply your stake by the decimal odds to get total return, then subtract the stake for profit. If you split SGD 50 on the draw (at 4.20) and SGD 50 on Aston Villa (at 5.80), your maximum return on the draw is SGD 210 and on Aston Villa SGD 290, while an Arsenal win loses your entire SGD 100 across both bets. This kind of combination thinking is essential once you start managing a bankroll across multiple selections.
Odds Format Comparison Table
| Decimal | Fractional | Malay | Hong Kong | Indonesian | Implied Probability | SGD 100 Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.40 | 2/5 | +0.40 | 0.40 | -2.50 | 71.4% | SGD 40 |
| 1.65 | 13/20 | +0.65 | 0.65 | -1.54 | 60.6% | SGD 65 |
| 1.90 | 9/10 | +0.90 | 0.90 | -1.11 | 52.6% | SGD 90 |
| 2.00 | 1/1 | -1.00 | 1.00 | +1.00 | 50.0% | SGD 100 |
| 2.50 | 3/2 | -0.67 | 1.50 | +1.50 | 40.0% | SGD 150 |
| 3.50 | 5/2 | -0.40 | 2.50 | +2.50 | 28.6% | SGD 250 |
| 5.00 | 4/1 | -0.25 | 4.00 | +4.00 | 20.0% | SGD 400 |
How the Bookmaker Margin Works
A fair coin flip has a true probability of 50% on each side. At fair odds, both sides would be priced at decimal 2.00. But sportsbooks need to make money, so they price both sides below 2.00 — typically at 1.90 and 1.90 for a balanced market.
The combined implied probability of 1.90 on both sides is 52.63% + 52.63% = 105.26%. That extra 5.26% above 100% is the bookmaker's margin (also called overround, vigorish, or "juice"). It guarantees the sportsbook a profit regardless of the outcome, assuming they balance their book.
To calculate the margin on any two-way market:
Margin = (1/odds A + 1/odds B - 1) x 100
For a three-way market (1X2 football), add a third term. Using the Arsenal vs Aston Villa example above: (1/1.55 + 1/4.20 + 1/5.80 - 1) x 100 = (0.645 + 0.238 + 0.172 - 1) x 100 = 5.5%. That 5.5% is the price you pay for the service of placing the bet.
Lower margins mean better value for you. Asian Handicap markets on SBOBET typically carry margins of 3% to 5%, while 1X2 markets run at 5% to 8%, and exotic markets like correct score can exceed 15%. If you are serious about long-term profitability, stick to markets with tight margins and learn to identify value within them.
Real Football Example: Applying Everything Together
Manchester United vs Newcastle in the Premier League. SBOBET prices the Asian Handicap at Manchester United -0.5 at decimal odds of 1.87. Let us apply everything covered in this guide:
- What the bet means: Manchester United must win outright (by any margin) for your bet to win. A draw or Newcastle win means you lose.
- Malay equivalent: +0.87 (profit of SGD 87 per SGD 100 staked).
- Hong Kong equivalent: 0.87.
- Indonesian equivalent: -1.15 (stake SGD 115 to win SGD 100).
- Implied probability: 1/1.87 x 100 = 53.5%.
- Payout on SGD 200 bet: 200 x 1.87 = SGD 374 total return (SGD 174 profit).
- Margin check: The other side (Newcastle +0.5) is priced at 2.02. Margin = (1/1.87 + 1/2.02 - 1) x 100 = (0.535 + 0.495 - 1) x 100 = 3.0%. Very tight — good value for both sides.
If your research tells you Manchester United's true win probability is closer to 58%, those odds represent genuine value. The implied probability is 53.5% but you believe the real number is 58%, giving you a 4.5 percentage point edge. Over 100 such bets, that edge adds up.
Which Odds Format Should You Use?
If you are new to legal sports betting in Singapore, start with decimal odds. They are the most intuitive format, used in most educational resources, and make payout calculations simple. Once you are comfortable, learn Malay odds, as they are the native format on SBOBET and many SBOBET-powered platforms. Understanding Malay odds removes the need for mental conversion and helps you react faster when live betting opportunities arise.
Whichever format you use, the underlying mathematics are identical. A bet priced at decimal 1.90, Malay +0.90, Hong Kong 0.90, or fractional 9/10 pays exactly the same amount. Choose the format that lets you think fastest and convert to implied probability most naturally.