Football odds look confusing at first because the same price can appear as 2.50, 6/4 or +150 depending on where you look. All three formats describe the same thing: how much you get back for a winning stake, and how likely the bookmaker thinks that outcome is.

Decimal odds are the easiest starting point because the maths is one multiplication. Multiply your stake by the decimal price and you get your total return, stake included. Once you can convert any price to an implied probability, you can compare prices across bookmakers and spot when a price looks generous or skinny.