Betting on low odds

Players who build their strategy on low or small/short odds, between 1.10 (1/10) and 1.40 (2/5), follow one main principle. They broadly consider that it’s a safe way to secure profits by minimizing the risk. Each market’s prices reveal two things; the probability of an outcome happening and how much a player can win by placing a wager on them. When betting on low odds, the winning chances are high, and the returns small because you mainly back favorites. There are specific factors to check before deciding if this is a suitable strategy. How often favorites win, the ideal staking plan, avoiding hidden losses, and choosing the online bookmakers with the best prices are just a few.

Read on to comprehend how to build a low odds betting strategy with a primary target to protect your entire bankroll in the long run.

What does low odds mean in betting

It’s crucial to recognize what the odds of a market represent. All the offered prices hide a winning percentage behind, known as implied probability. Even if you place a bet at 1.01 (1/100) odds, the winning probability of the outcome is 99,01%; that means a 0,99% chance of losing, which is an extremely low but real possibility.

Meanwhile, the low odds meaning is quite ambiguous. Prices like 1.90 (9/10) might be considered low for a risky bettor seeking underdogs and high for a conservative player who likes backing favorites. In general, bets with prices between 1.10 and 1.40 are considered short. You can read the most common small odds and the winning chances they represent in the table underneath.

Decimal Odds	Fractional Odds	Implied Probability (%)
1.01	1/100	99,01%
1.05	1/20	95,24%
1.10	1/10	90,91%
1.15	3/20	86,96%
1.20	1/5	83,33%
1.25	1/4	80%
1.30	3/10	76,92%
1.35	7/20	74,07%
1.40	2/5	71,43%

How to build the best staking plan for low odds

Low odds betting attracts beginners because they usually consider that short prices are more likely to come through. On the flip side, more advanced bettors chase bigger returns, so they wager with higher stakes. In both cases, following a steady staking plan becomes a necessity. Your primary target should be maximizing your profits, which isn’t possible with only a few bets, as you can check by using our Betting Bankroll Management Calculator. A good staking plan for low odds requires making lots of wagers, and your starting bankroll will ultimately determine that number. Let's break it down:

Decide the amount of money you intend to invest. You can choose a bankroll from €100 to €1,000, for instance.

Divide the initial amount into the number of bets you need to get a profit.

Find the bookmakers with highest odds. Deep research will help you secure higher prices, avoiding losing money (i.e., hidden loss).

How to build a Level staking plan

One of the most common bankroll management plans is the Level Stake, where you bet the same amount for every pick. It seems that you have absolute control of your winning ratio, but you have to deal with the “stake high, win low” strategy betting on small odds. The winning percentage is massive in the long run. Patience is vital because the returns will be meager even if you hit four out of five wagers. Let’s see an example to comprehend the probable bankroll progress, starting with a €100 balance and a flat €10 stake.

Bets	Stake	Odds	Status	Bank
1	€10	1.20	Win	€102
2	€10	1.25	Win	€104.5
3	€10	1.20	Win	€106.5
4	€10	1.40	Win	€110.5
5	€10	1.35	Lose	€100.5

👉 So, you have risked half of your starting bankroll (i.e., €50) on five individual bets, and your returns are €0.50.

What is a low odds challenge?

Snowball, or overclocking, is one of the most common strategies. Trying to build a series of winners and transferring all the total returns to the next bet is a low odds challenge that you can stop at any time. When you reach the profit target is the best time to pause and build a new series without extending the risk. The success key here is to know when to stop. Some bettors set extremely high-profit targets, such as “reaching €10,000 with an initial bankroll of €100.” It would be best to understand that you need about 25 consecutive wins to achieve it, which has a slight chance of happening. Let’s see a practical “Snowball” example with a €100 starting stake.

Bets	Stake	Odds	Status	Bank
1	€100	1.25	Win	€125
2	€125	1.20	Win	€150
3	€150	1.30	Win	€195
4	€195	1.20	Win	€234
5	€234	1.25	Win	€292.5

👉 You have started with a €100 bankroll. After winning five straight bets, you have received total returns worth €292.5, which means a €192.5 pure profit. If you continue, and the sixth bet in a row is a loser, you will see the entire bankroll vanish. So, the rightful decision is to secure your earnings and start over.

How to use the Martingale strategy

The Martingale betting system has a fundamental principle to double the stake of your losing bets until you win. Many reject that high-risk strategy because they can’t afford it. Furthermore, even for those who have the ability to make a colossal investment lurks the danger of losing a vast amount of money quickly. Betting on low odds, you need a €3,100 bankroll to handle at least four losers if you start with €100.

Bets	Stake	Odds	Status	Bank
1	€100	1.20	Lose	-€3,000
2	€200	1.30	Lose	-€2,800
3	€400	1.25	Lose	-€2,400
4	€800	1.40	Lose	-€1,600
5	€1,600	1.35	Win	-€2,160

👉 Losing four successive wagers on low odds might be rare in sports betting, but indeed it happens. Although you won the fifth bet, reducing your losses from €3,100 to €2,160.

Is the 1.10 odds strategy profitable?

As mentioned earlier, the 1.10 (1/10) odds always have a vast 90,91% implied probability to win. Can a bettor build a 1.10 odds strategy and secure returns in the long term? Is it possible to win all the time, even if you place wagers with excellent winning chances? In our opinion, the answer is “no,” but let’s examine a hypothetical scenario for building a 1.10 odds strategy.

⏩ Start with a €100 bankroll on the first day of a month.

⏩ Place one bet each day on 1.10 odds or close to that price (i.e., 1.06 up to 1.14).

⏩ Follow the “Snowball” staking plan, rolling over each profit to the next wager.

If you do all the maths, having eight successful bets in a row, your total profit will be €214.36. Here is a crucial point of your strategy; you can receive your starting bankroll (i.e., €100) back, changing your staking plan and the odds. If you manage to win 15 successive bets at 1.10 odds, your total earnings will be €417.72; that means you multiply your initial balance by four.

How to build a low odds betting strategy in football

The WDW (1X2) market in football has three possible outcomes (i.e., home win, draw, away win) with, in theory, equal chances of 33,33%. However, the real probability of a favorite like Man City to beat an underdog such as Norwich is much higher than that. So, you have to double-check all available data before staking on low odds in football. The in-depth analysis must contain recent squad form, past results, news on injuries, suspensions, and motivation. Additionally, there are specific factors to build a low odds betting strategy.

✔️Avoid derbies: There are always non-detectable aspects betting on local or traditional derbies. Underdogs are in general highly motivated when crossing swords with a local rival, so in some cases, the odds on favorites may have a decreasing value.

✔️Motivation: Don’t pick prices based only on motivation, especially in the last league fixtures. A team at the bottom of the table, trying to avoid relegation, isn't worth these prices, no matter how high the motivation is. Of course, a motivated Chelsea trying to reach 1st place beating Brentford at home is a banker even at 1.10 odds.

✔️Form vs. low-grade opponents: You should take a good look at the favorite’s previous matches against low-grade opponents. If they use to win comfortably, trying to unlock the three points from the beginning to include them in your strategy might be profitable.

✔️Friendly relations: That parameter is sometimes a key factor because low prices between teams with friendly relations are confirmed more than occasionally. Significantly, when the favorite needs the points desperately to achieve a high target seeking the title or a place in the European competitions.

✔️Weather conditions: A heavy pitch from rain or snow usually being an inhibitory factor for a favorite in football to show its skills and quality. So, the weather conditions are a parameter you should always check before placing a bet on low odds and generally in outdoor sports.

Low odds betting in basketball

For some players, basketball is the safest sport to bet on. Your theoretical prices rise to 50%, as in basketball, there’s no draw. So, the gap between a favorite’s winning chances and the offered prices you pick isn’t so wide. In addition, basketball is by far a more fair sport than football. If there is a considerable quality difference, the favorite rarely loses. When backing a powerful team, you should be careful only on the latest news and check if all the key players are available.

One thing to consider, mainly in the Euroleague, is that the transfer window is open during the biggest part of the season; that means week-to-week roster changes. Furthermore, before you bet on the NBA regular season, you should check the general behavior and your favorite’s form against underdogs. Even a team with the NBA title as a primary target can face up to twenty defeats before the postseason. So, if you want to build a low odds betting strategy on the NBA, you should better wait for the playoffs.

How to bet on small odds in tennis

As a sport, tennis seems safe enough when placing a wager on the top athletes like Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal against inferior opponents. However, you have to check the probability of a match being abandoned. Online bookmakers seem to have four different aspects about that occasion. Depending on the bookie, an abandonment stands as the match result if the first point is completed, the first game is completed, the first set is completed, or the whole tie is completed. So, you should take a good look at the terms and conditions and how bookmakers settle the markets, having a piece of high knowledge about tennis betting rules. You also have to be careful on minor ATP Tournaments, concerning players ranked lower than 100, as the upset results are more common.

Star players’ injuries aren’t as rare as you might think. It’s a fact that some quality athletes are obliged to take part in specific tournaments due to their sponsors. Still, they prefer to mock an injury and abandon a match to save energy, especially before a Grand Slam tournament. So, the best idea is to pick those who aren’t willing to risk their fame. Avoid placing low odds bets in women’s matches, as the star athletes’ performances are far more inconsistent than mens’.

How to avoid hidden losses in low odds betting

When focusing on low odds, even the slightest change in prices could be critical for your bankroll. The difference of backing Real Madrid to win at 1.25 odds instead of 1.20 seems minor, but imagine what happens when you back twenty individual €100 bets at 1.25 and not 1.20. Winning €5 more every time you bet increases your bankroll by a whole €100.

That procedure of searching for the highest prices from various sportsbooks should be a vital part of your low odds betting strategy. In fact, if you don’t shop around for the best prices, you lose money. That’s called hidden loss, and you are strongly advised to avoid it as much as possible. Having multiple betting accounts in many trustworthy online bookmakers and always looking around for the highest odds, you can see your bankroll grow.

Can a low odds betting strategy be profitable?

If low odds betting seems challenging, considering the parameters of the sporting event you choose holds great value. It would help if you remembered to avoid a possible hidden loss by searching for the best small prices and have a clear staking plan. Don’t be greedy; avoid placing your next wager before your last has been settled. You should be extremely careful when betting live, even if you consider that some picks are worth it.

For example, you can bet on low odds on a half-time draw in the 40th minute of a football match. If it comes to the unexpected and one team scores, you may lose a significant amount of money. Generally, you should remember that nothing is sure, and low odds betting doesn’t guarantee you win far in advance. Moreover, to secure a big clear profit building a low odds betting strategy, you must have two crucial allies; a high balance and a good start, with several winning bets in a row.

Explore our underneath list and discover all the leading and trustworthy online betting sites that offer the best low odds in a broad range of markets.