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Malaysian odds, also known as Malay odds, are a type of odds format commonly used in Malaysia and other Asian countries for sports betting.
Malaysian odds are expressed as either positive (+) or negative (-) numbers, with the positive number indicating the underdog and the negative number indicating the favourite. The odds also reflect the amount of payout that a bettor can expect to receive if they win.
For example, if a team is listed at odds of +1.50, it means that a bet of RM1 on that team will yield a profit of RM1.50 if they win. Conversely, if a team is listed at odds of -1.50, it means that a bettor would need to risk RM1.50 to win RM1 if that team wins.
Calculating potential profit using Malaysian odds is not quite as simple as other odds formats as there are two separate calculations for positive and negative odds.
For positive odds, the formula for calculating profit is:
Profit = stake x odds
For negative odds, the formula for calculating profit is:
Profit = stake x (-1 / odds)
In both cases the stake needs to be added to the profit in order to calculate the return. See the three examples further down.
To calculate the implied probability of Malay odds, use the following formulas:
For example, for odds of -1.2, the implied probability would be (-1.2 / (-1.2– 1)) * 100 = 54.55%
For example, for odds of +0.3, the implied probability would be (1 / (0.3 + 1)) * 100 = 76.92%
Bet on a football match between Manchester United and Liverpool with odds of 0.75 for Manchester United to win at a stake of $100:
Bet on Roger Federer to beat Novak Djokovic in a tennis match with odds of 0.50 for Djokovic at a stake of $200.
Bet on the Los Angeles Lakers to beat the Boston Celtics at odds of -0.50 with a $200 stake:
Here are pros and cons of using Malaysian odds in sports betting:
Malay odds are simple and easy to understand for anyone accustomed to the American odds format (Moneyline). This is due to the use of positive and negative values to represent the payout.
The positive and negative decimal values make it clear which team is the favourite and which is the underdog, while the odds provide an indication of the potential payout.
The odds indicate the amount of profit that can be won for every 1 unit wagered, or what must be wagered to win 1 unit. This means that bettors can quickly determine their potential winnings without having to do complex calculations.
Indonesian odds are not widely used outside of Southeast Asia, which can make it difficult for bettors in other regions to find bookmakers offering these odds.
While Malay odds are easy to use once you are familiar with them, they can be confusing for beginners to understand and calculate payouts.
Odds in Malay format are not easily comparable to those in decimal or fractional odds. They'll need to be converted first.
