What 1/6 means
With fractional odds, the first number is what you win and the second is what you stake. At 1/6, you stake £6 to win £1, so your profit is smaller than your stake. That's what makes it odds-on: the bookmaker rates this outcome as more likely to happen than not.
It's read as "one to six", but bookmakers often turn odds-on prices round, so you'll also hear 1/6 called "six to one on" or "6/1 on". Both mean the same thing.
1/6 in decimal and American odds
| Format | 1/6 as | How it's worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Decimal | 1.17 | 1 ÷ 6 + 1 |
| American | -600 | 100 ÷ (1.17 − 1) |
| Implied probability | 85.7% | 1 ÷ 1.17 |
What 1/6 pays
| Stake | Profit | Total return |
|---|---|---|
| £1.00 | £0.17 | £1.17 |
| £2.00 | £0.33 | £2.33 |
| £5.00 | £0.83 | £5.83 |
| £10.00 | £1.67 | £11.67 |
| £20.00 | £3.33 | £23.33 |
| £50.00 | £8.33 | £58.33 |
| £100.00 | £16.67 | £116.67 |
How likely is 1/6 to win?
1/6 implies a 85.7% chance, or about 6 in 7. The bookmaker expects this outcome more often than not. The true chance is usually a little lower than this, because bookmakers build a margin into every price.
1/6 each way
An each way bet splits your stake between a win bet and a place bet, with the place part paid at a fraction of 1/6. For a £5 each way bet (£10 in total):
| Place terms | Place odds | Returns if it wins | Returns if it places |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 odds | 1/24 | £11.04 | £5.21 |
| 1/5 odds | 1/30 | £11.00 | £5.17 |
At 1/5 terms, a placed finish returns £5.17 from the £10 total stake, so it still loses £4.83 overall. Each way needs bigger prices than 1/6 for the place part to cover the bet. Work out any each way bet.
If a horse at 1/6 is withdrawn
When a horse priced at 1/6 is withdrawn after you've bet on another runner in the same race, Rule 4 takes 85p from every £1 of your winnings. It applies to bets struck at a fixed price before the withdrawal. Work out a Rule 4 deduction.
Prices either side of 1/6
| Price | Decimal | Implied probability |
|---|---|---|
| 2/13 | 1.15 | 86.7% |
| 1/6 | 1.17 | 85.7% |
| 2/11 | 1.18 | 84.6% |
See every common price explained, or convert any price with the odds converter.