What 17/2 means
With fractional odds, the first number is what you win and the second is what you stake. At 17/2, every £2 you stake wins £17 in profit, and your stake is returned on top. Because you win more than you stake, it's an odds-against price: the bookmaker rates this outcome as less likely to happen than not.
It's read as "seventeen to two".
17/2 in decimal and American odds
| Format | 17/2 as | How it's worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Decimal | 9.50 | 17 ÷ 2 + 1 |
| American | +850 | (9.50 − 1) × 100 |
| Implied probability | 10.5% | 1 ÷ 9.50 |
What 17/2 pays
| Stake | Profit | Total return |
|---|---|---|
| £1.00 | £8.50 | £9.50 |
| £2.00 | £17.00 | £19.00 |
| £5.00 | £42.50 | £47.50 |
| £10.00 | £85.00 | £95.00 |
| £20.00 | £170.00 | £190.00 |
| £50.00 | £425.00 | £475.00 |
| £100.00 | £850.00 | £950.00 |
How likely is 17/2 to win?
17/2 implies a 10.5% chance, or about 2 in 19. In other words, the bookmaker expects it to win roughly two times for every nineteen attempts. The true chance is usually a little lower than this, because bookmakers build a margin into every price.
17/2 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 17/2. For a £5 each way bet (£10 in total):
| Place terms | Place odds | Returns if it wins | Returns if it places |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 odds | 85/40 | £63.13 | £15.63 |
| 1/5 odds | 17/10 | £61.00 | £13.50 |
At 1/5 terms, a placed finish alone returns £13.50 from the £10 total stake, so the place part covers the whole bet with £3.50 to spare. Work out any each way bet.
If a horse at 17/2 is withdrawn
When a horse priced at 17/2 is withdrawn after you've bet on another runner in the same race, Rule 4 takes 10p from every £1 of your winnings.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 17/2
See every common price explained, or convert any price with the odds converter.