What 5/2 means
With fractional odds, the first number is what you win and the second is what you stake. At 5/2, every £2 you stake wins £5 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 "five to two".
5/2 in decimal and American odds
| Format | 5/2 as | How it's worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Decimal | 3.50 | 5 ÷ 2 + 1 |
| American | +250 | (3.50 − 1) × 100 |
| Implied probability | 28.6% | 1 ÷ 3.50 |
What 5/2 pays
| Stake | Profit | Total return |
|---|---|---|
| £1.00 | £2.50 | £3.50 |
| £2.00 | £5.00 | £7.00 |
| £5.00 | £12.50 | £17.50 |
| £10.00 | £25.00 | £35.00 |
| £20.00 | £50.00 | £70.00 |
| £50.00 | £125.00 | £175.00 |
| £100.00 | £250.00 | £350.00 |
How likely is 5/2 to win?
5/2 implies a 28.6% chance, or about 2 in 7. In other words, the bookmaker expects it to win roughly two times for every seven attempts. The true chance is usually a little lower than this, because bookmakers build a margin into every price.
5/2 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 5/2. For a £5 each way bet (£10 in total):
| Place terms | Place odds | Returns if it wins | Returns if it places |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 odds | 5/8 | £25.63 | £8.13 |
| 1/5 odds | 1/2 | £25.00 | £7.50 |
At 1/5 terms, a placed finish returns £7.50 from the £10 total stake, so it still loses £2.50 overall. Each way needs bigger prices than 5/2 for the place part to cover the bet. Work out any each way bet.
If a horse at 5/2 is withdrawn
When a horse priced at 5/2 is withdrawn after you've bet on another runner in the same race, Rule 4 takes 25p from every £1 of your winnings.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 5/2
See every common price explained, or convert any price with the odds converter.