What 5/6 means
With fractional odds, the first number is what you win and the second is what you stake. At 5/6, you stake £6 to win £5, 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 "five to six", but bookmakers often turn odds-on prices round, so you'll also hear 5/6 called "six to five on" or "6/5 on". Both mean the same thing.
5/6 in decimal and American odds
| Format | 5/6 as | How it's worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Decimal | 1.83 | 5 ÷ 6 + 1 |
| American | -120 | 100 ÷ (1.83 − 1) |
| Implied probability | 54.5% | 1 ÷ 1.83 |
What 5/6 pays
| Stake | Profit | Total return |
|---|---|---|
| £1.00 | £0.83 | £1.83 |
| £2.00 | £1.67 | £3.67 |
| £5.00 | £4.17 | £9.17 |
| £10.00 | £8.33 | £18.33 |
| £20.00 | £16.67 | £36.67 |
| £50.00 | £41.67 | £91.67 |
| £100.00 | £83.33 | £183.33 |
How likely is 5/6 to win?
5/6 implies a 54.5% chance, or about 6 in 11. 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.
5/6 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 5/6. For a £5 each way bet (£10 in total):
| Place terms | Place odds | Returns if it wins | Returns if it places |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 odds | 5/24 | £15.21 | £6.04 |
| 1/5 odds | 1/6 | £15.00 | £5.83 |
At 1/5 terms, a placed finish returns £5.83 from the £10 total stake, so it still loses £4.17 overall. Each way needs bigger prices than 5/6 for the place part to cover the bet. Work out any each way bet.
If a horse at 5/6 is withdrawn
When a horse priced at 5/6 is withdrawn after you've bet on another runner in the same race, Rule 4 takes 50p from every £1 of your winnings.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 5/6
See every common price explained, or convert any price with the odds converter.