17¢ Polymarket Price Explained
- Decimal
- 5.88
- American
- +488
- Fractional
- 83/17
- Implied probability
- 17.00%
- Polymarket
- 17¢
- $100 wins
- 488.24
- American
- +488
- Fractional
- 83/17
- Implied probability
- 17.00%
- Polymarket
- 17¢
- Profit
- 488.24
- Total return
- 588.24
5.882 decimal, +488 American, 17.00% implied probability
Buying at 17¢ means risking 17¢ to win the rest of a dollar. That is a payout ratio of 5.88 (decimal odds) or +488 in American notation, and it implies an implied probability of 17.00% probability before fees.
What a 17¢ share pays
Each share pays $1.00 on a win, so the profit per share is a dollar minus the price. On 100 dollars' worth of shares the return is 588.24, a profit of 488.24.
| Stake | Profit | Total return |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 48.82 | 58.82 |
| 25 | 122.06 | 147.06 |
| 50 | 244.12 | 294.12 |
| 100 | 488.24 | 588.24 |
| 500 | 2,441.18 | 2,941.18 |
| 1,000 | 4,882.35 | 5,882.35 |
Break-even and long-run results
Because the price is a probability, the break-even rate is the price itself: 17.00%. If your own estimate of the outcome is higher than 17.00%, the share is value; if it is lower, it is not.
| Win rate | Return on stake |
|---|---|
| 17% | 0.0% |
| 50% | 194.1% |
| 55% | 223.5% |
| 60% | 252.9% |
| 65% | 282.4% |
A 17¢ share is a longshot: 17.00% by the market's estimate, paying 488.24 per 100. Thin order books at low prices mean the quoted price and the price you actually get can differ by several cents.
Converting 17¢ by hand
Treat the price as a probability: 17¢ is 17.00%. Decimal odds are one divided by that, 5.882, which bookmakers would display as 5.88. American odds follow from the decimal price: an underdog, so (5.882 − 1) × 100 gives +488. In fractional terms the closest traditional price is 83/17.
YES, NO and the spread
On a liquid market the YES and NO prices add up to about $1.00; at 17¢ the NO side should be near 83.00%. Anything above $1.00 in total is the spread, the prediction-market equivalent of a bookmaker's vig. Enter both sides in the Polymarket converter to measure it.
Fees and comparison with sportsbooks
Fees, where a market charges them, come off profit and work exactly like exchange commission. At 2% the share is worth 5.785 decimal, at 5% 5.638. A sportsbook offering better than the effective price beats the market.
| Commission | Effective decimal | Effective American | Break-even |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2% | 5.785 | +478 | 17.29% |
| 5% | 5.638 | +464 | 17.74% |
Same price in other formats
Same price in other formats
Nearby prices
Nearby prices
Frequently asked questions
What does a 17¢ price mean on Polymarket?
A share costs 17¢ and pays $1.00 if the market resolves in its favour, so the price is the market's probability: 17.00%. In sportsbook terms it is 5.88 decimal or +488 American odds.
How do I convert 17¢ to decimal odds?
Divide 1 by the price in dollars: 1 / 17¢ gives 5.882, shown as 5.88.
What is the NO price when YES is 17¢?
On a liquid market the NO side is about $1.00 minus the YES price, so roughly 83.00% in cents. The difference from exactly $1.00 in total is the spread.
Is 17¢ better than the sportsbook price?
Compare after fees. At 17¢ the share is worth 5.88 decimal before fees and 5.785 at a 2% fee. If a sportsbook offers more than that on the same outcome, the sportsbook is the better price.
What do I win per 100 dollars at 17¢?
100 dollars buys 100 / 17¢ shares, which pay 588.24 in total on a win: a profit of 488.24.