The formula for win percentage, ties, and how the major sports leagues handle the math differently.
The formula for win percentage and how the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and soccer leagues handle ties differently. Plus the Pythagorean expectation for predictions.
See also: Percentage calculator · How to calculate percentages
win % = wins ÷ games played × 100A team with 12 wins in 20 games has a 60% win percentage.
In sports with ties (soccer, NFL pre-2025 OT rules, hockey before shootouts), there are two common conventions:
win % = (wins + 0.5 × ties) ÷ games played × 100A 9-6-1 team: (9 + 0.5) ÷ 16 × 100 = 59.4%.
win % = wins ÷ games played × 100Often paired with a separate points system (3 for a win, 1 for a tie).
| League | Win % formula |
|---|---|
| NFL | (W + 0.5×T) / G |
| NBA | W / G (no ties) |
| MLB | W / G (ties don’t count) |
| NHL | Points-based: 2 per win, 1 per OT loss |
| EPL / La Liga | Points-based: 3 per win, 1 per draw |
For predicting future win % from past run differential (baseball) or point differential (basketball, NFL), the Pythagorean formula is more accurate than past W/L:
expected win % = (runs scored)² ÷ ((runs scored)² + (runs allowed)²)The exponent varies by sport — 2 for MLB, 13.91 for NBA, 2.37 for NFL — but the principle is the same: scoring efficiency relative to defense predicts future wins better than raw W/L.
In the NFL, ties count as half a win: win % = (wins + 0.5 × ties) ÷ games. In soccer, ties don't affect win % but generate league points (1 for a tie, 3 for a win).
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