The formula for win percentage, ties, and how the major sports leagues handle the math differently.
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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