Vig Calculator

Both sides of a market in — the book’s hold percentage out.

Inputs
Book hold
4.8%
Over implied probability52.4%
Under implied probability52.4%
Total implied probability104.8%

The two sides add up to more than 100% — that excess is the vig, the margin the book keeps no matter which side wins.

Worked example

At −110 both sides, the book’s hold is 4.8%. Each side implies 52.38%, and 52.38% + 52.38% = 104.76% — the 4.76% above 100% is what the book keeps. Compare a sharper market at −105/−105: 51.22% + 51.22% = 102.44%, a hold of just 2.4%. Betting the cheaper market is worth real money over a season — roughly $2.30 saved per $100 wagered.

FAQ

What is the vig?

The vig (also juice, margin, or hold) is the fee baked into every price a sportsbook offers. Both sides of a market imply probabilities that sum to more than 100%; the excess over 100% is the vig — the percentage of all balanced action the book expects to keep regardless of who wins.

Why is −110/−110 a 4.8% hold?

Each side of −110 implies 52.38%, and 52.38% + 52.38% = 104.76%. The extra 4.76% is the book’s margin: if it takes equal money on both sides, it pays out $100 for every $110 collected and keeps the difference.

Is a lower hold always better for the bettor?

All else equal, yes — a 2% hold market is cheaper to bet than a 6% hold market. But hold isn’t the whole story: a low-margin market where you have no opinion is still a losing bet. Hold tells you the cost of playing, not whether the bet is good.

Which markets have the highest hold?

Futures, parlays priced at fixed tables, and niche props with one-sided action tend to carry the biggest margins — often 8% or more. Main lines at sharp, high-limit books are usually the cheapest, sometimes under 2%.

How do I beat the vig?

You don’t remove it — you outprice it. Compare your fair probability (or a devigged sharp line) against the implied probability at the price offered. When fair beats implied by more than the margin, the bet is +EV. Our devig and EV calculators chain exactly that workflow.

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