Hold Percentage

Hold percentage is the actual profit a gambling operator makes as a percentage of the total handle (money wagered). For sportsbooks, hold percentage on a specific market depends on the vig and how the action is distributed between sides.

Theoretical hold (the expected hold based on the vig) is different from actual hold (what really happened). If a sportsbook takes equal action on both sides of a -110/-110 line, the theoretical hold is about 4.5%. But if all the money comes in on the winning side, the actual hold can be negative.

For casinos, hold percentage is closely tied to the house edge and player behavior. A game with a 1% house edge might have a much higher hold percentage if players make suboptimal decisions.