Vig (Vigorish)
The commission a sportsbook charges on a bet, built into the odds.
Vigorish (commonly called vig or juice) is how sportsbooks make money. Instead of offering true fair odds, they shade the odds in their favor. The standard vig on point spreads and totals is -110 on both sides, meaning you must risk $110 to win $100.
The vig creates a gap between the implied probabilities of all outcomes and 100%. For a standard -110/-110 market, each side implies 52.38%, totaling 104.76%. The 4.76% over 100% is the total vig, also called overround.
Shopping for the best odds across multiple sportsbooks is one of the easiest ways to reduce the vig you pay. Even small differences in odds compound significantly over hundreds of bets.
Formula
Total vig = Sum of all implied probabilities - 100%Example
At -110/-110, each side implies 52.38%. Total = 104.76%. Vig = 4.76%.
Related Terms
Implied Probability
The probability of an outcome as implied by the betting odds, including the bookmaker's margin.
No-Vig Odds
The true fair odds after removing the sportsbook's built-in margin.
Hold Percentage
The percentage of total money wagered that the sportsbook or casino keeps as profit.
Juice
Another term for vigorish — the commission built into the odds by the sportsbook.
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