Overview

Hold (also called vig, juice, or overround) is the percentage edge a sportsbook builds into its prices by setting the implied probabilities of all outcomes to sum to more than 100%. The Hold Calculator takes any 2-way or 3-way market and tells you exactly how much theoretical edge the book has on the round trip.

The Math

For a 2-way market with American odds A and B:

hold % = (implied_A + implied_B) − 1

Where implied probability for negative odds is |odds| / (|odds| + 100) and for positive odds is 100 / (odds + 100). For 3-way (soccer with the draw), sum all three implied probabilities and subtract 1.

When To Use It

Use it to compare books, to spot reduced-juice markets worth funding, to identify -EV markets to avoid (anything over 6% hold is a tax), and to compute the cost of clearing rollover.

Example Walk-through

Standard NFL spread: Patriots -3 (-110) / Jets +3 (-110). Implied probabilities:

• 110 / 210 = 52.38% each side
• Sum = 104.76%, hold = 4.76%

That is the standard market. Now compare a reduced-juice book offering -105/-105:

• 105 / 205 = 51.22% each side
• Sum = 102.44%, hold = 2.44%

The reduced-juice book costs you less than half the vig. Over 1,000 bets at $100 each, that 2.32% difference is $2,320 in saved expected loss.

Second example, a 3-way soccer market: Home -120 (54.55%), Draw +260 (27.78%), Away +320 (23.81%). Sum = 106.14%, hold = 6.14%. Soccer 3-way markets typically run 5-8% hold, much higher than US 2-way markets, which is why pros prefer Asian handicaps.

Common Mistakes

• Confusing hold with EV. A 5% hold market can still have +EV bets if one side is mispriced. Hold is the average; EV is the marginal.
• Ignoring 3-way markets. Many bettors compare 2-way US odds to 3-way European odds and conclude US books are better. They are not — they just have a smaller surface area.
• Forgetting parlay compounding. A 4-leg parlay of -110 legs carries roughly 17% combined hold. Each leg multiplies the bite.
• Trusting one book's hold. Books vary hold by sport, market, and league. NFL sides are ~4.5%, NBA player props can be 8-10%.