Sportsbook Hold Calculator
Calculate the vig/juice on any two-way market
Sportsbook Hold (Vig)
4.76%
AverageImplied Probabilities
No-Vig Fair Odds
Understanding Sportsbook Hold (Vig/Juice)
The hold (also called vig, juice, or margin) is the sportsbook's built-in profit margin on every market. Understanding hold helps you find the best value and identify which sportsbooks offer the most competitive odds.
How Hold Works
In a fair market, the implied probabilities of all outcomes would sum to exactly 100%. Sportsbooks add extra margin so the total exceeds 100%—this excess is the hold.
Example: Standard -110/-110 odds:
- Side 1 implied probability: 52.38%
- Side 2 implied probability: 52.38%
- Total: 104.76%
- Hold: 4.76%
Why Hold Matters
Lower hold means better odds for bettors. Over thousands of bets, even small differences in hold compound significantly. A bettor at a 2% hold book will outperform someone at a 5% hold book by 3% of total volume.
Finding Low-Hold Markets
- Shop multiple books: Compare odds across sportsbooks
- Bet popular markets: NFL, NBA have more competition
- Use reduced juice books: Some offer -105 lines
- Bet early: Opening lines often have lower hold
No-Vig Fair Odds
Our calculator shows the "fair" odds with the vig removed. These represent the true implied probabilities. If you believe your probability exceeds the fair probability, you have positive expected value.
