Calculator
Sportsbook Hold & Vig Calculator
Every sportsbook bakes a fee — called the vig or juice — into both sides of a market. This calculator shows exactly how much. Enter the odds on each side and see the book's take as a percentage.
Hold is the percentage of every dollar wagered the book keeps on average. The lower the hold, the less you need to overcome to profit long-term.
Strip the vig to see fair prices →e.g. the favorite or home team price
e.g. the underdog or away team price — opposite side of the same market
How this works
Formula
hold = (1/decimal_A + 1/decimal_B) - 1
Worked example
-110 / -110 → 0.5238 + 0.5238 = 1.0476 → 4.76% hold.
FAQ
What's a normal hold for a moneyline?
US books typically run 4–5% hold on major-sport moneylines, 4.5% on NFL spreads, and 5–8% on player props.
Why does hold matter?
Hold is the edge you need to overcome before you're break-even. A 4.5% hold means you need to win 52.4% of -110 bets just to push.
Which books have the lowest hold?
Pinnacle, Circa, and BetOnline historically run the lowest hold (1.5–3% on majors). Most US retail books are 4.5%+.
How does hold compare across markets?
Player props 6–10%, same-game parlays 15–25%, futures 20–40%. The exotic the market, the higher the hold.
Is a low-hold market always better?
All else equal, yes — but low-hold books are also fastest to limit winning accounts. Trade-off is real.