What Is the Vig (Juice)?
The vig is the sportsbook's built-in commission — the structural edge it holds on every bet, before any handicapping skill enters the picture.
What the vig is
When you see both sides of a bet priced at -110, that extra ten cents per dollar is the vig (also called juice). It's how the book makes money: it pays winners slightly less than a fair coin flip would.
A fair 50/50 bet would be priced at +100 on each side. The gap between that and what you're actually offered is the book's cut.
Spread -110 / -110. Bet $110 to win $100 on either side. The book isn't predicting a winner — it's collecting the difference no matter which side hits.
Spotting it and the break-even point
Add the implied probabilities of both sides. At -110 each, that's 52.38% + 52.38% = 104.76%. The 4.76% over 100% is the vig.
That same number sets your break-even: at -110 you must win 52.38% of your bets just to break even, not 50%. Higher juice raises the bar.
Break-even % = risk / (risk + win)
At -110: 110 / (110 + 100) = 52.38%. At -120: 120 / 220 = 54.55%.
Vig across markets
Main moneylines and spreads carry about 4–5% vig. Player props run 6–10%. Same-game parlays can hide 15–25%, and futures 20–40%. The more exotic the market, the more margin the book builds in — and the harder it is to beat.
Key takeaways
- The vig is the book's commission, baked into the price of every bet.
- Both sides of a bet can be -110 — the book profits on the spread, not the result.
- At -110 you must win 52.38% to break even, not 50%.
- Exotic markets (props, SGPs, futures) carry far more vig than main lines.
Common mistakes
- Treating the line's cost as free and ignoring how much the vig raises your break-even.
- Assuming -110 means a true 50/50 proposition.
- Living in high-vig markets (SGPs, futures) without realizing how much edge they cost.
FAQ
What's a reduced-juice book?
A book that posts -105 or -107 instead of -110. Lower juice means a lower break-even, which compounds in your favor over time.
Does the vig change live?
Yes — in-game lines often carry 6–8% vig versus about 4.5% pre-game, because the book is pricing faster with less certainty.
Can I beat the vig?
You reduce its drag by line-shopping for the best price, sticking to low-vig main markets, and only betting when you have an edge.
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