Free tool
Sportsbook hold (vig) calculator
Enter both sides of a market and the calculator returns the hold, the sportsbook's built-in margin. The lower the hold, the closer the price is to fair, and the better it is for you.
Sportsbook hold
e.g. -110, +120
the other side
Standard market
Includes the vig
Includes the vig
Lower hold means a better price on every bet. A standard -110/-110 market holds about 4.5%.
What hold measures
Hold (also called vig, juice, or overround) is how much more than 100% the two sides of a market imply. A -110/-110 market holds about 4.5%; a sharp book might hold 2% on the same game, a soft one 6-7%. It's the toll you pay to place the bet.
Why hold matters for line shopping
Lower-hold books give you a better price on every bet, win or lose. Knowing the hold across the books you use tells you where to place your action by default, and a market with unusually high hold is a signal the book isn't confident or is protecting itself.
Frequently asked
What is a good hold percentage?
On a standard two-way market, 4-5% is typical, 2-3% is sharp and bettor-friendly, and anything above 6% is steep. Lower is always better for you, since the hold comes directly out of your expected return.
Is hold the same as vig?
Effectively yes. Vig, juice, hold, and overround all describe the sportsbook's built-in margin, the amount by which the implied probabilities of a market exceed 100%. Hold is the term most often used when expressing it as a percentage.
More tools
No-vig calculator →
Strip the sportsbook's vig out of any two-way line to get the fair odds and the true, de-juiced win probability for each side.
Implied probability →
Turn any American odds or a Kalshi/Polymarket price into the implied win probability, then compare it to your own estimate to find betting value.
Line shopping →
See how much profit you leave on the table by not betting the best available number.