Betting terms
What is vig (vigorish) in sports betting?
By DeepChamp research team · Updated · Methods and limitations
Definition
Vig, short for vigorish and also called juice, is the margin an operator builds into its prices so that the two sides of a market together cost more than their fair value. When both sides are priced at -110, the implied probabilities add to 104.76 percent, and the 4.76 points above 100 are the vig.
How it works
A margin-free two-way market with equal chances would be priced at +100 on both sides. Instead an operator posts a price like -110 on each side. A ticket that wins pays 100 for 110 risked, and one that loses forfeits 110, so a side that is truly a 50 percent chance returns less than it costs. That shortfall, repeated across every ticket, is how the vig is collected. It is built into the price rather than charged as a separate fee.
To measure it, convert both prices to implied probabilities and add them. The amount above 100 percent is the vig in points: at -105 on both sides, each side implies 51.22 percent, the total is 102.44 percent, and the vig is 2.44 points. The same arithmetic works on three-way markets and futures by adding every outcome. The vig is not constant; it varies by market, by operator and sometimes between the two sides of one market.
The vig is carried inside each leg of a parlay, so it compounds. Two legs at -110 combine to a decimal price of about 3.64, or +264, where two true coin flips would pay +300. Player props and other niche markets often carry more margin than main game lines, so comparing the vig across markets is part of the research before comparing the number itself.
The same market at -110 and at -105
Imagine two hypothetical operators listing the same game total. One posts -110 on the over and -110 on the under. The other posts -105 on both. At -110 each side implies 52.38 percent, so the total is 104.76 percent and the vig is 4.76 points. At -105 each side implies 51.22 percent, so the total is 102.44 percent and the vig is 2.44 points, about half as much. The second market is cheaper to hold before any view about the game enters.
Hypothetical numbers for arithmetic only.
Why it matters when you research a bet
The vig is the first cost any researched idea has to overcome. An estimate that is merely a couple of points above a fair 50 percent can still fall below the break-even level once the margin is added. Comparing the vig across operators and markets shows where the same idea is cheaper to hold, and separating it from the line itself keeps the question about the game apart from the question about the price.
Common mistakes
- Assuming every market carries the same margin. Main lines, props, futures and parlays each differ, so judging a prop by the cost of a point spread understates the hurdle.
- Looking at one side only. The vig belongs to the whole market, and a good price on one side can be paired with a poor price on the other.
- Equating a low vig with a good bet. A lower margin lowers the hurdle but says nothing about whether the line itself is right.
Common questions
Are vig, juice and vigorish the same thing?
In everyday betting usage, yes. Vig is short for vigorish, and juice is slang for the same cost. Overround and margin describe it too, usually measured as points of probability above 100 percent.
Why is the common price on a point spread -110 and not +100?
Pricing both sides at +100 would charge no margin. Posting -110 on each side makes the two together cost 104.76 percent, and that gap is the operator's return for taking the wager. It is common on spreads and totals, though not universal.
How can I calculate the vig on a two-way market?
Convert each price to an implied probability, add the two, and subtract 100 percent. Prices of -115 and -105 give 53.49 and 51.22 percent, a total of 104.71 percent, so the vig is 4.71 points.
This is educational research content. Examples use hypothetical numbers and are not live odds, picks, or claims about performance.
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