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Hold / Vig Calculator

How much edge does the book bake into a market? Enter both sides of a line and see the hold percentage instantly.

Formula

Hold = (1/decimal1 + 1/decimal2) × 100 − 100

Hold = (52.4% + 52.4%) − 100% = 4.76%

Sportsbook Hold
4.76%
Average
Implied Prob Side 1
52.4%
Implied Prob Side 2
52.4%
Total Implied
104.8%
Vig Per Side
2.38%

Benchmark Comparison

Sharp Books
~2.5%
Prediction Markets
~2.5%
Retail Books
~4.5%
Player Props
~6.0%
Parlays
~10.0%

About the Hold / Vig Calculator

Hold (also called vig, juice, or overround) is the implied profit margin a sportsbook builds into the odds. On a perfectly fair market each side would imply a 50% probability and the implied probabilities would sum to exactly 100%. Books bump those numbers above 100% and the difference is the hold.

A typical -110/-110 market has about 4.5% hold. Sharper books like Pinnacle run closer to 2%. Heavily juiced player props can run 7–10%+. Comparing hold across books is the fastest way to find which sportsbook gives you a better expected return.

Formula

Hold (two-way)Hold = (impliedProb_A + impliedProb_B) − 100%

Frequently asked questions

What's a good hold to look for?
Under 3% is excellent — you're getting close to fair odds. 4–5% is typical for major U.S. books on standard markets. Above 6% means you're paying significant juice; consider another book or another market.
Is hold the same as vig?
Yes. Hold, vig, juice, margin, and overround are all the same concept measured slightly differently. Hold is usually expressed as a percent of total handle.
Why does Pinnacle have lower hold than DraftKings?
Pinnacle runs a low-margin / high-volume / sharp model — they accept large bets and welcome winners, so they price tight. Most U.S. books run a high-margin / recreational model with wider hold and aggressive limit cuts on winners.
Does lower hold guarantee a better bet?
No — hold is the average margin across both sides. The specific side you're betting could still be the worse-priced side. Hold tells you the overall fairness of the market, not the value of one specific selection.

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