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Vig
sports bettingShort for vigorish — the commission or fee charged by the sportsbook on each bet. Also called juice.
Key Takeaways
- 1Vig is the sportsbook's commission on each bet
- 2Standard vig is -110, requiring 52.38% to break even
- 3Shopping for low vig is one of the most impactful strategies
- 4Also called juice or vigorish
What is Vig?
Vig (short for vigorish, also called juice) is the commission the sportsbook charges for accepting your bet. It's how sportsbooks guarantee profit regardless of the outcome.
How Vig Works
The most common vig in American sports betting is -110 on each side of a bet. This means:
- You risk $110 to win $100
- The extra $10 is the vig
Impact on Your Bottom Line
To break even at -110 odds, you need to win 52.38% of your bets (not 50%). This 2.38% gap is the vig's impact on your required win rate.
Vig Comparison
| Odds | Required Win Rate | Vig Impact |
|---|---|---|
| -110 | 52.38% | 2.38% |
| -105 | 51.22% | 1.22% |
| -115 | 53.49% | 3.49% |
| -120 | 54.55% | 4.55% |
Finding Low Vig
Shopping for the best odds across multiple sportsbooks is one of the most impactful things a bettor can do. The difference between -110 and -105 may seem small, but over 1,000 bets, it's the difference between profit and loss.