The hold on a -110/-110 market is 4.76% — that’s the sportsbook’s built-in margin, sometimes called the vig or juice. Add the implied probability of both sides (52.38% + 52.38% = 104.76%), subtract 100%, and you have the hold. Use PropsBot’s free Hold/Vig Calculator below to compute hold, no-vig fair probabilities, and no-vig fair American odds for any 2-way market in one click.
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PropsBot.AIWhat is hold (vig) in sports betting?
Hold (also called vig, juice, or margin) is the sportsbook’s expected profit baked into the price of a 2-way market. When a book offers Over -110 and Under -110, both sides have an implied probability of 52.38%. The two sides sum to 104.76% — that 4.76% overage is the hold. Pinnacle, the lowest-margin major book, defines margin as “the percentage of every bet a bookmaker can theoretically expect to keep” — and runs roughly 2-3% on most markets.
Hold is the single most important number for evaluating whether a sportsbook is offering you a fair price. Lower hold = better price for the bettor; higher hold = more juice paid to the book. Pinnacle, Novig, and Sporttrade typically run 1-3% hold on point spreads and totals. DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Caesars typically run 4.5-6% on the same markets, sometimes higher on player props and same-game parlays. Investopedia’s vigorish entry lays out the same math we use here.
How to calculate hold
The formula
- Step 1: Convert each side’s American odds to implied probability. Negative odds:
|odds| / (|odds| + 100). Positive odds:100 / (odds + 100). - Step 2: Add the two implied probabilities. The total will be greater than 100% on any priced 2-way market.
- Step 3: Subtract 100%. The remainder is the hold (vig).
- Step 4 (no-vig fair probability): Divide each side’s implied probability by the total. The two now sum to 100%.
- Step 5 (no-vig fair odds): Convert each fair probability back to American odds. That’s the price the market would offer at zero margin.
Worked example: Over -110 / Under -110
Over -110 → 110 / 210 = 52.38%. Under -110 → 110 / 210 = 52.38%. Total = 104.76%. Hold = 4.76%. No-vig fair probability for each side = 52.38% / 104.76% = 50.00%. No-vig fair American odds = +100 / +100 — meaning a true coin-flip market priced at zero margin would offer +100/+100, not -110/-110.
Worked example: -200 / +170 moneyline
Favorite -200 → 200 / 300 = 66.67%. Underdog +170 → 100 / 270 = 37.04%. Total = 103.70%. Hold = 3.70%. No-vig fair probability: 66.67% / 103.70% = 64.29% (favorite); 37.04% / 103.70% = 35.71% (dog). No-vig fair American odds: -180 / +180.
Why hold matters for sharp bettors
Every dollar of hold is a dollar of edge the sportsbook charges to take your bet. To beat a 4.76% hold market, your model has to be accurate enough to overcome the vig and generate positive expected value on top. The break-even win rate at -110 is 52.38% — but that’s only break-even after paying the vig. To genuinely profit, you need a true win rate above the no-vig fair probability of 50.00% on that same market. Action Network’s primer on vig walks through the same logic.
The no-vig fair probability is the cleanest baseline for evaluating a player prop or moneyline. When PropsBot’s AI generates a Confidence Score, the comparison that matters isn’t to the raw -110 implied probability — it’s to the no-vig fair probability. That’s where edge actually lives. If the fair probability says Over has a true win rate of 50% but PropsBot’s model says 56%, you have a 6% edge on the no-vig number, which translates directly into expected value over time.
OddsJam’s no-vig odds explainer documents the same approach — and is one reason no-vig calculations are now standard among sharp bettors and odds-screening tools.
Common-hold examples
| Market | Side 1 Implied | Side 2 Implied | Total | Hold | No-vig Fair Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -110 / -110 | 52.38% | 52.38% | 104.76% | 4.76% | +100 / +100 |
| -105 / -105 | 51.22% | 51.22% | 102.44% | 2.44% | +100 / +100 |
| -115 / -115 | 53.49% | 53.49% | 106.98% | 6.98% | +100 / +100 |
| -120 / -120 | 54.55% | 54.55% | 109.09% | 9.09% | +100 / +100 |
| -200 / +170 | 66.67% | 37.04% | 103.70% | 3.70% | -180 / +180 |
| -150 / +130 | 60.00% | 43.48% | 103.48% | 3.48% | -138 / +138 |
| +100 / -110 | 50.00% | 52.38% | 102.38% | 2.38% | +105 / -105 |
| +150 / -180 | 40.00% | 64.29% | 104.29% | 4.29% | +161 / -161 |
How we tested this calculator
The PropsBot team verified every formula against live 2-way markets on May 1, 2026 across DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, Pinnacle, Novig, and Sporttrade. American-to-implied conversions match each book’s published price within rounding tolerance (≤0.05%). The no-vig fair-odds output was cross-checked against OddsJam’s no-vig calculator and against the canonical math published by Pinnacle’s betting-margin reference; results match across hundreds of markets sampled.
Input validation rejects American odds in the (-99, +99) range — sportsbooks do not price moneylines inside that window, since |odds| of less than 100 implies a probability above 100% on the favorite or below 0% on the dog. The calculator handles balanced markets (e.g. -110/-110) and skewed markets (e.g. -400/+320) identically, and surfaces a “negative hold” notice when the math implies an arbitrage opportunity — useful when comparing prices across two books.
Hold / Vig Calculator FAQs
What is the hold on a -110/-110 market?
The hold on a -110/-110 market is 4.76%. Both sides have an implied probability of 52.38%, summing to 104.76% — the 4.76% overage is the sportsbook’s margin. The no-vig fair price for both sides is +100 (50.00% true probability each).
What’s a “good” hold for a sportsbook?
From the bettor’s perspective, lower hold is better. Pinnacle, Novig, and Sporttrade run 1-3% hold on most point spreads and totals — that’s “sharp” pricing. DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Caesars typically run 4.5-6% on the same markets. Player props and same-game parlays often exceed 8-10% hold. Always shop your line and prefer the lower-hold book on the same matchup.
What are no-vig fair odds?
No-vig fair odds are the price a 2-way market would offer at zero margin — what each side’s “true” implied probability is after stripping out the sportsbook’s hold. To compute them: divide each side’s implied probability by the sum of both sides, then convert that adjusted probability back to American odds. This baseline is what sharp bettors compare their model probabilities against to determine edge.
Can hold be negative?
Not on a single book. But when you combine the best price for Side 1 at one sportsbook with the best price for Side 2 at another, the combined implied probability can drop below 100% — that’s an arbitrage opportunity. The calculator will flag negative hold when the inputs imply one. Sharp bettors and arb-hunters scan for these gaps daily; PropsBot tracks lines across DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, Novig, Sporttrade, BetOnline, and Fliff specifically to surface them.
How is hold different from house edge?
Hold is expressed as the overage in summed implied probability across a 2-way market — it represents the book’s theoretical profit on balanced action. House edge is a closely related concept used in casino games, expressed as the expected loss per dollar wagered. For a -110/-110 market, the hold is 4.76% but the bettor’s expected loss per dollar wagered (assuming a 50/50 true probability) is approximately 2.38% — half the hold, because the bettor only stakes one side. Both are useful; hold is the universal metric across sportsbook menus.
More PropsBot Tools
- All Free Betting Tools — calculator hub
- Implied Probability Calculator — convert any odds format to win probability
- Parlay Calculator — combine multiple bets, see total payout
- Best Props Today — AI-scored player props across all sports
- Positive EV Props — props where PropsBot’s confidence beats book implied probability
- What is a Confidence Score?
- What is an Edge Score?
Hold and no-vig fair-odds calculations are mathematical conversions of the prices you enter — they do not predict outcomes or guarantee profit. PropsBot is a research and analytics tool, not a picks service. Bet within your means. Most US states require bettors to be 21+. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit ncpgambling.org. For state-specific resources see the American Gaming Association responsible-gaming hub.
