Vig (vigorish) is the fee a sportsbook charges on every bet. It's built into the odds and it's why most sports bettors lose money over time.
Vig (short for vigorish, also called "juice") is the built-in margin a sportsbook charges on every bet. It's how sportsbooks make money regardless of the game's outcome.
In a perfectly fair two-outcome market, each side would pay +100 (even money). Sportsbooks price both sides at -110 instead:
The book collects $220 total. One side wins and receives $210 (their $110 back + $100 profit). The sportsbook keeps $10 — that's the vig.
The implied probability math:
-110 odds imply a 52.4% probability. Two sides at 52.4% each = 104.8% total. The 4.8% above 100% is the sportsbook's margin.
Vig means you need to win more than 52.4% of -110 bets just to break even. Most recreational bettors win around 48–50% — negative expected value before even accounting for bad picks.
This is why hedging with bonus bets works: the bonus absorbs the vig cost. When one side of your hedge is a free bonus bet, the asymmetry eliminates the vig drag.
| Odds | Vig (approx.) |
|---|---|
| -110 / -110 | ~4.8% |
| -115 / -105 | ~4.4% |
| -120 / +100 | ~9.1% |
| -150 / +130 | ~6.5% |
For the full breakdown of how sportsbooks work, read our guide to how sports betting works.
This is part of our complete guide. Read the full breakdown for the complete strategy.
Read: How Sports Betting Works: A Beginner's Guide (2026) →