Vig / Hold Calculator
Enter both sides of a two-way betting line to see the sportsbook's hold (vig) and the true, no-vig probability and fair odds. Learn more about how this works in What Is the Vig in Sports Betting.
Fair odds show what each side "should" pay if the book charged no vig. The higher the hold, the more the book is charging you to bet.
What Is the Vig (Juice) in Sports Betting
The vig, or juice, is the built-in margin a sportsbook charges for taking a bet. It's why both sides of a two-way line add up to more than 100% implied probability. On a standard -110/-110 line, each side implies 52.4% — a combined 104.8%, meaning the book keeps roughly 4.8 cents of every dollar wagered on average, regardless of who wins.
How to Calculate Vig / Hold
Step 1: Convert each side's American odds to implied probability. Negative odds: odds ÷ (odds + 100). Positive odds: 100 ÷ (odds + 100).
Step 2: Add both implied probabilities together. Step 3: Subtract 100% — the result is the vig.
Example: -110 on both sides gives 52.38% + 52.38% = 104.76%. Subtract 100% and the vig is 4.76%. Divide each side's implied probability by the total to get the true, no-vig probability: 52.38% ÷ 104.76% = 50% each — exactly what you'd expect from a coin-flip fight with no house edge.
Why No-Vig Fair Odds Matter for Finding Value
The vig is baked into every line a sportsbook posts, which means the "probability" you see is never the market's true assessment — it's inflated to cover the book's margin. Stripping out the vig gives you the fair, no-vig probability, which is the number you should actually compare against your own handicapping. If your model says a fighter wins 58% of the time and the no-vig fair probability is 50%, that 8-point gap is where real edge lives.
Typical Vig by Market
Mainline moneyline (-110/-110): roughly 4.5-4.8% hold.
Round/method props: often 6-10% hold, since these markets are thinner and less efficiently priced.
Futures and title odds: can carry 20%+ combined hold across the full field.
Live/in-play betting: frequently the highest vig of all, since books widen margins to manage fast-moving risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a normal vig percentage?
On mainstream two-way MMA moneylines, 4-5% is typical. Props, futures, and live markets usually carry a noticeably higher hold.
How is vig different from -110 odds?
-110 is just one side's price. Vig describes the combined margin across both sides of the market once you add their implied probabilities together and subtract 100%.
What does no-vig probability mean?
It's the sportsbook's implied probability with the house margin mathematically removed, giving you the market's true, unbiased estimate of each outcome.
Which sportsbooks have the lowest vig?
This varies by market and shifts over time as books compete for sharp action. Comparing the same line across several books before betting is the most reliable way to find the lowest vig on any given fight.
How does vig affect long-term profitability?
It's the single biggest headwind a bettor faces. Beating a 4.5% vig consistently requires a real edge over the market — without one, the vig alone guarantees a long-term loss even at a 50% win rate.