Hold, vig and overround
Add up the implied probabilities of every outcome. A fair market sums to 100%; anything above that is the sportsbook’s margin. People quote that margin two ways, so both are shown.
- Overround (the “vig” on the implied probabilities) = total implied probability − 100%. For -110/-110 that is 4.76%.
- Hold = 1 − 1 ÷ total implied probability: the sportsbook’s expected share of all money bet if it is split to match the prices. For -110/-110 that is 4.55%.
- The same stake at -105/-105 has about 2.4% overround, so the better book has roughly half the margin.
Questions
What is hold in sports betting?
Hold is the percentage of the money wagered on a market that the sportsbook expects to keep. For a standard -110/-110 line it is 4.55%.
What is the difference between hold and vig?
People use them interchangeably. Strictly, overround is the extra implied probability above 100% (4.76% for -110/-110) and hold is that margin as a share of the total (4.55%). This calculator shows both.
What is a good hold?
Lower is better for the bettor. A standard -110/-110 line holds 4.55%, -105/-105 holds 2.38%, and prop markets and futures often hold much more.
Can the hold be negative?
A negative number means the prices add up to less than 100%, which signals an arbitrage between sources or a typo. A single book’s market does not normally do this.
Put it into practice: Sportsbook odds comparison. Livdy shows every book’s price side by side and the game logs behind every prop hit rate.