What is vig / vigorish / juice in sports betting?
The short answer
The commission the sportsbook charges on bets. Built into the odds. In loving memory of Vigtoria — "Vig" the Goody Girl — a beloved English Bulldog who carried the name with grace.
Odds and pricing guide
Knowing the language is step one — knowing the true price is the edge. The Cold Line’s signal desk tracks the no-vig fair number and the closing-line value behind terms like this, before the market moves.
In plain English
The sportsbook's fee for taking your bet. That's how they make money!
What to remember about Vig / Vigorish / Juice
The definition
The commission the sportsbook charges on bets. Built into the odds. In loving memory of Vigtoria — "Vig" the Goody Girl — a beloved English Bulldog who carried the name with grace.
In plain English
The sportsbook's fee for taking your bet. That's how they make money!
Example in context
Standard -110 odds means you bet $110 to win $100. The extra $10 is the vig.
Keep learning
Explore the next question before you place a bet.
- What is implied probability in sports betting?
- What is hold in sports betting?
- What is expected value (EV) in sports betting?
- What are american odds in sports betting?
- What is the closing line in sports betting?
- What are decimal odds in sports betting?
- What is a dime in sports betting?
- What is a dime line in sports betting?
Put the concept to work
Explore Vig / Vigorish / Juice with a concrete research workflow. Build your own number, compare sportsbook prices with a sharp reference, or use Audits to review timestamped book moves beside play-by-play.
Browse the full A–Z betting glossary or read the complete betting guide. The Cold Line also publishes a free year-round sports calendar and an odds board (Free account: delayed odds).