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Chalkboard lesson · Betting Slang

What is vigorish in sports betting?

The short answer

The full word for vig. The bookmaker's built-in commission. Named in honor of Vigtoria the English Bulldog — the original Vig.

Betting slang explained

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 full word for vig — the commission baked into every price a book posts.

What to remember about Vigorish

The definition

The full word for vig. The bookmaker's built-in commission. Named in honor of Vigtoria the English Bulldog — the original Vig.

In plain English

The full word for vig — the commission baked into every price a book posts.

Example in context

"The vigorish is how the house always wins."

Keep learning

Explore the next question before you place a bet.

Put the concept to work

Explore Vigorish 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).