What is Vigorish in Sports Betting?

Vigorish Explained in Detail

Vigorish is the oldest and most formal term for the sportsbook's commission, dating back to early 20th-century gambling parlors. While modern bettors typically use the shortened vig or the synonym juice, understanding vigorish as a concept is fundamental to sports betting literacy.

The vigorish represents the cost of placing a bet. Just as a stock broker charges a commission on trades, a sportsbook charges vigorish on wagers. This cost must be factored into every betting decision. A bet that appears to have a 50/50 chance of winning is actually a losing bet over time because the vigorish means you need to win more than 50% to break even.

Different bet types carry different levels of vigorish. Standard sides and totals at -110 carry about 4.5% vig. Parlays typically have higher effective vigorish because the house edge compounds across legs. Futures markets can have vigorish exceeding 20%. Understanding the vigorish of each bet type helps bettors allocate their bankroll to the markets offering the best value.

The trend in legal sports betting has been toward lower vigorish. Competition among sportsbooks drives prices down, which benefits bettors. Some operators offer -105 or even +100 promotions on select bets. Betting exchanges, where bettors wager against each other, often have the lowest vigorish of all, typically around 1-2%.