Juice / Vig / Vigorish
Also known as: vig, vigorish
The sportsbook's commission on a bet. Standard juice is -110; you risk $110 to win $100.
Juice (also vig or vigorish) is what the sportsbook charges to take your bet. On a standard -110 spread, you risk $110 to win $100; a ~4.5% house edge baked into the price.
How juice works:
- Both sides at -110 implies 52.4% probability each. Sum = 104.8%. That extra 4.8% is the book’s overround.
- “Reduced juice” books offer -105 or -107 instead of -110. Saves real money for high-volume bettors.
- “Juice” on player props is often higher (-115 to -120) reflecting pricing uncertainty.
Compounded juice is why long parlays of small favorites lose so badly. Every leg adds an independent vig the book stacks.