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Hold Calculator for Sports Betting

The hold is the amount held from your winnings at Sportsbooks. Some refer to it the juice, vig, or vigorish. Use the hold calculator to figure out the winnings your missing out on and then jump on in to BettorEdge to find the best prices around. 

As a peer-to-peer betting site, there's no hold in our lines and you're only charged a fee on your earnings over a certain amount each month; meaning you always stand to win more sports betting! 

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Enter American Odds Format: 

Side 2:

PROBABILITY

Hold percentage lost at traditional sportsbook: 

Side 1:

ODDS

What is the Hold in Sports Betting?

On the surface, the hold, vig or vigorish all appear to be the same fee charged by Sportsbooks on bets. It's hidden in the odds portrayed to hide the total value taken out of your winnings. It's crucial to understand in order to become a winning bettor as the hold has a big impact on your potential winnings. 

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If two individual bettors make a sports bet at a Sportsbook at -110 for Los Angeles vs. Houston. Each bettor puts up $110 to win $100 on each side. Therefore, $220 is bet and only $210 is returned to the winning bettor. The $10 is the fee or hold taken by the sportsbook and can be calculated as a percentage as:  $10 / $220 = 4.54%

How to Use The Hold Calculator

Enter your odds in American Odds for both sides of the bet and hit the Calculate button. 

The hold calculator will automatically calculate the probabilities of each side and the total hold based on the odds entered into the hold calculator.

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By entering your odds into the hold calculator of -110 on both sides, you'll see the probability is automatically calculated for you. The probability is important as it easily shows how most sportsbooks will oversell the probability over 100% to sports bettors. The amount oversold (or over 100%) is the vig.  

Why the Hold Matters?

Now that you've used the hold calculator to understand the fees charged to a bettor from a sportsbook. You may ask yourself why a few percent here or there matters on a sports bet? If the bet wins, who cares? 

 

Well, over the long term, it really takes a toll on your winnings. Don't just take it from us, take it from Twitter user, Timmy Hernandez (@TimboSlice003) who simulated a person's returns through betting at -110, +100, and +110. The results are astonishingly favorable with 10,000 simulations shows almost $100,000 more in winnings at +110 instead of -110! 

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How to Eliminate the Hold 

Historically, it was impossible to eliminate the hold fully, but the best way to minimize the hold impact would be to price shop your odds across many different sportsbooks to find the best odds.  Though important, it's a timely endeavor to search many sites. Therefore,  Professional Sports bettors price shop more efficiently through using tools like odds screens offered by SpankOdds, OddsJam, or other providers. Many times, you'll find sportsbooks that specialize in lower hold or vig, like Circa Sportsbook or Prime Sportsbook that will prioritize offering a smaller vig than DraftKings, FanDuel or Penn National. 

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However, technology advancements have made marketplaces possible in many industries.  EBay, Uber, or Grubhub are all great examples of disruption through technology to help each consumer have a better, cheaper experience as it connects users. BettorEdge is doing just that with it's Social Betting Marketplace allowing you to win more in Sports Betting. 

How BettorEdge can help Sports Bettors Win More Without the Hold

Since BettorEdge is a Social Betting Marketplace, it leverages efficiencies in technology and new business models to allow you get the best price and most winnings back into your pocket. BettorEdge connects you directly with other users in the community and does not have take on the risks that a Sportsbook takes on. Collectively, you win more and take home more of your winnings! 

Sign up now to start winning more today! 

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