What is the Vig or Vigorish when people refer to a sportsbook?

The "vig" or "vigorish" (sometimes called "juice") is a hidden commission that traditional sportsbooks build into their odds to ensure profit regardless of game outcomes. This fee significantly reduces bettors' potential profits over time and creates a mathematical disadvantage that makes long-term winning much more challenging.

The vig works as a built-in commission on sports bets:

• It's essentially the "price" (or added fee) you pay to place a bet with a traditional sportsbook
• It creates a mathematical edge for the house by offering odds that don't reflect true probabilities
• Most bettors don't notice it directly because it's embedded within the odds structure
• The vig is how traditional sportsbooks guarantee profitability regardless of game outcomes

Use a Vig Calculator to calculate the hidden fee at any sportsbook or odds you see. 

Traditional sportsbooks typically offer standard odds like -110 on both sides of a point spread bet:

• -110 odds mean you must bet $110 to win $100 (plus your original stake back)
• If the sportsbook gets equal betting on both sides:
• They collect $220 total ($110 from each side)
• They pay out $210 to winners ($100 profit + $110 original stake)
• The $10 difference is their guaranteed profit (the vig)

This creates a house edge of approximately 4.5% on standard point spread bets.

The amount of vig varies significantly across bet types:

• Standard spreads and totals: Typically around 4-6% vig
• Moneylines: Usually 4-6% but can vary based on the matchup
• Player props: Often higher at 7-12%
• Parlays and exotic bets: Can reach 15-20% or even higher
• Live betting: Frequently higher than pre-game markets, often 7-10%

The vig creates a significant mathematical hurdle for bettors:

• To break even against a standard -110 line, you need to win approximately 52.4% of your bets
• For a 10% profit, you need to win approximately 55% of your bets
• As the vig increases, so does the win rate required for profitability
• Over hundreds or thousands of bets, even a small vig significantly reduces potential profits

BettorEdge uses a fundamentally different model:

• As a peer-to-peer marketplace, BettorEdge doesn't take the high vig on the odds themselves
• Users trade directly with each other at the odds they agree upon
• This creates a more transparent betting environment with no high fees like traditional betting platforms
• Bettors can often find better prices and true market value compared to traditional sportsbooks

On BettorEdge's social betting marketplace:

• You can see the actual price other bettors are willing to take
• Negotiate directly for the best odds
• Place your own offers at odds you consider favorable
• Compare available prices to find the best value
• Avoid the mathematical disadvantage that the vig creates

To maximize your potential returns by avoiding the vig:

1. Calculate the implied probability of odds before betting to understand true value
2. Compare odds across BettorEdge's marketplace to find the best prices (do it automagically with BettorEdge Premium)
3. Consider placing your own orders at odds you find favorable
4. Track your results to see the difference that avoiding the vig makes to your bottom line

Remember that successful sports betting is about finding value, and eliminating the vig through BettorEdge's no-vig model is one of the most effective ways to improve your chances of long-term profitability.