Updated November 6, 2026
21+ only. Sports betting is not legal in every state. Check your local laws. Problem gambling? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Juice, also called vig or vigorish, is the commission built into sports betting prices. It is why a typical two-way market is not a fair coin flip at -100 on each side. Understanding juice helps you read any American odds line, including moneylines, spreads and totals. Every price in the examples below is hypothetical. Nothing here is a recommendation to bet.
What Juice (Vig) Means
In a fair market with no commission, two equally likely sides would each sit near even money. Sportsbooks build a hold into the prices so that, over a large set of balanced action, the book keeps a percentage. That hold is the juice. You see it most often as -110 on each side of a spread or total: you risk $110 to win $100, whether you take the favorite or the underdog at that price.
Juice is not a separate fee you pay after the game. It is already inside the number on the board. Our guide to implied probability in sports betting shows how to convert any American price into the win rate that price requires.
The -110 Break-Even
At a hypothetical -110 price, the break-even win rate is:
- Risk 110 to win 100
- Break-even = 110 / (110 + 100) = 52.38%
If you win exactly 52.38% of equal-sized -110 bets, you roughly break even before other costs. Winning less than that loses money over time at that price; winning more is the mathematical requirement before anyone can talk about an edge. A move from -110 to -115 raises the break-even to about 53.49%. A move to -105 lowers it to about 51.22%. Small juice changes are not cosmetic; they change the win rate you need.
How Books Build Juice Into Prices
On a two-way market, both sides are usually priced so their implied probabilities add up to more than 100%. The amount over 100% is the hold. For two hypothetical -110 sides:
- Each -110 implies about 52.38%
- 52.38% + 52.38% = 104.76%
- Hold ≈ 4.76%
That does not mean the book wins 4.76% of every ticket. It means that if action is balanced and results match the implied split, the pricing leaves room for the commission. Real books also shade lines based on expected demand, injuries and other information. Juice is the commission structure; line shopping is how bettors compare the same market across shops when that is legal where they live.
Juice on Moneylines, Spreads and Totals
Juice shows up in every major market type:
- Spreads and totals: often near -110 on each side, though the exact number moves.
- Moneylines: favorites are priced at a minus number and underdogs at a plus number; the gap between those prices embeds the hold. See what a moneyline bet is.
- Totals: the same -110-style juice applies to overs and unders. See what over/under means in football.
Against-the-spread bets are also usually juiced; our against the spread explainer covers covers and pushes separately from the price.
Why Juice Matters More Than One Result
A single win at -110 feels the same as a single win at -105 in your account history for that ticket size, but the long-run math is different. Juice is why "winning half the time" is not enough at standard prices. It is also why comparing prices matters when you are allowed to: paying -120 instead of -110 on the same side raises the break-even you need for every future bet at that worse number.
A Note on Our Own Research Model
The Sports Hangover publishes model-based research, not picks. Our research model's backtest went 48.7% against closing lines from 2021 to 2025. That's not a proven edge. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to place a bet.
Where Sports Betting Is Legal and Where to Get Help
The American Gaming Association's state-by-state map tracks where sports betting is legal. If betting stops being fun, the National Council on Problem Gambling help page lists treatment and support options, and the 1-800-GAMBLER helpline site offers confidential help.
Juice and Vig: Frequently Asked Questions
What is juice in sports betting?
Juice (vig) is the commission built into betting prices, often seen as -110 on each side of a two-way market. It is not a separate fee charged after the game.
What win rate do you need to break even at -110?
About 52.38%. The formula is risk / (risk + win) = 110 / 210.
Is juice the same as a point spread?
No. The spread is the handicap. Juice is the price attached to betting that handicap (or a total or moneyline).
21+ only. Sports betting is not legal in every state. Check your local laws. Problem gambling? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
