The hold, also called the vig, is the sportsbook's edge on a market: the sum of the implied probabilities of its outcomes minus 100%. Low hold betting means betting markets, or pairs of prices across two sportsbooks, where that edge is small. It matters for promos because every hedged qualifying bet and every dollar of playthrough pays it: -110 / -110 holds 4.76%, while -105 at one sportsbook and +100 at another holds 1.22%.

What is the hold, or vig?

Every price implies a probability. A sportsbook prices both sides of a market so that the implied probabilities add up to more than 100%, and the extra is its edge. That extra is the hold, also called the vig (vigorish), juice, margin or overround: the sum of the implied probabilities minus 100%. It is the figure the no-vig calculator shows as "Vig (margin)".

Next to it the calculator shows the payout: 100% divided by the sum of the implied probabilities, the share of the money staked that comes back on average. What you expect to lose on each dollar staked is 100% minus the payout. At -110 on both sides the hold is 4.76% and the payout 95.45%, so each dollar staked loses about 4.55 cents. The cost (4.55%) is a little smaller than the hold (4.76%), and that is not an error: the hold is measured on the 104.76% book, the cost on each dollar you actually stake.

How do you calculate the hold from two American odds?

1. Turn each price into an implied probability. Negative odds: |odds| / (|odds| + 100). Positive odds: 100 / (odds + 100).
2. Add the two probabilities: that is the book.
3. Hold = book - 100%. Payout = 100% / book, and the cost per dollar staked is 100% - payout.

Three worked examples:

• -110 / -110 at one sportsbook: 110 / 210 = 52.38% per side, book 104.76%. Hold 4.76%, payout 95.45% (cost 4.55% per dollar staked).
• -105 at Sportsbook A, +100 at Sportsbook B: 105 / 205 = 51.22% and 100 / 200 = 50.00%, book 101.22%. Hold 1.22%, payout 98.80% (cost 1.20%).
• +105 at Sportsbook A, -110 at Sportsbook B: 100 / 205 = 48.78% and 52.38%, book 101.16%. Hold 1.16%, payout 98.85% (cost 1.15%).

The second and third examples show the trick behind low hold betting: you do not have to take both sides at the same sportsbook. Taking the best price on each side, across two sportsbooks or a sportsbook and ProphetX (a prediction market), builds a pair whose hold is far below either sportsbook's own.

Why does a low hold make promos cheaper?

When you hedge a bet so the result is the same whoever wins, the loss is the total you staked times (100% - payout), and the payout falls as the hold rises. For example, $100 at -110 hedged with $100 at -110: you stake $200, collect $190.91 whichever side wins, and lose $9.09, which is $200 x 4.55% (hold 4.76%). The same $100 at -105 hedged with $97.62 at +100: you stake $197.62, collect $195.24 either way, and lose $2.38, which is $197.62 x 1.20% (hold 1.22%).

That loss is the cost of a qualifying bet, and every promo starts with one:

• Bet & get offers: the qualifying bet is hedged in Cash mode, and its cost rises and falls with the hold of the pair. See how bet & get offers work.
• Playthrough: clearing a requirement means "churning" a large total through bets, so the hold is paid over and over. With $1,000 to wager, hedging every bet at -105 / +100 costs $23.81; hedging at -110 / -110 costs $90.91. The full math is in playthrough requirements and deposit match bonuses, and the playthrough calculator prices any bonus.
• Second chance bets and profit boosts: the cash part of the bet is hedged the same way, so a tighter pair leaves more of the promo's value.

What do common two-way pairs hold?

For example, with hypothetical prices as of October 2026 (the first price is the bet at the promo sportsbook, the second the hedge):

Pair	Implied probabilities	Book	Hold (vig)	Payout	Cash rating	Hedged result per $100 at the promo sportsbook
-110 / -110	52.38% + 52.38%	104.76%	4.76%	95.45%	90.91	-$9.09
-120 / +100	54.55% + 50.00%	104.55%	4.55%	95.65%	91.67	-$8.33
-110 / +100	52.38% + 50.00%	102.38%	2.38%	97.67%	95.45	-$4.55
-105 / +100	51.22% + 50.00%	101.22%	1.22%	98.80%	97.62	-$2.38
+105 / -110	48.78% + 52.38%	101.16%	1.16%	98.85%	97.62	-$2.38
+110 / -110	47.62% + 52.38%	100.00%	0.00%	100.00%	100.00	$0.00
+115 / -110	46.51% + 52.38%	98.89%	-1.11%	101.12%	102.38	+$2.38

Notice the -105 / +100 and +105 / -110 rows: different holds, same cost per $100 at the promo sportsbook. The hold and the payout describe the money staked across both bets, while a qualifying bet or a playthrough counts only the dollars at the promo sportsbook. With +105 the hedge is larger ($107.38 against $97.62), so the slightly lower hold is spread over more money. That is why the tools rank pairs by rating rather than by hold.

How does the Bet Finder rating reflect the hold?

The Bet Finder compares the prices of the sportsbooks in your state and ProphetX and lists the pairs with both stakes. In Cash mode the rating is what you keep of every $100 bet at the first sportsbook after the hedge: 97.62 means the pair costs $2.38 per $100, 90.91 means $9.09. A higher rating is a cheaper cover, which in practice means a lower hold on the money that counts for your promo.

The other modes (Bonus Bet, 2nd Chance, Playthrough, Boost) use their own rating for their own promo, but all of them reward the same thing: two prices close together. The free account uses the Bet Finder with DraftKings and ProphetX; Premium unlocks every sportsbook in your state, and more sportsbooks means more chances of a tight pair.

What happens when the hold goes negative?

When the best prices on the two sides add up to less than 100%, as in the +115 / -110 row, the hedged pair returns more than it costs whoever wins: an arbitrage, also called a surebet. In Cash mode its rating is above 100. NinjaBet's SureBet tool lists these pairs. They are rare and short-lived, prices can move before the second bet is placed, and sportsbooks may limit accounts that bet them often, so treat any profit as an estimate rather than a promise.

Where do you find low-hold markets?

• Main markets: moneylines, spreads and totals on popular games tend to be priced more tightly than props, futures or parlays.
• Two sportsbooks rather than one: the best price on each side usually sits at different sportsbooks, which is where the Bet Finder looks.
• Three-way markets: soccer moneylines have three outcomes; the hold uses all three implied probabilities, and the Bet Finder covers them too.
• Check by hand: enter any two or three prices in the no-vig calculator to see the vig, the payout and the fair odds.

Frequently asked questions

Is hold the same as vig?

Yes. Hold, vig, juice and margin all name the sum of the implied probabilities minus 100%: 4.76% at -110 / -110. The expected loss per dollar staked is 100% minus the payout, 4.55% there; it is smaller because it is measured on the money staked, not on the book.

What is a good hold for a qualifying bet?

The lower the better. As a rule of thumb from the table, a pair rated above 97 in Cash mode costs less than $3 per $100 at the promo sportsbook.

Can the hold be zero?

Yes: +110 / -110 across two sportsbooks adds up to exactly 100%, so the hedged pair costs nothing whoever wins.

Does the hold change during the day?

Yes. Prices move with news and betting, so a pair that is tight now may be wide an hour later. Re-check the prices before placing the hedge.

Why not just bet without a hedge on low-hold markets?

You can, and on average you lose 100% minus the payout of that market (4.55% at -110 / -110). But the result swings by the full stake, which can drain a balance before a playthrough is met. The hedge makes the cost small and fixed.

Does the hold matter for bonus bets?

Yes, indirectly: the Bonus Bet conversion rate is highest when the two prices are close. See how to convert bonus bets into cash.

Sources

• NinjaBet free calculators: no-vig calculator (vig, payout and fair odds) and playthrough calculator.
• NinjaBet tools: Bet Finder (Cash mode rating), SureBet.
• NinjaBet.com help center: Which US states does NinjaBet support? and the guide How to use ProphetX.

You must be 21 or older (18 in a few states) to bet in the United States, and bet only with operators licensed in your state. Gambling can be addictive: if you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER, or the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY-RESET (ncpgambling.org), free and confidential, 24/7. Results vary and require time and capital; this article is information, not financial or legal advice. Last updated: October 12, 2026.