Vig vs Bookmaker Margin
What each means, how they relate, and when to use which.Vig and bookmaker margin name the same cut. Vig, or juice, is the informal term for the fee baked into the odds; bookmaker margin is the formal metric, the percentage edge the book holds over fair odds. Same concept, one colloquial and one the number you calculate.
The vig is the commission a sportsbook builds into its odds so that the prices for a market add up to more than 100%, giving the book its margin.
Use it when Use vig conversationally for the bookmaker's cut.
Full definition of Vig →The bookmaker's built-in edge, seen when the implied probabilities of all outcomes in a market sum to more than 100%.
Use it when Use bookmaker margin when you want the precise percentage edge.
Full definition of Bookmaker Margin →The key distinction
- Vig is the informal name; bookmaker margin is the formal measured percentage.
- Bookmaker margin is what you compute; vig is what you feel when you bet.
- Both describe the sportsbook's built-in advantage.
Common questions
What's the difference between Vig and Bookmaker Margin?
Vig and bookmaker margin name the same cut. Vig, or juice, is the informal term for the fee baked into the odds; bookmaker margin is the formal metric, the percentage edge the book holds over fair odds. Same concept, one colloquial and one the number you calculate.
What is Vig?
The vig is the commission a sportsbook builds into its odds so that the prices for a market add up to more than 100%, giving the book its margin.
What is Bookmaker Margin?
The bookmaker's built-in edge, seen when the implied probabilities of all outcomes in a market sum to more than 100%.
More term comparisons
Understanding, not advice. This explains how two terms differ so you can read the industry clearly. Nothing here treats gambling as a way to make money; the maths favours the house. 18+.