Juice betting is the cut a sportsbook keeps for taking your bet. It’s also known as the vigorish. It’s essentially the amount that a sportsbook charges for taking a bet on any sporting event. For example, if you bet $10 on a point spread, you’ll likely get that line at – 110. This means your bet would result in a profit of $9.09 if you win, making the total payout $19.09.
The term -110 is telling you that bet $110 to win $100, which illustrates how the juice affects both sides of the bet. It’s a juiced bet no matter what.
You’re always going to pay the price in sports betting whether you’re betting on a spread or a moneyline.
Even with moneyline bets, the odds still include juice, but the format differs from spread betting. In most scenarios, betting on a spread will involve juice around -110, though this can vary based on the sportsbook and market conditions. For example, you could bet $110 and return $100, but you would still be giving $10 to the sportsbook as part of the juice.
What is Juice Betting?
Vigorish and juice betting are the same thing, the terms are interchangeable.
The sportsbooks are essentially not giving you a 50/50 chance to win. In theory, all bets would have to be +100 for a vig to not be a thing. However, if you have ever placed a sports bet before, you would understand that this isn’t the case. All of these lines are typically at least going to be -110, and that’s because the sportsbooks apply juice by taking a percentage off the top and moving these odds.
That 9% from the sportsbooks is a rough estimate of the charge for taking your bet.
The calculation for juice betting is as follows:
(Favorite odds/(Favorite odds + 100) x 100) + (100/(Underdog odds + 100) x 100) – 100 = Vig.
Online betting markets often offer all types of juice, so make sure that you are always looking around on the internet to find the best possible price. For new bettors, having betting odds explained can simplify the process of placing your bets.
Understanding the Vigorish (Vig)
All sportsbooks charge vigorish, often called juice. The role is simple: if sportsbooks didn’t charge a vigorish, they wouldn’t be able to compete with other sportsbooks. That’s the reason why all sportsbooks charge it, as it gives them an edge over the bettors.
The sportsbooks do this because they guarantee consistent profits. For example, if both sides of a bet have -110 odds and two people wager $110 on opposite sides, the cut of the sportsbook would be $10. The winning bet would receive $210, which is $100 in profit. The sportsbook cut allows them to limit losses.
If a sportsbook receives an uneven amount of bets on the game, they’ll change the odds so the juice doesn’t put them at a bigger risk. For example, if a sportsbook sees everyone betting on the Milwaukee Bucks at -7.5 at -110 odds, they might change the odds to -112, -115, or anything else. This strategy is meant to get an advantage over the typical bettor. The shift in odds helps balance betting and reflects the difference between balanced and unbalanced betting.
To get the full picture, juice betting explained in various resources can provide deeper insights.
Exploring Reduced Juice Betting
When engaging in point spread betting or moneyline betting , always look for reduced juice opportunities.
Sports bettors are always looking for reduced juice betting as it’s something they’ll have to dig for at many sportsbooks to find. There isn’t any difference between reduced juice betting and low vig, so understand that both of them mean the same thing. Reducing the juice in sports betting is as easy as ever for bettors seeking to increase their profits.
The definition of reduced juice betting is as follows: A reduced bet could be as simple as the Kansas City Chiefs being -3 at -105 and the Tennessee Titans at +3 at -105. This means you need to spend $105 to win $100, a reduction from the more common -110 line, which would require a $110 wager to win $100. While this only amounts to a $5 difference per wager, those $5 add up significantly if you bet frequently.
Reduced juice betting can make a massive difference for people who want to bet, and it’s something you should look for. For example, DraftKings might have a line at -110, and FanDuel has it at -108. Although the $2 isn’t the end-all, be-all for individual bets, adding that up for multiple bets could make a massive difference.
If you are almost thinking how to find reduced juice bets, remember that reduced juice lines might have lower payouts even if the house edge is smaller. This means you’re risking less per bet, which is great for long-term profit. However, the actual winnings on individual bets could be smaller.
Juice vs. Reduced Juice: Why Less is More in Betting
Juice betting and reduced juice betting are different mainly because of the commission, also known as sports betting juice. In juice betting, you usually have to pay a 10% commission, which means you need to risk more money to win a certain amount. On the other hand, reduced juice betting offers a lower commission, usually between 5% to 8%. This way, you risk less money for the same potential profit. To understand better, check out the table below.
| Aspect | Juice Betting | Reduced Juice Betting |
| Bet Amount | $110 | $105 |
| Odds | -110 | -105 |
| Potential Profit | $100 | $100 |
| Total Return if Win | $210 | $205 |
| Total Loss if Lose | $110 | $105 |
As you can see, reduced juice betting helps you risk less per bet. This makes it safer for your bankroll. Plus, over time, paying a lower commission can really add up, leading to higher profits if you place many bets. Understanding these differences can help you make smarter betting decisions.
Factors Influencing Juice Betting
Market dynamics can affect juice betting levels. For example, if one side of a bet has all the money on it, the sportsbooks might change the line to limit risk on their end.
The point of juice is to guarantee a profit if there is an equal total of money on each side for the sportsbook, so they’ll always be looking to achieve this balance.
If you bet on a reduced juice line, sportsbook policies won’t penalize you for doing so. For example, if DraftKings offers the bet at -102, then that’s what you can bet on. It won’t be an issue if you continue to bet on it as they are offering that price.
Strategies for Maximizing Value in Juice Betting
Identifying reduced juice betting opportunities is easy. All you have to do is search for the best line, and some websites allow you to do just that. OddsJam has a tool that allows you to find these opportunities, as it has odds from many different types of sportsbooks and is updated regularly. For example, if you had an OddsJam subscription, you would find that ESPN Bet is offering the Cincinnati Reds -1.5 at -101, while DraftKings has -1.5 at -113.
Comparing lines between sportsbooks is the most effective strategy for maximizing value and something you should always try to apply. If you’re someone who bets daily, reducing juiced bets is a must. Even a small difference in odds can significantly affect long-term profits.
Taking as little of the sportsbook commission off the top of a game is important for future bets. Keep in mind, the best sports betting apps often have tools to compare juice rates across different sportsbooks.
The Role of Vigorish in Betting Decisions
The role of vig should play every factor in your betting decisions. For example, if you’re someone who wants to make as much money as you can in the long run, you need to put that into your betting strategy. Understanding vig informs a betting strategy that allows you to pay the cheapest price of bets, which is always ideal. This is as simple as odd shopping, which we should always be doing. On any particular bet, you should be putting yourself in the best position to make money in the long term.
For example, if you see FanDuel offer the Miami Dolphins at -115 to win the game, but FanDuel has the line at -105, why not bet just $105 to win $100 rather than $115 to win the bet? If you lost that bet, you’d lose the same $100. However, if you win the bet, you’d be saving yourself $10. It’s never a smart idea to pay more to win the same amount, especially when it’s the same exact thing you’d be betting on.
This can all change by popular bets as there could be much more money on one side of the bet than the other.
Using the Vigorish Calculator
Before discussing available calculators, let’s understand the concept behind the juice calculation formula. Calculating juice in betting is simple.
To calculate the juice, take the commission amount (the extra cost) and divide it by the total amount wagered. For example, if you’re betting $110 and the commission (juice) is $10, you divide $10 by $110, which equals about 9.1%.
Understanding this helps you make smarter betting decisions because you can compare juice rates at different sportsbooks.
You can find many calculators online to help with figuring out vigorish in betting.
But the best vigorish calculator for juice betting is on OddsJam. At OddsJam, you can put the odds in and it will give you a vig%. For example, if you put in -150 on bet No. 1 and -110 on bet No. 2, you would see that the vig% is 12.38%. Odds typically aren’t this highly different unless there’s a reason to be, so don’t expect to see -150 on one end and -110 on the opposite side.
A better example would be a bet with -114 odds and a bet with -110 odds, which would be a vig% of 5.65%. 5.65% can be a huge difference in the long run for someone who frequently bets, so make sure to always check for it and see how much of a difference your betting odds will make. Vigorish betting will be much easier to understand if you have the calculator that’s widely available online. Instead of finding it and hoping it doesn’t vary by your calculation being off, you can guarantee the price with the calculator.
Bet Smart: Easy Tips for Safe Betting
Sure, the most exciting part of gaming is exploring sports betting strategies and figuring out how to win at sports betting. However, there is an important aspect that often gets overlooked: responsible betting. If you love online sports betting or are just starting with sports betting for beginners, it’s crucial to keep your betting habits in check. Here are some tips to help you bet responsibly:
- Set a time limit and stick to it.
- Set a money limit and stick to it.
- Gamble only for fun.
- Accept losing as part of the game.
- Don’t borrow money to gamble.
- Don’t let gambling interfere with family, friends, or work.
- Don’t gamble to win back losses.
- Don’t gamble to get money.
- Don’t gamble to cope with emotional or physical pain.
- Always ensure you are participating in legal sports betting.
Conclusion
In conclusion, vig betting and juice betting are essentially the same thing and are important for anyone who wants to become a successful bettor in the long run. Many people aren’t taking advantage of this and with calculators like OddsJam, there isn’t ever a reason to not be doing anything you can to take advantage of money.
Line shopping can be tiring and take time, but considering this is real money wagering, taking time out of your day to make more money, in the long run, should be something you do. Depending on the sportsbook, the outcome of your bet could net you more money if the line is different.
Understanding this is important and all the information above will help you understand what needs to be done in the future to make money.
FAQs
1. What Is the Juice In Sports Betting?
Juice in sports betting is the amount a sportsbook charges for taking any wager on a bet. It’s the upfront money you have to pay to the sportsbook to accept your bet. The juice in betting is seen in every sportsbook.
2. What Does Juice Mean In Sports Betting?
Juice is the cut the sportsbook takes.
3. How To Calculate Juice In Betting?
The best way to calculate juice in betting is by going to OddsJam and calculating it with ease. OddsJam is one of the reduced juice betting sites.
If you rather use a formula to calculate juice in betting, use this: (Favorite odds/(favorite odds + 100) X 100) + (100/(underdog odds + 100) X 100) – 100 = vig
4. What is Reduced Juice Betting?
Reduced juice betting means the amount that you pay on the line is cheaper. It keeps more money and puts more money in your pocket in the long run.
5. How Many Types of Juice Are There?
There is reduced and regular juice betting.
