Juice: Meaning and Definition
In sports betting, juice is the cut a sportsbook takes for handling your bet. It’s also called the “vig” (short for vigorish).
If you place a $10 bet on a point spread with a friend, the winner gets the full $10. But when betting with a sportsbook, they take a small fee - the juice. So that $10 bet would return only about $9.09 if you win.
Summary
Juice, also known as vig or vigorish, is the commission charged by a sportsbook or bookmaker for accepting a wager. It ensures the sportsbook makes a profit regardless of the outcome.
What is Juice?
Juice is baked on the odds, not typically shown as a separate fee, but rather as the difference between the true probability and the payout. While -110 juice is standard, juice can vary, such as -120.
Why It’s Important?
Understanding and minimising the impact of juice is key if you want to stay profitable in sports betting. Even small differences in juice can add up over time.
How It’s Used
Beyond sports betting, juice appears in casino games like poker, where it represents a percentage taken from the winning pot or an hourly fee for hosting the game.
In sports betting, juice ensures that sportsbooks make money whether bettors win or lose, keeping the house profitable.
