What Does VIG or JUICE Mean in Betting?

Confused about the VIG or JUICE on a sports bet?

Don’t sweat it, this short article will help you out…

The VIG or JUICE in Sports Betting:

Juice or Vig is a term used in sports betting to describe the commission charged by the sportsbook. It’s a theoretical fee that the sportsbook takes on every bet placed in order to make a profit.

Now the sportsbook doesn’t win on every bet, but of the ones they do, the VIG (aka vigorish) compensates greatly.

For example, let’s say you want to bet on the NBA using DraftKings Sportsbook. You find a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors and you want to bet on the Lakers to win. The odds for this game might be listed as -110, which means that you have to wager $110 to win $100 profit from your wager. The $10 difference between what you bet and what you can win is the juice or vig.

DraftKings Sportsbook and other sportsbooks use this fee to make a profit and cover their expenses. If a lot of people bet on the Lakers to win, the sportsbook might have to pay out a lot of money if the Lakers do win. The juice or vig helps them to stay in business and continue to offer betting options for customers.

Note: the VIG is not limited to $10 in some cases so watch out!

It’s important to note that the juice or vig can vary from sportsbook to sportsbook. Some sportsbooks might charge a lower fee, while others might charge a higher fee. It’s up to the customer to do their research and find a sportsbook that offers the best odds and lowest juice or vig.

By beating the sportsbook's VIG on your wagers, you’re more likely to win overall. However, the real power is in beating the closing line value, as explained in our last medium article.

Another neat way to generate a profit from your sports bets is with the use of tools like Profit Duel and OddsJam. To see why check out our Profit Duel review here.