Hold Calculator
Calculate how much margin the sportsbook is taking on a two-way market.
Inputs
Results
Hold % 2.38%
Implied Prob Side 1 52.38%
Implied Prob Side 2 50.00%
Total Implied Probability 102.38%
No-Vig Fair Prob Side 1 51.16%
No-Vig Fair Prob Side 2 48.84%
How It Works
The hold (or margin) is the percentage the sportsbook keeps as profit built into the odds. A lower hold means better value for bettors.
First, convert each side's American odds to implied probability: IP = 1 / decimal odds. Then calculate the hold: Hold % = IP_1 + IP_2 - 1 (expressed as a percentage).
A typical market has a hold of 4-5%. Sharp books like Pinnacle often have holds under 3%. Anything above 6% is considered high.
No-vig fair probabilities remove the margin: Fair Prob = IP / (IP_1 + IP_2). These represent the true implied chances without the book's cut.
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