StrategyGuide 03 of 05
Juice, Hold, and Why You Need Two Books
The vig is the product. Line shopping is the only free edge most bettors will ever have.
OddsListing education desk
Updated · 6 min read
On this page3 sections
What juice costs
A standard −110/−110 two-way is a 4.5% hold. Reduced juice at −105/−105 is about 2.4%. Over 500 bets a year at $100 a unit, that gap is the difference between a hobby and a leak. This is why BetOnline and Bookmaker sit above the recreational shops on our board even when the welcome bonus is smaller.
Shop the number, not the logo
Open two accounts. On the same NFL side you will regularly see −2.5 at one book and −3.5 at another, or −108 versus −118 on the same −3. That is not a rounding error. That is the entire edge. OddsListing exists so you can see who is hanging the number before you click.
Closing line
If you consistently beat the closing number, you are doing the job even in a down week. If you only beat bad openers and lose to the close, you are the recreational market. Track it.
Education, not a wagering instruction. Confirm every number on the sportsbook. 21+.
