What Is the Vig?
Although we would all love being able to bet on fair lines and markets with odds of 2.00 – 2.00, the unfortunate truth of the matter is that every single bookmaker is going to take a certain cut in order to get into an advantageous position – and that cut is usually called the “vig”.
There are, of course, substantial differences between the vigs the various bookies apply to their markets, so you should always do some research on that front before jumping in and creating an account. The most common vig in the realm of recreational bookies is 7.50%, which translates into odds of 1.85 – 1.85 for handicaps and overs/unders. If you’d like to become a professional bettor, however, such lines won’t usually do, so you’ll have to explore bookies that are geared towards serious punters. Such bookies use lower vigs, typically between 3-5%, with the usual catch being that these bookies don’t come with any bonuses or promotional offers that one could take advantage of.