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Hold Calculator

The hold is the share of every dollar wagered that the book keeps regardless of the result. Enter both prices to see it as a percentage — under 4% is sharp, over 8% means you are paying a lot for the privilege.
Hold4.76%
Total implied104.76%
Kept per $100 wagered$4.76

Standard for a main line.

How to use it

Change any input and the results update immediately. The values are also written into the address bar, so you can bookmark a calculation or paste the link to someone else and they will see exactly the same numbers.

Everything here computes with the same functions that produce the grades inside WeBall, so a number on this page will never contradict a number on a bet card.

What the term means

The share of all money wagered on a market that the sportsbook keeps regardless of the result.

Hold is the vig viewed from the book's side of the counter: with balanced action, it is the percentage of total handle the sportsbook expects to keep. A 4.8% hold on a standard two-way line means the book keeps roughly $4.80 of every $100 wagered.

Full definition of hold →

Learn the math behind it

A calculator is faster than doing this by hand, but knowing why the formula works is what lets you spot when a number is wrong. Read the full guide →

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