Vigorish Explained

Probably, the least understood aspect of sports wagering is vigorish. What it is, how it is calculated and its effect on a bettor’s bankroll. On this site, where we discuss the house edge, we have bumped up the standard, or industry-accepted vigorish, by nearly one full percentage point. We have found, as things change in this industry, it gets harder and harder to make a profit.

The standard vigorish is often stated as 4.55%. This is a basic calculation consisting of only two sides of a bet – one getting paid, the other losing. As the betting environment gets more complicated, as we see more juiced lines of -115 and -120 and even greater, we try to roll with the flow.

An article published on ProfessionalGambler.com explains this phenomenon better than we ever could. We will leave you to read and understand the article but will direct your attention to the very last sentence, which states:

“Successful sports bettors who win more than 55 percent of their 11-10 bets typically pay more than 5 percent in vigorish.”

The point of this essay, and really the point of this website, is to detail how difficult it is to win at this vocation – wagering on sports. In the theoretical vacuum, it is standard working knowledge that the vig is -4.55% out of the bettor’s bankroll. Yet, in the applied science of this venture, the vig is greater. And has everything to do with how the individual wagers are juiced and bet.