NFL Bet Line
The vig — also called juice or vigorish — is the sportsbook's built-in commission. It's not a line item you see on your ticket. It's already cooked into the odds before you place a single dollar.
What Does -110 Actually Mean for Your Wallet?
Standard NFL spread prices are -110 on both sides. That means you wager $110 to profit $100. The extra $10 is the vig. Win or lose, the book collects it on the losing side of every bet. That's the business model, plain and simple.
When both sides of a line are priced at -110, the sportsbook's implied book percentage is roughly 104.8%. That extra 4.8% above 100% is the theoretical hold — the edge the book carries over the long run on a balanced market.
How Is the Vig Built Into NFL Lines?
Oddsmakers don't add vig on top of a "true" line. They start with their best estimate of the fair price, then shade both sides toward the house. The result is two prices that each imply a probability slightly above 50% — so the two implied probabilities add up past 100%.
In decimal terms, -110 American converts to approximately 1.91. A fair coin-flip line would sit at 2.00 (or +100 American). The gap between 2.00 and 1.91 represents what you're giving up every time you take a standard spread bet. Before you even look at the matchup, check out how to read NFL betting odds — American, decimal, and what each number costs you so those prices make sense at a glance.
Does the Vig Change Depending on the Bet Type?
Yes. The -110 standard applies most cleanly to point spread bets. Moneyline prices are different — the vig is still embedded, but it's spread across an asymmetric favorite/underdog pair. A heavy favorite might be -200 while the underdog sits at +165, rather than +175, with the gap between those two prices representing the book's take.
To see how moneylines handle this differently, the NFL point spread guide covers why spread markets often carry tighter vig than lopsided moneyline matchups.
Why Does the Vig Matter for Long-Run Returns?
Here's the math that stings. At -110, you need to win roughly 52.4% of your spread bets just to break even. Not 50%. That extra 2.4% is the direct cost of the vig, game after game, season after season.
That's why sharp bettors hunt for lines priced at -105 instead of -110 wherever they're available. Shaving even a few cents off the juice drops your break-even winning rate meaningfully over hundreds of bets.
What Is a Push and Does the Vig Apply?
A push happens when the final score lands exactly on the spread number. The book refunds your original stake — no profit, no loss, and no vig collected. Half-point lines (like -3.5) are partly designed to eliminate pushes and keep the juice flowing. For a full breakdown of push rules including what they do to parlays, see the NFL bet line FAQ.
The Bottom Line on Vig
The vig is the price of admission to every NFL bet line you'll ever place. At -110 standard pricing, the sportsbook holds about 4.8% on a balanced market. You can't eliminate it, but understanding it helps you shop lines, avoid inflated juice, and set realistic expectations for what it takes to profit over a full NFL season. Must be 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.