How the Hold Calculator Works
The Betstamp Hold Calculator returns the theoretical profit margin a sportsbook holds on any two-sided market. Enter the odds for each side — the calculator outputs the theoretical hold as a percentage.
How to Use the Hold Calculator
- Enter Outcome #1 Odds
- Enter Outcome #2 Odds
- The calculator returns Theoretical Hold as a percentage
What is Hold in Sports Betting?
Hold is the expected profit a sportsbook makes from a market assuming bettors' action is balanced across both sides. A 4% hold means the book keeps 4% of all wagered money on that market if the money is evenly split.
Hold is closely related to vig — both capture the sportsbook's margin — but they measure slightly different things:
- Vig: the percentage by which implied probabilities exceed 100% in the odds
- Hold: the sportsbook's expected profit margin from balanced action
They move together and are often used interchangeably in casual conversation. For technical precision, use the [Betstamp Vig Calculator] for vig and the Hold Calculator for hold.
Typical Hold by Market Type
- NFL spreads, NBA spreads/totals: 4–5% hold
- MLB moneylines, NHL moneylines: 3–4% hold
- Player props: 8–15% hold
- Futures: 20–30%+ hold
- Same game parlays: effectively 15–30% hold after compounding
The pattern: the more mainstream the market, the lower the hold. Obscure or correlated markets carry much higher hold because sportsbooks protect themselves with wider margins.
Why Hold Matters for Sharp Bettors
Hold is the cost of your action. Lower hold means better value — the sportsbook is extracting less from every bet you place.
Professional bettors focus their volume on low-hold markets for two reasons:
- Low-hold markets are typically the sharpest — meaning pricing is more efficient and closer to true
- Lower hold means your edge doesn't get eaten as quickly by margin
A 2% edge in a 2% hold market is meaningful. A 2% edge in a 15% hold market is barely worth betting.
Finding Low-Hold Markets
Hold varies dramatically by sportsbook and market type. Pinnacle holds 2–3% on main NFL markets. DraftKings holds 4–5%. Prop markets at every book hold 8–15%. Futures hold 20%+.
Manually checking hold on every market across every sportsbook is impossible. Betstamp PRO tracks hold in real time across 20+ sportsbooks and surfaces low-hold markets automatically.
With Betstamp PRO—the most advanced top-down betting odds screen in the market. Bettors will find hundreds of daily betting edges with ease, allowing you to scale your profits long-term. Click the banner to book a free demo.
