Juice and hold: how to read the real price of a bet before you place it
Every line carries a price. American odds are simply a way of quoting it that does not look like one.
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On this page — 5 sections
A coin flip priced at -110 on both sides is not a coin flip. Risk $110 to win $100 on either outcome and the book keeps the difference regardless of the result. That difference is the vig, the juice, the hold — three names for the only number that decides which sportsbook is cheaper. 7 of the 16 operators tracked here run a sportsbook, and comparing them starts here rather than with the welcome offer.
Sportsbooks that take US bets and publish their sign-up terms
These books accept US customers and state the rollover attached to the sign-up offer. Free-bet offers and deposit matches are listed on the same basis so the numbers are comparable line by line.
- 1
BetUS 9.6Online since 1994 · Sportsbook + casino · Crypto · 0–1h
Crypto acceptedSportsbookFrom $100Curacao licenceSports welcome: 125% up to $2,500 (100% sportsbook + 25% casino)Wagering 14x sports · Minimum deposit $100 · Code JOIN125Bonus detail
Welcome offer Sports welcome: 125% up to $2,500 (100% sportsbook + 25% casino) Wagering 14x sports Minimum deposit $100 Bonus code JOIN125 Withdrawals Crypto · 0–1h Licence Curacao; Comoros Gambling License Authority Banking
Deposit routes: Crypto, Card, Wire
Cryptocurrencies supported: 2
Typical withdrawal: Crypto · 0–1h. Card and wire payouts run to several business days at every offshore book, which is why the crypto rail is the one we time.
Pros and cons
What works- Crypto cashier for same-day withdrawals
- One account covers the sportsbook and the casino
- Trading since 1994, one of the longest US-facing records
- Headline offer runs to $2,500
Watch for- Needs $100 in to claim the welcome offer
- No free spins attached to the welcome offer
- Short coin list — crypto limited to the majors
- 2
BetOnline 9.3Online since 2001 · Sportsbook + poker + casino · Crypto · 3–5 min
Crypto acceptedSportsbookPoker roomFrom $20Panama Gaming Control Board licenceSports welcome: 50% free bet up to $250Minimum deposit $20 · Code FREE250Bonus detail
Welcome offer Sports welcome: 50% free bet up to $250 Minimum deposit $20 Bonus code FREE250 Withdrawals Crypto · 3–5 min Licence Panama Gaming Control Board Banking
Deposit routes: Crypto, Card, Wire
Cryptocurrencies supported: 2
Typical withdrawal: Crypto · 3–5 min. Card and wire payouts run to several business days at every offshore book, which is why the crypto rail is the one we time.
Pros and cons
What works- Crypto cashier for same-day withdrawals
- Sportsbook, poker room and casino share one balance
- Welcome offer triggers from a $20 deposit
- Trading since 2001, one of the longest US-facing records
Watch for- No free spins attached to the welcome offer
- Short coin list — crypto limited to the majors
- Offer only applies if the code FREE250 is entered on deposit
- 3
Bovada 9.0Online since 2011 · Sportsbook + poker + casino · Crypto · 10–15 min
Crypto acceptedSportsbookPoker roomFrom $10Curacao licenceCrypto sports welcome: 75% up to $750 with a 5x rolloverWagering 5x · Minimum deposit $10 · Code BTCSWB750Bonus detail
Welcome offer Crypto sports welcome: 75% up to $750 with a 5x rollover Wagering 5x Minimum deposit $10 Bonus code BTCSWB750 Withdrawals Crypto · 10–15 min Licence Curacao Banking
Deposit routes: Crypto, Card, Wire
Cryptocurrencies supported: 2
Typical withdrawal: Crypto · 10–15 min. Card and wire payouts run to several business days at every offshore book, which is why the crypto rail is the one we time.
Pros and cons
What works- Crypto cashier for same-day withdrawals
- Sportsbook, poker room and casino share one balance
- Welcome offer triggers from a $10 deposit
Watch for- No free spins attached to the welcome offer
- Short coin list — crypto limited to the majors
- Offer only applies if the code BTCSWB750 is entered on deposit
- 4
SportsBetting.ag 8.6Online since 2003 · Sportsbook + poker + casino · Crypto · 10–15 min
4 cryptocurrenciesSportsbookPoker roomFrom $50Panama Gaming Control Board licenceSports welcome: 50% up to $250 in free bets plus 100 free spinsMinimum deposit $50 · No code neededBonus detail
Welcome offer Sports welcome: 50% up to $250 in free bets plus 100 free spins Minimum deposit $50 Bonus code None required Withdrawals Crypto · 10–15 min Licence Panama Gaming Control Board Banking
Deposit routes: Crypto, Card, Wire
Cryptocurrencies supported: 4
Typical withdrawal: Crypto · 10–15 min. Card and wire payouts run to several business days at every offshore book, which is why the crypto rail is the one we time.
Pros and cons
What works- Banks in 4 cryptocurrencies, so withdrawals clear in minutes
- Sportsbook, poker room and casino share one balance
- Trading since 2003, one of the longest US-facing records
Watch for- Needs $50 in to claim the welcome offer
- No free spins attached to the welcome offer
- 5
Sports welcome: 100% up to $200 (crypto) / 50% up to $200 (card)Wagering 10x · Minimum deposit $45 · Code XBCRYPTO100Bonus detail
Welcome offer Sports welcome: 100% up to $200 (crypto) / 50% up to $200 (card) Wagering 10x Minimum deposit $45 Bonus code XBCRYPTO100 Withdrawals Crypto · instant Banking
Deposit routes: Crypto, Card, Wire
Cryptocurrencies supported: 1
Typical withdrawal: Crypto · instant. Card and wire payouts run to several business days at every offshore book, which is why the crypto rail is the one we time.
Pros and cons
What works- Crypto cashier for same-day withdrawals
- One account covers the sportsbook and the casino
Watch for- Needs $45 in to claim the welcome offer
- No free spins attached to the welcome offer
- Short coin list — crypto limited to the majors
- 6
MyBookie 8.0Online since 2014 · Sportsbook + casino · Crypto · 0–1h
3 cryptocurrenciesSportsbookFrom $50Sports welcome: 100% up to $1,000Wagering 10x · Minimum deposit $50 · Code MYB100Bonus detail
Welcome offer Sports welcome: 100% up to $1,000 Wagering 10x Minimum deposit $50 Bonus code MYB100 Withdrawals Crypto · 0–1h Banking
Deposit routes: Crypto, Card, Wire
Cryptocurrencies supported: 3
Typical withdrawal: Crypto · 0–1h. Card and wire payouts run to several business days at every offshore book, which is why the crypto rail is the one we time.
Pros and cons
What works- Crypto cashier for same-day withdrawals
- One account covers the sportsbook and the casino
Watch for- Needs $50 in to claim the welcome offer
- No free spins attached to the welcome offer
- Offer only applies if the code MYB100 is entered on deposit
Advertising disclosure. Links marked “Visit” are commercial and we may be paid when you open an account through them. That does not change the order above: it follows the offer terms, the banking and the operating record. 21+ only. Gambling should be entertainment, never income — if it stops being that, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Turn odds into a probability
Two lines of arithmetic, and they are worth memorising:
- Negative odds: implied probability = odds ÷ (odds + 100), using the absolute value. So -110 → 110 ÷ 210 = 52.4%.
- Positive odds: implied probability = 100 ÷ (odds + 100). So +130 → 100 ÷ 230 = 43.5%.
Add them up — that is the hold
Add the implied probabilities of every outcome in a market. A fair market sums to 100 per cent. Everything above that is the book’s margin.
| Market | Implied sum | Hold | Read as |
|---|---|---|---|
| -110 / -110 | 104.8% | 4.8% | Standard two-way price |
| -105 / -105 | 102.4% | 2.4% | Reduced juice — half the cost |
| -120 / +100 | 104.5% | 4.5% | Same cost, moved line |
| Three-way, 110% sum | 110% | 10% | Expensive; typical of props |
Note the third row. A book can shift where the price sits without changing how much it charges, which is why comparing one side of a market between two books tells you less than comparing the hold of the whole market.
Comparing one side of a line tells you where the book’s opinion is. Comparing the hold tells you what it charges.
Where the hold is highest
Not evenly distributed. Main markets on major leagues are the most competitive and carry the thinnest margins; player props, alternate lines, obscure competitions and anything with many outcomes carry the fattest. This is a straightforward consequence of how much sharp money polices each market, and it is the strongest argument for staying in the main markets if price is what you care about.
Parlays multiply it
Each leg of a parlay carries its own hold, and they compound. A four-leg parlay of standard -110 legs carries roughly four times the margin of a single bet, which is the honest explanation for why parlays are promoted so hard. Same-game parlays add a further layer because the legs are correlated and priced accordingly — that is its own subject, covered in how same-game parlays are priced.
What this means for choosing a book
- Convert to implied probability; the arithmetic is one line either way.
- Sum the market: everything over 100 per cent is what you are paying.
- Compare holds, not single sides — a moved line is not a cheaper line.
- Reduced juice on main markets is worth more over a season than any welcome offer.
Frequently asked questions
Is -105 always better than -110?
On the same market, yes — it is a smaller charge for the same bet. Across different markets you have to sum both sides before comparing.
Why do books offer reduced juice at all?
It is a price cut, and it is aimed at volume bettors who understand exactly what it is worth. It usually applies to a limited set of markets.
Does a bigger welcome bonus make up for worse pricing?
Once. The pricing applies to every bet you place afterwards, which is why it outweighs the offer for anyone betting regularly.