Low hold calculator

Hold is the margin a pair of prices leaves for the books: how far the implied probabilities of the two sides add up past 100%. When you need betting volume rather than an edge, for example to clear a deposit bonus rollover, you want to bet both sides of a market where the hold is as close to zero as possible.

Enter the odds for each side and this calculator shows the hold, sizes the other side so both outcomes pay the same, and shows what you lose or win either way. Add legs when one side is split across books, and lock a leg to the balance you actually have at that book.

Side #1 (1 leg)
$

decimals for side 1: 2.1

vs
Side #2 (1 leg)
$

decimals for side 2: 2.1

Tip: 🔒 Lock any leg to pin its stake (e.g. your book balance) — the unlocked legs auto-balance to find the lowest possible hold.

Total Staked
$200.00
If Side #1 wins
+$10.00
If Side #2 wins
+$10.00
Hold %
-4.76%

Free, no account needed. Everything is worked out in your browser and nothing you type is saved.

How to use the low hold calculator

  1. 1Enter the odds and a stake for side 1, then the opposite side’s odds at another book. The side 2 stake fills in so both sides pay the same.
  2. 2To pin a stake to a book balance, lock that leg. The unlocked legs rebalance around it.
  3. 3Use Add leg when one side is spread across more than one book.
  4. 4Read Hold % and the result if each side wins. The lower the hold, the cheaper the volume; a negative hold is an arb.

Worked example: +100 against -105

You need to put volume through a bonus. Book A has +100 on one side and Book B has -105 on the other. You bet $100 at +100.

Implied probability +100 / -105
50.00% / 51.22%
Hold
1.22%
Stake at Book B (-105)
$102.44
Payout whichever side wins
$200.00
Total staked
$202.44
Result either way
-$2.44

Whichever side wins, $202.44 of betting volume costs you $2.44, about 1.2% of what you staked. The same $202.44 split across -110 on both sides would cost $9.20, because that market’s hold is 4.76%.

Frequently asked questions

What is hold in sports betting?

Hold is the bookmaker’s margin on a market. Convert each side’s odds to an implied probability and add them; whatever is above 100% is the hold. -110 on both sides is 52.38% + 52.38% = 104.76%, a 4.76% hold.

Is hold the same as vig or juice?

They describe the same margin, but sites quote it two ways. This calculator shows how far the probabilities exceed 100% (4.76% for -110 on both sides). Some sources divide that by the total and quote 4.55% for the same market. Either way, lower is cheaper.

What counts as a low hold?

A single book pricing a spread at -110 on both sides holds 4.76%. Taking the best price on each side from different books is what brings that down. The closer to 0% the cheaper the volume, and below 0% is an arb.

How much does it cost to clear a rollover with low holds?

Roughly the hold on every dollar you put through. Each $1,000 bet across both sides of the +100 / -105 market above costs about $12; at -110 on both sides it costs about $45.

Why lock a leg?

Locking fixes that leg’s stake, usually at your balance at that book. The calculator then sizes the unlocked legs to match its payout, so you use the whole balance without overbetting the other side.

Free now, free for good

Every BreadSync calculator is free to use without an account, and that is not changing. They work on the odds you type in.

BreadSync Pro’s low hold view ranks every two-book pairing across 130+ sportsbooks by hold, live, so you are not checking pairs by hand.

See BreadSync ProAll free calculators

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21+. Worked examples are illustrative and use made-up prices; real odds change constantly. Calculator results are estimates for information only, not betting advice or a guarantee of profit. BreadSync is not a sportsbook and does not accept wagers. If gambling stops being fun, call 1-800-GAMBLER.