Contents - Index

Juice

Also known as the "vig" or "vigorish".  Juice is the amount you pay in excess of your loss.  If juice is expressed as 10%, it means that if you lose a $100 wager, you owe $110 for the lose.  Juice may also be expressed as a line.  Such as -110 means that you are wagering $110 to win $100.  Theoretically speaking, they are the same.

Juice may or may not be applied to straight wagers, parlays, teasers, pleasers, or action points.  While it is common for juice to be applied to spread, total, or action point wagers, it is not so common for them to be applied to parlays, teasers, or pleasers.  The reason being is that the odds within those multi-play wagers inherently favor the Book, and therefore, do not require a juice for the loss.   

Juice may also have minimum amounts.  For instance, a wager for only $25 that would normally charge a $2.50 (10%) juice may, at the discretion of the Book, be increased to $5.00 to meet a minimum.  Minimums may be applied to any wager type that includes juice.

In rare cases, your Book may charge juice on a push.  This is not commonplace, but can occur.  Minimums may also be attached to wagers that push.