Hold Percentage
The sportsbook's actual profit margin on a market, calculated as total vig built into the odds. A market with -110 on both sides has a ~4.5% theoretical hold.
Like a casino's house edge on a table game — the lower it is, the better your odds as a player.
Why it matters
Lower hold means less vig eaten by the house and more value available to bettors. Hold varies dramatically by sport, market, and book.
How DMP uses this
DMP's devig process strips out the hold to find fair probabilities. Markets with lower hold produce more reliable fair value estimates.
Common mistake
Confusing hold with vig — hold is the total margin on a market, while vig is the premium charged on a specific side.