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Curious about how sportsbooks make money? They use something called the hold percentage, and this guide will explain how a sports betting hold calculator works and why it’s important. 

Knowing how to use this tool can help you understand the true cost of your bets. Let’s get started on how this calculator can improve your betting.

Key Takeaways

  • Learn all about the perks of using a sports betting hold calculator.
  • Find out how to master the hold calculator in sports betting

What Are the Benefits of Using a Sports Betting Hold Calculator? 

A sports betting hold calculator is a helpful tool that shows how much advantage sportsbooks have in betting.

Key benefits include:

  • Finding Good Bets: By calculating the implied probability and comparing it to what you think, you can find the best odds, and therefore the best bets.
  • Understanding Sportsbook Profit: Knowing how much the sportsbook keeps helps you see how competitive betting can be.
  • Improving Your Betting Strategy: By looking at hold percentages for different sports and bets, you can adjust your strategy to improve your chances.

Personally, using this calculator has helped me find sports and bets with lower house edges, which has made my betting more profitable over time.

How Do I Use the Sports Betting Hold Calculator? 

Using a sports betting hold calculator is easy and helpful. Here’s how I use it:

  1. Enter the Odds: I start by typing in the sports betting odds for each side of the bet. If the odds are +150 and -120, I enter these numbers into the calculator.
  2. Enter Bet Amounts: I then enter how much I’m betting on each side. If I’m betting $100 on each, that’s the amount I enter.
  3. Calculate: I then press the “Calculate” button, and the calculator shows me the hold percentage.

This percentage tells me how much the sportsbook is taking as its advantage. Knowing this helps me make smarter bets and find better opportunities. Using the calculator has really helped me improve the results from my wagers.

Using Sports Betting Hold Calculator: A Pro Bettor’s Experience 

When I learned the meaning of a hold in sports betting, I was surprised. Not only because I’ve learned how sportsbooks make their money, but also because I felt like I’ve come across a golden opportunity in improving my sports betting strategies.

As a professional bettor, I find the sportsbook hold calculator incredibly useful for improving my strategy. Recently, I used it for a major NBA game between the Lakers and the Warriors. The odds for the Lakers were +120, and for the Warriors, they were -140.

I placed a $100 bet on each team to balance my risk. To use the calculator, I entered these odds and my bet amounts. It showed me the hold percentage, which was 5%. This number indicated how much edge the sportsbook had. The lower the percentage, the better the betting value for me.

I decided to use the hold calculator because the odds seemed tight, and I wanted to ensure I wasn’t getting a bad deal. The tool revealed that the sportsbook’s hold was relatively high, which made me cautious. I adjusted my strategy, betting less and focusing on other games with more favorable hold percentages. This careful approach helped me better manage my bankroll and improve my overall profitability.

Interested In Other Betting Calculators? Check Out Our Collection! 

Interested in using the sports betting hold calculator to give you an edge against the house? Looking for more betting calculators? Check out our collection of the best sports betting tools to enhance your strategies when wagering on your desired sports and events. We offer various valuable tools designed to help you make smarter bets and boost your success.