What Does -110 Mean in Sports Betting?

The Short Answer

-110 means you need to bet $110 to win $100 in profit. If your bet wins, you get back $210 total (your $110 stake plus $100 in winnings).

This is the most common odds format you'll see at American sportsbooks, especially on point spreads and totals. Understanding -110 is the first step to understanding how sports betting actually works.

Why -110 and Not Even Money?

In a perfectly fair world, a 50/50 bet would be priced at +100 on both sides. You'd bet $100 to win $100. But sportsbooks are businesses, and they need to make money regardless of which side wins.

The difference between +100 (fair odds) and -110 (standard odds) is called the vig, juice, or margin. It's the sportsbook's built-in commission on every bet.

Here's how the math works:

At -110 odds, the implied probability is:

110 / (110 + 100) = 52.38%

When both sides of a bet are priced at -110, the total implied probability is 52.38% + 52.38% = 104.76%. That extra 4.76% above 100% is the vig.

How to Calculate Your Payout at -110

The formula for negative American odds:

Profit = (Stake / Odds) x 100

Example: You bet $55 on a -110 line.

Profit = ($55 / 110) x 100 = $50
Total return = $55 + $50 = $105

Or use our odds converter calculator to instantly see payouts for any stake.

-110 in Different Odds Formats

The same odds expressed differently:

Decimal odds are simpler for calculating payouts. Just multiply your stake by 1.909 to get your total return.

The Break-Even Win Rate at -110

This is where it gets important. At -110 odds, you need to win 52.38% of your bets just to break even.

If you win exactly half your bets (50%), you're slowly losing money. Here's the math over 100 bets at $110 each:

• 50 wins: 50 x $100 = $5,000 profit
• 50 losses: 50 x $110 = $5,500 lost
• Net result: -$500

That $500 loss is the vig the sportsbook collected. To actually profit, you need to beat the 52.38% threshold consistently.

Why -110 Became the Standard

The -110/-110 standard didn't appear by accident. It emerged because it gives sportsbooks a reasonable profit margin while keeping bets attractive to customers.

At 4.76% vig, a sportsbook can operate profitably even if their lines are slightly off. If they priced everything at +100/+100 (no vig), one bad line would mean guaranteed losses. The -110 cushion absorbs their mistakes.

The specific number likely came from round math. -110 produces clean calculations and a vig that isn't so high it drives away bettors. -120/-120 would mean a 9.1% margin, which feels punitive. -105/-105 would only be 2.4%, not enough buffer for operational costs.

Nevada sportsbooks settled on -110 decades ago, and the rest of the industry followed.

Real Scenarios: Where You'll See -110

Point spreads are almost always -110/-110. When the Eagles are -3.5 against the Cowboys, both sides are typically priced at -110. The 3.5 points is the sportsbook's opinion about the game; the -110 is their fee for letting you bet on it.

Totals (over/unders) work the same way. A total of 47.5 points at -110/-110 means the book thinks the game lands around 47-48 points, and they're charging the standard commission to bet either side.

Moneylines are different. A favorite might be -180 while the underdog is +160. The vig here is baked into the gap between the two numbers rather than a flat -110 on both sides.

Props and futures vary wildly. Some props have 10-15% vig, meaning you're paying way more than -110. Always check what you're actually getting.

When Odds Aren't -110

Not all bets are priced at -110/-110. You'll often see asymmetric lines like:

• -115/-105 (higher vig on one side)
• -108/-108 (reduced juice)
• -105/-105 (sharp book pricing)

The further from -110, the more you should pay attention. Lines like -115 or -120 mean you're paying extra vig on that side. Lines at -105 or better mean you're getting a discount.

Use our hold calculator to see exactly how much vig you're paying on any line.

Finding Better Than -110

Some sportsbooks offer reduced juice as a competitive advantage. Pinnacle regularly prices spreads at -104 or -105. Over hundreds of bets, this difference is significant.

Example: 100 bets at $100 stake, winning 53%

That's $71 more profit just from finding better odds. This is why line shopping matters.

Key Takeaways

• -110 means bet $110 to win $100 in profit
• The 4.76% vig means you need to win 52.38% to break even
• Better odds exist if you shop around
• Small differences in vig compound into significant money over time
• Use a hold calculator to check the vig on any bet