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Bet amount
Understanding the vig
Vig, short for vigorish, is a 5% commission the casino charges on certain bets in exchange for paying out at true odds — its way of making money on bets that would otherwise have zero built-in edge.
Buy bets — 5% of the bet amount
Paid upfront, regardless of outcome. A $20 Buy on the 4 costs $1 vig and pays true odds (2:1 = $40) — still worth it on the 4 and 10, where it beats a Place bet's shaved ratio ($36 on the same $20).
Lay bets — 5% of the potential win
Calculated on what you'd win, not what you wager. Laying the 4 for $40 to win $20 costs 5% of $20 = $1 vig.
Some tables charge the vig only when the bet wins instead of up front — slightly better for the player, since a losing bet never pays commission at all.