Overall Vig
C · Rank #5 of 18
Bovada is one of the most recognizable names in the offshore sportsbook market, serving U.S. bettors since 2011 as a successor to the well-known Bodog brand. Operating outside of U.S. state regulatory frameworks, it occupies a unique space — widely used and generally considered reliable by recreational bettors, but lacking the consumer protections and dispute resolution mechanisms that come with state-licensed operators. Its longevity and brand recognition give it a level of trust that many offshore competitors simply don't have, though bettors should understand the inherent tradeoffs of wagering with an unregulated book.
Bovada's strengths lie in its accessibility and breadth of offerings. The platform covers a wide range of sports, includes a solid live betting interface, and offers props and futures markets that rival many domestic books. Deposit and withdrawal options lean heavily on cryptocurrency, which Bovada has embraced more aggressively than most competitors, offering faster payouts for crypto users. On the downside, Bovada's odds tend to carry higher juice compared to sharp-oriented books, and limits on winning bettors can be restrictive. Players who consistently beat the market will find their accounts throttled relatively quickly — this is not a book that tolerates sharp action well.
Bovada is best suited for casual to moderate bettors who value convenience, market variety, and a straightforward user experience over getting the absolute sharpest lines. It's a strong option for recreational players in states without legal sports betting, and its poker and casino integrations make it appealing to those who want an all-in-one gambling platform. High-volume or professional bettors, however, are better served looking elsewhere for books with higher limits and more competitive pricing.
Vig by Sport
Frequently Asked Questions
How good are Bovada odds?
Bovada has an average vig of 6.13%, earning a grade of C. They rank #5 out of 18 tracked sportsbooks.
Is Bovada a sharp or recreational sportsbook?
Bovada is a recreational-leaning sportsbook. They cater primarily to casual bettors with a user-friendly interface and lower maximum bet limits. Sharp bettors may find their accounts limited if they win consistently. Bovada's vig tends to be average to above-average.
What deposit methods does Bovada accept?
Bovada accepts credit/debit cards, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies. Crypto deposits are processed faster and often come with lower minimum deposits. Bank wire is available for larger deposits.
How fast are Bovada payouts?
Cryptocurrency payouts are typically processed within 24 hours. Check payouts take 10–15 business days. Bovada has a reputation for reliable payouts, though the speed depends on the withdrawal method chosen.
What is vig (vigorish) in sports betting?
Vig — short for vigorish, also called juice or overround — is the margin a sportsbook builds into its odds. It's the difference between the true probability of an outcome and what the odds imply. Lower vig means you keep more of your winnings on every bet. For example, a standard -110/-110 line has about 4.76% vig.
How often is this data updated?
We pull fresh odds from The Odds API three times per day — at 6:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 10:00 PM UTC. Each snapshot captures the latest lines from every sportsbook that has posted odds. The timestamp at the top of the page shows the most recent refresh.
How is the vig grade calculated?
Each sportsbook is graded on a letter scale based on average vig: A+ (under 2%) is exceptional, A (2–3%) is excellent, B+ (3–4%) is above average, B (4–5%) is the industry standard, C (5–6%) is below average, and D (above 6%) indicates high-juice markets.
Why does lower vig matter for bettors?
Lower vig directly impacts your long-term returns. A bettor placing $1,000 per week at a book with 4% vig loses roughly $40/week to the house edge. At 2% vig, that drops to $20/week — a $1,040 difference over a year. For serious bettors, shopping for lower vig is one of the most reliable ways to improve profitability.
What sportsbooks do you track?
We track both regulated US sportsbooks (DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars) and offshore books (Bovada, BetOnline, MyBookie, BetUS, LowVig.ag, BetAnySports). Data comes from The Odds API, which aggregates real-time lines from licensed sources.
How We Calculate These Numbers
- Data Source
- All odds on this page come from The Odds API, which aggregates real-time lines from licensed US and offshore sportsbooks. We track moneyline, spread, and totals markets across every sport with active betting lines.
- Update Frequency
- We pull a fresh snapshot of every tracked market three times per day — at 6:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 10:00 PM UTC. Each snapshot captures the latest lines from every sportsbook that has posted odds for a given event. The timestamp at the top of each page tells you exactly when the data was last refreshed.
- Vig Calculation
- Vig (short for vigorish, also called juice or overround) measures the margin a sportsbook builds into its odds. We calculate it by converting the odds on each side of a market to implied probabilities, summing those probabilities, and subtracting 100%. For example, a market priced at -110/-110 implies 52.38% on each side — a total of 104.76%, meaning a vig of 4.76%. Lower vig means better value for bettors because you keep more of your winnings.
- Per-Market Breakdown
- We compute vig separately for each market type: moneyline (h2h), point spreads, and totals (over/under). The "average vig" shown for each sportsbook is the mean across all market types weighted by the number of events sampled in each market.
- Grading Scale
- Every sportsbook receives a letter grade based on its average vig: A+ (under 2%) is exceptional and rare — these are typically sharp-friendly books. A (2–3%) is excellent. B+ (3–4%) is above average. B (4–5%) is the industry standard for most recreational sportsbooks. C (5–6%) is below average. D (above 6%) indicates high-juice markets where bettors face a steep cost per wager.
- Trend Tracking
- We store daily snapshots for 30 days, allowing us to show 24-hour and 7-day vig trends. A downward trend (improving) means sportsbooks are tightening their lines — often in response to increased competition or higher betting volume as a season heats up.