A moneyline bet in the FA Cup is straightforward: pick the team that will win the match in 90 minutes of regular time. Unlike league fixtures, FA Cup moneyline markets almost always include three outcomes — home win, draw, and away win — since matches can end level in regulation (with replays or extra time handled separately depending on the round). This three-way structure is critical to understand because backing a team that dominates but draws still results in a lost bet. The draw outcome, often priced between +250 and +350, is where significant value frequently hides, particularly in early rounds where lower-league sides defend resolutely against Premier League opposition.
Strategy in FA Cup moneyline betting revolves around identifying cup-specific dynamics: squad rotation, pitch quality at lower-league grounds, and motivation mismatches. Premier League clubs regularly field weakened lineups in the third and fourth rounds, compressing the talent gap considerably. Bettors should monitor confirmed team sheets closely, as line movement after lineup announcements can be dramatic. Regarding vig, three-way moneylines typically carry higher margins than two-way markets like Asian handicaps or over/under totals — often 4-6% compared to 2-4% — making it especially worthwhile to compare pricing across books before committing.
Cross-Sport moneyline Vig Comparison
FA Cup moneyline averages 9.18% vig across 7 sportsbooks. Here's how that compares to other active sports:
| Sport | Avg Vig | vs FA Cup |
|---|---|---|
| FA Cup | 9.18% | — |
| NCAAF | 4.55% | 4.63% higher |
| AFL | 6.81% | 2.37% higher |
| MLB | 6.04% | 3.14% higher |
| MLB Preseason | 3.47% | 5.71% higher |
Vig Rankings
| # | Sportsbook | Vig | Grade | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BetMGM | 5.23% | D | 5 |
| 2 | betPARX | 7.23% | D | 5 |
| 3 | DraftKings | 7.97% | D | 5 |
| 4 | Bovada | 9.09% | C | 5 |
| 5 | FanDuel | 9.10% | D- | 5 |
| 6 | LowVig.ag | 12.83% | D- | 5 |
| 7 | BetOnline.ag | 12.83% | D- | 5 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which sportsbook has the lowest FA Cup moneyline vig?
BetMGM currently has the lowest vig at 5.23%, earning a grade of D.
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.