Spread betting in NFL preseason requires a fundamentally different approach than regular-season handicapping. A spread of, say, Cowboys -3.5 still means Dallas needs to win by four or more points to cover, but the variables driving that margin are wildly different in August. Starters may play a single series or sit entirely, meaning the bulk of the game is decided by roster-bubble players whose performance is far less predictable. This makes preseason spreads inherently volatile and creates opportunities for bettors who track depth charts, coaching tendencies, and roster construction more closely than the market does.
The most valuable edges emerge when bettors identify coaching philosophies around playing time — some coaches rest starters in the opener while others use the third preseason game as a dress rehearsal. Monitoring injury reports and camp battles is essential, as backup quarterback quality often determines outcomes. Vig on preseason spreads tends to run slightly higher than regular-season lines, typically settling around -110 to -115 on both sides, since books widen their margin to account for the reduced predictability. Comparing vig across sportsbooks matters even more here, as that extra juice compounds quickly on what is already a thin-edge market.
Analysis updated September 13, 2026. Odds data above refreshes hourly.
Cross-Sport spreads Vig Comparison
NFL Preseason spreads averages 5.01% vig across 17 sportsbooks. Here's how that compares to other active sports:
Vig Rankings
| # | Sportsbook | Vig | Grade | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bovada | 3.96% | B+ | 1 |
| 2 | Pinnacle | 3.99% | B+ | 1 |
| 3 | BetMGM | 4.30% | B | 1 |
| 4 | BetUS | 4.55% | B | 1 |
| 5 | theScore Bet (ESPN Bet) | 4.71% | B | 1 |
| 6 | Caesars | 4.73% | B | 1 |
| 7 | DraftKings | 4.75% | B | 1 |
| 8 | Fanatics | 4.76% | B | 1 |
| 9 | BetAnything | 4.76% | B | 1 |
| 10 | MyBookie.ag | 4.76% | B | 1 |
| 11 | Bally Bet | 4.94% | B | 1 |
| 12 | betPARX | 4.94% | B | 1 |
| 13 | FanDuel | 5.11% | C+ | 1 |
| 14 | BetRivers | 5.14% | C+ | 1 |
| 15 | Hard Rock Bet | 6.23% | C | 1 |
| 16 | ReBet | 6.74% | C | 1 |
| 17 | Fliff | 6.78% | C | 1 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which sportsbook has the lowest NFL Preseason spreads vig?
Bovada currently has the lowest vig at 3.96%, earning a grade of B+.
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 every hour, on the hour (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 average vig: A+ (under 2%) is exchange-level pricing, A (2–3%) very competitive, B+ (3–4%) above average, B (4–5%) the industry standard, C+ (5–6%) slightly below average, C (6–7%) below average, D (7–8%) high vig, D− (8–10%) very high, F (10%+) predatory.
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, BetAnything). 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 every hour, on the hour (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 exchange-level pricing. A (2–3%) is very competitive. B+ (3–4%) is above average. B (4–5%) is the industry standard — a -110/-110 line is 4.76%. C+ (5–6%) is slightly below average. C (6–7%) is below average. D (7–8%) is high vig. D− (8–10%) is very high vig. F (10%+) is predatory pricing. See the full Vig Index Methodology for formulas, worked examples, and known limitations.
- 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.