NFL moneyline betting is straightforward: pick the team that wins the game outright, no point spread involved. In a sport defined by narrow margins — where roughly 30% of games are decided by three points or fewer — the moneyline becomes a critical alternative to the spread. Backing a short favorite on the moneyline can sometimes offer better risk-adjusted value than laying points, particularly in divisional matchups or playoff games where final scores tend to cluster around key numbers like 3 and 7.
From a strategy standpoint, the moneyline market is most valuable when targeting underdogs in the +120 to +200 range, where perceived value often exceeds the implied probability gap. Bettors should watch for line movement driven by public money on heavy favorites, which can inflate underdog prices. Regarding vig, NFL moneyline markets tend to carry slightly higher juice than point spreads, especially on lopsided matchups where books widen the gap between favorite and underdog prices to manage liability. Comparing vig across sportsbooks on these lines matters more than most bettors realize — even a 10-cent difference in juice compounds significantly over a full 18-week season.
↓ 7-day trend: NFL moneyline average vig has improved by 0.27 percentage points over the past week (from 4.73% to 4.46%). Sportsbooks are tightening their lines — a good sign for bettors.
Cross-Sport moneyline Vig Comparison
NFL moneyline averages 4.46% vig across 17 sportsbooks. Here's how that compares to other active sports:
| Sport | Avg Vig | vs NFL |
|---|---|---|
| NFL | 4.46% | — |
| CFL | 4.73% | 0.28% lower |
| NCAAF | 4.64% | 0.18% lower |
| NFL Preseason | 4.38% | 0.08% higher |
| UFL | 5.36% | 0.91% lower |
Vig Rankings
| # | Sportsbook | Vig | Grade | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pinnacle | 3.16% | B+ | 16 |
| 2 | LowVig.ag | 3.61% | B+ | 17 |
| 3 | BetOnline.ag | 3.61% | B+ | 17 |
| 4 | BetUS | 3.74% | B+ | 59 |
| 5 | FanDuel | 3.97% | B+ | 18 |
| 6 | Bovada | 4.07% | B | 20 |
| 7 | theScore Bet (ESPN Bet) | 4.15% | B | 20 |
| 8 | Hard Rock Bet | 4.17% | B | 16 |
| 9 | DraftKings | 4.28% | B | 75 |
| 10 | BetMGM | 4.33% | B | 20 |
| 11 | Fanatics | 4.63% | B | 12 |
| 12 | ReBet | 5.00% | C+ | 20 |
| 13 | Bally Bet | 5.04% | C+ | 17 |
| 14 | betPARX | 5.04% | C+ | 17 |
| 15 | Caesars | 5.23% | C+ | 74 |
| 16 | BetRivers | 5.69% | C+ | 17 |
| 17 | MyBookie.ag | 6.03% | C | 17 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which sportsbook has the lowest NFL moneyline vig?
Pinnacle currently has the lowest vig at 3.16%, earning a grade of B+.
Why is NFL vig typically lower than other sports?
NFL games attract massive betting volume, which forces sportsbooks to compete on price. Higher liquidity lets books operate on thinner margins. The result is that NFL moneylines, spreads, and totals usually carry some of the lowest vig in all of sports betting.
What markets are available for NFL betting?
We track three core NFL markets: moneyline (who wins), point spreads (margin of victory), and totals (over/under combined points). Each market has its own vig profile — spreads tend to have the tightest lines because they see the highest volume.
When does NFL season start and end?
The NFL regular season runs from early September through mid-January, with playoffs extending through the Super Bowl in February. Preseason odds typically appear in August. During the off-season (March–August), sportsbooks may post futures but per-game lines are unavailable.
How do NFL spreads affect vig?
NFL point spreads are the most heavily bet market in American sports. This intense competition among both bettors and sportsbooks drives spreads to their most efficient prices. You'll often see NFL spreads at -110/-110 or better at sharp books, translating to vig under 5%.
Does vig change closer to NFL game time?
Yes. Early-week NFL lines often carry higher vig as books manage exposure with limited information. As kickoff approaches and sharp money flows in, lines tighten and vig tends to decrease. Betting closer to game time often means better prices, especially at sharp-friendly books.
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.
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 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.