What is a zero hold?
By HedgeCalc · Published · Updated
A 'zero hold' is a market where you're able to bet on all outcomes without losing money to the 'hold' (or 'juice' or 'vig').
In two sided markets, these are easy to spot because the two odds will add up to zero. An example:
DraftKings
Nikola Jokic over 29.5 points (+120)
FanDuel
Nikola Jokic under 29.5 points (-120)
If you plugged this into the arbitrage calculator, you'd see that for any bet made on the over, there's an amount you can place on the under to bring your net winnings to $0. With the right stake, the amount won can always cancel out the amount lost.
Betting both sides of a zero hold is a way to wager your money without actually 'spending' it. It can help you satisfy playthrough or promotion requirements without any risk.