A low-hold opportunity is a pair of bets on opposite sides of a market, at different books, where the combined margin is close to zero. Not quite an arb, but close. On their own they cost a little. As a tool, they are extremely useful.
What "low hold" means
Hold is the margin built into a market. (Sportsbook hold.) At a single book, a −110/−110 market has 4.5% hold. But if you take the best price on each side across all your books:
- Over at Book A: +102
- Under at Book B: −104
Implied: 49.50% + 50.98% = 100.48% → hold ≈ 0.5%
Betting $100 on each side costs you about 50 cents on average, whatever happens. That is a nearly free way to put money through the books.
Why use low-hold pairs?
1. Clearing rollover (playthrough)
Some deposit-match bonuses require you to wager the bonus several times before withdrawal. Low-hold pairs let you meet the requirement while losing only a fraction of a percent. (Deposit match bonuses and playthrough.)
2. Converting bonus bets
Bonus bets work best on long odds hedged at another book. Low-hold markets give the best conversion rates. (Converting bonus bets to cash.)
3. Unlocking promos
"Bet $50, get $200 in bonus bets" promos need a qualifying bet. Hedge it at another book in a low-hold market and the qualifying bet costs you almost nothing.
4. Cheap hedging
If you want to reduce exposure on a position, a low-hold market is the cheapest place to hedge. (When to hedge.)
Finding low-hold markets
- Compare every book's price on each side.
- Take the best on each side.
- Calculate combined implied probability.
- The closer to 100%, the lower the hold; below 100% is an arb.
Main markets on popular games and player props during busy slates are the most common sources. The OddsHype promos page includes a low-hold finder built for exactly these uses, and the hold calculator checks any pair you find yourself.
Low-hold vs arbitrage vs +EV
| Hold | Expected result | |
|---|---|---|
| Arbitrage | Below 0% | Guaranteed small profit |
| Low hold | 0–1.5% | Tiny guaranteed-ish cost |
| Normal market | 4–5% | Lose the margin on average |
| +EV single bet | n/a | Positive expectation, with variance |
Watch out for
- Rule mismatches between books (same as arbitrage)
- Price changes between legs
- Promo terms: some bonuses exclude bets on both sides of a market or odds shorter than a minimum
Frequently asked questions
What is a low-hold bet?
Opposite bets at different books where the combined margin is near zero, so you lose very little on average whatever the result.
Why would anyone bet a low-hold market?
To clear bonus rollover, convert bonus bets, meet promo requirements or hedge cheaply, all while giving up almost nothing to the books.
What is a good hold percentage for rollover?
Under 1.5% is good, under 1% is great. Anything below 0% is an arb.