What does "vig" mean?
Synonym of vigorish (“charge taken on bets”).
name, noun, slang ·Moderate ·College level
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"The house sets vigs on any game they allow you to bet on. It is your responsibility to play only those games where the vig is not prohibitive. Let's take one more look at how vigorish works for the house."
"Elections officials aim to send out the VIGs before voters get their ballots. By law, all elections officials must mail the VIG no sooner than 40 days or later than 21 days before an election, or no later than 10 days if the voter was registered later on in the process. Elec. Code §§ 9094, 13303."
"1973, Martin Scorsese, Mardik Martin (screenplay), Mean Streets, quoted in 2009, Ellis Cashmore, Martin Scorsese's America, page 118, “You charged a guy from the neighborhood $1800 vig?” he asks incredulously (“vig” is short for vigorish, meaning a rate of interest from a loan from an illegal moneylender)."
"“Charlie, sign here, here and here.” “So, you're giving me all your money.” “Charlie, for the 500th time, I'm not giving it to you. It's not yours. I'm just setting up a temporary account in your name. What my wife can't find, she can't get.” “Right. That's-- This is good. This is shady, Frank. I like this kind of stuff.” “But you will be handsomely rewarded if you just keep your hands off of this money.” “Right, right. So what's the vig?” “The vig?” “Yeah, man. Like. You know, that's-- what's the vig on this action here?” “Do you even know what "vig" means?”"
"The house sets vigs on any game they allow you to bet on. It is your responsibility to play only those games where the vig is not prohibitive. Let's take one more look at how vigorish works for the house."
Synonym of vigorish (“charge taken on bets”).
The house sets vigs on any game they allow you to bet on. It is your responsibility to play only those games where the vig is not prohibitive. Let's take one more look at how vigorish works for the house.
Pronounced /vɪɡ/.
Clipping of vigorish, from Yiddish וויגריש (vigrish), from Russian вы́игрыш (výigryš, “winnings”).