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.
Source: wiktionary
Vig
/vɪɡ/
Synonyms for "vig"
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Choosing the right synonym
- Sentence evidence is available for vig, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "vig".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "vig"
Keep "vig" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "vig" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "vig", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "vig" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Sample sentences
8 total sentences available.
The bookmaker's mean profit per dollar bet is called vigorish or “the vig.” In our example, 11 + 11 = $22 is bet, and the bookmaker wins $1 so the vig is 1/22 = 4.5%.
Source: wiktionary
The vig is like your "tax" paid on a bet which goes to the bookie. For example, every $100 I would bet, I had a vig of $10. So if I bet $500 and lost that bet, I would owe $550. Trust me, when you don't win, the vigs add up quick!
Source: wiktionary
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).
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 8 available sentences.
Common questions
How should I check whether a synonym fits "vig"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.