Hold Percentage

For casino games, hold has a theoretical value baked into the maths: 100% minus RTP. A 96% RTP slot has a 4% theoretical hold on every unit wagered. Over large volumes the actual hold converges on that number. Over a day or a single game it can be far above or below because of variance. Operators track actual against theoretical hold per game and per provider. A persistent gap is a signal of a maths error, a misconfigured RTP version or fraud.

For sportsbooks there is no fixed theoretical hold. The bookmaker's margin is built into the odds (the overround), but actual hold depends on results: when favourites win, hold falls. When outsiders win, it rises. Product mix matters — parlays and same-game combinations carry higher expected hold than straight bets — so hold rises as recreational betting grows.

Hold is sometimes quoted on deposits rather than turnover ("hold on drop", from land-based casinos), which gives a much larger number. Always check the denominator.

For operators, hold is the health metric of every product line and the basis for supplier reconciliation: a studio's revenue share is a percentage of the GGR its games held. US regulators publish monthly handle and revenue by state, and hold is the comparison everyone draws from it.

For suppliers, hold is the proof of value. A game studio's pitch is its titles' hold per player and per spin. A sportsbook platform provider's pitch is trading tools that lift hold without losing volume.

A sportsbook posts €50 million handle in a month with a 7.5% hold — €3.75 million GGR — on the back of a strong parlay weekend. The following month handle is €52 million but favourites dominate and hold drops to 4%: GGR is €2.08 million on higher volume. Its casino, meanwhile, holds a steady 3.9% against a theoretical 4.0% across €30 million of turnover.

• GGR (Gross Gaming Revenue) — the numerator of hold.
• Turnover / Handle — the denominator.
• House Edge — theoretical hold per bet.
• RTP (Return to Player) — 100% minus theoretical hold.

Compare providers in the Sportsbook Providers category and studios in the Game Development category.