Odds, Probability & Bankroll
Hold percentage
The share of chips bought by players that a casino keeps as profit over a given period, expressed as a percentage.
Key points
- Hold percentage measures actual casino profit over a period, not a fixed theoretical edge. 3
- Unlike house edge, which compares expected profit to wager, hold compares actual profit to chips bought. 3
- The same chips can circulate among players, so hold percentage is an observed outcome, not a game property. 4
Where this term is used
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Sources
- Gambling Glossary wizardofodds.com Provides the definition, formula, and example calculation for hold percentage.
- House Edge of Casino Games Compared wizardofodds.com Gives a second table example and notes the 100% maximum hold scenario.
- Ask The Wizard #231wizardofodds.com › Ask The Wizard wizardofodds.com Distinguishes hold percentage from house edge and explains it as a measured outcome.
- Roll Until All Bets Resolved... wizardofodds.com Explains that chip circulation makes hold percentage an observed outcome over a period.
Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.