Hold percentage is the share of a gambling base that the casino keeps as win. The base can be drop, handle, or coin-in depending on the game and report. That detail matters. A 20% table hold, an 8% slot hold, and a 6% sportsbook hold are not automatically comparable unless you know what each percentage is divided by.
Plain Talk
Hold percentage answers this question: “Out of the money measured, what percentage did the casino keep?”
The dangerous part is the phrase “money measured.” In slots, the measured money is usually coin-in. In sports betting, it is usually handle. In table games, it is often drop. Because those bases are different, hold percentage must always be read with context.
| Term | Plain-English meaning | Where it appears | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slot hold percentage | Slot win divided by coin-in | Slot reports, machine analytics | Measures retained share of slot wagers |
| Table hold percentage | Table win divided by drop | Pit reports, finance reports | Measures retained share of buy-ins |
| Sportsbook hold percentage | Sportsbook win divided by handle | Sports betting reports | Measures retained share of bets |
| House edge | Expected advantage on a wager | Game math | Not the same as reported hold |
This glossary page defines the term. For basic casino math, read House Edge and the Glossary.
Where You See It
You see hold percentage in casino revenue reports, slot-performance summaries, table-game daily reports, sportsbook market reports, gaming analyst commentary, and regulatory statistics. It often appears next to win, drop, handle, coin-in, or gross gaming revenue.
The UNLV Nevada slot hold report describes hold percentage as the portion of money gambled that casinos retain. The UNLV Nevada gaming win report summarizes gaming wins, hold percentages, and handles for selected reporting areas. The Nevada Gaming Control Board revenue information page provides official gaming revenue report access. The American Gaming Association revenue tracker gives broader commercial gaming context.
Why It Matters
Hold percentage matters because it turns raw win into a ratio. A casino winning $50,000 sounds good, but the meaning changes depending on whether it came from $250,000 of drop, $1,000,000 of handle, or $700,000 of coin-in.
For players, hold percentage helps explain why casino headlines can be confusing. A table-game hold percentage can look much higher than the game’s house edge because the denominator is often drop, not total wagers. A slot hold percentage is closer to the long-run price of the machine because it is usually based on coin-in.
Example
A roulette table has $30,000 in drop and the casino wins $6,000 for the shift.
The table hold percentage is 20% of drop. That does not mean roulette has a 20% house edge. American roulette has a much lower built-in edge than that on standard bets. The 20% figure means the table kept 20% of the money bought in during that measured period.
From the Casino Side:
From the casino side, hold percentage is a quick performance signal. Managers use it to compare games, shifts, pits, machines, events, promotions, player segments, and reporting periods.
But experienced managers do not read it blindly. They ask: What is the base? How large is the sample? Did one player distort the result? Was game speed normal? Were fills and credits correct? Did a jackpot, side bet, or promotional liability change the number? Did the rules or player mix change?
A hold percentage without context can lead to bad decisions.
Common Misunderstanding
The common mistake is saying, “The hold percentage is the house edge.”
Sometimes the two can be related, especially over very large slot samples. But in table games, reported hold percentage often uses drop as the denominator, while house edge applies to each wager. That is why a blackjack table can show a high table hold even though the game edge against a basic-strategy player may be low.
Hard Truth
Hold percentage is only honest when the denominator is honest. Ask what the casino divided by before you decide what the number means.
Related Terms
| Term | Difference | Best page to read next |
|---|---|---|
| Hold | The retained money or result | Hold |
| Drop | Table-game money entering the game | Drop |
| Handle | Total betting volume | Handle |
| House Edge | Expected advantage on a wager | House Edge |
| Payout Percentage | Share returned to players | Payout Percentage |
| Realized Hold | Actual hold after results | Realized Hold |
FAQ
What is hold percentage in a casino?
Hold percentage is the share of measured gambling money that the casino keeps as win.
What is the formula for hold percentage?
The general formula is casino win divided by the relevant base. The base may be drop, handle, or coin-in.
Is hold percentage the same as house edge?
No. House edge is expected math on a bet. Hold percentage is a reporting result or performance ratio.
Why is table hold often higher than house edge?
Because table hold is often based on drop, not total wagers. The same buy-in may be wagered many times.
Can hold percentage be negative?
Yes. If players win more than the casino during a period, the reported hold percentage can be negative.
Is higher hold always better for the casino?
Not always. Very high hold may come from short-term luck or may reduce customer play if the product feels too tight, expensive, or unrewarding.
Deeper Insight
Hold percentage is useful because it normalizes performance, but it can also hide the story. A small table with high hold may produce less money than a busy table with lower hold. A slot machine with a high theoretical hold may underperform if players avoid it. A sportsbook can have strong handle but weak hold if results go against the book.
The best reading combines hold percentage with volume, game type, time period, volatility, and expected performance.
Formula / Calculation
| Metric | Formula | Plain-English meaning |
|---|---|---|
| General hold percentage | Casino win / Measured base | Share retained by the casino |
| Slot hold percentage | Slot win / Coin-in | Share of slot wagers retained |
| Table hold percentage | Table win / Drop | Share of table buy-ins retained |
| Sportsbook hold percentage | Sportsbook win / Handle | Share of sports bets retained |
| Payout percentage | 1 - Hold percentage | Share returned to players, when using the same base |
Formula Explanation in Plain English
If a slot bank has $500,000 in coin-in and wins $45,000, the slot hold percentage is 9%. If a table has $50,000 in drop and wins $10,000, the table hold percentage is 20%. The percentages look different because they use different bases.
Related Reading
Read Drop and Handle before comparing table and sportsbook numbers. Then read Expected Hold and Realized Hold to understand why reports can miss the mathematical target. For player-facing risk, read Expected Loss, What Is House Edge?, and Back of House.