Handle

Handle is the total dollar amount of bets accepted by a sportsbook on an event, sport, or time period. It's the sports betting equivalent of notional volume in financial markets.

Handle vs Hold

Handle and hold are often confused but measure different things:

Handle is gross volume. Hold is net revenue. A book can have massive handle but thin hold if bettors win big.

Why Handle Matters

Handle indicates market interest and liquidity:

Event significance. The Super Bowl generates ~$180 million in legal handle in Nevada alone. A random Tuesday NBA game might do $2 million. Handle reveals what bettors care about.

Market efficiency. Higher handle generally means more efficient lines. More money competing means prices converge toward true probability faster.

Sharp activity. Sharps need handle to place size. Low-handle markets can't absorb large bets without moving lines dramatically.

Handle Growth

Legal US sports betting handle has exploded:

This growth has made US markets more liquid and competitive—good for bettors seeking fair prices.

Handle in Prediction Markets

On Kalshi and Polymarket, the equivalent metrics are trading volume and open interest.

Polymarket reported ~$3.5 billion in volume during the 2024 election cycle. Kalshi's sports markets now exceed $1 billion monthly in active trading. These volumes are approaching traditional sportsbook levels for major events.

Handle for Bettors

As a bettor, handle affects you through:

Liquidity. High-handle markets let you place bigger bets at stable prices.

Line quality. More handle means more competition, which means sharper lines.

Opportunity. Low-handle markets (obscure props, early week lines) may offer more inefficiency for those willing to accept limited size.

Related Terms

• Hold — What the book keeps after payouts
• Vig — The commission embedded in odds that drives hold
• Sharp — Bettors who need handle to execute strategy