vigorish

noun vigorishes · viggerish

1. slang, uncountable A charge taken on bets, as by a bookie or gambling establishment. 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.

   Similar: cut, house take, house cut, house advantage, juice, overround, rake, rake-off, vig

2. slang, uncountable The interest on a loan of money, especially for loans made by a usurer or loan shark. His clients included wealthy women who possessed jewelry of great value, a fact which did not escape the loan shark. When it became apparent that the hairdresser could not meet his substantial vigorish payments, he was pressed into service as a "fingerman" for a burglary ring.

   Similar: vig, rake off, cut

3. countable, slang An amount owed on account of or payment of a bookie's charge or of interest.
4. countable, slang, uncountable A commission or similar extra charge. I was asking a man who had never bent a rule in his entire life to do it once. This wasn't Italy or France, where such miracles are possible with a little political vigorish. This was Switzerland, where nothing like this ever happens.