CLV Calculator

The scoreboard for your decision making. Find out if you are consistently 'beating the close,' the single best predictor of long-term sports betting success.

Wes Frank
Wes FrankFounder, EdgeSlip Analytics
Updated Dec 25, 2025
Fact Checked

CLV Calculator

Track Your Closing Line Value

Why CLV Matters: The "Closing Line" is the final market price before an event starts. It reflects all available information. Beating this number consistently means you are smarter than the market, which is the surest predictor of long-term profit.

Performance Metric

+10.00%
Closing Line Value
Theoretical Profit+$10.00
Breakeven %
47.6%

Odds Taken

True Win %
52.4%

Closing Market

Track CLV Automatically: EdgeSlip Pro automatically tracks the closing line for every bet you sync, generating a CLV report to prove your long-term edge.

Automate Betting Analytics

What is this tool?

Closing Line Value (CLV) is a metric that measures the difference between the odds you bet and the 'Closing Line'—the final odds offered by the market the moment the game begins. Because the closing line reflects all available information (injuries, weather, sharp money), it is widely considered the most accurate representation of the 'True Probability' of an event.

How to use it

Enter the 'My Odds' (the price you secured) and the 'Closing Odds' (the final market price, ideally from a sharp bookmaker like Pinnacle). The calculator will output your CLV percentage. A positive CLV means you obtained a better price than the market ended at, indicating you have a mathematical edge over the house.

Process vs. Results

In sports betting, you can make a terrible bet and win (Luck). You can also make a great bet and lose (Variance). Over a small sample size, your Win/Loss record is meaningless.

CLV is the lie detector. It isolates your skill from the noise of the game result. If you consistently beat the closing line, the Law of Large Numbers dictates you will be profitable long-term.

Scenario ABad Process, Good Result
Negative CLV (Won)
Scenario BGood Process, Bad Result
Positive CLV (Lost)

The Efficient Market Hypothesis

Why is the Closing Line considered the "True" probability? Financial markets (and high-limit betting markets) are efficient. When a line opens, it is based on the bookmaker's model. As time passes, sharp bettors place wagers, forcing the bookmaker to adjust the line.

By the time the game starts (Closing), thousands of sharp opinions and millions of dollars have molded that line into the most accurate prediction possible. Beating this line implies you knew something the market didn't—or you acted faster than the market could adjust.

The Math: How to Calculate CLV

While there are complex methods involving vig-removal, the standard industry formula for CLV uses the decimal odds ROI method:

CLV % = (Odds Taken / Closing Odds) - 1
Example: Positive Edge
  • You Bet: +110 (2.10)
  • Closed: -110 (1.91)
  • CLV: +9.9%
Example: Negative Edge
  • You Bet: -110 (1.91)
  • Closed: +105 (2.05)
  • CLV: -6.8%

When to track CLV?

  • Pre-Game Bets: CLV is most critical here. If you bet on the NFL on Tuesday and the line gets worse by Sunday, you have lost value.
  • Player Props: Prop markets are less efficient than sides/totals, making it easier to generate massive CLV numbers (e.g. +20%).
  • Live Betting: CLV is harder to track for live bets because there is no single "closing" price, but comparing your odds to the lines at halftime or quarter-breaks is a good proxy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good CLV percentage?▼
Consistently averaging above +2% CLV is considered sharp. Elite bettors in major markets (NFL sides) might only average +1% to +2%, while prop bettors often target +5% or higher due to higher variance and vig.
Does beating the closing line guarantee profit?▼
Over the long run (1,000+ bets), yes, it is mathematically almost impossible to lose if you consistently generate significant positive CLV. However, in the short term, variance can still cause losing streaks even with good CLV.
Which sportsbook should I use for closing lines?▼
You should benchmark against the 'sharpest' bookmakers in the world. Pinnacle (market maker) and Circa Sports (high limits) are the industry standards for closing line accuracy. Avoid using recreational books like Bovada for CLV data.
Why did the line move against me?▼
Line movement is driven by information (injuries, weather) and money (limit bets). If the line moves against you, it usually means smart money came in on the other side, or new information surfaced that hurt your position.
Can I automate CLV tracking?▼
Yes. Manually logging closing lines is tedious. EdgeSlip's Bet Tracker automatically records your bet odds and the final closing odds from Pinnacle, calculating your CLV performance for every wager automatically.
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