Void, Push and Suspended Bets: What Happens to Your Stake
When a bet is void or a push, your stake is returned and the bet is treated as though it was never placed. In an accumulator, a void leg is removed and the remaining legs are paid at the reduced odds. A suspended market is not the same thing: it is only paused, and bets already placed normally stand.
Void bets
A bet is void when it cannot be settled under the rules. Typical causes are a player who does not take part in a player-specific market, a match that does not take place within the time window in the operator's rules, or a market the operator withdraws because of an obvious pricing error. The exact triggers are set out in the operator's terms and differ between operators, so check them.
On a single bet, void means a stake refund. On an accumulator the void leg is usually treated as having odds of 1.00 and the rest of the bet carries on.
Worked example
An illustration with made-up numbers, not a quote from any bookmaker. A £10 treble has legs at 2.00, 3.00 and 1.50.
| Scenario | Combined odds | Return if all remaining legs win |
|---|---|---|
| All three legs stand | 2.00 × 3.00 × 1.50 = 9.00 | £90 |
| The 3.00 leg is void | 2.00 × 1.50 = 3.00 | £30 |
| Two legs void | 1.50 only | £15 |
If every leg is void, you get the stake back. If one remaining leg loses, the bet loses regardless of the voids.
Pushes
A push is a bet that lands exactly on the line, so there is no winner or loser. It is common on spreads and whole-number lines, such as a team handicap of -1 when the team wins by exactly one goal. The stake is returned. See handicap betting and betting lines.
Asian handicaps add quarter lines, such as -0.75 or +0.25. These split your stake across two adjacent lines, so one half can win, push or lose independently. A -0.75 bet on a team that wins by exactly one goal returns a full win on one half and a half-stake refund on the other. The operator's market description will show how it settles.
Abandoned and postponed matches
- Postponed: most operators keep the bet open for a stated period and void it if the event is not played within that window. The window varies by sport and operator.
- Abandoned: if a match stops before completion, rules differ. Many markets are void unless the market was already decided, such as a goal already scored in a first goalscorer market. Check your operator's list.
- Retirements in tennis: some operators void the match winner market if a player retires before a set point is reached, others settle after a certain stage. See tennis betting and the specific terms.
- Walkovers and non-runners: in racing, the withdrawn runner's bets are void, and winning bets on other runners may have a deduction instead. See horse racing.
Suspended markets
When a market is suspended you cannot place new bets on it for a moment. This happens during goals, red cards, injuries and changes in racing. Suspension does not cancel your bet. Bets placed before the suspension normally stand, and the market reopens or is settled. Bets on a suspended market that were accepted by mistake can be voided under the operator's rules, particularly when the event had already happened.
Cash-out may also be unavailable while a market is suspended, which is a common source of frustration with live betting.
Why the same event can settle differently
Two operators can settle the same abandoned match in different ways, because each publishes its own rules. Terms are usually split into general rules and sport-specific rules, and the sport-specific page is the one that decides edge cases. Look for the section on the sport and market you are betting, rather than relying on how another site handled something similar.
Voids and bonuses
A void bet usually does not count towards wagering requirements or the qualifying stake of a welcome offer. If you use a free bet, a void result may return the free bet or may not, depending on the operator's terms, so read them before you bet.
What to do
- Read the void, abandonment and postponement sections of the operator's betting rules before placing a bet in a less common market.
- For accumulators, remember a void leg shortens the odds, so the return falls even if every other leg wins.
- Check your settled bet history if a payout looks different from what you expected.
- If you disagree with a settlement, contact support first, and if unresolved, use the operator's complaint process and the ADR scheme it names.
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