Betting Rules by Sport

Betting on sport is fairly simple until something unusual happens. A football match gets abandoned. A tennis player pulls out halfway through a match. A horse is scratched shortly before a race. Suddenly you are wondering whether your bet still counts.

This is where betting rules become important. There isn’t one set of rules that works exactly the same way for every sport. Football, tennis, horse racing and golf are completely different games, so bookmakers have to treat certain situations differently too. Even two bets on the same event may have different rules depending on the market you selected.

You don’t need to memorise pages of terms and conditions before placing a bet. You should, however, understand the basic rules of the sport you’re betting on. It can save plenty of confusion when your bet is eventually settled.

Why betting rules differ by sport

Think about how different sports actually work.

Football has a set amount of regulation time. Tennis doesn’t. A tennis match carries on until someone wins the required number of sets, unless a player retires or gets disqualified. Horse racing has non-runners, while golf tournaments are normally played over several days.

That is why one rule can’t cover everything.The market also matters. A bet on the winner of a football match isn’t necessarily treated the same as a bet on which team qualifies for the next round. They sound similar, but they’re not the same bet.

Before placing anything unfamiliar, have a quick look at the market rules. It only takes a minute and you will know exactly what you’re betting on.

Football betting rules

The 90-minute rule is probably the first football betting rule every new punter should learn.

For a normal match-result market, the bet is generally based on regulation time plus stoppage time. Extra time doesn’t automatically count.

Here’s a simple example. You back Team A to win. After 90 minutes it’s 1-1, so the cup match goes into extra time. Team A eventually wins 2-1.

They won the match, but your standard 90-minute bet didn’t.

For that particular market, the relevant result was 1-1.

This catches new bettors quite often because they see their team celebrating a victory and naturally assume their bet has won as well.

There are markets where extra time can matter. A bet on a team to qualify for the next round, for example, is a different proposition from the normal 1X2 result.

Abandoned and postponed games are another thing to watch. The way your bet is handled can depend on when the game is replayed or completed and on the bookmaker’s own rules.

Tennis betting rules

Tennis presents a different problem because matches don’t have a fixed finishing time.

The biggest issue for bettors is usually a retirement in the match. Imagine you’ve backed a player who wins the opening set. During the second set, the opponent gets injured and can’t continue. Your player is declared the winner of the match, but does that mean your bet automatically wins?

Not necessarily.Bookmakers can have different rules covering retirements. The amount of tennis that was completed can also matter, particularly with certain markets.

Some bets are much easier to settle. If you backed a player to win the first set and that set was completed normally, the result of that set is already known. A retirement later in the match doesn’t change who won it.

Things become less straightforward when the market depends on the whole match being completed.

This is one reason tennis bettors should pay particular attention to the retirement and walkover rules of the betting site they’re using.

Horse racing betting rules

Horse racing has its own language and its own betting rules.

Non-runners are a good place to start.You might place your bet in the morning only to discover later that your horse isn’t running. In many situations the bet will be void and your stake returned, but withdrawals can also affect the prices available on the other runners.

Then there is each-way betting.An each-way bet is effectively made up of a win part and a place part. How many places are paid can depend on the race and the number of runners. The place portion is also paid at a fraction of the win odds.

That makes checking the each-way terms worthwhile before you bet rather than afterwards.

Dead heats are another possibility. Two horses can cross the line together and the officials may be unable to separate them. When that happens, dead-heat rules can affect the payout.

Horse racing terms can look complicated when you’re starting out, but the important information is normally straightforward: check the runners, odds, places and each-way conditions before confirming the bet.

Golf betting rules

Golf is a little unusual because a tournament can stretch across four days and plenty can happen during that time.

A golfer can withdraw. Players can miss the cut. Weather can interrupt play. Two or more golfers can also finish level in certain positions.

All of these things can matter to a bet.Take a top-five finish as an example. If several golfers are tied around fifth place, dead-heat rules may affect your payout. A winning selection doesn’t always produce the full return you originally calculated.

Withdrawals need attention as well. How a bet is treated can depend on the market and whether the golfer had already started the tournament.

Outright winner bets are more straightforward when a tournament ends in a playoff. The playoff is there to decide the champion, so the eventual winner is what matters for the outright market.

Golf has a huge variety of betting options, though. Don’t treat a tournament winner bet, round bet and player matchup as if they all follow identical rules.

General rules that apply across sports

The details change from sport to sport, but there are a few habits that make betting rules much easier to understand.

First, read the name of the market properly.It sounds obvious, but a lot of confusion starts there. “Match winner”, “90-minute result” and “to qualify” can produce different outcomes from the same football game.

The same principle applies elsewhere.Also pay attention to whether the participant actually starts. If you back a player or team and they don’t compete, the bet may be void depending on the market.

A void bet normally means the stake on that selection is returned. Things are slightly different with accumulators because one void leg doesn’t necessarily cancel the entire bet. Usually, the remaining selections continue and the void selection is effectively removed, subject to the bookmaker’s rules.

Official results are important too. Bookmakers need a recognised result to settle their markets. A later disciplinary decision or amended result doesn’t always mean previously settled bets will be changed.

The simplest approach is not to guess what a bookmaker will do. Look at the rules attached to the sport and market.

Why you should check sport-specific betting rules

Nobody wants to spend their evening reading betting terms.

You don’t have to.

What you should do is check the rules that actually affect the bet you’re about to place, particularly when you’re trying a new sport or an unfamiliar market.

Betting on a normal football result? Check whether it’s a 90-minute market.

Backing tennis? Know what happens if somebody retires.

Having an each-way bet on a horse? Check the number of places and the place terms.

Betting on golf? Pay attention to ties, withdrawals and the exact market you’ve selected.

A few seconds spent checking can prevent an argument with the bookmaker later.

Most importantly, understanding the rules tells you what you’re actually risking your money on. Picking the right team, player, horse or golfer is only one part of a bet. You also need to know what has to happen for the bookmaker to settle it as a winner.

FAQs About Betting Rules

Do betting rules differ between sports?

Yes. Football, tennis, horse racing, golf and other sports have their own settlement rules because the events are structured differently.

Does extra time count in sports betting?

Not always. Standard football match-result bets generally apply to regulation time and stoppage time, while certain markets such as qualification bets can include what happens afterwards.

What happens if a sporting event is abandoned?

It depends on the sport, market and bookmaker. Some bets may already be settled, while others could be void or remain open if the event is completed within the period allowed by the bookmaker.

What happens if a player withdraws or does not compete?

The bet may be void when a player doesn’t start. If the player withdraws after the event has begun, settlement will depend on the sport, the market selected and the bookmaker’s specific rules.

Indran Naidoo

Writer / Betting tipster 

I am what you call a sporting all-rounder with my favourite sports being rugby, football and cricket. I have been actively writing rugby and football articles for the last decade. These include previews, reviews and interesting topical pieces. I am a huge fan of Liverpool and a passionate supporter of the Springboks. My interests in recent years have also included iGaming as this is one of the fastest growing betting markets. Follow me for the best rugby odds in South Africa as I continue to find you the best bookie to place your bets.