What a Void Bet Means
A void bet is a bet that is cancelled without being won or lost. The bookmaker returns the stake to your account, and no winnings are paid. In practice, a void means the bet is treated as though it was never placed, although the stake may have been in your balance for some time.
Voids are not the same as losses. A losing bet is settled against you and the stake is gone. A void bet keeps your money, but it does not give a profit. Understanding the difference matters when you are deciding how much to stake and how long your money can be tied up.
Common Reasons a Bet Is Voided
The most common reason is that the event does not take place. A match that is abandoned before it is complete is often void, although some markets settle on the score at the point the match stopped. The rules depend on the market and the sport, so the terms on the bet slip matter.
A selection can also be void if it does not take part. In horse racing, a runner that is withdrawn before the race is usually handled under the non-runner rules, which can lead to a void or a deduction. In other sports, a player who does not start may void a player market. A bet can also be void if the market was offered in error, or if the bookmaker corrects a price that was clearly wrong when the bet was placed.
Void Legs in an Accumulator
An accumulator with a void leg does not lose the whole bet. The void leg is removed, and the remaining legs settle as a smaller accumulator. In practice, the void leg is treated as odds of 1.00, so it does not change the total multiple.
For example, a three-leg accumulator at 2.00, 2.00 and 3.00 has a multiple of 12.00. If the second leg is void, the remaining legs are 2.00 and 3.00, and the multiple becomes 6.00. If all three legs win, the full multiple applies. If the remaining two legs win, the return is based on 6.00. The void leg reduces the potential return, but it does not remove the stake.
Void Bets in Each-Way and Multiples
Each-way bets follow the same logic on each part. If one event is void, the bet is settled on the other events, and the void part returns its stake. In a multiple bet, such as a double or a trixie, the void selection is removed and the remaining combination is paid at the reduced odds.
Bookmakers sometimes present these settlements with a note on the bet slip. Check the note before assuming how a void will affect the return, since some promotions and bet builders use their own rules for void legs.
Where the Terms Are Found
Each bookmaker publishes terms for its markets, usually on a page called rules, terms or general terms. The most useful section is often called settlement or rules for specific markets. It explains what happens if the event is abandoned, postponed, delayed or changed, and how a non-runner or a withdrawn player is treated.
Read the terms for the market you are betting on, not only the general terms. A match-result market, an over-under market and a player market can each have different void rules on the same fixture.
Postponed Events and Delayed Settlement
A postponed event does not always void a bet immediately. Many bookmakers keep the bet open until the event is played or until a set period passes. If the event is rescheduled within a time limit, the bet may settle on the new result. If it is not played within the limit, the bet is usually void.
This means a void can take a long time to appear in your account. If you have a bet on an event that is postponed, check the terms for the time limit and keep a note of the date, so you know when to expect the outcome.
Checking a Void Before You Bet
Before placing a bet, check what happens if the event is abandoned, if the selection does not start and if the market changes. Compare the terms across bookmakers, since a void rule can make one bookmaker a better choice for a given market.
After a void, check the settlement. The stake should return to your account, and the bet should appear as void in your history. If it does not, contact the bookmaker's support team with the bet reference and the event details.
Voids Across Different Sports
Tennis, horse racing, football and basketball each handle voids in their own way. In tennis, a match that is retired may settle on the winner once it has started, depending on the market, while a walkover can void a match-result bet. In horse racing, a non-runner or a race that is abandoned usually results in a void for the affected bets, with the rules of racing setting the detail.
In football, an abandoned match is often void for a full-time result market, but a settled market may already have a result once a team has scored enough to decide the outcome under the terms. Basketball and other continuous-scoring sports can settle differently, so the market terms are more important than the general rule.
Voids and Bet Builders
Bet builders combine several selections from the same match into one bet. The rules for voids in a bet builder are usually set out separately from the rules for single markets. If one part of a bet builder is void, the bookmaker may remove that part and settle the rest, or it may void the whole bet. The difference matters, because the price of the remaining bet can change sharply.
Check the settlement terms for bet builders before placing a bet. A bet builder that would normally be settled on the remaining legs can be treated differently if the bookmaker has a bet builder rule that voids the whole combination.
Keeping a Record of Voided Bets
A void is easy to overlook, because the stake simply reappears in the account. Keep a note of each void with the reason given by the bookmaker, the date and the event. Over a season, the record shows which types of market are most often void for you, and whether a particular bookmaker is voiding bets more often than others.
Look for patterns in the reasons as well as the totals. Several voids for the same reason, such as postponed matches in one league, suggest a market you may want to avoid during bad weather or fixture congestion. A single void for a non-runner is harder to predict, but a repeated pattern is a signal worth acting on.
The record also helps with disputes. If a void looks wrong, the note shows the terms you read before placing the bet and the reason the bookmaker gave. That is the evidence you need when you contact support, and it makes a complaint far more specific than a general request for a review.
A void can also affect the way you plan a bankroll. Money returned from a void is available again straight away, but it has earned nothing. If voids are frequent in your betting, factor the time your money spends waiting into your decision about how many bets to place in a week.
Key Takeaways
A void bet returns the stake without a win or loss. Events can be void for abandonment, non-runners, withdrawn players or market errors, and each sport and market has its own terms. In an accumulator, a void leg is removed from the multiple and the rest of the bet continues. Read the settlement terms for each market before you bet.
For the wider terms used on bet slips, see the betting terms glossary, and for how odds multiply across legs, see the accumulator betting guide.
✓ What We Like
- Your stake is returned, so a void is not a loss
- A void leg keeps the rest of an accumulator alive
- Clear terms make it easy to know which events are covered
✕ What Could Improve
- A void returns no profit, so the time the stake was tied up is wasted
- Rules differ between bookmakers and between markets
- A void can be confusing when the bet looked like a clear win or loss
