Void Bet Explained
Learn everything you need to know about a void bet: What it is and why a bet might be voided.
What Is a Void Bet?
Simply put, a void bet is one that is cancelled, which could be for various reasons. For example, if a Premier League game does not take place due to poor weather, the bets placed by punters on that game will be voided by the bookmaker. When a bet is declared void, the punter will get the stake returned.
Reasons Why Bets Might Be Voided
There are a lot of different reasons why people may find that their bet is void, like the following:
Non-runner: In horse racing, customers who back a horse that does not end up running in the race, perhaps because of injury, will get their stake back from the online betting site. A notable exception to this is often ante-post bets on horse racing, which will not be deemed void if they are a non-runner.
Player doesn't start: Football betting fans who have placed a wager on a player to score the first goal in a game, for example, will often see the bet be voided if that player is not starting.
Game doesn't start/postponement: If a sporting event does not happen, perhaps due to a frozen pitch, this will result in all bets that were placed on it being void.
Human error: If a bet is deemed to have been taken in error by the online bookmaker, it can be declared void. Make sure to check the site's terms and conditions for their policy on this area.
Error with the betting odds: When a betting site has made a mistake with the odds it has offered on a particular market, the bookmaker might decide to declare all bets placed void. For example, if a horse was listed by one site at 20/1 but most rival horse racing bookies were offering just 2/1, this is an error. While this might appear to be unfair, it is fairly standard practice in the betting industry.
Voided as per rules: In some cases, the format of a sporting event can change, resulting in bets being declared void. For instance, if a cricket match sees the number of overs per side reduced as a result of poor weather, betting sites might opt to make bets on the game void.
Player injury or withdrawal: Tennis fans may often see a bet has been declared void in the event of one of the players in a match having to withdraw from the contest, perhaps due to an injury. Tennis bets are one of the areas where UK bookmakers often have different void rules, which is why it is important to always check out the small print of a site's terms and conditions.
How to Know When a Bet is Void
Punters who are unsure whether or not their bet has been declared void should first head to the 'my bets' area of the site for an update. Void bets will often be greyed out and will have the word 'void' mentioned near them. It might also be made clear on the betting site that the customer's stake has been returned to them.
For those who cannot see if a bet is void in this part of the site, it is possible to go through the online bookmaker's terms and conditions to see what the rules are. Sometimes, it might even be necessary to get in touch with the customer support department to see if a bet is void or not. The customer support team will also advise if a free bet can be reinstated if it was made void.
How Void Bets Affect Accumulator/Multiple Bets
As we have mentioned in our guide to void bets, when a single wager is declared void this results in the customer's stake being returned - in essence, they will get all their money back.
But the rules regarding void bets are a little more complicated when it comes to accumulator bets - also known as parlay bets - or another form of multiple bets. So how does one leg being declared void affect these wagers?
Well, in the event of a customer placing a 10-leg acca on the Saturday football schedule and one of the matches being postponed due to poor weather, that part of the bet would be void.
The rest of the bet would continue, though, with the other nine selections remaining in place. The odds offered would have the void leg taken out, affecting the potential profits up for grabs